Opinion on trip insurance

[CwuzCwazy]

My question is: If I decide to purchase insurance and my father cannot make the trip (covered by his own insurance), will my insurance allow for coverage to cancel my trip due to someone else's illness (dad's)?

 

I can tell you of my own personal experience. A year ago, we were scheduled to go on a 5 day cruise (CCL) for New Years. We were traveling with a couple we had met on a previous cruise. Their booking was linked to ours, to ensure we would be together for dinner.

 

4 days before Xmas eve I had to be hospitalized for an appendectomy which required 4-5 days in the hospital. When I left the hospital on XMAS eve and with all of the staples in my stomach there was no way I could make that cruise. I had the Dr. write an affirmation of that fact, and provided a copy of it to my insurance company and our cruising partners. Additionally, Carnival provided me with a letter saying essentially "tough luck" we are keeping your money (our travel partners did the same). I also provided that letter to the insurance company. Results: I got fully reimbursed for my lost cruise, as did our travel partners. So, with a reputable insurance company, if you have been linked to your father's booking and you both have insurance, you should be OK. At the very least, Carnival may give you cruise credits (if you have no insurance)....they would have done that for me had I had no insurance.

 

Bottom line, in addition to the medical coverage and evacuation coverage, it could cover a case like mine as well. It's worth the investment ($80-$125).

 

Good luck.

[dan40]

If you book 6 months out and are not afraid of the possibility of having to cancel other then said medical reasons in your policy.......I agree.......

But if you were me:D who has never booked that far ahead (and never will) because of on going possiblities of cancelling for any reason other then said medical reasons in my policy I would disagree......I would have to pay double for my cancel for any reason policy which would be pretty much the amount I would be saving on early savers........no savings there.

So it comes down to........how much ya want to gamble:D

 

Forget early saver or military discount, of past pax rate. The cruise price IS the cruise price no matter when. And the insurance price is the insurance price. One has nothing to do with the other.

Both are just subtracted from the vacation budget leaving whatever remains for other costs.

 

Dan

[Kurbanfan]

Forget early saver or military discount, of past pax rate. The cruise price IS the cruise price no matter when. And the insurance price is the insurance price. One has nothing to do with the other.

Both are just subtracted from the vacation budget leaving whatever remains for other costs.

 

Dan

 

My whole point was early saver program.........why would I forget about it:confused:

[dan40]

My whole point was early saver program.........why would I forget about it:confused:

 

If'fn I axed you nice, would you fergit it?

 

Dan

[groverrh]

There are many good reasons to buy travel insurance. Medical problems during the cruise, accidents that prevent you from going on the cruise, losing your job shortly before the cruise. I have many friends who have used their insurance. The most recent was a "very healthy" couple in their 50s going on an Alaska cruise. The day before they left, the husband was rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. Because they had insurance, they were able to re-book their cruise for the next year with the insurance money. An example of the other side of the story is a woman who was going on a Hawaii cruise and the airline she was booked on went out of business the week before her cruise. All the other airlines were booked solid, so she couldn't get to Hawaii for the cruise and lost all the money she had spent on it. Unfortunately, she had insured the flight but not the cruise.

 

You can't depend on "being in good health" to protect you. I always get the insurance. The only exception to that rule for me was when the cruise and air travel were free and it was a "cruise to nowhere." In that case I couldn't get insurance because there was no money to reimburse if I couldn't go.

 

It's ultimately up to the traveler. If $500 to $5000 mean nothing to you, and your health insurance will cover you outside the country, including your family and their travel, then you probably don't need it. I hope you never do.

[Kurbanfan]

if'fn i axed you nice, would you fergit it?

 

Dan

 

roflmao!!!

[crusinpsychRN]

I am in good health. I purchased insurance 3/2/09 for my 5/4/09 cruise. 3/25 I fell and broke my neck. The right side of my face is black from bruising and I've got a hematoma the size of a lemon on my forehead and a smaller one under my eye where I broke the orbit.

 

I'm glad I got insurance. I'm very p#$$#% also!! Any ideas to decrease bruising accepted as are prayers!

[jrcuel]

We have never purchased tip insurance ourselves but have experience. We recently travele on the Emerad 2 weeks ago. A woman traveling with her 9 yr old broke her ankle on the first sop and in first hour. She had insurance but it took 24 hours before the insurance agreed that she broke her ankle and flew her home. We sill will not buy the insurance bu it is something to consider.

[nbsjcruiser]

Hi,

 

My question is: If I decide to purchase insurance and my father cannot make the trip (covered by his own insurance), will my insurance allow for coverage to cancel my trip due to someone else's illness (dad's)?

 

 

Also, I am sure I am not alone in the thinking that insurance is good to have when flying to the port. However, if you typically do purchase insurance and now are leaving from a port within driving distance, would you still feel the need to have it?

 

 

 

I am truely torn in this decision, and would like some opinions.

 

Thank you,

 

I think it would follow under that 90 day deal. Meaning, his condition would have to be considered stable for 90 days pre-cruise with no changes in treatment or medications. Certainly it would for him.

 

I would have the health insurance only in your case. Forget the travel and trip cancellation part. You most definitely want health insurance. Imagine if you tripped and broke a leg (could happen to anyone) and needed to be airlifted. The entire time you'd be thinking about how much this is going to cost. Note: with only health insurance you will not be able to cancel and get money back if your Dad suddenly got sick and had to stay home. Bit of a gamble on your part.

[catamaran]

Most insurances are age rated. So if you are young it is ususally inexpensive and gives you peace of mind.

 

In my case, being over 80 and realizing that Medicare does not cover you out of the USA. I will never travel without it. HAving been on 27 cruises I have seen enough emergencies, where a passenger had to be evacuated. That can cost big bucks.

 

Nowadays I take only medical and evacuation coverage , which keeps the cost down.

My online travel agent provides free travel insurance, but it is only for $20K, which is too low, so I supplement it with a separate med/evac policy through my AMEX card.

And I hope I never need to use it.

[Cushing985]

My family and I were on the Glory last year. After pulling out of Cozumel we had to return to the pier to drop off someone who had taken ill. The rumor was he had too much to drink and had some medical emergency. Anyway, he was taken off in a wheelchair along with his extended family (at least 8 people joined him on the pier). He was taken away by ambulance.

 

Anyway, I remembering thinking, "God, I hope that guy has insurance!" I'm 59 and never bothered with insurance but now I wouldn't think of going without it. If something happens to you in a foreign port can you imagine the costs associated with just getting back home? Can you imagine how much it would cost to be evacuated on a private plane with medical care? Compared to the cost of the cruise, insurance is a low budget item (assuming you're not as old as me). Just my thoughts.

[tulch]

Nowadays I take only medical and evacuation coverage , which keeps the cost down.

 

I don't want to hijack this post but wondering where you found such insurance when you are over 80. We will be traveling with my 88 year old in-laws, who also are on Medicare.

 

General policies are prohibitive in cost (because of their ages). We are flying into the departure port a day early to handle possible flight delays, bad weather, lost luggage, etc. If needed, we can swallow the cost of the trip if we can't go at all due to pre-cruise incidents or illness. But the big concern is what happens if someone gets sick on the cruise.

 

I've been looking at the standard online sites for medical and evac policies. However, my in-laws seem to be uninsurable because they are over 77 years old! Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Melissa401]

Nowadays I take only medical and evacuation coverage , which keeps the cost down.

 

If needed, we can swallow the cost of the trip if we can't go at all due to pre-cruise incidents or illness. But the big concern is what happens if someone gets sick on the cruise.

 

I've been looking at the standard online sites for medical and evac policies. However, my in-laws seem to be uninsurable because they are over 77 years old! Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

This is what I would do..... Visit (or call) insuremytrip as other have suggested in this thread. Enter all the requested information and use a trip cost of zero. At the top, you will have all the package policies which include evacuation and medical. This will be the most cost effective way for them to get covered for the benefits you are concerned about since you stated that if necessary, you could swallow the cost of the trip.

 

Hope this helps!

[pe4all]

Have you ever purchased the cancel for any reason add on?? Just wondering if they really stick by it

 

We have never purchased this option. We are always more worried about a medical problem from pre-existing conditions, or - god forbid - a death in our immediate family. Those "problems" would be covered with the insurance we get. Truthfully, I didn't know such an option existed - probably wouldn't purchase it anyway!

[bonniemari]

I am in good health. I purchased insurance 3/2/09 for my 5/4/09 cruise. 3/25 I fell and broke my neck. The right side of my face is black from bruising and I've got a hematoma the size of a lemon on my forehead and a smaller one under my eye where I broke the orbit.

 

I'm glad I got insurance. I'm very p#$$#% also!! Any ideas to decrease bruising accepted as are prayers!

 

 

Oh-what an ouchie-hope you are feeling better and get to cruise soon.

 

This is a good example of why no matter how old you are if you have invested more than you can stand to lose, travel insurance is something you need to purchase. Accidents can & do happen regardless of how old you are.

 

On shorter cruises when I am driving to the port I don't purchase anything but med/evac insurance. For my 5 day cruise in May i am driving to the port and can stand to eat the cost of the cruise if I don't make it-for my August cruise I will be flying to FLL and paid 3 X what I paid for the 5 day I bought the full coverage insurance. For my August cruise out of FLL I included the cancel for any reason clause and it only cost me $45.00 more.

[bythehex]

Hi,

 

I am aware that purchasing cruise insurance is a personal decision, but I have a situation where I would like to hear the opinions of others.

 

For my past cruises I have always purchased trip insurance and not thought twice about it. However, I had always flown to the port of embarkation. I have liked having the insurance for the possibility of lost luggage and delayed flights. This time I am going out of NY, which is only an hour drive from my home.

 

I will be travelling with my sister, her daughter, her daughters friend, and my father and his girlfriend. My father is not in the best of health so he will be purchasing insurance (I am not sure about his girlfriend).

 

I know of the other benefits of insurance besides those listed above, but I'm not sure I want to spend the money when my top reasons for purchasing insurance always concerned air travel. I know accidents can happen, but generally speaking, I am a healthy person with no reason to believe I will fall ill (based on history).

 

My question is: If I decide to purchase insurance and my father cannot make the trip (covered by his own insurance), will my insurance allow for coverage to cancel my trip due to someone else's illness (dad's)?

 

Also, I am sure I am not alone in the thinking that insurance is good to have when flying to the port. However, if you typically do purchase insurance and now are leaving from a port within driving distance, would you still feel the need to have it? I am truely torn in this decision, and would like some opinions.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Situations also arise that have nothing to do with flying to and from the port of embarkation. If something happens while the ship is away from NY and you need to get home, isn't it better to know that cost will be taken care of? While we were on our last cruise, my husband and I received word that my mother died. Had we been able to fly home (impossible to do when you're out at sea), the travel insurance would have covered it.

 

On one cruise, my brother in law stepped on a sea urchin and needed care at a local medical center on one of the islands. This was reimbursed to them from their travel insurance.

 

Things can happen. We pray that they never do. But personally I'd rather have the peace of mind that when something unplanned occurs, we're covered. To me, it's worth every penny.

 

Sharon H.