iamtrustworthy

Hi Subman738, I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I also answered you in the Q & A I'm doing now: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2606-qa-cruise-insurance-with-steve-dasseos-of-the-tripinsurancestorecom-november-2022/ When your wife fell broke her right pinkie finger, did you contact Travel Guard and whoever you bought your policy from to find out what you had to do when you were still on your trip? If so, what did they tell you? Steve Dasseos

Hi Jtn, Which policy did you buy? And, is whoever sold it to you helping you with your claim? Steve Dasseos

Hi LGinPA, > Why not use it? And in the unfortunate situation where it was used, or partially used, for future trips buy medical insurance? As others have said, your risk is that you don't know how much a medical claim will be on that trip. It's rare, but if your medical costs exceed $50,000 you will wish you had bought travel insurance. Even more so if you need to be medically transported. Steve Dasseos

Hi DeanD, I forgot to say "If you don't live in MD, NY and WA you are eligible for Geo Blue if you also aren't only covered by the VA or are on Medicaid." > So if I'm understanding your post correctly, if anything happened medically in the interim but Geo Blue plan was bought 6 months out, there would be no problems? Yes, the Geo Blue Choice plan covers pre-existing medical conditions if bought as late as the day before you leave home. Steve Dasseos

Hi SoloFullTime, I sell the Cigna plans on my Expatriate Trip Insurance website that you will find here: https://expatriatetripinsurance.com/ These plans can be bought for trips of at least 3 months in length. Steve Dasseos

Hi DeanD, > Do you write IMG's Medical Plans? Yes, but on another of my websites at https://worldwidetravelhealthinsurance.com/ . I have other websites that are written to specific audiences. > I think Geo Blue only will write for 6 months or under but I'd like to get something now if I'm going to do so. You may get the Geo Blue Voyager plan within 6 months of your departure. The Choice plan covers pre-existing medical conditions. I don't see the benefit of buying a travel medical plan so far in advance, but it can be done. Steve Dasseos

Hi Calypso54, M y Q & A is still active through at least the end of 2022 and it's likely to continue into 2023. This is what I wrote in my answer to you: Medicare won't cover you. If you got ill or injured outside the USA, what's the most you will pay in deductibles and co-pays that Tricare doesn't pay? Steve

Hi Calypso54, Medicare won't cover you. If you got ill or injured outside the USA, what's the most you will pay in deductibles and co-pays that Tricare doesn't pay? Steve

Since you don't have any pre-existing medical conditions that a plan with a 60 day Lookback Period (https://tripinsurancestore.com/travel-insurance-pre-existing-medical-condition-lookback-period/) will count against you, I suggest you get one with a small trip cost in order to have good medical coverage.

Hi DeanD, Thank you for your kind words. > I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve that offers some trip protection and I could handle the loss for a given trip. Credit card plans don't cover pre-existing medical conditions for yourselves, traveling companions or non-traveling family members, but if you don't need this coverage, Chase will give you the basics of what you need. > I'd also be interested in your recommendations for when to change over the an annual plan. What State do you live in and what are your current ages? Steve Dasseos

Hi 0106, Oh. this is my mistake. I forgot that you live in Baltimore. Unfortunately, the Geo Blue plans aren't available to you. It's worth asking Maryland's Insurance Dept why they haven't approved this for sale there. I'm sorry about my mistake on this. > Please make an alternative suggestion for MD residents. My husband just turned 70; I’m 61. We have Kaiser health insurance in addition to his required Medicare. We have two cruises booked in 2023: 11 days in the Caribbean and 15 days beginning in Amsterdam and a transatlantic crossing. I am concerned about a medical emergency that happens during the cruise. In the last 60 days, have either of you had any medication changes or had treatment for or been diagnosed with any medical condition that could worsen and, in turn, cause you to cancel or interrupt your trip? Or that could cause you to seek treatment on your trip? Steve Dasseos

Hi 0106, Oh. this is my mistake. I forgot that you live in Baltimore. Unfortunately, the Geo Blue plans aren't available to you. It's worth asking Maryland's Insurance Dept why they haven't approved this for sale there. I'm sorry about my mistake, Steve Dasseos

Hi SoloFullTime, I can't tell from you post if you are coming back to the USA after each up to month-long stay in a port. Are you? Steve Dasseos

Hi Johnny_71, As klfrodo stated, "it's hard to answer" without knowing why you are getting trip insurance. Steve Dasseos

Hi ngrund, There are a few reasons that are mostly due to how travel has changed since Covid started. Steve Dasseos

Hi croooze, I don't recommend padding the dates because you can always amend the dates prior to leaving on your trip to match your travel dates should they change. It's important that the dates on your policy match your actual travel dates. If not, you are risking a claim denial or a more complicated claim. If you are delayed returning home for a covered reason, the "Extension of Coverage" benefit will cover you. Read this for more information: https://tripinsurancestore.com/blog/this-little-known-benefit-is-important/ Steve Dasseos

Possibly, but I don't know where you will find it.

Hi CalLuvsCrusingToo, If you're mainly paying port taxes & fees, would you have very much other prepaid non-refundable trip costs? If so, you're probably better off getting a Trip Cancellation plan that's not the Princess plan. If you do get a different Trip Cancellation plan, then you may not need the Geo Blue plan. And, here's how you find out about Medicare's coverage outside the USA: https://tripinsurancestore.com/medicare-does-not-cover-you-outside-the-usa/ Steve Dasseos

Hi crooooze, Medical and medical evacuation costs are a lot less that people realize. The most expensive medical evacuation I've seen was $127,000 from South Africa to Minnesota. The The most expensive medical claim I've seen was $74,000 for a heart attack in Germany. Steve Dasseos

Hi donaldsc, Here's how you find out about Medicare's coverage outside the USA: https://tripinsurancestore.com/medicare-does-not-cover-you-outside-the-usa/ Steve Dasseos

Hi Scrufsmom, I am very thankful for the favor and kind words I have received on Cruise Critic. The editors have let me do seven multi-month long Q & As in the last 5 years. Here's the Q & A I'm doing now: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2606-qa-cruise-insurance-with-steve-dasseos-of-the-tripinsurancestorecom-november-2022/ Here's the Cruise Critic Q & A earlier this year: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2558-qa-cruise-insurance-with-steve-dasseos-of-the-tripinsurancestorecom-jan-22/ Here's the archived link to the Q & A I did in Dec 2020 and Jan 2021 that was re-opened in June 2021: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2500-qa-cruise-insurance-with-steve-dasseos-of-the-tripinsurancestorecom-read-only/ I also did a Q & A on Cruise Critic for June 2020: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2484-qa-cruise-insurance-w-steve-dasseos-of-the-tripinsurancestorecom-june-2020-read-only/ Steve Dasseos

Hi Jetswdo, > What I am trying to figure out: Should we make sure our regular 6 month appointments with cardiologists, endocrinologists, etc, are no later that 2 months before the trip, in case there is a change in medications? You are referring to the Pre-Existing Medical Condition Lookback Period which is a period of time, usually the 60, 90, 180 days prior to the travel insurance policy’s coverage purchase date, that defines a Pre-Existing Medical Condition. This page explains the Pre-Existing Medical Condition Lookback Period: https://tripinsurancestore.com/travel-insurance-pre-existing-medical-condition-lookback-period/ If you already bought a Trip Cancellation plan, no medical condition that is completely new and unexpected that happens to you as soon as the day after you buy the policy will be defined as a Pre-Existing Medical condition. You may learn more about the Pre-Existing Medical Conditions coverage here: https://tripinsurancestore.com/how-travel-insurance-pre-existing-medical-conditions-coverage-works/ > Also, at the risk of sounding dumb, which I may be, but I digress, does medicare consider an Alaska cruise as, outside of the US ( only because of the 3 hour stop in Victoria, Canada) and yes, I do know that Alaska is part of the US, LOL It's not a dumb question. Here's how you find out about Medicare's coverage outside the USA: https://tripinsurancestore.com/medicare-does-not-cover-you-outside-the-usa/ Steve Dasseos

Hi CalLuvsCrusingToo, I suggest you also get the same Geo Blue Trekker (Multi-Trip) Essential or Choice plan for your trips outside the USA that aren't longer than 70 days for any one trip. The Essential and Choice plans cover pre-existing conditions. Based on your ages 66 & 68, the prices for one year are $294 or $460 respectively. You may see all the Geo Blue Trekker plan details here: https://tripinsurancestore.com/geo-blue-trekker-travel-medical-plans/ Steve Dasseos

Hi Melissa, > When I run the multi-trip quote through the link you provided, it shows $151 and $220 respectively. Am I looking at the wrong thing, since it is showing $220 instead of $175, for the Choice plan? No, you're right. I gave you the right price for the Essential, but the wrong price for the Choice plan. Sorry about that! > I have also heard good things about Travel Insured, regarding their per trip insurance. I see they offer an annual plan as well. Could you share what leads you to prefer Geo Blue Trekker's annual plan over the Travel Insured's version? Travel Insured's a good company and I've sold their trip cancellation plans for over 20 years with not any problems, but their medical plan is new so I need to see how well it handles claims over a longer period of time. As for Geo Blue, if you go to a medical facility in Geo Blue's large network, Geo Blue will pay your claims directly which is a big convenience. Steve Dasseos

Hi CalLuvsCrusingToo, What are your current ages? Steve Dasseos