Insurance companies

[Sir Cumference]

I know this has probably been asked many, many times, so apologies for yet another one.

 

I am going on my first post-covid cruise (Christmas to Norway) and am about to start looking for insurance cover. My questions are:-

(1) Do P&O still require a certain minimum cover? and, if so, what are they

(2) Can anyone recommend a good and reasonably priced insurance company to cover a 71 year old with existing medical conditions - I accept it will depend on the actual pre-existing conditions.

(3) Has anyone used an insurance broker?

 

Many thanks

Edited August 9, 2023 by Sir Cumference

[jeanlyon]

I use my Nationwide Bank account.  My husband has 3 conditions and I have one.  It might be worth opening an account.  I saved loads.

[Sussexboy]

Me and my better half are straddling 60 between us, with some medical issues we have to declare. This year we found Admiral was the best price for us.

[Megabear2]

38 minutes ago, Sir Cumference said:

I know this has probably been asked many, many times, so apologies for yet another one.

 

I am going on my first post-covid cruise (Christmas to Norway) and am about to start looking for insurance cover. My questions are:-

(1) Do P&O still require a certain minimum cover? and, if so, what are they

(2) Can anyone recommend a good and reasonably priced insurance company to cover a 71 year old with existing medical conditions - I accept it will depend on the actual pre-existing conditions.

(3) Has anyone used an insurance broker?

 

Many thanks

Point 1, yes, these are the current requirements:

 

Our checklist for choosing the right level of cover

• Make sure your insurance provides cover for:

1. A cruise holiday
2. The full length of the trip
3. All of the destinations you’re visiting – if in doubt, choose worldwide cover
    

• When travelling with us, your insurance must include medical cover of £2 million minimum and cover for emergency evacuations and medical expenses related to COVID-19
   
• Declare any pre-existing medical conditions and read each policy thoroughly to make sure you have the cover you need
   
• Going on more than one holiday this year? Look into annual or multi-trip policies.
   

We would also recommend that you have adequate cancellation cover to cover the cost of your trip.

 

The choosing of an insurance company is subjective.  Many on here are taking cover with Nationwide by opening a specific bank account. 

 

Personally I have had extremely good experience with claim settlement from AllClear but a nightmare with Good to Go and their claim handlers.  I would advise looking not at price but on reviews for the assistance companies used by the companies.

 

This link from Which? Helps with seeing the percentage of claims each insurer has paid out on. Although you won't see the full review if you click on the name in the right hand column you will see a percentage figure.  For some big names its surprisingiynlow.

 

Good luck.

https://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/travel-insurance/travel-insurance-reviews/best-and-worst-travel-insurance-ad1xp1C7eKFR

 

 

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by Megabear2

[LA30]

We also have insurance through our bank.  Covers everything, including pre-existing stuff and about half the price we used to pay.

[AndyLovesCruises]

16 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

I use my Nationwide Bank account.  My husband has 3 conditions and I have one.  It might be worth opening an account.  I saved loads.

 

I did this, Opened the Flex Plus account a few months before I sailed then closed it the day I came back, cost me about £45 for 14 nights in the Carib, any other policy with cruise cover was over £150 for the year.  

 

To be clear it was not TOP TOP level but inccluded everything I needed for my trip,  Just read the T's & C's to make sure it covers the cost of your trip of cancelation / missed ports / medical evac ect. 

Edited August 10, 2023 by AndyLovesCruises

[Denarius]

17 hours ago, Sir Cumference said:

I know this has probably been asked many, many times, so apologies for yet another one.

 

I am going on my first post-covid cruise (Christmas to Norway) and am about to start looking for insurance cover. My questions are:-

(1) Do P&O still require a certain minimum cover? and, if so, what are they

(2) Can anyone recommend a good and reasonably priced insurance company to cover a 71 year old with existing medical conditions - I accept it will depend on the actual pre-existing conditions.

(3) Has anyone used an insurance broker?

 

Many thanks

If you have pre existing conditions you might find that a company which specialises in these like AllClear might offer you a better rate than more mainstream insurers.

Edited August 10, 2023 by Denarius

[kalos]

2 hours ago, Denarius said:

If you have pre existing conditions you might find that a company which specialises in these like AllClear might offer you a better rate than more mainstream insurers.

Not always ,your conditions are like your fingerprints unique  to you in some cases .

For my HF and other things and the Mrs ailments ,we managed an annual policy

for just over £700 .All clear wanted £1.2k  and LV did not want to know me at all.

 

My advice would be to shop around a lot of companies as my insurer may not be as

cheap for someone else . Funny lot those insurers .

[jeanlyon]

19 hours ago, kalos said:

Not always ,your conditions are like your fingerprints unique  to you in some cases .

For my HF and other things and the Mrs ailments ,we managed an annual policy

for just over £700 .All clear wanted £1.2k  and LV did not want to know me at all.

 

My advice would be to shop around a lot of companies as my insurer may not be as

cheap for someone else . Funny lot those insurers .

Our quotes were very similar, but I saved about £300 by going with Nationwide, even with existing ailments.

[kalos]

6 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Our quotes were very similar, but I saved about £300 by going with Nationwide, even with existing ailments.

Will be looking at it in the New Year when my insurance expires and my car breakdown cover.

[babs135]

Be extra careful with Nationwide.  We were with them for years (still have accounts) but when hubby declared a mini stroke but NOT leading to any side effects nor taking any medication, they refused to cover him for that and worse still they suddenly decided that they could no longer cover him for his diabetes of over 20 years!  No excuse was given, simply we will no longer cover you

[MBP&O2/O]

I had a knee replacement some years ago. 

Zero problems afterwards.

A dummy quote from one insurance company was several hundreds of pounds more whenI declared it.

Rogues?

As it happens I too am with NW ... £100 extra foe WW cruise  over, age penalty and a heart op.

[babs135]

Should have added that after being effectively 'thrown out' by Nationwide we are now with a Lloyds syndicate company and as senior citizens with multiple health issues our worldwide annual insurance is £450.

[Harters]

On 8/10/2023 at 1:32 PM, Denarius said:

If you have pre existing conditions you might find that a company which specialises in these like AllClear might offer you a better rate than more mainstream insurers.

Possibly, but it may still be ultra expensive. We are currently with All Clear, as we struggled to find anyone who would cover our various conditions (Stay Sure declined to continue covering us). Our annual policy, which includes for European cruises, is about £1450 for the two of us. We've recently been in touch with them asking about extending the cover for the US and Caribbean,as we are considering a transatlantic cruise and will be in the sector for a few days. It is going to add approx. another £2000. 

[NoBoozeCruise]

O wow I had no idea pre existing conditions and being well travelled led to insurance quotes over £1000!

 

That is horrendous 

[Harters]

Following on  from my post #14, we got a quote from a couple of the specialist  "existing conditions" insurers for a one-off trip to cover us for the transatlantic cruise. That was also going to be around £2000, so nothing to be gained over just adding it to our existing policy. 

 

It is, indeed, horrendous. I think the transatlantic will be a first and last for us. And general costs will keep mounting up as we get older, with more issues. It may not be long before we have to reflect on our financial ability to travel (or gamble on travelling without insurance, as someone I met on our last cruise was doing)

[Denarius]

On 9/15/2023 at 5:34 PM, Harters said:

Following on  from my post #14, we got a quote from a couple of the specialist  "existing conditions" insurers for a one-off trip to cover us for the transatlantic cruise. That was also going to be around £2000, so nothing to be gained over just adding it to our existing policy. 

 

It is, indeed, horrendous. I think the transatlantic will be a first and last for us. And general costs will keep mounting up as we get older, with more issues. It may not be long before we have to reflect on our financial ability to travel (or gamble on travelling without insurance, as someone I met on our last cruise was doing)

The reason for the high cost of travel insurance is almost certainly the fact that you may require treatment in the USA, Canada or the Caribbean (from whence you could be transported to the USA for treatment). The cost of medical care in the USA is astronomical and this is reflected in the premium. I know this from experience. I used to have an annual policy with worldwide cover but downgraded it to one which excluded these countries as I had no intention of visiting them; my premium nearly halved!

[Harters]

On 9/19/2023 at 11:24 AM, Denarius said:

The reason for the high cost of travel insurance is almost certainly the fact that you may require treatment in the USA, Canada or the Caribbean

It's not an "almost certainly" but an absolute certainly. The extra two grand was for adding on the handful of days we will spend in the USA and Caribbean. 

[killaypirate]

Over 50’s should look at nfop.org.uk travel insurance