Seabourn cruise, Access America Insurance

[Host Dan]

I recently received my docs for my upcoming cruise, and was quite surprised by a notice that accompanied from Access America Insurance.

 

It reads "IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY WHILE AWAY FROM HOME, YOU MUST CALL THE EMERGENCY NUMBERS FOR ACCESS AMERICA LISTED BELOW. ACCESS AMERICA MUST BE INVOLVED IN MAKING YOUR EMERGENCY ARRANGEMENTS OR YOU MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR YOUR EXPENSES. EMAILS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED"

 

Ok then, I have a heart attack, stroke, break a bone etc etc and need immediate assistance.... WAIT, don't treat me, let me get back to the suite and get a phone number to call...:eek:

 

Access America...NEVER AGAIN. And unless this policy is VERY new, shame on my TA. :mad:

 

 

Host Dan

[JaneBP]

>"It reads "IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY WHILE AWAY FROM HOME, YOU MUST CALL THE EMERGENCY NUMBERS FOR ACCESS AMERICA LISTED BELOW. ACCESS AMERICA MUST BE INVOLVED IN MAKING YOUR EMERGENCY ARRANGEMENTS OR YOU MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR YOUR EXPENSES. EMAILS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED"

 

Alot of HMO insurance policies say the same thing. I think it's pretty standard. I just signed up for a year of SOSInternational, just in case I need to get home for a medical emergency, It's not for trip cancellation, or other routine things. It was advised by the Travel Clinic at Penn, who said many clients had favorable interactions with them.

[Host Dan]

>"It reads "IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY WHILE AWAY FROM HOME, YOU MUST CALL THE EMERGENCY NUMBERS FOR ACCESS AMERICA LISTED BELOW. ACCESS AMERICA MUST BE INVOLVED IN MAKING YOUR EMERGENCY ARRANGEMENTS OR YOU MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR YOUR EXPENSES. EMAILS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED"

 

Alot of HMO insurance policies say the same thing. I think it's pretty standard. I just signed up for a year of SOSInternational, just in case I need to get home for a medical emergency, It's not for trip cancellation, or other routine things. It was advised by the Travel Clinic at Penn, who said many clients had favorable interactions with them.

I have used Access America and many other policies in the past, but this policy is a first for me...

 

Host Dan

[LaPaloma]

Don and I have the American Express travel medical insurance. We simply pay $18 a month at all times and are covered when traveling abroad. We find that easy and inexpensive. That way we do not have to stop and think about it when a trip comes up. I like dealing with Am Ex..as they really stand behind everything they represent. We have their baggage insurance as well. When I had an expensive designer dress and a cashmere pashmina stolen while being inspected by TSA in Tucson, they covered it without receipts. I did happen to have a picture of the dress...they were terrific. TSA was awful....took no responsibility. My friend said that I should send a picture to the TSA Tucson and suggest they have a holiday party and see who shows up in this dress. I love a sense of humor!

[Host Dan]

I guess it would be a good idea to have Amex insurance as well. I typically get the other travel insurance just in case we have to cancel (never have)...

40 cruises, always travel insurance, claims? Maybe $1500.... I think I need to do the math!! :D

 

Host Dan

[wripro]

Dan, I suggest you also look into other companies like Travelguard or CSA which, as far as I know, do not have that requirement.

[johnnycruise]

Dan,

 

You should check out a Web site called Insuremytripdotcom. It allows you to do side-by-side comparisons of many competing travel insurance companies.

 

That's too bad about Access America. I once filed a claim with them for delayed baggage and they paid within three weeks. Of course, the reception desk would probably be happy to dial their number for you, but it does sound like a hassle. Access's requirement probably allows them to keep their rates low - it prevents supplier overcharges.

 

johnny

[Iamboatman]

Dan,

 

You are, unfortunately, the poster child for why I encourage my clients to carefully check the conditions and not purchase based upon price alone. There used to be some other conditions that kind of put me off Access America, but I am not sure they still exist so I won't comment on them.

 

Also, your medical insurance may well cover you as might your credit card.

[JaneBP]

Hey Dan,

 

>"Ok then, I have a heart attack, stroke, break a bone etc etc and need immediate assistance.... WAIT, don't treat me, let me get back to the suite and get a phone number to call... "

 

I have the perfect solution. Take me with you. I can do CPR with one hand and dial the insurance company with the other! Or maybe you can get one of those alarms you wear around your neck, if you won't take me.

[LaPaloma]

Check with your companies...your state side insurance WILL NOT cover you abroad! We were very surprised to learn of this...thus...the Am EX experience. To each his own...we prefer safety. As for regular travel insurance...we do not believe in it. They have so many ifs and what so evers..that we do not trust them to be worthwhile. We only became interested in them due to the terrorism...that...is not covered...so...NO!

[Iamboatman]

Check with your companies...your state side insurance WILL NOT cover you abroad! We were very surprised to learn of this...thus...the Am EX experience. To each his own...we prefer safety. As for regular travel insurance...we do not believe in it. They have so many ifs and what so evers..that we do not trust them to be worthwhile. We only became interested in them due to the terrorism...that...is not covered...so...NO!

 

As I tried to say, DO NOT just listen to advice; read your own policies. Even with good intentions misinformation is given. For example, coverage overseas is policy dependent. While LaPaloma's health insurance may not have international coverage, mine most certainly does!

 

Neither your friend or your TA can know all your coverages. It is not difficult to figure out, but you have to do it.

 

The other option is to simply over-purchase insurance...and if you are willing to do that, just go with the cruise line's and then you will not have a problem.

[Jade13]

Check with your companies...your state side insurance WILL NOT cover you abroad! We were very surprised to learn of this...thus...the Am EX experience. To each his own...we prefer safety. As for regular travel insurance...we do not believe in it. They have so many ifs and what so evers..that we do not trust them to be worthwhile. We only became interested in them due to the terrorism...that...is not covered...so...NO!

 

I would not make a blanket statement. My United Health PPO covers me out of the USA. It is at an "out of Network" rate of 70%. I do not need any prior approval. I still purchase travel insurance as I need the Medical Evacuation.

[Iamboatman]

I would not make a blanket statement. My United Health PPO covers me out of the USA. It is at an "out of Network" rate of 70%. I do not need any prior approval. I still purchase travel insurance as I need the Medical Evacuation.

 

If you paid with Amex Platinum and many (but not all) Visa or MasterCard Platinum cards you also get medical evacuation as an additional benefit...just like lost or delayed luggage, etc.

[arabrab]

I would not make a blanket statement. My United Health PPO covers me out of the USA. It is at an "out of Network" rate of 70%. I do not need any prior approval. I still purchase travel insurance as I need the Medical Evacuation.

 

Read the fine print. I also have United Health PPO with out of network coverage at a similar rate, but buried in the fine print is that UHC will pay 70% of the Medicare approved charge for out of network care.:eek: I'm not nearly old enough for Medicare, but I handled my parents' Medicare bills -- Medicare's allowable rates are often only 20 - 30% of the actual charge, and usually fully half or less of what an allowable charge would be for UHC for an in-network provider. So if you have a serious illness and incur $50,000 of out-of-network charges, you could come home to find that UHC has determined that the Medicare Approved Charge for these services was $12,000, and they'll pay 60% of that after deducting your $2000 deductible. They pay you $6000, and you're still on the hook for $44,000.

 

Sleezy marketing tactics, since most of the members covered would have no idea what the impact would be of using Medicare approved charges. It gives the illusion of coverage outside the network, but not much else. If the insurance regulators had a backbone this wouldn't be allowed, but they don't, and it is.

 

Perhaps UHC is more nefarious than most, but I wouldn't assume that.

There are also some significant restrictions on pre-authorization for inpatient coverage, and depending on where you might be it could be a challenge to make sure that the preauthorization was correctly handled. Different countries have different views on what constitutes a need for hospitalization, and you could end up in a sticky situation where the country you're in routinely hospitalizes people 4 days for an appendectomy, but UCH allows one night unless there are complications. This is true even if UCH doesn't require pre-authorization in general for your policy.

 

It's great to have insurance, its even better to make sure that you really understand what it covers and how comprehensively it covers it in different circumstances. I wouldn't want someone to think that they had coverage that they didn't effectively have due to the fine print restrictions.

[Melissa401]

It's great to have insurance, its even better to make sure that you really understand what it covers and how comprehensively it covers it in different circumstances.

I wouldn't want someone to think that they had coverage that they didn't effectively have due to the fine print restrictions.

Many times travel agents deal with only one travel insurance provider.

 

For your next trip I would advise you to compare multiple travel insurance companies instead of just accepting the one your travel agent recommends.

If you don't feel comfortable reading the pages and pages of every travel insurance plan out there, call a comparison website and ask for advise.

 

These comparison sites work with many different insurance companies and are familiar with the way all the plans work (the fine print).

[troonster49]

Eric,

 

Can you confirm that (med evac with the Platinum card)? I used my card to charge a cruise next month and there was no mention of that benefit - I have been offered cruise insurance at $420/pp by Platinum Travel (!) so am about to purchase insurance from another company. Thx.

troonster49

[wripro]

Amex platinum does indeed cover medical evacuation if you purchased your entire cruise with the card.

[PittsburghJack]

Being a retired health care provider, I would encourage everyone purchasing "Out of Network" medical insurance be sure of what and what is not covered, limits, reimbusrment procedures and WHERE Air-Evac will transport.

Air-Evac is very expensive but more importantly, in MHO, facility takes priority. In other words, would you (the traveler or signiicant other) have a say in the decision process as to where and what facility treatment is available?

I've seen patients evacuated to facilities ill equipped to treat specific traumas.

I know exactly with my and Mrs. Jack's policy WHO WHAT WHERE and WHEN. (It's nice to have an attorney as a good friend.)

I hope I didn't overly concern anyone, but things do happen. Hope this helps.:) Jack

[Iamboatman]

Eric,

 

Can you confirm that (med evac with the Platinum card)? I used my card to charge a cruise next month and there was no mention of that benefit - I have been offered cruise insurance at $420/pp by Platinum Travel (!) so am about to purchase insurance from another company. Thx.

troonster49

 

 

FYI, I wouldn't confirm anything like that on this board and would caution anyone to rely on those sorts of confirmations alone. (We may be correct, but if there is a problem claiming "That guy on Cruise Critic told me so probably isn't going to mean much!) My strong suggestion is that you get the confirmation directly from AMEX.

 

BTW, you are experiencing what has happened with AMEX. There is very little integration between the Card and the Travel services. I would not rely on the Travel people to let you know about credit card benefits. (In compliance with CC policies, I am not commenting on AMEX Travel Services, but merely noting they are not the credit card end of AMEX operations.)