Trip Insurance - Advice

[hdavidson]

I know there has been lots of information about this subject lately, especially with all the snow/weather situations. I am sorry for those who are not able to make their cruises because of flight/weather delays lately! I know that would throw me into a tail spin!

 

On that note, I usually buy protection, but feel that it will be even more important this trip because we are flying out of ATL to San Juan.

 

I am not sure if my health insurance would cover us in foreign soil, I would like to be sure that my trip would be paid for if we missed it or get us to the next destination if need be. So, my question is... What would the best option be for us? I don't understand all the mumble jumble on the insurance sites... Have looked at insuremytrip dot com just not sure what the differences are... (by the way, we won't be renting a car anywhere). Any advice would be appreciated!

[NorbertsNiece]

Take advice from someone your know and trust who has purchased insurance to recommend the company they used.

 

You have to try to make your own way through the mumbo jumbo or find a broker who will do that for you, someone who can identify your specific needs. It really has to be your choice.

 

What I would say is if you travel more than once a year to take out an annual policy as that is cost effective.

[motherchic]

We have used CSV insurance.

Read it on-line and what it offers.

Had a friend who

( in his 50's and healthy) went with friends to Bahamas. Long story short he had a stroke. No travel insurance.

They sent him, because of that to the "other hospital". He was not given the clot busting meds... etc..... Not a good ending.

Insurance is important. We planned a cruise, a month before our 2 week cruise I had to have surgery. All was taken care of. We lost no money.

You can find a tad cheaper insurance, but I like the money they offer for care, if its needed.

All in all its not much and IF you NEED it, its everything

Good luck finding what you need.

Nadine

[TravelerThom]

Consider what is nice to have versus what is important to have. I would be upset if I missed a cruise due to missed connections, but the long term impact is minimal. To me, your NUMBER ONE step is to figure out your health insurance status - since you do not want to end up in the "other hospital" that motherchic referred to. I am healthy and self-insure as far as missing a cruise goes, since I could absorb that hit. My health insurance does cover me overseas, and I have purchased medical evacuation insurance since that can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars from some of my destinations [south America, Africa, Asia].

 

Thom

[cruzfiend]

I was wondering if anyone who had trip insurance, did it pay for you to re-book on another airline when your flight was canceled.:confused:

[sunnydaysmile]

I was wondering if anyone who had trip insurance, did it pay for you to re-book on another airline when your flight was canceled.:confused:

We are waiting to find out - we just put in a claim with our insurance as our connecting flight was canceled and we booked another airline. Also waiting to see if they give us any compensation for trip delay/ baggage damage/ hotel accomodations.

[cb at sea]

TALK to the insurance company...get a phone number and CALL! Ask questions! They will tell you about the coverage, if you can't make sense of the legal stuff...and who can? Call them!

[cruzfiend]

Problem is, they only have Mon. thru Fri. hours - so I can't call till Mon. By then, I hope to be on my cruise:)

[jerseygirl3]

I was wondering if anyone who had trip insurance, did it pay for you to re-book on another airline when your flight was canceled.:confused:

 

A few years ago our ship was delayed getting into port and many people missed their flights. Our travel insurance paid for our hotel for the night (there were no available flights later in the day), all our meals, and the $100/pp fee the airline changed to rebook our flight for the next day. I kept all receipts, sent them into the travel insurance company (Travel Guard) and received a full refund within a couple of weeks.

 

However, if your flight was cancelled and you rebooked on another airline, didn't the original airline refund your money? If so and you were not out any add'l expenses, you wouldn't be entitled to a a refund from the insurance company. But if it cost you more to rebook with a different airline, you should be entitled to the difference (assuming you got a refund from the airline since they cancelled your original flight).

[cruzfiend]

 

However, if your flight was cancelled and you rebooked on another airline, didn't the original airline refund your money? If so and you were not out any add'l expenses, you wouldn't be entitled to a a refund from the insurance company. But if it cost you more to rebook with a different airline, you should be entitled to the difference (assuming you got a refund from the airline since they cancelled your original flight).

 

This new flight was double the cost because of one-way and because we didn't "book ahead". So, yes, we will be refunded the original departure fare, but because we booked with a different carrier, I wondered how it would be taken care of.

[jerseygirl3]

This new flight was double the cost because of one-way and because we didn't "book ahead". So, yes, we will be refunded the original departure fare, but because we booked with a different carrier, I wondered how it would be taken care of.

 

Sounds like you should be able to recoup the loss, but I would call your insurance company and they can tell you for sure.

 

Good luck!

[JMG]

I was wondering if anyone who had trip insurance, did it pay for you to re-book on another airline when your flight was canceled.:confused:

 

I was the recipient of a jury summons that happened to fall at the end of our cruise last year. We had reservations to fly home on Monday from San Juan, but my summons was for Monday and I would not know if I had to report until 6pm that Friday. We initially decided to book for Monday since the air fares happened to be lower than the Sunday Flights and we use hotel points for our overnights. As a result of the summons, we switched our flights to Sunday. We had Travel Guard insurance. We submitted the appropriate documents and received reimbursement for the change fees plus the increase in airfare to travel on Sunday versus Monday.

 

READ the coverage of the company that you intend to utilize! Not all premiums cover the same things!

[Kellie Poodle]

READ your travel insurance policy carefully. Mine, from Access America®, had language that said that if there was any damaged luggage or valuables, I had to contact the airline, hotel, tour company, or whomever else was responsible for the damage within 24 hours of the actual damage.

 

I had a situation where my netbook computer was damaged beyond repair by TSA inspectors when I was screened for a flight boarding at 7:30 AM on a Wednesday. I did not arrive at my destination in Barcelona, Spain until after 9 AM on Thursday. It was when I got to my hotel that I realized my computer was broken. Though I immediately called the travel insurance company, and followed their directions to call the airline who then told me to contact TSA via their web site, the company has denied my claim because I “failed to contact TSA within 24 hours of when the damage occurred.” I was on a plane and didn't know the item was damaged!

 

Their clock started ticking from before I boarded the first plane. They refused to account for the time I was in the air and between the airport and hotel, not to mention the shift in time zones.

 

This company provided me secondary coverage and there is still a chance, though quite slim, that I will recover something from TSA, however I want you all to see the kind of tricks some travel insurance companies can play on consumers. Everything was fine with them until I insisted I file a claim just in case TSA took longer than 90 days to get back to me. Once they saw that there might be a necessity for them to pay, they dropped the claim.

 

Consider what would happen if you were on a long flight, like to Australia, and your luggage is damaged in transit. Should your claim be denied because it conceivably happened more than 24 hours earlier and you didn’t contact the airline until after you got off the plane and found the luggage was damaged?

 

The company I’ve chosen for our next trip has the provision to contact them “as soon as possible”. I called and asked what would have happened in the same situation with them and they would not have kicked out the claim because I reported it in a reasonable time.

 

Be careful of exclusionary language. If you are not sure, call the insurance company and ask them to explain the language in the provisions.

[cruzfiend]

I contacted the insurance company and they are saying I should be covered. I'm waiting for the paperwork to send it in. Wish me luck!

[LoveSt.Thomas]

That's who we use, so this makes me extremely happy reading that if this ever happened to us, others have got reimbursed!

[KCcruisin07]

Problem is, they only have Mon. thru Fri. hours - so I can't call till Mon. By then, I hope to be on my cruise:)

The insurance companies usually have time limits on when you can buy your insurance. (I just went through this.) For some types you can have to buy within 24 hours of your final payment. For others you have to buy within 21 days of your initial purchase. If you want cancel for any reason it is even more restrictive.

I know it is confusing. People on CC usually mention Insure My Trip. You can do comparisons of companies that offer the specific coverage you want, for example pre-existing conditions. And you can call and talk to someone during the day (mostly the week, maybe shorter hours Saturday and closed Sunday.)

I have used CSA in the past because of their pre-existing condition coverage. They also have agents you can call who can help guide you through the maze.

I haven't filed a claim with them. My husband did have to go to Sick Bay after hours while we were at sea a couple of years ago, and I submitted the claim to our health insurance. They did only partial pay at first based on usual and customary charges. I asked them to re-consider because we did not have a choice of health care providers at sea. They paid the balance less the $50 ER co-payment. I thought that was great!

[YoHoHo]

READ your travel insurance policy carefully.

<SNIP>

Be careful of exclusionary language. If you are not sure, call the insurance company and ask them to explain the language in the provisions.

 

Great advice Kellie Poodle. I am reviewing policies from several vendors now and there is what appears to be contradictory statements in different sections. I am sure it really does mean what it says (because they have very smart people write these) and I am misinterpreting (becasue I have very little experience with such things).

For example in one place it talks about how medical pre-conditions can be covered and in another section has language that clearly, with no exceptions, excludes coverage if there is any diagnosis, or even completion of seeking medical advice or having been prescribed any prescription medicine, etc. ANY prescription.

It *may* be something like that part that can cover pre-conditions under certain circumstances applies to say, treatment but the exclusion part would be if a medical evacuation was required (just an example of why it might be in different sections) but I can't tell.

I will do as you suggest and contact them to get clarification.

Definitely will take a phone call to get that explained. If it is acceptable to me I will ask for the explanation in an email.

[KCcruisin07]

Good idea to ask by phone and/or by email to have something in writing. When you speak to someone by phone, they can help you to select a policy that meets your individual needs.

[itsajoke]

You should absolutely call whatever insurance company you are considering and speak to an agent about what is and isn't covered. Some policies are secondary coverage which means you have to put through claims with your own health insurance or other insurance first and then come to them.

 

The only ones who can tell you what is and isn't covered is a representative of the insurance company. Take down the names of who you speak to!

[marci22]

For example in one place it talks about how medical pre-conditions can be covered and in another section has language that clearly, with no exceptions, excludes coverage if there is any diagnosis, or even completion of seeking medical advice or having been prescribed any prescription medicine, etc. ANY prescription.

 

I made the same comment recently: one policy said that even if your prescription changes, you are considered 'medically unstable' and thus not coverable. I don't remember which policy it was.

 

I had the same problem interpreting this part of my policy (as you posted above). It seems like they are saying two completely opposite things. I even called to speak to someone and it 'sounds like' we are covered but I don't think I'll know unless I actually have to use it. It is a CSA Luxe policy.

[Hobiecat01]

Maybe I'm just a safety net person, but we always buy travel insurance mainly due to the fact we usually book several months in advance. We also have had close experience (not us but dear friends) with having health issues out of the US on a cruise and having to be evacuated. Travel insurance can be priceless if you are staring at a $20K billl to be flown off of a ship or flown back to the US in an emergency. That said, my only hard advice is to buy your insurance separately from your cruise line. Whether it is from CSA, CSV, Travel Guard, Access America or Travelex, you MUST read the policy to get a clear (if one can get a clear answer from legal docs...) understanding of what is covered and what is not. We have used Travelex for years and luckily have not had to file any claims ( ... darn, now I have jinxed myself!!).

 

Bottom line... get travel insurance from a reputable firm and understand what it covers. Oh, and I pray that you just lose that money by not having any issues at all!

 

Have a great cruise!!!!!:D

---------------------------

Sea ya!

Ron and Lee

Canton, Ga

Proud RCCL Platinum Member

"In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom,

in water there is bacteria." – Ben Franklin

We are proud Oasis Camel Cruiser – April 17, 2010

The Oasis Camels Website

Previous Cruises – 59 Days at Sea!

Carnival Mardis Gras - 3 Day Bahamas - April 1982

Carnival Destiny - 7 Days Western Carib. - April 1998

Princess Grand Princess - 7 Days Eastern Carib. - April 1999

Princess Sea Princess - 7 Days Western Carib. - March 2000

Princess Grand Princess - 7 Days Western Carib. - March 2002

RCCL Navigator of the Seas - 7 Days Western Carib. - March 2003

RCCL Mariner of the Seas - 7 Days Western Carib. - April 2005

RCCL Freedom of the Seas - 7 Days Western Carib. - 6/18 - 6/25/2006

RCCL Liberty of the Seas - 7 Days Eastern Carib. - 7/19 - 7/26/08

Planned Cruises

RCCL Oasis of the Seas – Our Friends Cruise - April 17, 2010

RCCL Allure of the Seas – Our Neighborhood Cruise - 2011

The BIG One - Southeast Asia 14 day – 2012?

Princess Cruises - The Med – 14 day – 2013?

[jamscckmc]

Why buy your insurance separate from the CL? Have you had bad experiences? Do they not cover as much? I am platenium with Princess and get upgraded to their more expensive insurance for free now so that seems worth it. Why don't you recommend RCs?

[karrie3399]

In the past, I would only do travel insurance when I booked a trip really far out. However; in June 2008, I went on a cruise (Carnival), got injured, tore my ACL and miniscus in my right knee, then caught a virus that paralyzed the left side of my face (bells palsy). I happened to NOT have travel insurance on that particular trip. I found out after, that had I had trip insurance I could have received the $10k settlement. I spent 1 1/2 years out of work, and am still suffering with the knee and still partically paralyzed. I am not saying that the money would have made the injury better, however, it would have been nice to have while I was out of work.

Now, I don't travel without it. Hopefully, I will never need it again!

[debi56]

We never travel without insurance, and here is a good reason why, we were suppose to be getting on a plane tomorrow morning heading down to L.A. sailing out on sunday, well my husband is in the hospital and our cruise is now cancelled. We will get back our flight as we had cancellation insurance on that, and on the cruise I believe because it is within the week, we get back our taxes the actual cruise money go towards future credit.

Praying all test results come back positive and we will be able to plan another cruise together.

[xxoocruiser]

Why buy your insurance separate from the CL? Have you had bad experiences? Do they not cover as much? I am platenium with Princess and get upgraded to their more expensive insurance for free now so that seems worth it. Why don't you recommend RCs?

 

 

The CL line Policy is very limiting at best and does not cover pre-existing conditions or cancelation for any reason. The CL is selling the policy therefore it favors them from the get go. Think about that ?

 

It's generally always better to purchase travel insurance on your own. This way you can make certain it covers everything you may need such a pre-existing condition waiver if purchased within a designated time frame from booking, medical evacuation insurance, cancelation for any reason etc.

 

Here are links to two good sites for comparision of travel insurance policies/companies.

 

http://www.squaremouth.com/

 

http://www.insuremytrip.com/index.html?linkId=30781