What Kind Of Travel Insurance To Buy, if any?

[Paula_MacFan]

We purchased AAA insurance for our upcoming cruise. The cost was $43, which seemed very reasonable to me. My biggest concern is medical coverage outside the U.S., which really could be a matter of life or death, and my life/family is worth $43.

[Jane110]

For our independent travel, we never buy insurance. Hotels can be cancelled and plane fares refunded with fee's lower than insurance rates.

 

However, for a non-refundable cruise, we'd never sail without it. It's too much money to lose, IMO. Never had to use it, we're healthy and don't have to worry about kids, babysitters or elderly parents, but geez, I'd hate to come down with the flu at the last minute or have flights cancelled (we use our own air) and lose all the money we paid for our cruise.

 

We've used Travel-Guard and Access America and go to InsureMyTrip.com before purchasing.

[beachlovergirl]

We have always purchased travel insurance....have never had to use it but that's good!!! :D For our upcoming cruise it's Global Alert ($45 p/p).

[Pam in CA]

I get the Princess Care which because I'm a Platinum member is upgraded to Princess Care Gold. With parents in their 90s, I wouldn't leave home without it.

 

Something to remember when comparing prices for the insurance is that your age, the cost of the cruise/travel, etc. affects the insurance price. So, if you pay $43 (just using this as an example) and the total cost of your cruise is $2,000, that's pretty good but if you're paying just $43 but the total cost of your cruise is $8,000, that's a heck of a deal. So, if you're comparing pricing, make sure you're comparing apples with apples, not oranges.

[isujim]

Chris are you asking this AGAIN????LOL!:D

 

Buy it because mother is in late 80's.........same as Largin......with parents that age you never know.

[GloriaF]

Same story here, elderly parents 85 & 91. Also the med evac gives us peace of mind. Hopefully will never have to use it. Have used Princess & Travel Guard so far, but taking notes and will consider Travelex next time as well as Access America.

[MizzouMary]

On our first cruise, our large suitcase came up missing after debarking and Carnival couldn't explain why or where it was. I completed Carnival's necessary "missing luggage" paperwork before leaving Miami. They did not even offer an apology. I was home in mid-MO when I received a call from Carnival stating that our bag had been found in the Atlanta airport and that it would be sent back to St. Louis and we could pick it up there. I couldn't believe it! We thought we would never see it again.

 

After traveling all the way back to St. Louis to pick up the bag, we found that the lock was no longer on the bag, several things were missing and other items were damaged. I wrote a letter to Carnival asking for a remedy for my missing items (camera, items we purchased at ports, clothes), damage to the other items and for the cost and inconvenience of having to drive 250 miles to pick up the bag. After several weeks, I received a $50 check and an apology letter from the V.P. along with a 20% discount certificate for a future cruise. This didn't even come close to replacing the items we lost. So, the moral of the story is, purchase travel insurance (and don't put any valuables in checked luggage)!!

 

We purchased Travelex TraveLite for our last cruise and have purchased it for our future cruises. It is substantially cheaper than what is offered through the cruiselines. We shop around for the best coverage and price and have found www.insuremycruise.com to be very helpful in comparing plans.

 

Travelex TraveLite not only covers your baggage, it covers trip cancellation, trip interruption (150% of trip cost), baggage delay, accidental death, medical (Primary, not secondary-VERY important, unless you have loads of cash to shell out to pay a doctor or hospital while you are away and can wait to be reimbursed), emergency evacuation (also very important), dental and some include your flight insurance and rental car collision/loss. It also includes 24-hour assistance and a concierge service. In addition, if you have a pre-existing medical condition, it is waived (you are covered) if you purchase your insurance within 21 days of booking your cruise. This is extremely important since my MIL, who is traveling with us on our next cruise has a pace-maker and recently had heart surgery. You are also covered for Bankruptcy/Financial Default protection (cruise company, not yours!:) ) if you purchase the insurance within the 21-day window. One very important feature for us is that we are covered from the time we purchase the insurance until the time we arrive back home from the cruise. We sometimes drive, so this is great peace of mind!

 

Happy Cruising!

[slkmcs]

DH and i wnet on a 2 week France/Scotland/England trip June 2000.

Bought Travel Guard insurnace for about $100 each.

Coming back the air traffic control radar went out at Heathrow. Now imagine..no flights in or out (including ours) in the middle of June and on a Saturday to boot.

Called the hotel we had just left and they said "you want a room for when?" (the people checking into our room were literally waiting in the hall when we left).

The airline said "get your luggage and check back on Monday".

 

Called American Express (bless them) told them we were stuck in London with no place to stay..that we need a room and would "HOLD" until they got us a room.

40 minutes of holding had a room with airconditioning is Slough for 2 nights.

Finally got out on Monday. Travel guard picked up the 2 extra nights at the hotel, the taxi ride both ways to the hotel/airport and all meals. Was almost $1000.

For a $200 investment i figure I can get travel insurance for about 4 more trips and will still be ahead .

 

Do not travel without it.

[cricketdog]

We have used travel care, Now the TA sent us Leisure Care By Berkley Care. Has anyone used this type before/

Cricketdog

[cusyl]

"We have used travel care, Now the TA sent us Leisure Care By Berkley Care. Has anyone used this type before/

Cricketdog"

 

Our travel agent used to use CS, now they use Leisure Care...but it does not cover pre-existing conditions

[Hornet]

We use Travel Guard and wouldn't go without insurance.

 

Used it once about five years ago when we had to cancel a trip to Hawaii three weeks before our vacation. Originally took insruance because our parents were in failing health ~ but used it because my very healthy husband needed heart bypass surgery. You just never know and we would have lost a lot of money.

[merela]

Do you buy travel insurance at the same time when you book your cruise or can you wait a while before buying travel insurance? For example, I usually book my air after I book my cruise, so if I buy my travel insurance before I book my air, will the air portion of the travel be covered?

 

Is the 21 day prior to travel the latest you can buy travel insurance?

 

Just wondering

[jonesmen]

We've purchased insurance for the first time for our next cruise (Travelex). After my son falling and hitting his head on our last cruise, and needing to visit the doctor on board, it dawned on me that if his injury had been worse, insurance would have been important. Then, after struggling with our medical insurance company for 3 mos. to get reimbursed, it just seemed like good sense.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Do you buy travel insurance at the same time when you book your cruise or can you wait a while before buying travel insurance? For example, I usually book my air after I book my cruise, so if I buy my travel insurance before I book my air, will the air portion of the travel be covered?

 

Is the 21 day prior to travel the latest you can buy travel insurance?

 

Just wondering

 

Merela, if you know for sure that you are going to take the cruise, it's best to buy insurance when you first put your deposit down, or at least within(usually) 15 days, to get all the pre-existing condition coverages. If you really won't be sure you're going until final payment, or if pre-existing conditions are not an issue, you can wait till final payment. At that time, there's really no point in waiting any longer...get the insurance and if something comes up, you'll be covered. If you don't know your air fare when you buy, just estimate it. The cost of your insurance is based on the price of the trip, and you don't want to overpay. But, yes, your air will be covered, UNLESS you bought it after the condition that prevents you from taking the trip occurred.

[rbslos18]

TravelGuard or Travelex. Remember... with all insurances that have a preexisting waiver clause, you have to have covered the entire cost of the vacation.

[glo3479]

We always buy travel insurance and this year I am very glad we did. We purchased travel guard and was due to leave on a 12 day cruise with post stay in Hawaii in May, well April 9th I had to have emergency surgery and was told I would be down for 6 weeks.... This was the first time I had to use it, and I am glad that we have always used the "just in case" motto.... It paid off for us

[cruiseco]

[quote name='mfinn']


Travelex TraveLite not only covers your baggage, it covers trip cancellation, trip interruption (150% of trip cost), baggage delay, accidental death, medical (Primary, not secondary-VERY important, unless you have loads of cash to shell out to pay a doctor or hospital while you are away and can wait to be reimbursed

Happy Cruising![/QUOTE]

Don't get confused about what "primary" vs "secondary" means. ALL travel insurance works on a reimbursement basis -- you pay the bill and submit all of the documentation for reimbursement when you get home.

If it's a secondary policy you first submit the claim to your normal health insurance provider. If they decline the claim (perhaps they don't cover overseas) then you turn around and submit it to the travel insurer. If the regular insurance provider pays everything except a deductible or co-payment then you can submit that unpaid amount to the travel insurer.

If you buy a primary coverage policy you still have to pay the medical bill up front. The difference is that once you return home you submit the documentation first and only to the travel insurer EVEN IF you have another plan. They are first in line for payment. But that does not mean that they pay directly to whomever provided your medical services.

[nho9504]

[quote name='Paula_MacFan']We purchased AAA insurance for our upcoming cruise. The cost was $43, which seemed very reasonable to me. My biggest concern is medical coverage outside the U.S., which really could be a matter of life or death, and my life/family is worth $43.[/QUOTE]

Paula,

would you mind to tell us more details about this insurance from AAA that sounds it also covers medical treatments ? The cost seems very low. Most policies (Access America, for example) that offer med and evacuation are quite expensive.

[cruiseco]

[quote name='nho9504']Paula,

would you mind to tell us more details about this insurance from AAA that sounds it also covers medical treatments ? The cost seems very low. Most policies (Access America, for example) that offer med and evacuation are quite expensive.[/QUOTE]

Each AAA office around the country chooses for itself which third-party insurer to use. For example, the last time I checked AAA of SoCal used Access America while AAA of NorCal used a Travel Guard plan. You'll just have to contact your local office and see what they're offering.

[MizzouMary]

[quote name='cruiseco']Don't get confused about what "primary" vs "secondary" means. ALL travel insurance works on a reimbursement basis -- you pay the bill and submit all of the documentation for reimbursement when you get home.

If it's a secondary policy you first submit the claim to your normal health insurance provider. If they decline the claim (perhaps they don't cover overseas) then you turn around and submit it to the travel insurer. If the regular insurance provider pays everything except a deductible or co-payment then you can submit that unpaid amount to the travel insurer.

If you buy a primary coverage policy you still have to pay the medical bill up front. The difference is that once you return home you submit the documentation first and only to the travel insurer EVEN IF you have another plan. They are first in line for payment. But that does not mean that they pay directly to whomever provided your medical services.[/QUOTE]
Hello cruisco-

I contacted the insurance company and was told differently. The policy reads [i]"Advance payment will be made to a Hospital, up to a maximum of $5,000, if needed to secure Your admission to a Hospital because of a covered Sickness or Injury which first occurs during the course of the Covered Trip. The authorized travel Assistance Company will coordinate advanced payment to the Hospital."[/i]

[K D cruiser]

We always buy insurance and just figure it's part of the cost of the cruise like govt. fees and taxes or tipping. For our upcoming cruise, we purchased insurance from KK and it is Global Alert. Has anyone used this before? We bought it from her for our last cruise, also and luckily did not have to use it.

[DesrtDrmr]

We always buy travel insurance. I usually search through insuremytrip. Several times I have gotten the very same insurance offered by my travel agent, for almost half the price. This coming cruise, we booked directly with Princess, and did use their insurance. I'm not sure it will cover all possibilities, but we would be at least 90% covered if DH had to cancel for non covered (work) reasons at the last minute.

[cruiseco]

[quote name='mfinn']Hello cruisco-

I contacted the insurance company and was told differently. The policy reads [i]"Advance payment will be made to a Hospital, up to a maximum of $5,000, if needed to secure Your admission to a Hospital because of a covered Sickness or Injury which first occurs during the course of the Covered Trip. The authorized travel Assistance Company will coordinate advanced payment to the Hospital."[/i][/QUOTE]

Heck, they'll all do that. Here's the wording from Travel Guard's Protect Assist plan which is secondary coverage:

"Emergency Medical Payments: If a Hospital demands a cash deposit or settlement prior to leaving, Travel Guard will assist in arranging the advancement of funds to cover on-site Medical Expenses. "

And here's from Access America's secondary Travel With Ease plan"

"We will advance payments to Hospitals or guarantee payments up to the amount provided in medical expense coverage (see Emergency Medical and Dental Benefits), if needed, to secure Your Medically Necessary admission to a Hospital."

And they don't limit it to $5,000. They'll go the whole $25,000 of their coverage limit.

[debbue19511972]

This past spring my 18 yr. old son got water in his ear and it really bothered him. Went to the ship's doctor. Was first in line on the Serenade of the Seas (RCCL). Got the bill for around $150. When I got home called Travel Guard. They told me first to go through our regular insurance which is Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois. Had to request a form for incidents happening overseas. Filled it out...was rejected because it was not on their list...go figure. To make a long story short sent the rejection to Travel Guard and they reimbursed us for full amount. Did take time, but got money back. It was only $150 and maybe could have said "who cares" don't bother, but at least found out the insurance takes care of it.

[CruiseFever]

[quote name='debbue19511972']This past spring my 18 yr. old son got water in his ear and it really bothered him. Went to the ship's doctor. Was first in line on the Serenade of the Seas (RCCL). Got the bill for around $150. When I got home called Travel Guard. They told me first to go through our regular insurance which is Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois. Had to request a form for incidents happening overseas. Filled it out...was rejected because it was not on their list...go figure. To make a long story short sent the rejection to Travel Guard and they reimbursed us for full amount. Did take time, but got money back. It was only $150 and maybe could have said "who cares" don't bother, but at least found out the insurance takes care of it.[/QUOTE]

It's good to hear that they take care of things like that (eventually) though