Good News - Found Out About Insurance Coverage

[Smoke Fan]

Great news on the outcome with the travelers insurance as well as your progress with AA. I think that it also helps that you kept a level head throughout the ordeal!

Thanks for updating us.

Patty

[Guest maddycat]

I agree but you also need emergency medical coverage or you may never have the opportunity to be transported.

 

Of course, that's understood.

[Guest maddycat]

Glad that everything worked out for you. Thanks for the update.

[CaribbeanBound]

Great story and outcome. Thank you for posting.

[FinelyCruising]

Great News! I have learned a good bit through your ordeal, so Thank You for sharing your notes.:)

 

You can ask Host Anne or Walt to assist you in a title change. Their email links are at the bottom of this Celebrity forum.

[LongTimeTvlr]

Thanks FinelyCruisiing. I just sent Host Anne an message asking her to change the title. We see what happens.

[Rysyonok]

LongTimeTvlr,

 

great news :)

[Host Anne]

Congratulations on the successful outcome of your story. And thanks so much for taking the time to share it here. It's very valuable information for cruisers. Hope you'll consider writing a review for the Cruise Critic REVIEWS section and include the details posted here. Others who may not regularly visit the Celebrity boards may find it very useful.

 

Thanks again!

 

P.S. I did change the title for you!

[DocJohnB]

Great information LongTime.

 

Thanks for posting the problem and as many thanks for posting the resolution (something not always done on these boards when it comes out positively). It was certainly a learning thread from my viewpoint.

[cruznjan]

What a wonderful outcome.

[Andy]

Hi LongTimeTvlr !

 

I'm happy to hear you had a favorable outcome. I firmly believe the travel insurance is a must, but that's my own opinion. Like a famous credit card company says, I don't leave home without it :). Thank you for sharing your story. I feel it's great information for all of us.

[micruiser2002]

I am just curious if anyone has ever asked their personal medical insurance carrier if they cover emergency medical transportation? I did ask mine one time (need to call again) and they said it is covered same as a ambulance. I specifically asked what if it is a helicopter to be taken from the ship and she said that is considered the same as an ambulance. Of course you still have to come up with the money up front.

[Gonzo70]

I am just curious if anyone has ever asked their personal medical insurance carrier if they cover emergency medical transportation? I did ask mine one time (need to call again) and they said it is covered same as a ambulance. I specifically asked what if it is a helicopter to be taken from the ship and she said that is considered the same as an ambulance. Of course you still have to come up with the money up front.

 

I did this after learning about the potential expense of a medical evac here on cruise critic prior to my transatlanctic cruise last year. The person informed me it was covered. After speaking to other people, many people said they thought that to be unusual. I actually just yesterday called my insurance company again and this time received a different response; that medical evacuation is not automatically covered, but one can submit an application and an exception might be made. Good thing I called to double check!

 

I just today purchased my first ever travel insurance policy. I just went with a cheap one, as medical evac. was what I really am concerned about (my regular insurance does cover emergency treatment 100% in other countries aside from an evacuation) and I receive some perks from my credit card that is good enough for an inexpensive cruise towards trip cancellation. I wound up doing Tru Travel (found them via insurmytrip.com) for just $30 per person!

[micruiser2002]

I thought I would check my plan just for the heck of it and here it what mine says:

"Ambulance Services. “Ambulance” includes a motor vehicle or rotary aircraft that is primarily used or designated as available to provide transportation and basic life support, limited advanced life support, or advanced life support. In a Medical Emergency, we will Cover ambulance service to the nearest medical facility that can provide Medical Emergency care."

Of course I will also follow up with a phone call and ask for a confirmation email if they say yes this is covered as they did before.

[Gonzo70]

I thought I would check my plan just for the heck of it and here it what mine says:

"Ambulance Services. “Ambulance” includes a motor vehicle or rotary aircraft that is primarily used or designated as available to provide transportation and basic life support, limited advanced life support, or advanced life support. In a Medical Emergency, we will Cover ambulance service to the nearest medical facility that can provide Medical Emergency care."

Of course I will also follow up with a phone call and ask for a confirmation email if they say yes this is covered as they did before.

 

Yes, definitely follow up and get something in writing if possible. As per my post above, I was misled by the first person I spoke to (and wound up not having proper coverage on my previous couple of cruises - fortunately I wound up not need coverage on those)! Hopefully it will turn out that you are indeed covered and can save some $$$.

[micruiser2002]

That is what I hate about insurance companies you can never get them to give the right firm answer. But to be honest I would be surprised if most people weren't covered for this. My logic is if you get in an accident here in the states, say in the middle of the desert and it is critical they are going to fly you to the nearest hospital. Any good insurance company should have emergency medical transportation included and that should include a helicopter. It should not matter where you are being taken from or to if they cover you out of the country. I think they are vague just for this reason,they would rather let people buy the additional travel insurance. I wonder if any of the travel insurance companies go back to customers private insurance and try to get their money back? I would be interesting to find out if anyone who has ever had to use a emergency evac put in a claim with their private insurance and what happened.

[Gonzo70]

That is what I hate about insurance companies you can never get them to give the right firm answer. But to be honest I would be surprised if most people weren't covered for this. My logic is if you get in an accident here in the states, say in the middle of the desert and it is critical they are going to fly you to the nearest hospital. Any good insurance company should have emergency medical transportation included and that should include a helicopter. It should not matter where you are being taken from or to if they cover you out of the country. I think they are vague just for this reason,they would rather let people buy the additional travel insurance. I wonder if any of the travel insurance companies go back to customers private insurance and try to get their money back? I would be interesting to find out if anyone who has ever had to use a emergency evac put in a claim with their private insurance and what happened.

 

That is way too logical for an insurance company to see it that way!

 

Many travel insurance policies say they are "secondary" insurance, meaning that you are required to first go through your primary insurance and then the travel insurance covers left over expenses. Whether this actually happens or not, I do not know (and hopefully will never find out firsthand)!

 

Fortunately a lot of medical evacs for cruises near the U.S. are handled by the Coast Guard for which there is no fee for their services.

 

Let us know what you find out when you talk to your company if you get a chance.