Trip insurance

[dianfarmer]

We are in our 70’s . I have a pacemaker and Afib. My husband has high cholesterol. In order to have trip insurance we need to purchase it with in so many days after deposit is made even though we can cancel up until final payment is made and get the deposit back. If this happens then we are out the premium for the insurance which is over $700 for our next cruise. Many people our age have something medically wrong. What insurance do you find to be the best?

[crystalspin]

Near the end of 2019, we purchased a GeoBlue Trekker (annual) policy. My husband retired on the last day of that year and we were going to travel A LOT. I had found the plan by myself, BUT there is a whole board on Cruise Critic to help!

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/

 

The Q&A stickied to the top has its own topics, I think. 

[crystalspin]

I feel I should share that by our next cruise we will be 65 and 76, with no major physical ailments. We "made do" with Holland America's Premium Cruise Protection for our Mexico B2B last winter, but our two booked cruises for 2024 are longer and far more distant. 

 

The "Blue" in GeoBlue is from the fact they are the travel arm of BlueCross/BlueShield. Which seemed like a good thing! But I will be reading up in the Insurance Board here.

[GeezerCouple]

On 7/18/2023 at 8:46 AM, dianfarmer said:

We are in our 70’s . I have a pacemaker and Afib. My husband has high cholesterol. In order to have trip insurance we need to purchase it with in so many days after deposit is made even though we can cancel up until final payment is made and get the deposit back. If this happens then we are out the premium for the insurance which is over $700 for our next cruise. Many people our age have something medically wrong. What insurance do you find to be the best?

 

As crystalspin wrote, there is a "travel insurance" section of CC.  It doesn't appear that you've posted there yet.  That's where the most "experienced travel insurance eyeballs" will see your questions.

 

Many of us get 3rd party travel insurance.  And at least for the type we get, there are two aspects of the policies that you would probably find appealing:

1) One only insures the non-refundable payments as one makes them.  (Note:  The deposit must be part of the first insured amount, even if that deposit is refundable.)  So as one makes additional payments or adds other "things" to the trip (e.g., hotels), one then ups the coverage.  So the entire amount of the trip doesn't require insurance to be paid until the entire amount is actually paid.

2) In many cases, if one cancels the trip WITHOUT having lost any money (and thus without having made a claim on the insurance), one can then apply that coverage to a different trip.  (Note:  There are some time limits that might apply for this feature.)

 

As far as elders (like us, the Geezers 😉 ) who might have "something medically wrong", if one starts the coverage within a window (usually 10-20 days depending on state of residency) of making that first insurance payment *and* one is "fit to travel* on the day the insurance is started, there are no exceptions for pre-existing conditions.

Also, the definition of "pre-existing condition" is quite different for travel insurance than it is in everyday use.  The definition may vary slightly from policy to policy, but for the most part, they usually would require no recent symptoms or treatments or changes in medication or testing, etc., within a specified "look-back" period.  And one must also be "fit to travel" on the day the insurance is started.

 

Many of us use a travel insurance broker.  We are among those who use Steve, at

www.TripInsuranceStore.com - but CALL.  Do NOT rely upon the online summaries of various policies.  (No extra charge to use an agent or broker, btw.)

 

And do browse through some of the posts at the travel insurance section of CC.  That will give you a good overview of some of the choices and issues.

GC

[SargassoPirate]

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have carried an annual travel policy with AIG for years.  It runs just over $500 per year and covers us for all travel - not just cruises - more than 150 miles from home.  Train trips, road trips, motorcycle trips, air travel, etc.

 

I figure the money we've save by not buying cruise line insurance over the years has been money best used elsewhere.

[shipgeeks]

And of course there is the option of not buying travel insurance.  We are 79 and 80, have done 50+ cruises, have never purchased travel insurance, and have never wished that we did.  We are comfortable in knowing we might someday have to pay $$$ for treatment, evacuation, etc., but in the meantime we have been able to keep adding $ to our savings to cover that possibility.

It all comes down to personal comfort level.

[SargassoPirate]

On 7/23/2023 at 3:48 PM, shipgeeks said:

And of course there is the option of not buying travel insurance.  We are 79 and 80, have done 50+ cruises, have never purchased travel insurance, and have never wished that we did.  We are comfortable in knowing we might someday have to pay $$$ for treatment, evacuation, etc., but in the meantime we have been able to keep adding $ to our savings to cover that possibility.

It all comes down to personal comfort level.

There's nothing wrong with "self insuring" if one is willing to take the risk.  Our annual policy has certain limits, we are well aware of those limits and for any loss above those limits we consider ourselves as "self insured".  

 

Insurance is a real money maker for the insurance industry - or they wouldn't be offering it.

[CPT Trips]

On 7/18/2023 at 8:46 AM, dianfarmer said:

We are in our 70’s . I have a pacemaker and Afib. My husband has high cholesterol. In order to have trip insurance we need to purchase it with in so many days after deposit is made even though we can cancel up until final payment is made and get the deposit back. If this happens then we are out the premium for the insurance which is over $700 for our next cruise. Many people our age have something medically wrong. What insurance do you find to be the best?

If you cancel your cruise and do not have a claim many companies will allow you to roll your insurance to another trip. 

[CPT Trips]

On 7/21/2023 at 7:49 AM, SargassoPirate said:

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have carried an annual travel policy with AIG for years.  It runs just over $500 per year and covers us for all travel - not just cruises - more than 150 miles from home.  Train trips, road trips, motorcycle trips, air travel, etc.

 

I figure the money we've save by not buying cruise line insurance over the years has been money best used elsewhere.

Is this comprehensive coverage or medical only?

[SargassoPirate]

5 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

Is this comprehensive coverage or medical only?

Here is a cut and paste from the policy cover page.  This coverage costs us $518 per year for two people.  And, as I mentioned, it covers ALL trips within the one year period.

 

Coverages & Benefit Limits

Standard Packages

ACCIDENTAL DEATH/DISMEMBERMENT	$50000.00	Per Insured
BAGGAGE COVERAGE	$2500.00	Per Insured
BAGGAGE DELAY	$1000.00	Per Insured
$200.00 Payout Limit Per Day
CONCIERGE SERVICES	Included	Per Insured
EMERGENCY EVACUATION AND REPATRIATION OF REMAINS	$500000.00	Per Insured
EMERGENCY TRAVEL ASSISTANCE	Included	Per Insured
IDENTITY THEFT ASSISTANCE SERVICES	Included	Per Insured
MISSED CONNECTION	$500.00	Per Insured
PERSONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE	Included	Per Insured
SECURITY EVACUATION	$100000.00	Per Insured
TRAVEL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE	Included	Per Insured
TRAVEL MEDICAL EXPENSE	$50000.00	Per Insured
TRIP DELAY	$1500.00	Per Insured
$150.00 Payout Limit Per Day
TRIP INTERRUPTION	100% Trip Cost	Per Insured
WORLDWIDE TRAVEL ASSISTANCE	Included	Per Insured

 

 

[CPT Trips]

@SargassoPirate Thanks. 

[Mary229]

Annual medical insurance policies like Geoblue can be bought a mere 24 hours before leaving home.  For cruise cancellation policies there are different rules and to be safe you buy those as soon as you put any non-refundable money down on a cruise.  I use a Chase credit card for that portion. The Chase sapphire products have reputable trip insurance 

[PJnVA]

On 7/31/2023 at 6:56 AM, SargassoPirate said:

Here is a cut and paste from the policy cover page.  This coverage costs us $518 per year for two people.  And, as I mentioned, it covers ALL trips within the one year period.

 

Coverages & Benefit Limits

Standard Packages

ACCIDENTAL DEATH/DISMEMBERMENT	$50000.00	Per Insured
BAGGAGE COVERAGE	$2500.00	Per Insured
BAGGAGE DELAY	$1000.00	Per Insured
$200.00 Payout Limit Per Day
CONCIERGE SERVICES	Included	Per Insured
EMERGENCY EVACUATION AND REPATRIATION OF REMAINS	$500000.00	Per Insured
EMERGENCY TRAVEL ASSISTANCE	Included	Per Insured
IDENTITY THEFT ASSISTANCE SERVICES	Included	Per Insured
MISSED CONNECTION	$500.00	Per Insured
PERSONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE	Included	Per Insured
SECURITY EVACUATION	$100000.00	Per Insured
TRAVEL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE	Included	Per Insured
TRAVEL MEDICAL EXPENSE	$50000.00	Per Insured
TRIP DELAY	$1500.00	Per Insured
$150.00 Payout Limit Per Day
TRIP INTERRUPTION	100% Trip Cost	Per Insured
WORLDWIDE TRAVEL ASSISTANCE	Included	Per Insured

 

 

 

This looks very good.  I'll have to check it out.

 

[richmke]

I assume you are retired. I would buy a last minute cruise, and just get a high limit medical policy, including evacuation. Lots of last minute deals. Apply the $700 towards the higher air fare to get to the port.

[mtnhiker]

We have only been on 10 cruises, most with Norwegian - we always get essentials insurance for each cruise.  Not that expensive and fairly good coverage.  When we start traveling more (after I retire) we will likely consider something like AIG travel insurance that SargassoPirate mentioned (above)

[ysolde]

My husband (who turns 65 later this year) and I (55) have the same AIG annual travel policy @SargassoPirate described above.  We also have a MedJet policy.  Because we take several cruises and trips each year, we have found this is the most comprehensive and cost-effective option for us.

[ReligBookFreak]

On 7/21/2023 at 6:49 AM, SargassoPirate said:

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have carried an annual travel policy with AIG for years.  It runs just over $500 per year and covers us for all travel - not just cruises - more than 150 miles from home.  Train trips, road trips, motorcycle trips, air travel, etc.

 

I figure the money we've save by not buying cruise line insurance over the years has been money best used elsewhere.

The reason AIG Travel Guard's annual insurance is so cheap is that it does NOT cover Trip Cancellation. If someone in your family gets sick or dies and you have to cancel the trip, your annual insurance plan pays NOTHING; you lose all the money you paid.

Alan

[ReligBookFreak]

On 2/17/2024 at 11:36 AM, mtnhiker said:

We have only been on 10 cruises, most with Norwegian - we always get essentials insurance for each cruise.  Not that expensive and fairly good coverage.  When we start traveling more (after I retire) we will likely consider something like AIG travel insurance that SargassoPirate mentioned (above)

If you ever arrange hotel or airfare on your own (rather than through Norwegian), your Norwegian travel insurance will pay NOTHING towards the lost airfare and hotel costs.

Alan

[ReligBookFreak]

On 9/3/2023 at 7:39 AM, PJnVA said:

 

This looks very good.  I'll have to check it out.

 

I don't see anything on Trip Cancellation.

Alan

[ReligBookFreak]

On 8/9/2023 at 7:25 PM, Mary229 said:

Annual medical insurance policies like Geoblue can be bought a mere 24 hours before leaving home.  For cruise cancellation policies there are different rules and to be safe you buy those as soon as you put any non-refundable money down on a cruise.  I use a Chase credit card for that portion. The Chase sapphire products have reputable trip insurance 

What if you need the pre-existing medical clause? Then you have to purchase insurance within 14 or 21 days of your initial deposit.

Alan

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, ReligBookFreak said:

What if you need the pre-existing medical clause? Then you have to purchase insurance within 14 or 21 days of your initial deposit.

Alan

Every person has different needs and should either read carefully or use a professional service 

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, ReligBookFreak said:

The reason AIG Travel Guard's annual insurance is so cheap is that it does NOT cover Trip Cancellation. If someone in your family gets sick or dies and you have to cancel the trip, your annual insurance plan pays NOTHING; you lose all the money you paid.

Alan

 

1 hour ago, ReligBookFreak said:

I don't see anything on Trip Cancellation.

Alan

 

Quite a few people here specifically do NOT insure the trip costs, so they would not be upset to get back "NOTHING". 😉

For them, it is usually a decision that they know the costs of the trip, it's already been all/mostly paid, and they are able to financially absorb the costs.  However, MEDICAL costs aren't known in advance, and could end up sky high (or higher!).  So they want to insure against catastrophic losses.

 

1 hour ago, ReligBookFreak said:

What if you need the pre-existing medical clause? Then you have to purchase insurance within 14 or 21 days of your initial deposit.

Alan

 

There is (or used to be; we haven't checked recently) at least one travel insurer who would provide coverage for pre-existing conditions if the insurance was paid at the latest of something like "within 24 hours of final payment".

However, that policy (when we were looking at it) had lesser coverages than the policy type we prefer from a different insurer.  We *want* those other policy features, so we simply start the coverage within the time period of our first payment.  That's very easy to do... no problem!

 

As Mary229 just wrote, it's important (VERY!) to make sure that the policy you purchase meets your insurance needs.

And that's why we always use an insurance broker;  They can ask questions, make suggestions, etc., to help us get the right policy.  (There is no extra charge for these services.)

 

GC

[mtnhiker]

10 hours ago, ReligBookFreak said:

If you ever arrange hotel or airfare on your own (rather than through Norwegian), your Norwegian travel insurance will pay NOTHING towards the lost airfare and hotel costs.

Alan

We get Norwegian Essentials strictly for the medical coverage, it is not and never has been trip insurance.  Like some others here, we are aware of the risks of not having trip insurance and consciously make that choice. 

[ReligBookFreak]

40 minutes ago, mtnhiker said:

We get Norwegian Essentials strictly for the medical coverage, it is not and never has been trip insurance.  Like some others here, we are aware of the risks of not having trip insurance and consciously make that choice. 

For medical coverage, you may want to check into GeoBlue's annual policy (Blue Cross' overseas medical insurance).

Alan

[shipgeeks]

I know that many non-US hospitals require payment upfront, often $$$. I always wonder if having evidence of travel insurance is sufficient in that position. Doesn't insurance always require that we pay for a service and then submit claims for reimbursement?