Travel Insurance

[BigGVa]

I have read some posts about travel insurance and most seem to think it is a good thing to have. I have a question or two.

1) My family and I already have full medical coverage with Blue Cross/Blue Shield so if, for instance, I break a leg walking around Juneau (we're are on the Pearl in July) why wouldn't my Blue Cross plan cover my medical bills in Juneau for a broken leg the same way it covers my medical cost where I live? (In that regard is the only difference that Blue Cross might not cover me if I was so seriously hurt that I had to be airlifted whereas travel insurance would cover those costs?)

2) The only reason I think I would need travel insurance would really be what I think could be described as cancellation insurance, i.e. my wife or daugher or I get so sick the day before we are supposed to fly to Seattle that we can't make the trip and want to not lose the cost of the cruise (and airfare?). Is there such a thing as a more limited travel insurance that would only cover that contingency (i.e. not medical coverage) and which therefore might cost less? Otherwise the prices seem pretty high after just an initial glance.

Thanks

Big G:confused:

[cruizinwithkids]

duplicate

[cruizinwithkids]

You get definately get less expensive than from the cruiseline. Does your TA use/recommend a particular company?

 

Other than that make sure your insurance will cover when you are on-board, in Canadian, basically the whole trip.

 

I am on my husband's Blue Cross Plan - it's an HMO blue. My employer also offers HMO Blue, but they are not the same plan, so make sure you know and are comfortable with your plan.

 

If you break your leg in Juneau and miss the ship departure, can you afford getting to the next port, etc.

 

Insurance is a gamble. You don't want to spend a lot of money, on something you hope to not have to use, but...

[Toyz711]

your medical will cover your health issues. but not lost plane fare/lost cruise expenses/ hotel rooms, etc. the travel insurance will cover what the medical ins will not. just read all the fine print so you know what is covered.

[CPT Trips]

You might want to visit insuremytrip.com to see what is available and at what cost. It is certainly less expensive than through the cruise line. I tend to get the insurance - but I also stay out of the casino. To each his own

Don't forget the possibility of a medical emergency while at sea (big $ to the ship's doc) - they drop you off in Sitka, along with your traveling companions (medical bill that your BC/BS covers part of), your travelling companions need to stay in a hotel (more $ out of pocket), you need to be medevaced to somewhere else (will BC/BS cover that? more $$?), your companions have to arrange transportation and hotel (more $) and finally you are ready to fly home but not the date or airport you planned and you need special extra cost arrangements on the flight (more $$).

Or, you parent/in-law has an emergency or dies and you need toget home NOW.

[iamtrustworthy]

I have read some posts about travel insurance and most seem to think it is a good thing to have. I have a question or two.

1) My family and I already have full medical coverage with Blue Cross/Blue Shield so if, for instance, I break a leg walking around Juneau (we're are on the Pearl in July) why wouldn't my Blue Cross plan cover my medical bills in Juneau for a broken leg the same way it covers my medical cost where I live? (In that regard is the only difference that Blue Cross might not cover me if I was so seriously hurt that I had to be airlifted whereas travel insurance would cover those costs?)

2) The only reason I think I would need travel insurance would really be what I think could be described as cancellation insurance, i.e. my wife or daugher or I get so sick the day before we are supposed to fly to Seattle that we can't make the trip and want to not lose the cost of the cruise (and airfare?). Is there such a thing as a more limited travel insurance that would only cover that contingency (i.e. not medical coverage) and which therefore might cost less? Otherwise the prices seem pretty high after just an initial glance.

Thanks

Big G:confused:

 

Hi Big G,

 

Unfortunately, there's no such thing as trip cancellation only insurance. Any trip insurance plan you can get will include some medical & emergency transportation as well as the other coverages.

 

Even though you don't think you'll need to use any of the other coverages, they are still there just in case.

 

I hope this helps.

[Canada1lb]

It may be different from Canada, but there definitely IS such a thing as just trip interruption / cancellation insurance!! The thing is, there isn't much of a price difference between trip interruption / cancellation, and the 'Deluxe' package, that includes medical.

[heelfan94]

You might want to visit insuremytrip.com to see what is available and at what cost. It is certainly less expensive than through the cruise line. I tend to get the insurance - but I also stay out of the casino. To each his own.

I used this web site to find a policy for my trip. They have a great array of all kinds of coverage. :)

[IScubaSlo]

Be careful about your health insurance.......a lot of them do not cover you when you are out of the country. Medicare is one of them......and most doctors and hospitals out of the country will not even take your insurance card or bill them for you. Its cash up front (or credit card). So to be sure if your health insurance covers you out of the country, you better call before you leave...........

[angeljt]

A group of our friends are on the Jewel this week. One of the wives had minor surgery to test a lymph node which turned out benign. :D That week she had complications from the biopsy and had to have another operation. She went to the doctor on Friday and he told her NOT to go on the cruise.

They did not get insurance and had to eat the cost of her ticket.

[angeljt]

These boards have really been acting up the last week or so.... Sorry for the dupe.....

[knowla1]

A few months ago, I bought trip insurance, for our New Years cruise, in case I had a medical emergency abroad (life flight etc) Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to have the cruise line cancel our cruise at the last minute. Trip insurance picked up hotel fees, airline costs etc that would have been lost.

 

Years ago I had trip insurance and got stranded in a major storm and it covered extra days lodging, transportation and meals.

[BigGVa]

It may be different from Canada, but there definitely IS such a thing as just trip interruption / cancellation insurance!! The thing is, there isn't much of a price difference between trip interruption / cancellation, and the 'Deluxe' package, that includes medical.

 

Do you have the name of a company that just offers trip interruption/cancellation insurance?

 

Anyone know of the reliability of a company called "Accesss America?" They offer lower cost travel insurance and on their web site I tried to tweak the fill-in-the blanks boxes to get varying degrees of insurance and for a family of three the prices did vary dramatically from a low price of $79 for the family to a high of over $400 if you load it up.

 

Big G

[iamtrustworthy]

Do you have the name of a company that just offers trip interruption/cancellation insurance?

 

Anyone know of the reliability of a company called "Accesss America?" They offer lower cost travel insurance and on their web site I tried to tweak the fill-in-the blanks boxes to get varying degrees of insurance and for a family of three the prices did vary dramatically from a low price of $79 for the family to a high of over $400 if you load it up.

 

Big G

 

Hi Big G,

 

I used to offer Access America's insurance until 7-31-03. I stopped offering them as a choice because of what I considered to be too restrictive policy wording especially when it came to pre-existing conditions. With the other good companies I worked with, I didn't see any good reason to have a plan choice I wasn't comfortable selling.

 

I myself never experienced a claim going bad with them, but especially I felt I made the right decision after reading the June 2004 Washington Post article and the January 2005 Conde Nast article that told of others' experiences.

[CaribbeanBound]

We opt for Travelex's Travelite product. Here are 16 VERY important things to consider when buying cruise insurance...

*****

[fastsneakers]

I would just like to warn all cruisers reading this to be VERY aware when buying travel insurance...you may not really know if you are completely covered. Talking with the salesperson, reading and understanding the policy is only part of the equation. Keep in mind there is someone, typically on a fat commission, that is trying to sell you the policy and someone being paid to review your claim and do their best to not give away company money. It's beginning to be as much of a gamble with insurance as it is without! So do a lot of homework if you decide buy insurance.

 

My wife and I were recently denied an $8,000.00 claim by Travel Guard. We currently have an attorney willing to work on contingency to get our money back. We will never use Travel Guard again. Most cruisers don't have to use the insurance so they are not aware but our attorney told us litigation is common with travel insurers so...buyer beware!

[cuyahoga11]

A few months ago, I bought trip insurance, for our New Years cruise, in case I had a medical emergency abroad (life flight etc) Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to have the cruise line cancel our cruise at the last minute. Trip insurance picked up hotel fees, airline costs etc that would have been lost.

 

Years ago I had trip insurance and got stranded in a major storm and it covered extra days lodging, transportation and meals.

 

Could you please explain this.Which cruise line?(want to make sure I stay away from them) I have never heard of a cruise line canceling a cruise and having the passengers pick up the expenses.