Travel Insurance - Need Opinions

[Solara]

We have always purchased the Princess Insurance. Just wondering if we are really doing the right thing.

 

The good thing about the Princess insurance is if you cancel for any reason or a reason they decide is not covered you get 90% cruise credit.

 

Need opinions and suggestions for other travel insurance companies...

[edste]

We had Princess insurance and had to cancel the trip the day we were supposed to leave. We got back 100% within 3 weeks. Can't advise you about others.

[Toto2Kansas]

One reason we go with third party insurance is that when using Princess insurance, it only covers the cruise itself unless you book your air through them. We buy it from a third party so we can cover both our cruise and our privately booked flights.

A good place to compare pricing and coverage is http://www.insuremytrip.com You can get online quotes in seconds and compare different policys offered on the same screen.

[NthernLgts]

Not only are your privately booked flights covered, but privately booked pre & post cruise hotel stays as well as privately booked excursions. We use insuremytrip everytime.

[YoPhilly]

Mee too. insuremytrip is my first stop.

[lwnbwlr]

I just compared Access America travel insurance (through insuremytrip.com) and Princess insurance. While Princess's "cancel for any reason" is valuable coverage, Access America covers emergency medical evacuation up to $500,000 while Princess limits this coverage to only $50,000. I always look to cover the most costly possible event through insurance.

[Poulsbo Cruisers]

You should check out the coverage available through www.sta.com . Compare the rates and you will find this coverage to be quite reasonable. Although this is a student travel site, the insurance is available to anyone and does not cost more based upon age or price of trip.

[Stevesan]

For we elderly challenged, sometimes cruise line insurance is the best route. Especially if coupled with an annual MedjetAssist Policy. Under age 75 AARP members save $45.

 

http://www.medjetassist.com/default.asp?partner=aarp

[cactusrose]

Travel Insurance is a difficult topic. For one thing much of what is included in your travel insurance is duplicated by other insurance you might have. For example, if you have a homeowners policy lost luggage an contents are probably covered, many times you regular medical coverage will also cover you anywhere in the world. That being said I take the Princess insurance because:

 

1. I take longer cruises and the other company's premiums are usually higher.

2. Premiums are not based on age

3. The cancellation for no reason benefit

4. You can cancel it up until time of final payment without charge

5. We get bumped to Travel Care Gold without extra charge

 

Although I usually don't take the cruise line air or hotels, I'm not too worried about them as the hotels are normally cancelable up to the evening of check-in or a couple of days before and the airline tickets are either very inexpensive or can be changed for a small fee (insurance is for the big stuff). If my airfare is substantial I can always get a supplemental policy that just covers that.

[Solara]

I checked both tripinsurance.com and insuremytrip.com. Any preferences as to Travel Insured, Travel Lex or Travel Guard. They all have primary policies.

[nannylynn]

We have always purchased the Princess Insurance. Just wondering if we are really doing the right thing.

 

The good thing about the Princess insurance is if you cancel for any reason or a reason they decide is not covered you get 90% cruise credit.

 

Need opinions and suggestions for other travel insurance companies...

we use travel guard. they give you better insurance for health. do not know how old you are but we are seniors. 64 and 67. Never needed the health insurance, but did have to cancel 3 cruises for medical reasons. they will all give you your money back, but I get the 1 million dollar evacuation, as I have seen people medi-vacted and am told it is very expensive. also a friends husband died while cruising. It was on land, but they send him to the hospital and had to have the remains sent home. Also we have had to cancel a cruise due to father-in-laws illness. Are you doing your air on your own or with the cruise line. My insurance maybe a little more, but it covers my air and hotel if we go before the cruise.

[Gaprofitt]

If you are young and reasonably heathly I consider it a waste of money. In the long run if you cruise a good bit the money would pay for 2 or more cruises.

[Packman1000]

I just purchased my travel insurance through http://www.tripinsurancestore.com. Great experience and they have folks to answer your questions on the phone if you need it. We are using Travel Safe, after much research. I tend to agree with 'gaprofitt' that if you are young, have health insurance, are relatively healthy and don't have any ailing relatives that would prevent you from taking your trip, you don't need travel insurance. My wife and I fit that description, but I coughed up the premium anyway. Why? Because we are booked in December and live in Colorado. Too many blizzards in the last few years to risk it, even with a departure a day in advance. Seven crusies and have purchased insurance twice.

 

You have to decide on the risk versus the cost.

[Solara]

For sure I always get insurance just need to decide which one is best.

[SoFloDeb]

We live in one of the Hurricane Capitals of the US, therefore we get insurance in case we can't get to where we have to go to get on the ship; ie flying to Seattle for an Alaskan cruise. We're not too old and we'ree healthy, but hurricanes cancel a lot of travel plans.

[NthernLgts]

I checked both tripinsurance.com and insuremytrip.com. Any preferences as to Travel Insured, Travel Lex or Travel Guard. They all have primary policies.

 

Just make sure the coverage is what you are looking for. I would also suggest a AM Best rating of at least A-. We have used Travelex before, but this time they werent as competitive.

[PinballWizard]

Just a FYI...the AM Best Rating doesn't have anything at all to do with the quality of the insurance. It rates the underwriters' financial standing and ability to pay all claims based on their volume of business.

[mauiedin87]

Just wanted to share our horrible experience with Travel Guard (the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau lists them as unsatisfactory BTW!). This was the first time we'd ever bought travel insurance!

Anyway, I got sick on the first night of a 4-day cruise down to Ensenada 2 years ago and wound up being taken off the ship in San Diego by ambulance and spent 4 days in a hospital there. To make a long story short, what started as a very inexpensive cruise, wound up costing us thousands out of pocket. The TravelGuard policy had loopholes the size of the Grand Canyon! Many things in the "small print", we were told, did not apply to us. They weasled out of more things than we could count. It took 9 months of going through the Better Business Bureau and all the way up to the State Insurance Commissioner to get a few dollars of the medical, ambulance and other bills reimbursed.

NEVER AGAIN! We buy Access America from AAA now. :mad:

[Solara]

Have you ever had to use access america. I've used them for flight only insurance but never had to make a claim????? Do you get a discount thru AAA?????

[Solara]

That is also one of the problems with Travel Insurance, you have to have it but you never know how good it is until you have to use it.

[nannylynn]

I just purchased my travel insurance through http://www.tripinsurancestore.com. Great experience and they have folks to answer your questions on the phone if you need it. We are using Travel Safe, after much research. I tend to agree with 'gaprofitt' that if you are young, have health insurance, are relatively healthy and don't have any ailing relatives that would prevent you from taking your trip, you don't need travel insurance. My wife and I fit that description, but I coughed up the premium anyway. Why? Because we are booked in December and live in Colorado. Too many blizzards in the last few years to risk it, even with a departure a day in advance. Seven crusies and have purchased insurance twice.

 

You have to decide on the risk versus the cost.

I do not agree. when my daughter was around 23 and future husband around 27 they went on a cruises. I talked them into getting the insurance. My son-in-law came down with hepatitis from eating shell fish and had to cancel. I had to cancel 4 years ago due to a broken knee. You never know what happens no matter what age you are.

[Wilcoam]

I'm just learning about Insurance, after years of just plucking down the funds direct to cruiselines and or TA's.

 

In my exp, I try not to book a cruise direct, buy their flights, insurance, or take their hotels. I like choice(s). However to each their own.

 

As you read more on cruise critic, you'll quickly learn that most cruise co insurance is SECONDARY, which means it may only kick in AFTER your primary carrier pays. Thus, I now liken buying in insurance from a cruiseline to having the local teller at the bank invest your money in the stock market. (lol)

 

I really reccomend buying independantly...

 

jc

toronto

[City_Woman]

We're going to use Princess insurance this time because we are doing cruise only (air coming from airline points) and it is cheaper than doing insurance through our regular way here in Ontario Canada. Plus, the "for any reason" cancellation is a huge bonus.

 

Judy

[Cruz-On]

Like SoFloDeb we also live in the hurricane area therefore we always get insurance. Also we get the insurance for the piece of mind because you never know!!!

[jnc411]

Hi I don't mean to hi jack your thread, but I have a question about travel insurance as well. We have always purchased travel insurance (both travel guard, and travelex), but never had to use it until this last Feb. , my husband was diagnosed with cancer, and had to undergo surgery and treatment right away, of coase we canceled our cruise (about 30 days prior) and took care of him. Our insurance that we got with the cruise from Costco, paid very well and in a timely fashion , so we were happy with that. Now , my question is if we book another cruise now that my husband is feeling pretty good and is under treatment for the cancer would we be able to get travel insurance because of the pre-existing condition , or what. I know probably a dumb question , but I just don't know. Anyway if anyone knows the answere to this , would appreciate it. Thanks

Cori