We always purchase travel insurance when we cruise,

[stargate fan]

and I am amazed at how much the prices have increased since the last time we bought it. I have checked insuremytrip.com and was shocked. Even so, we would never consider foregoing it.

 

My question to you out there is this: with which insurance companies have you filed claims and how easy was the process?

 

Thanks for any info.

[phoenix1181]

I've never filed a claim (& hope I never have to!) so I can't help there but I wonder if the increase in price is due to being older? There's a significant age difference between DH & myself & his coverage is always more costly. If you haven't cruised for awhile, that could account for [at least] some of the increase.

[PattyG12]

I also found the price was significantly higher when we booked only 2 months out and not a year like we normally do.

[bouhunter]

3-4 years ago we had a 200.00 medical bill at the ship's doctor. Travelex paid in full no questions asked, received the check a 2-3 weeks after we submitted the claim. I haven't noticed much of a price increase since we started buying their insurance 4 years ago. We like the fact that they're one of the company's offering primary coverage, no need to deal with our regular insurance company first.

[linkerbink]

In 2002 my mother, sister and I were set to cruise to Alaska. About one month out, my mother was hospitalized and we had to cancel the cruise. We had purchased insurance through Royal Caribbean (I forget the name of the company) and our claim was paid promptly and fully except the cost of the insurance. Haven't had to use it since, but we still buy it.

[wolv4life]

I've never purchased travel insurance. How much do people usually pay for insurance for, say, a 7 day cruise for 2 people?

[Richiebaseball]

I have facilitated multiple claims with both Travelguard and Travelsafe and have yet to experience any problems with either.

[BND]

I've never filed a claim (& hope I never have to!) so I can't help there but I wonder if the increase in price is due to being older? There's a significant age difference between DH & myself & his coverage is always more costly. If you haven't cruised for awhile, that could account for [at least] some of the increase.

 

Travel insurance is not based on your age. It's a set price based on the number of days and type of coverage. In fact, on Carnival's website in particular, it states how much for a certain length cruise. I think the increase is due to possibly less people willing to buy it in order to "save" money. That's a risky endeavour as unlike other vacations where you only lose a day or two in hotel costs, and can transfer most airline/train reservations, you risk losing the entire amount of a cruise.

 

I'm amazed at how many people say they dont' need it because they're young, healthy, etc. We're healthy (50 and 53), but we buy it because you never know and we HAVE family. Parents in their mi-late 70's in particular. You can't just buy it based on yourself. That's what I don't get about those that don't buy it.

[Happy ks]

I've never purchased travel insurance. How much do people usually pay for insurance for, say, a 7 day cruise for 2 people?

 

 

That depends on the policy. It considers your age, cost of the trip, if it is primary or secondary coverage, if you add flight insurance, etc... You can customize your own policy.

[Tommy723]

I've never purchased travel insurance. How much do people usually pay for insurance for, say, a 7 day cruise for 2 people?

 

My GF and I just booked our first cruise last month. We are cruising on the Liberty out of Miami on Sept. 19. We pad $138 total for travel insurance for the two of us. We're both in our 20's (since age was mentioned as a cost factor)...

 

Hope this helps!

::Tommy

[BranandChev]

Travel insurance is not based on your age. It's a set price based on the number of days and type of coverage. In fact, on Carnival's website in particular, it states how much for a certain length cruise. I think the increase is due to possibly less people willing to buy it in order to "save" money. That's a risky endeavour as unlike other vacations where you only lose a day or two in hotel costs, and can transfer most airline/train reservations, you risk losing the entire amount of a cruise.

 

I'm amazed at how many people say they dont' need it because they're young, healthy, etc. We're healthy (50 and 53), but we buy it because you never know and we HAVE family. Parents in their mi-late 70's in particular. You can't just buy it based on yourself. That's what I don't get about those that don't buy it.

 

I don't think you're correct. I know for a fact that our travel insurance premuim was directly related to our age. I do agree that everyone should invest in it though.

[sparkieplug24]

im from the uk and all cruise firms insist you have to have insurance and give them the details before you travel or they wont allow you to travel.

 

anyway last year I had to go to the doctor on the ship and it cost me $948 it was paid out relatively easily except they did contact me once for a copy of a creidit card bill which they already had and appeared to have lost. They wanted another one I said erm no you arent getting another copy of it they then agreed that this was fine and that they did have a record of all the documents coming in as at one point they tried to tell me I hadnt given them a copy of the holiday invoice which I knew I definately did but this was a clerical error a the lead name on the invoice was my friend and not me but it was paid out really quickly within about 6 weeks.

 

This was insure and go and was who I always use they are good and this was the first time I had to make a claim

[Happy ks]

Travel insurance is not based on your age. It's a set price based on the number of days and type of coverage. In fact, on Carnival's website in particular, it states how much for a certain length cruise. I think the increase is due to possibly less people willing to buy it in order to "save" money. That's a risky endeavour as unlike other vacations where you only lose a day or two in hotel costs, and can transfer most airline/train reservations, you risk losing the entire amount of a cruise.

 

I'm amazed at how many people say they dont' need it because they're young, healthy, etc. We're healthy (50 and 53), but we buy it because you never know and we HAVE family. Parents in their mi-late 70's in particular. You can't just buy it based on yourself. That's what I don't get about those that don't buy it.

 

 

I suppose that may be true if you buy direct from the cruise line. But, they are more costly than an independent insurance policy will be. The policy we have for our next 7 night cruise was around $75, what the cruise line would have charged us was $118.

[bamelin]

Wife and I never buy trip cancellation insurance.

 

To us it's just another added expense we are very unlikely going to need.

 

I think it depends on where you are at in life. My parents are elderly and always get cancellation insurance ... at their age it makes alot more sense I guess.

 

Travel Insurance though (health) is a completely different story, we always buy. As Canadians we would probably be bankrupted if we got hurt while out of the country. I've heard horror stories of Canadians down in the US getting hurt without insurance and getting bills in the hundreds of thousands of dollars after hospital stays. Thankfully my credit card has insurance built in for trips paid with it, so I'm good!

[RoofingPrincess]

Travel insurance is not based on your age.

I just went to insuremytrip dot com

entered a trip using my age (51), then changed it to use my mom's age (74)

The premium increased by 65% on 3 of the first 4 plans displayed; the 4th one went up 92%

 

I have a 3-week trip coming up later this year; a 2-week transatlantic cruise preceded by a week of sightseeing. My insurance cost (covering the one-way airfare, sightseeing and lodging in Iceland for a few days, and the cruise) was $140. I don't remember which company it was as the travel agent booked it - I think it might've been RBC.

[sparkieplug24]

Depends on the company you use. But depending on the company the premium usual starts to rise after 65 (some companies its 70) this is based on my experince of UK insurance companies. ALso some companies after you reach 80 if you make a medical claim they take a larger excess off your claim which I think is shocking if you already paid a hire premium to start with

[seaofwonder]

I think we have travelguard...for DH (43) and I (32) for a 7 day cruise, it was around $130. DH thought it was a waste of money, but I won the argument and we bought it.

 

It is also a primary coverage with trip cancellation.

[tankersbabe]

I will not travel without travel insurance.

 

I now have a toddler...if he gets hurt, or sick, or whatever, I want to have that coverage. I want that coverage if I have to be med flighted out.

 

I know that the more you pay for your cruise, the more you pay in insurance. Ours increased when we took an upgrade.

[Parrotheadtoo]

I think we have travelguard...for DH (43) and I (32) for a 7 day cruise, it was around $130. DH thought it was a waste of money, but I won the argument and we bought it.

 

It is also a primary coverage with trip cancellation.

Hello Twiggers....

We buy the travel insurance for peace of mind. Many USA health insurance polices do not cover your care in another country.... Your body can experience appendicitis, gall bladder, or heart attack at any age....

It is also nice to have a policy that covers transportation from a ship (Helicopter) if need be....

It is well worth to avoid the heartaches and financial woes if care was ever needed..

We wish you smooth sailing on your cruise.

 

[nancronin]

I also always buy travel insurance - both medical and cancellation! Last year, after a 12 day cruise on Explorer, I had appendicitis and surgery less than 24 hrs. after disembarking - I guess the Gods were watching out for me but it could have happened on the cruise! I consider the insurance cost part of the cruise and would never go without it.

 

Also, last year our friend (age 55) had a slight heart attack on Indy and was left at hospital in San Juan - he had never had any sort of heart problem before this. Before he even got off the ship, they billed his credit card $15,000.00! He also had insurance and was repaid for all costs including 1st class flight home to Boston and all medical bills!:D

 

It doesn't matter if you're young and healthy - s--t happens - what if someone in your immediate family dies? Without cancellation insurance, you would be out entire amount. So think about this long and hard - it pays to be pro-active!

[aurelius180]

We purchased travel insurance for the first time for our January 2010 cruise and had to file a claim with TravelGuard. Smooth process and received a check about 5-6 weeks after submitting our claim.

[emilymad]

We are shopping for insurance policies now. What is the appropriate amount of medical coverage? We are in our 30's with no medical issues. Policies seem to vary widely.

[sailor05]

If you have have to be med-flighted off of the ship, this can be between $30k to as much as $100k.:eek: This is the main reason I get insurance. I usually enter the smallest amount possible for my trip (cruise,airfare) and leave out the rest (hotels, etc.) to get the most reasonable rates. I then take the time to increase the amount to highest possible until I reach the threshold at which the rates go up. Sometimes I leave out the airfare as I haven't booked it yet when getting the insurance. The main reason for the insurance for us is health coverage and med-evac, and these coverages are the same regardless of the trip cost (for the same policy).

[Kellie Poodle]

I have facilitated multiple claims with both Travelguard and Travelsafe and have yet to experience any problems with either.

 

I had some significant problems with Travelguard. It just so happened that we needed them at the exact same time that the federal government was bailing out AIG, their parent company, while their executives were partying in Arizona. Specifically, they counteracted physician's instructions and used their "medical expert's" opinion instead. The "medical expert" was a paramedic. We had one million dollars worth of air evacuation insurance coverage and they refused to do it. They also were very much aware that the facility where my DH was hospitalized was not qualified to care for him.

 

Travelguard might have been a good company at one time, but with their financial problems these past 2 years, I think they have really changed their philospphy. They did pay us for the other items we claimed, like my hotel stay while he was in the hospital, etc. in decent time.

[abhb]

I got really sick on one of our cruises. The medical bill was over $900. When I submitted the claim to the travel insurance they denied it and said that they would only pay what was left after my regular health insurance paid. My health insurance paid 80% and travel insurance did pay the difference.

 

It was a bit of a headach but it was worth it in the end. I would rather have travel insurance and not need it than not have it and need it:eek: