Has anyone had to USE their trip insurance and what was your experience?

[Ichiban Nekko]

We had to file claim on our 3rd Party Travel Insurance purchased from Travel Insured related to our Sept 30-Oct 10/2023 Zuiderdam cruise.

 

We both tested positive for Covid on the last day before reaching Fort Lauderdale (port stop Port Canaveral). We were very well taken care of by the Medical Unit and HAL gave us terrific documentation to complete our two claims (Medical and Trip Interruption for a missed shore excursion). After contacting TI on return, they emailed the necessary forms for us to complete. We submitted the completed forms electronically with supporting documentation on Friday, October 20th. The funds were in our bank account on Tuesday, October 31rd!

 

And although not a 'claim,' we changed a 35-day cruise in 2025 to a 14-day cruise in 2025. This dropped the premium significantly. A check for the difference was in our mailbox less than two weeks later.

 

Our experience with the customer service at TI has been outstanding so far. We still check on other possibilities, but keep returning to them for our travel insurance needs. Why fix something that ain't broke?

[Smitheroo]

On 12/6/2022 at 8:18 PM, klfrodo said:

The "horror" stories that you read about are people who file claims not understanding that the claim was not a covered event.

 

One instance I filed due to my wedding band being lost/misplaced/ or stolen. A couple of things that I had to show proof of was a letter from the cruise line stating that they searched and couldn't find it. Check...The next step was to provide a copy of the original sales receipt. We actually keep these as a pdf in our "Major Purchase" file on the computer. Check... Received the max allowable according to the policy of $500 about 2 weeks later.

 

Another was when our return flight was cancelled. Had to get a document from the airline proving the flight was cancelled. Check.. Had to keep receipts for hotel and meals for the extra night. Check... This was recent, so the review and acceptance took a while but received a check a couple of months later

 

The one that didn't work out so well was all on me. During Covid, we took a trip to Cancun and stayed at an RIU resort. The resort offered a free €10,000 medical only policy. I self-insured the rest. The policy clearly stated that should we require a trip to the ER, we were to notify them first. Well, my wife tripped and fell, blood going everywhere, broken wrist, etc. Off to the ER we go. $3500 later, she's fixed up and we finish our vacation and fly back home. Submit the claim and it gets denied. It gets denied because we never called first. That's on ME. I knew the policy but was wrapped up emotionally in the emergency.  Being wrapped up emotionally is a good reason to forget to call, but it's not a good excuse. 

At the time, I did have a BC/BS employer provided coverage that had an international rider. However, since my wife is/was on Medicare at the time, we had to file with Medicare 1st, wait for the denial, and then file with BC/BS. After allowable deductions, Out of Network deductions and everything else, I got back about $2400 of the $3500 we paid.

Will you share the name of the company who required the call first?   I've often read requirements for coverage that include that emergency situations are often exempt from some of the rules.  A medicare age person falling and blood everywhere should be classified as an "emergency" and not require you to call first.  I can see where if you have the symptoms of norovirus they would expect you to call first. So knowing the name of this unreasonable insurance company would be useful. 

[Smitheroo]

On 12/6/2022 at 8:45 PM, Babr said:

 

People always cite medical evacuation as a big concern. Remember that in travel insurance it means hospital-to-hospital transfer if you need a higher level of care. Most often you are moved to the nearest hospital that can appropriately care for you, then you are flown home by commercial air when you are able to travel. You might be accompanied by a medical assistant if necessary, but do not think you are going to be flown directly home in an air ambulance.

 

Nor does evacuation mean air/sea rescue. That is performed by the equivalent of the Coast Guard at no cost to the patient.

 

Nevertheless, medical and associated transportation costs still represent significant risk so insurance is still necessary. 

I think it depends on the location of your travel.  Evacuation from land (not a sea emergency that would involve the Coast Guard) from a place like Antartica could be expensive.   It cost my daughter's health insurance almost $100,000 to fly her from one location to another in California (because the first hospital didnt have a NICU) that was just a few hours away by car.  There might not be a hospital equipped to care for your problem close to Antartica.

[Smitheroo]

On 5/8/2023 at 10:32 AM, Katflorida said:

I had insurance with Celebrity CruiseCare. In March 2023, I had to cancel my cruise a few days before it was to start.  I submitted all paperwork 7 weeks ago and still no response.  I have contacted both AON, who manages CruiseCare, and Celebrity.  Neither can help at all.  It is a waiting game.  In The future, I plan to use other instance carriers and are in the process of researching many of them.  

Yes, I have been advised in the past not to use the company associated with the company providing your travel arrangements.  I have in the past, no longer do.  I also found that you get more coverage for your money from independent insurers

[klfrodo]

45 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

Will you share the name of the company who required the call first?   I've often read requirements for coverage that include that emergency situations are often exempt from some of the rules.  A medicare age person falling and blood everywhere should be classified as an "emergency" and not require you to call first.  I can see where if you have the symptoms of norovirus they would expect you to call first. So knowing the name of this unreasonable insurance company would be useful. 

I think this was a "One Off" situation.

This was during Covid and we decided to go to Cancun. (Prices were dirt cheap. Airlines and resorts were begging for business)

The resort offered free medical insurance and free Covid testing prior to return. It was a Spanish company called Hellix (or something like that)

Fortunately, the bill was only $3600 and my backup was my BCBS plan. They reimbursed $2300.

All worked out in the end with lessons learned.