Cruise Insurance

[KevintheIrishDJ]

Is it better to get Azamara Cruise Insurance or something else

 

[blag]

5 minutes ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

Is it better to get Azamara Cruise Insurance or something else

 

It depends on your circumstances.

[Host Jazzbeau]

In general, it is never good advice to buy insurance from the trip provider.  Such insurance does not include Vendor Default coverage, to protect you if the vendor goes bankrupt.  You would need to compare the fine print for other comparisons, but I have read many examples where people couldn't get their vendor insurance premium back whereas Allianz has always allowed me to roll my policy to a future trip (with any vendor).  Cruise Critic has a specialized forum for Trip Insurance, with lots of expert members answering questions.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

In general, it is never good advice to buy insurance from the trip provider.  Such insurance does not include Vendor Default coverage, to protect you if the vendor goes bankrupt.  You would need to compare the fine print for other comparisons, but I have read many examples where people couldn't get their vendor insurance premium back whereas Allianz has always allowed me to roll my policy to a future trip (with any vendor).  Cruise Critic has a specialized forum for Trip Insurance, with lots of expert members answering questions.

We have used Allianz in the past. We never get insurance until the final payment date.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

We have used Allianz in the past. We never get insurance until the final payment date.

I don't know your age, but whatever it is you will eventually start feeling Allianz's age-bracket price increases*.  Here's a trick to delay that day:  take out a policy to cover the deposit when you book the cruise – thereby locking in your ages on that day.  Then increase coverage as you make further payments (or just wait until final payment).  You'll end up paying the same amount as if you had taken the full coverage on day 1, but delaying the hit to your credit card.

 

*Allianz's rates are based on the following age brackets:  0-30, 31-59, 60-70, 71-75, 76-79, 80+

[uktog]

Given the cost of flights and impact of cancellations etc we have insurance straight from booking.  It’s too risky a money save for little saving imho.  Medical conditions can arise between booking and sailing.  You might still be able to take your cruise but you’re then loaded with a pre existing condition cost or restrictions.  

 

I will give a first hand example.  We booked cruises for late 2023 and early 2024 last year.  They are all long distance.  We currently intend taking them but since booking our grandchild has been diagnosed with a life limiting condition.  Cruise interruption insurance element is now very important and flying back from South America or the Far East would be expensive.  However we are insured because we covered the cruises from booking.  
 

We made another recent booking post her diagnosis and initially the answer was we could not have interruption cover.  Actually we do now have it but with a higher premium and excess and had we been trying to add Japan at that stage it would have been an eye watering excess so being insured when you book saved us. (We actually have annual cover and by staying with the same provider they automatically roll over cover for existing declarations). 

 

I appreciate the OP might not be worried about risks arising and wants to keep costs down but Im just highlighting that can be a very false economy 

[blag]

30 minutes ago, uktog said:

Given the cost of flights and impact of cancellations etc we have insurance straight from booking.  It’s too risky a money save for little saving imho.  Medical conditions can arise between booking and sailing.  You might still be able to take your cruise but you’re then loaded with a pre existing condition cost or restrictions.  

 

I will give a first hand example.  We booked cruises for late 2023 and early 2024 last year.  They are all long distance.  We currently intend taking them but since booking our grandchild has been diagnosed with a life limiting condition.  Cruise interruption insurance element is now very important and flying back from South America or the Far East would be expensive.  However we are insured because we covered the cruises from booking.  
 

We made another recent booking post her diagnosis and initially the answer was we could not have interruption cover.  Actually we do now have it but with a higher premium and excess and had we been trying to add Japan at that stage it would have been an eye watering excess so being insured when you book saved us. (We actually have annual cover and by staying with the same provider they automatically roll over cover for existing declarations). 

 

I appreciate the OP might not be worried about risks arising and wants to keep costs down but Im just highlighting that can be a very false economy 

I'm intrigued by your circumstances. Are you sure that your insurance covers you for curtailment etc. in the event that your grandchild's life is in immediate danger?

We had a similar situation and had a difficult decision to make when our insurers deemed our premature return to be for reasons outside the scope of the cover.

[uktog]

3 minutes ago, blag said:

I'm intrigued by your circumstances. Are you sure that your insurance covers you for curtailment etc. in the event that your grandchild's life is in immediate danger?

We had a similar situation and had a difficult decision to make when our insurers deemed our premature return to be for reasons outside the scope of the cover.

Yes, I have that in writing 

[federalexpress]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Given the cost of flights and impact of cancellations etc we have insurance straight from booking.  It’s too risky a money save for little saving imho.  Medical conditions can arise between booking and sailing.  You might still be able to take your cruise but you’re then loaded with a pre existing condition cost or restrictions.  

 

I will give a first hand example.  We booked cruises for late 2023 and early 2024 last year.  They are all long distance.  We currently intend taking them but since booking our grandchild has been diagnosed with a life limiting condition.  Cruise interruption insurance element is now very important and flying back from South America or the Far East would be expensive.  However we are insured because we covered the cruises from booking.  
 

We made another recent booking post her diagnosis and initially the answer was we could not have interruption cover.  Actually we do now have it but with a higher premium and excess and had we been trying to add Japan at that stage it would have been an eye watering excess so being insured when you book saved us. (We actually have annual cover and by staying with the same provider they automatically roll over cover for existing declarations). 

 

I appreciate the OP might not be worried about risks arising and wants to keep costs down but Im just highlighting that can be a very false economy 

 

I'd generally agree with your comments but above all I'd like to send my sympathy to you regarding the news of your grandchild. I've had this awful news for two close relatives of my own in the past few years and I know how harrowing it is. At least they were 'current' generation, it must be worse when it is for a generation or even two below.

[Mackdogmolly]

We also buy our insurance immediately at booking as it will, at that point, cover preexisting conditions. And one never knows what might happen. So sorry to hear about your grandchild, @uktog .

Betsey

[KevintheIrishDJ]

33 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

We also buy our insurance immediately at booking as it will, at that point, cover preexisting conditions. And one never knows what might happen. So sorry to hear about your grandchild, @uktog .

Betsey

I don't remember filling out a medical questionnaire before.

[uktog]

7 minutes ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

I don't remember filling out a medical questionnaire before.

You always fill it one at the port as part of the boarding process 

You fill one out for your insurance company when buying insurance 

( the questions in each are different of course) 

[Mackdogmolly]

33 minutes ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

I don't remember filling out a medical questionnaire before.

We didn’t have to do it when buying the trip insurance, as long as we purchased it within 10 days of booking the cruise.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

7 hours ago, uktog said:

You always fill it one at the port as part of the boarding process 

You fill one out for your insurance company when buying insurance 

( the questions in each are different of course) 

I haven't seen a  medical questionnaire during boarding in a long time

[lisiamc]

1 hour ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

I haven't seen a  medical questionnaire during boarding in a long time

You might be seeing one soon. We had to fill out a short questionnaire on boarding Onward in May, and Pursuit in August. It had questions about having any recent Covid-like symptoms such as a cough, a fever, etc. 

[Baynanno1]

@uktog so sorry to hear about your grandchild. 🙏

[nordski]

10 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

So sorry to hear about your grandchild, @uktog .

Betsey

Indeed.