Travel Insurance? Is it needed?

This will be our first river cruise and I need to know your opinions on the travel insurance offered. I'm sailing with Viking for 8 days in Bordeaux, and they offer insurance through Trip Mate Travel Protection. They want to charge us $379.00 per person! :eek:

 

What is your opinion? Is it needed? We don't suffer from any chronic health issues that would preclude us cancelling. That would be the only reason I can see that we wouldn't be able to go.

 

For those of you who have filed a claim, are the insurance carriers easy to work with and was your claim processed and paid without hassles, complaints? Have they ever flat out refused to pay?

 

The only reason why I ask is I have heard a lot of horror stories where people have paid for trip insurance, only to be either turned down or denied payment for very legitimate reasons to cancel.

 

Thanks for your input everyone!

This will be our first river cruise and I need to know your opinions on the travel insurance offered. I'm sailing with Viking for 8 days in Bordeaux, and they offer insurance through Trip Mate Travel Protection. They want to charge us $379.00 per person! :eek:

 

What is your opinion? Is it needed? We don't suffer from any chronic health issues that would preclude us cancelling. That would be the only reason I can see that we wouldn't be able to go.

 

For those of you who have filed a claim, are the insurance carriers easy to work with and was your claim processed and paid without hassles, complaints? Have they ever flat out refused to pay?

 

The only reason why I ask is I have heard a lot of horror stories where people have paid for trip insurance, only to be either turned down or denied payment for very legitimate reasons to cancel.

 

Thanks for your input everyone!

We always purchase travel insurance through a 3rd party. Typically insurance offered through the cruise line (any cruise line) isn't the "best". You can often find better coverage for a lower cost by using one of the various travel insurance comparison sites.

 

Travel insurance is important to us. Especially the medical/evacuation coverage. Most US health plans do not cover while out of country. While we're in good health, you just never know. Someone could slip and fall on those uneven pavements. Or catch a really nasty case of pneumonia. Just as a note - evacuation costs can be upwards of $10,000.

 

As every travel insurance policy is different (even within the same company) it's important to actually read what's covered before purchasing. Some plans only cover a minimal amount of medical costs, while other have over thousands in coverage.

Edited August 18, 2016 by Shmoo here

This will be our first river cruise and I need to know your opinions on the travel insurance offered. I'm sailing with Viking for 8 days in Bordeaux, and they offer insurance through Trip Mate Travel Protection. They want to charge us $379.00 per person! :eek:

 

What is your opinion? Is it needed? We don't suffer from any chronic health issues that would preclude us cancelling. That would be the only reason I can see that we wouldn't be able to go.

 

For those of you who have filed a claim, are the insurance carriers easy to work with and was your claim processed and paid without hassles, complaints? Have they ever flat out refused to pay?

 

The only reason why I ask is I have heard a lot of horror stories where people have paid for trip insurance, only to be either turned down or denied payment for very legitimate reasons to cancel.

 

Thanks for your input everyone!

 

Yes- you need it unless you like to gamble. DH has a 96 y/o mum We always buy cx for any reason. Think about emergencies, work related problems,terror threats etc. Buy it and sleep easy. Try Insuremytrip.com to determine what type of policy (travel, baggage, emergecy evacuation/medical) works best for you.

Carole

We always get insurance. A recent poster on this forum had the terrible experience of having his spouse diagnosed with cancer a few weeks before they were scheduled to leave on their cruise, and he was very upset that the cruise line wouldn't refund his money. If he had bought trip insurance, he wouldn't have had to deal with a significant financial loss at the same time he was dealing with his spouse's cancer.

 

On our first river cruise we sat down for breakfast on our first morning on the boat with a couple, and they were packed up and ready to head back to the U.S. due to the death of a parent.

 

You never think that the worst will happen, but sometimes it does. That's what insurance is for.

 

FuelScience

What a coincidence. Minutes ago, I cancelled our riverboat cruise due to an accident my husband had last week. After being in the hospital several days and surgery due to multiple injuries, sadly, he will be unable to be weightbearing for three months. It was heartbreaking to cancel but more so to see him in his condition. So--things happen and it doesn't matter how healthy you are. Thankfully we always spend the money for travel insurance and buy it from a separate company due to what we believe is better coverage. For what it cost, we could have gone on a Caribbean cruise but it was well worth the money to not lose everything. I broke my leg several years ago and we had to use it then as well. We found the company we use to be quick in responding and reimbursing us. You don't need insurance until you need it!

Travel insurance covers a variety of areas, depending on the policy. Ask yourself what you would do if you were injured or became seriously ill while you are in France. Will your US health insurance cover you out of the country? Will they pay to fly you home to Detroit? What if your connecting flight is delayed and the river boat leaves without you? How will you pay to get to the next port? What if your luggage is lost?

 

I didn't think I had any conditions that would prevent me from taking my upcoming cruise. Found out at the end of June that I have a hole in my heart and a damaged aortic valve. Who knew?

 

Roz

cruislines in uk usually specify you must have travel insurance and you must give them details of the insurance before travel. Also in uk you have to specify your going on cruise when taking a policy with most companies it doesn't usually cost anymore but you still have to tell them.

 

My parents where going on cruise few weeks back and I got a quote through the cruise company that was almost £300 about 550 usd more than a quote I got from same insurance people independently and the one I did myself was for better cover.

Hi Luv,

 

>Travel Insurance? Is it needed?

 

How much do you have at stake?

How much will you have to shell out for medical expenses, repatriation, etc in case of accident?

 

One thing to keep in mind: if you are injured the insurance company will pay for transport to the nearest acceptable medical facility. Since you are in France, they will send you to a French hospital. They won't fly you home.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ira

I don't know how much your cruise is costing you (and don't want to know), but I suggest you compare the cost of your cruise and airfare to the cost of the travel insurance. Personally, I can't imagine traveling outside the country without it, when it's so widely available and easily purchased for a relatively small amt. of money.

 

Roz

What a coincidence. Minutes ago, I cancelled our riverboat cruise due to an accident my husband had last week. After being in the hospital several days and surgery due to multiple injuries, sadly, he will be unable to be weightbearing for three months. It was heartbreaking to cancel but more so to see him in his condition. So--things happen and it doesn't matter how healthy you are. Thankfully we always spend the money for travel insurance and buy it from a separate company due to what we believe is better coverage. For what it cost, we could have gone on a Caribbean cruise but it was well worth the money to not lose everything. I broke my leg several years ago and we had to use it then as well. We found the company we use to be quick in responding and reimbursing us. You don't need insurance until you need it!

 

So glad you sound so positive, Laurel. Hope yor DH is doing well!

Marie

Travel insurance??? Oh my please please don't make the mistake of going unprepared and unprotected. Your US health policy won't protect you. Go the to Thetripinsurancestore and speak with Steve he can help you sort it out. Travel insurance typically costs between 5 & 10 of the price of the trip. Do NOT purchase from the Cruiseline that coverage is inferior as compared to same premium with a third party. Always buy from an outside vendor!

 

 

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PS yes the Insurance companies absolutely will pay for ANY valid included covered item. Having the proper paper work is what is usually the issue. Overseas medical reports, invoices receipts for every little thing. And you can ask hospitals to convert medical reports & bills into English.

The devil is in the details!

 

 

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PS yes the Insurance companies absolutely will pay for ANY valid included covered item. Having the proper paper work is what is usually the issue. Overseas medical reports, invoices receipts for every little thing. And you can ask hospitals to convert medical reports & bills into English.

The devil is in the details!

 

 

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And, if you purchase a trip policy that is secondary coverage, realize you need to go through your primary medical coverage first.

This will be our first river cruise and I need to know your opinions on the travel insurance offered. I'm sailing with Viking for 8 days in Bordeaux, and they offer insurance through Trip Mate Travel Protection. They want to charge us $379.00 per person! :eek:

 

What is your opinion? Is it needed? We don't suffer from any chronic health issues that would preclude us cancelling. That would be the only reason I can see that we wouldn't be able to go.

 

 

I'm the odd one. I generally do not purchase travel insurance and feel that the money I have saved would cover me if I should ever have to cancel. Hubby had an older parent still alive and we have decided that we would not cancel our trip due to his death or come home if he died - there's nothing we can do.

 

Being in Europe, they do have good medical care and I personally found in Copenhagen that their socialized medicine is free to tourist. I did have an accident (fell out of slippery bathtub and split the back of my head open on the toilet. I needed to go to the emergency room and there are the "free, socialized" hospitals. I had great care, was stitched up and sent home with several bags of pills for pain and headache and hubby had instructions for my care. We are also retired military and I could have gone through Tricare Overseas.

 

Now, we are currently booked for a cruise around the southern tip of South America and I did choose to get insurance for that trip. Not sure what health care is like in southern South America or the location of the closest hospital.

 

When choosing to insure or not, it's the location of the trip that helps me. It's deciding whether we would come home for a death. As one insurance company told me, many people do not have to be medically evacuation - the health care in many places in the world is more than adequate.

 

Just make an informed decision weighing all the possibilities and scenarios.

I'm the odd one. I generally do not purchase travel insurance and feel that the money I have saved would cover me if I should ever have to cancel...

Just make an informed decision weighing all the possibilities and scenarios.

I second this approach. I do multiple international trips every year and have never bought insurance for an individual trip - and have saved thousands of dollars in the process.

 

I do not have parents or children that I am responsible for.

 

BUT I do have:

Medical insurance that covers me overseas (Medicare does NOT)

Substantial medical evacuation coverage purchased relatively inexpensively on an annual basis.

Homeowners insurance that covers stolen items

 

I do a lot of last minute trips which I pay for by credit card, and get significant coverage through the card for a certain period of time. I usually travel with only carry-on luggage, so I am not worried about the airline losing my bag. If I have a last minute cancelation I'll be out the cost of that trip, BUT that money was spent anyway, AND I would have paid out about the same amount of money on individual trip insurances every 2 years.

 

I am not claiming that this approach works for everyone or even for most, but it works for me (including trips to Antarctica, Galopogoes, etc).

 

Thom

We always buy insurance but rarely from the travel agent or cruise company. Better and much cheaper options are available by shopping online. Before buying any policy, be sure you know what it actually covers. We use the insuremytrip website to compare policy features.

 

 

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I'm the odd one. I generally do not purchase travel insurance and feel that the money I have saved would cover me if I should ever have to cancel. Hubby had an older parent still alive and we have decided that we would not cancel our trip due to his death or come home if he died - there's nothing we can do.

 

Being in Europe, they do have good medical care and I personally found in Copenhagen that their socialized medicine is free to tourist. I did have an accident (fell out of slippery bathtub and split the back of my head open on the toilet. I needed to go to the emergency room and there are the "free, socialized" hospitals. I had great care, was stitched up and sent home with several bags of pills for pain and headache and hubby had instructions for my care. We are also retired military and I could have gone through Tricare Overseas.

 

Now, we are currently booked for a cruise around the southern tip of South America and I did choose to get insurance for that trip. Not sure what health care is like in southern South America or the location of the closest hospital.

 

When choosing to insure or not, it's the location of the trip that helps me. It's deciding whether we would come home for a death. As one insurance company told me, many people do not have to be medically evacuation - the health care in many places in the world is more than adequate.

 

Just make an informed decision weighing all the possibilities and scenarios.

 

In Europe it depends upon the country and the reason for medical treatment. For example in Italy if you are in an accident you can get free treatment in one of the government hospitals, if you have an illness you pay. Also even with a free treatment if I had a major accident I would not want to be in one of the government hospitals, but would instead want one of the much better private hospitals which would cost.

 

In Switzerland for example you would have to pay. All Swiss citizens have to have private insurance and tourists are charged for medical care.

 

Many places that have national programs, still charge tourists. Also keep in mind those that do charge often require the bill to be paid in full before you check out of the hospital.

 

Then you get into the entire issue of medical evacuation in case of a major accident or illness. The cost of getting home can be extreme. I now of one case that cost $35,000 just to get home from the Caribbean when they could not fly commercial and had to arrange for a med flight. While medical evacuation may not be required how many weeks or months would you want to remain in a foreign country to get treated before you could take a standard commercial flight home, in the case of a major accident or illness (stroke, heart, etc.). It could be quite a while and any traveling companion would have to pay for some place to stay or leave you there alone while foreign treatment is taking place.

Edited August 19, 2016 by RDC1

I second this approach. I do multiple international trips every year and have never bought insurance for an individual trip - and have saved thousands of dollars in the process.

 

I do not have parents or children that I am responsible for.

 

BUT I do have:

Medical insurance that covers me overseas (Medicare does NOT)

Substantial medical evacuation coverage purchased relatively inexpensively on an annual basis.

Homeowners insurance that covers stolen items

 

I do a lot of last minute trips which I pay for by credit card, and get significant coverage through the card for a certain period of time. I usually travel with only carry-on luggage, so I am not worried about the airline losing my bag. If I have a last minute cancelation I'll be out the cost of that trip, BUT that money was spent anyway, AND I would have paid out about the same amount of money on individual trip insurances every 2 years.

 

I am not claiming that this approach works for everyone or even for most, but it works for me (including trips to Antarctica, Galopogoes, etc).

 

Thom

 

Good approach. The only comment is how often have you claimed stolen items against a home owners policy. It is not unusual for home owner rates to go up quite a bit when relative small claims are made for stolen items, especially when there is a record of multiple claims, even over a long period.

The increases often out weigh the value of getting the loss covered.

Good approach. The only comment is how often have you claimed stolen items against a home owners policy. It is not unusual for home owner rates to go up quite a bit when relative small claims are made for stolen items, especially when there is a record of multiple claims, even over a long period.

The increases often out weigh the value of getting the loss covered.

Point well taken. I have made ZERO claims for stolen items. Partially due to paying attention to my items (a necessity when I backpacked multiple times through South America, Africa and Asia), partially due to rarely taking that much that would be particularly attractive to thieves (my waterproof pocket camera cost $200, not $5000), partially due to not walking down dark alleys while drunk and certainly partially due to good luck (but as they say the harder I work, the luckier I get). In a parallel vein I carry $1000 automobile collision deductible and save about $125/year versus $500 deducible - in 4 years I have covered the deducible difference and I am not tempted to report a $700 dent and have my insurance increase. Basically I self insure for the small stuff, but if I need a $100,000 medical evacuation I am covered.

 

Thom

We always purchase travel protection and recently had the occasion to use it.

 

Also, we were on a river cruise last week and a guest needed to be taken off the ship in an emergency situation. We were quite remote from any sizeable cities and I do hope he had insurance.

I can afford to lose the cost of the cruise. I can't afford a medical emergency outside of the US as my insurance doesn't pay well there.

 

Socialized medicine may work for small things, I wouldn't want to count on it for something major.

 

Also, remember insurance is purchased for the unexpected things. And even young people have unexpected things happen. Or you may have adult children and what happens if something happens to them? Will you enjoy your vacation leaving them and their family behind?

I would strongly advise insurance (speaking from the other side of the Atlantic ) Last year a friend was touring on your Eastern Seaboard when he collapsed and ended up enjoying first rate medical care but the bill for four days of intensive care and investigation and recovery to the Uk came to around $40000; thankfully he had insurance.

 

 

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Point well taken. I have made ZERO claims for stolen items. Partially due to paying attention to my items (a necessity when I backpacked multiple times through South America, Africa and Asia), partially due to rarely taking that much that would be particularly attractive to thieves (my waterproof pocket camera cost $200, not $5000), partially due to not walking down dark alleys while drunk and certainly partially due to good luck (but as they say the harder I work, the luckier I get). In a parallel vein I carry $1000 automobile collision deductible and save about $125/year versus $500 deducible - in 4 years I have covered the deducible difference and I am not tempted to report a $700 dent and have my insurance increase. Basically I self insure for the small stuff, but if I need a $100,000 medical evacuation I am covered.

 

Thom

 

I tend to do the same thing. Don't really worry about theft reimbursment, consider it to simple be a loss when it happens.

 

Hardest issue these days is finding a medical policy that covers outside of the US. Will insure per trip medical depending upon the nature of the trip.

 

Also carry an annual medical evacuation policy.

What is an annual medical evacuation policy?

 

 

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MedJet assist is an example of an annual medivac insurance policy. It will return you to a hospital of your choice if you've been admitted to a hospital more than 150 miles from home. They'll arrange to have you medevac'd out once you are medically stable. I have this and additionally buy per trip travel insurance.