Saga included insurance

[silversurf]

Anybody else having a problem with this?
Friends, travelling within a month are taking antibiotics for a throat infection. They have been told they can’t be insured within a month of taking them. Another had a small wound on his arm which need dressing every week for a few weeks and been told that they can’t be insured until the dressing is removed for good.

The insurance company seem to pick up on every little thing, so is this included insurance fit for purpose?

After all it is for people over 50 and many considerably older, who often have minor ailments as well as as more serious conditions.

[Harry Peterson]

That’s a very interesting question. I’ve always taken that free insurance claim as likely to exclude a lot of existing conditions, but admittedly without any direct evidence.

 

Those examples do sound extreme though, unless perhaps in the latter case they have in mind potential claims in respect of reapplied dressings onboard?

Edited May 4, 2023 by Harry Peterson
Final sentence

[twotravellersLondon]

31 minutes ago, silversurf said:

Anybody else having a problem with this?
Friends, travelling within a month are taking antibiotics for a throat infection. They have been told they can’t be insured within a month of taking them. Another had a small wound on his arm which need dressing every week for a few weeks and been told that they can’t be insured until the dressing is removed for good.

The insurance company seem to pick up on every little thing, so is this included insurance fit for purpose?

After all it is for people over 50 and many considerably older, who often have minor ailments as well as as more serious conditions.

 

On our last SAGA cruise, just a couple of months ago, there were a small number of people with what looked to be very serious medical conditions... including one who was connected to a mobile device that she pulled along in a small suitcase...  so they must have been insured somehow.

 

[Harry Peterson]

47 minutes ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

On our last SAGA cruise, just a couple of months ago, there were a small number of people with what looked to be very serious medical conditions... including one who was connected to a mobile device that she pulled along in a small suitcase...  so they must have been insured somehow.

 

But perhaps not with Saga, or with an additional premium?

[twotravellersLondon]

49 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

But perhaps not with Saga, or with an additional premium?

 

 

Perhaps not but our recent personal experience is...

 

One of us recently had a suspected very serious medical condition... it turned out not to be the case but a far less serious but exhaustive tests spotted rare and little understood condition that may have been there unnoticed for decades.. We spoke to SAGA about the insurance for an upcoming cruise. They were very helpful. One of us now travelled on the all inclusive insurance and the other travels on a different plan which costs an insignificant amount more. We found that SAGAs underwriters were very detailed, very precise and very helpful.

 

That makes sense... we could have obtained insurance through a specialist charity which specialises in helping folks in that sort of predicament or just given up on cruising and holidays abroad but... with Saga's help the company retained us as customers, retained us as insurance customers and ensured that we would probably book future cruises. There was no hassle and we ensure each trip separately. It only takes 5 minutes.

 

We can only speak from our own experience of dealing with SAGA insurance about half-a-dozen times in the last few months... but we found that they were very helpful in ensuring that we could travel with them and that they would also ensure us for travelling with other companies and independently.

[david05]

4 hours ago, silversurf said:

Anybody else having a problem with this?
Friends, travelling within a month are taking antibiotics for a throat infection. They have been told they can’t be insured within a month of taking them. Another had a small wound on his arm which need dressing every week for a few weeks and been told that they can’t be insured until the dressing is removed for good.

The insurance company seem to pick up on every little thing, so is this included insurance fit for purpose?

After all it is for people over 50 and many considerably older, who often have minor ailments as well as as more serious conditions.

I wouldn't say we had had a problem because our health incidents were well ahead of a cruise. However, Saga seemed to be saying that one was not covered by insurance for "x" months ("x" depending on the ailment) but would be again if all was well after that period (which it was). This is very different from what happened before when the insurance was still valid except you were no longer covered for the recent health problem. My wife once travelled shortly after she had broken her wrist and the insurance was fine except she was not covered for any complications or anything else that might happen to her wrist whilst on holiday.

[silversurf]

Several complaint today on Facebook pages about the insurance being difficult for minor ailments.

[suron]

I have booked Saga's icelandic Explorer for 28th July.  Unfortunately I was admitted to hospital in March and a new medical condition was diagnosed.  It was uncertain if Saga would insure me. I do have other medical conditions which were accepted in the screening process.  However Saga have come back to me and are willing to delay payment of the final balance until 9th June when  hopefully I will be able to report no further incidents with the newest medical condition for three months and I will then be covered fully on their insurance.  I have made tentative enquiries re other insurance companies  to be on the safe side but hopefully I stay symptom free to avoid paying in the region on £400 for this one trip with another company!  Am very happy with service received from Saga.

 

Suron (in Bristol)

[JoJo1947]

I've been denied included insurance because month before cruise I lacerated my leg. I bought instead Saga travel insurance with no problem. The two have different underwriters. I buy annual Avanti travel insurance now straightforward no fuss

[Exiled Brummie]

Just been wondering about this, 'Free insurance' must surely have many limitations. My wife and I both have several Pre-Existing long term medical conditions, all controlled by medication so we are are fit and active despite these conditions.

In such circumstances do Saga refuse cover or require an additional premium?

The other issue making us hesitate to look at a Saga cruise is cost compared to many others, not just a few percent either. I know a lot is included but even allowing for this the cost still makes me gulp.

Are Saga really that much better? (compared to say P&O, our last cruise line)

 

Bill D.

[ballroom-cruisers]

The way all travel insurers work is that they work out the risk of a particular medical condition and calculate the chance of needing help that costs various amounts.  In the case of Saga the insurance is included in the cost of the fare so not really 'free'.  If you already have a travel policy with a different insurer (or a Saga annual travel policy) then you don't need to pay for the included insurance.  But whichever your insurer is, they will always require you to declare your medical conditions - and they will have had their actuaries calculate whether the likely cost of needing to help a policy holder is a high enough risk that they need to require additional premium. They will do that for each medical condition.

Also every insurer will say your policy is invalid if you haven't declared all medical conditions so you have to declare them.  They will then tell you whether the particular conditions you have would be included at the standard premium, or if they require you to pay extra to be covered.  In general Saga are pretty good and their insurance policies are well thought out.  If you have a condition that is low risk of leading to a problem during the period of your voyage then it is likely they will cover you with no additional premium. Clearly some conditions have a significant chance of becoming unwell at the level of needing hospital emergency treatment and possible helicopter evacuation during a few weeks of a voyage, and in that situation there is a strong chance that an insurance company would require an elevated premium, and for some conditions the risk is so high that insurers would not cover them at any cost.  Anyone with such a condition would then be subject to major costs if they needed expensive medical care whilst on holiday. 

Either way the only way to answer the question is to talk to the insurer directly and ask them if they will cover the conditions you have, and at what cost, in the circumstances they are stable and under control with whatever medication is being taken. Usually if you are awaiting test results that complicates the insurance situation, and often the outcome would be needed before the insurer would cover you.  It would be much the same whichever insurance company is approached.

Edited June 7, 2023 by ballroom-cruisers
typo

[Windsurfboy]

3 hours ago, Exiled Brummie said:

Just been wondering about this, 'Free insurance' must surely have many limitations. My wife and I both have several Pre-Existing long term medical conditions, all controlled by medication so we are are fit and active despite these conditions.

In such circumstances do Saga refuse cover or require an additional premium?

The other issue making us hesitate to look at a Saga cruise is cost compared to many others, not just a few percent either. I know a lot is included but even allowing for this the cost still makes me gulp.

Are Saga really that much better? (compared to say P&O, our last cruise line)

 

Bill D.

 

Yes Saga are better than P&O and Cunard. In my opinion Saga's food on par with Cunard queens grill if not better. The atmosphere and facilities throughout ship is just on higher level. Worth the money.

[Wacktle]

On 6/7/2023 at 7:07 PM, Exiled Brummie said:

Just been wondering about this, 'Free insurance' must surely have many limitations. My wife and I both have several Pre-Existing long term medical conditions, all controlled by medication so we are are fit and active despite these conditions.

In such circumstances do Saga refuse cover or require an additional premium?

 

Bill,  I think (but am not 100% sure) that Saga will either give you the "free" insurance when you declare medical conditions, or will refuse it. I don't think they cover medical conditions for an additional premium, as I've read on here and on social media that people then go to Saga's "paid for" travel insurance, which is completely separate. Other readers may confirm this, or not.

[maesteggirl]

Yes that's correct. the "free" insurance will not cover my husband but Saga's paid for insurance does!  

 

[Denarius]

1 hour ago, Wacktle said:

Bill,  I think (but am not 100% sure) that Saga will either give you the "free" insurance when you declare medical conditions, or will refuse it. I don't think they cover medical conditions for an additional premium, as I've read on here and on social media that people then go to Saga's "paid for" travel insurance, which is completely separate. Other readers may confirm this, or not.

If you are not eligible for Saga's included insurance because of existing medical conditions I suggest that you obtain quotations from one of the insurers which specialise in extra risks like AllClear or Staysure as well as Saga's own insurance provider. You may well find that they are cheaper.

[escrick]

On 6/7/2023 at 7:07 PM, Exiled Brummie said:

Just been wondering about this, 'Free insurance' must surely have many limitations. My wife and I both have several Pre-Existing long term medical conditions, all controlled by medication so we are are fit and active despite these conditions.

In such circumstances do Saga refuse cover or require an additional premium?

The other issue making us hesitate to look at a Saga cruise is cost compared to many others, not just a few percent either. I know a lot is included but even allowing for this the cost still makes me gulp.

Are Saga really that much better? (compared to say P&O, our last cruise line)

 

Bill D.

 My husband and I have cruised for many years on different lines, and often in suites.  Our first Saga cruise last year was the  best organised cruise of all.  The ship was spotless, the food excellent, the service outstanding, and it was such a bonus to be chauffeured to the port and back and to have gratuities included.  I recommend it highly.

 

cruise 

[JoJo1947]

On 5/4/2023 at 10:11 AM, silversurf said:

Anybody else having a problem with this?
Friends, travelling within a month are taking antibiotics for a throat infection. They have been told they can’t be insured within a month of taking them. Another had a small wound on his arm which need dressing every week for a few weeks and been told that they can’t be insured until the dressing is removed for good.

The insurance company seem to pick up on every little thing, so is this included insurance fit for purpose?

After all it is for people over 50 and many considerably older, who often have minor ailments as well as as more serious conditions.

That's correct on both as far as Saga included insurance is concerned. Last year I cut my leg and had to have new dressings prior to sailing. Included insurance wouldn't cover me. In stead I phoned Saga independent insurance and they did. It's tougher to get included 

[Harry Peterson]

After Saga’s recent decision to reneague on the commitment they made to life members (who paid a fair bit for those life memberships) to send them the Saga Magazine for life, I’m not at all sure I’d trust Saga on anything else. Particularly an insurance policy.

[beaujolais]

30 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

After Saga’s recent decision to reneague on the commitment they made to life members (who paid a fair bit for those life memberships) to send them the Saga Magazine for life, I’m not at all sure I’d trust Saga on anything else. Particularly an insurance policy.

 

Well you are very wrong there

[Harry Peterson]

5 minutes ago, beaujolais said:

 

Well you are very wrong there

I can only go by my experience of their cavalier attitude towards contracts with their life members. To most people a contract is a contract.  To Saga, however,  a contract can be broken if they don't like it.

[FangedRose]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

I can only go by my experience of their cavalier attitude towards contracts with their life members. To most people a contract is a contract.  To Saga, however,  a contract can be broken if they don't like it.

All contracts can be broken by either party.

[Harry Peterson]

27 minutes ago, FangedRose said:

All contracts can be broken by either party.

Indeed they can. It happens frequently.  And it tends to lead to claims for damages, sometimes in the courts, and to a loss of reputation if it’s a well known name such as Saga.

[david05]

But Saga only act as the broker so the insurance is actually with another company and we have varied experiences with insurance companies - some deal quickly and fairly with claims, others not so welcoming when you have a claim!

[Mickey111]

On 5/4/2023 at 10:11 AM, silversurf said:

Anybody else having a problem with this?
Friends, travelling within a month are taking antibiotics for a throat infection. They have been told they can’t be insured within a month of taking them. Another had a small wound on his arm which need dressing every week for a few weeks and been told that they can’t be insured until the dressing is removed for good.

The insurance company seem to pick up on every little thing, so is this included insurance fit for purpose?

After all it is for people over 50 and many considerably older, who often have minor ailments as well as as more serious conditions.

I take preventative antibiotics for a chest condition and we have various medical stuff going on. We usually have all year multi trip insurance and it’s expensive. Just about to go into battle with them for a cancelled cruise