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Travel insurance a good idea now, I think!

wldflr

By wldflr,
in Holland America Line

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wldflr

wldflr

Posted
Posted

Let me start off by saying that I'm not trying to scare anyone into purchasing travel insurance (for a cruise or otherwise) but right now my best friend/DH are on vacation at the Atlantis Resort in Nassau, Bahamas.

 

They are scheduled to fly home tomorrow but now DH is very sick, vomiting, diarrhea (sp?), has fever welts and they've already spent $200 on a shot of benadryl in the local hospital. Not sure if he has swine flu yet.

 

And their local (American) insurance coverage doesn't cover them outside the U.S. :(

 

Right now I think they are hoping he will be well enough to get on a plane to Florida...but now I wonder WILL the airlines let them board if he is feverish?? I doubt it.

 

I'm betting that their vacation just got a bit more complicated...and expensive.

 

That travel insurance policy for $125 I was pondering over for our upcoming cruise doesn't sound like such a bad idea now.

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NMLady

NMLady

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Posted

Whenever we are going out of the US, we ALWAYS buy travel insurance, not just medical insurance but also cancelled/delayed trip insurance. We don't want to lose the cost of the trip if we get sick before a trip and are unable to go.

 

We have been on cruises where there have been medical evacuations of severely ill passengers. Those are expensive. To me it is worth the peace of mind to know that if we get seriously ill we'll be able to pay for medical care or even for evacuation back to the states which can cost upwards of $20,000 depending on what is needed.

 

I hope your friends are soon well and don't need further medical care.

Very few, if any, insurance companies have coverage outside the US.

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luvcruisn'

luvcruisn'

Posted
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I always buy out of province medical/travel insurance that includes trip evacuation costs whenever I leave the country. I usually do this even if I am going across the border for the day. I was in a car accident once outside of Olympia, Washington, on my way to Eugene from Vancouver. Luckily, I didn't need medical care right then, although I did seek it when I returned home for neck problems. I did have out of province insurance then, but if I didn't have insurance, and the accident had been more severe, the medical costs for a trip to the hospital in the US would have been great.

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
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Hope your friend gets better.

 

We always buy third party insurance right at the time we make final payment.

 

Our health insurance doesn't cover us outside the US either.

 

 

 

I think you've said before which insurance you write at final payment, but I've forgotten.

 

Is it CSA or was it TravelEx?

 

Thanks.

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Salzburg

Salzburg

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I know it is very confusing and there have been several threads on these boards re travel insurance. Last summer I had a medical emergency in Austria and the insurance was most helpful. Another time I missed my connections and lost luggage. May I mention a website that really explains the differences, primary vs. secondary, evacuation to nearest hospital or evacuation to home hospital, pre-existing conditions, etc. etc.? I don't want to go against the rules. Salzburg

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Salzburg

Salzburg

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That website is good for comparison and purchase, but detailed information is at www.tripinsurancestore.com For example, they explain clearly when you need primary and when you need secondary medical. Maybe it is only me, but I was always confused. Also little oddities are mentioned - for example important in my case, there is one popular travel insurance that will not cover family members living outside the US. Thanks for all the help I get on these boards!! Salzburg:):):)

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sail7seas

sail7seas

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I was doing some travel insurance research a little while ago and called one of the popular on line sites. The information they gave me was not accurate. I asked if there was a policy that I could purchase that provided certain things and omitted others. I specifically asked re: one of the insurance companies listed on their site and they said no such policy existed.

 

I then called the insurance company direct and, indeed, they had a policy offering exactly what I had detailed.

 

So, be careful and be sure your answers are checked and rechecked.

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Maryandi

Maryandi

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If you fly into a port city and stay for several days then get on the ship, you do not have any insurance until you get on the ship !! Assuming you have insurance for your actual cruise.

 

I called insuremytrip.com and was able to buy 5 days of insurance from one of their companies.

 

If you have the air, hotel and cruise from the cruiseline, check that all is included in your ship's ins.

 

MaryAnn

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NMLady

NMLady

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If you fly into a port city and stay for several days then get on the ship, you do not have any insurance until you get on the ship !! Assuming you have insurance for your actual cruise.

 

I called insuremytrip.com and was able to buy 5 days of insurance from one of their companies.

 

If you have the air, hotel and cruise from the cruiseline, check that all is included in your ship's ins.

 

MaryAnn

 

We usually book our air flights independently, not through the cruise line. We also book our own hotel. Our insurance coverage always starts the day we leave on our flight and doesn't end until we have finished flying home.

 

But even when we've done our air and hotel through a cruise line, our insurance policy dates have included our pre-cruise flight day(s). I'm not sure why yours doesn't.

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uppitycats

uppitycats

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I never buy the travel insurance offered by the cruise line, and always shop around for what I need -- then I CALL the company I think I want to use, and ask "a million" questions before I actually book.

 

The insurance offered by the cruise line usually is much more expensive and doesn't cover everything you really need covering.

 

I'm going to England and Norway on my next cruise, and the insurance I've bought for that trip (I buy immediately upon booking, as I have a pre-existing condition) will cover me (and my husband) from the moment I leave my house to begin my trip until I arrive home, including days I stay over in Dover, and Oslo, the transportation to/from the airport (I have to drive 2 hours to get there and back), the flights, and the cruise itself.)

 

Fortunately I've never had to make a claim..and hope I won't for this next trip..but I always book insurance anyway.

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iancal

iancal

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The first time we purchased insurance was the first time we put in a claim. And it was paid in full, and very promptly. We always do our own air, hotels etc. We buy insurance, but never from the cruise line. We want cash, not credits. We buy from a primary insurer. Usually the rates are about 1/2-2/3 what the cruise line charges or what the TA will charge AND the coverage is usually better. We're sold.

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Aussie Gal

Aussie Gal

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As we always have long overseas flights, hotel stays in various countries etc. we never leave home without insurance. We buy an annual Multi Trip which covers us both when we are overseas and also for when we travel at home. We would never leave home without having insurance as so many things can go wrong including cancelled flights, delays, being robbed etc. without even thinking of a sudden illness.

 

Jennie

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wldflr

wldflr

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Just to give everyone an update, our friend is okay, sounds like he just had a bad case of food poisoning after eating some bad shrimp and a few miserable days of puking, etc.

 

They both got on their flight outta Nassau this afternoon and are on their way back home to Ohio.

 

They were lucky it wasn't something worse ...this vacation could have easily cost a lot more!

 

I bet they buy travel insurance for our upcoming cruise next Feb!:D

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