Need help deciding on insurance

[CariBear]

My husband and I have been on a couple of cruises, but have never purchased insurance. This time we are cruising with 2 young children and I think it might be a good idea to pay a little extra for the piece of mind. The only issues I am really concerned about are if my children get sick or have a medical emergency while on the ship or if my children get sick the week before we cruise and we have to cancel the cruise. I have looked at insuremytrip.com and I am overwhelmed. I was hoping someone with cruise insurance knowledge can help me figure out the most cost effective plan that will fit my needs.

 

Thanks so much for your help!! :)

[Scheeeebs]

CSA Travel Protection or Access America are both great companies - I have used them both and had to submit claims - very responsive. I definitely recommend it so you don't lose your $$ if the kids get sick. You will be covered if they get sick before the trip -- also most have a medical policy where you're covered during the trip. All ships have Dr.'s on board -- most lilkely you'd have to pay the bill onboard the ship and submit it for reimbursement when you return. It is definitely worth the money -- I've had to use it more times than not!

[Mzhelen]

We're flying to Egypt and then taking a Uniworld cruise. We were looking at total package insurance in case something comes up. Our flights are as expensive as the package, so we thought it might be worth doing.

 

Should we do the whole package insurance via InsureMyTrip? I was looking today and there are so many versions. I'm assuming I'd want "cancel for any reason." Is it worth the $350-500?

[sirwired]

Really, any of the "majors" are fine... just make sure you read the policy in full before plunking down your hard-earned dollars. Key is a decent amount of medevac coverage, and if your own insurance (if any) doesn't cover you out of the country, decent medical coverage too.

 

Look at the exclusions for each policy. For instance, if any of you have health issues, the lack of a pre-ex waiver on a policy could be a problem. Look at the specific delay/cancellation restrictions. They offer varying numbers of hours you can be late before you'll be protected against weather delays. Some cover mechanical delays, some don't. Some allow you to cancel for health issues for any decently close relative, some only allow a cancellation for a member of the traveling party. You just have to read the policies and compare them. While the policies are not short, they are usually written in understandable English.

 

Is the "Cancel for Any Reason" worth it? That's up to you. It obviously renders a lot of the cancellation exclusions less relevant, but it's a very expensive rider.

 

Personally, I have always selected the TravelGuard ProtectAssist Gold, but the final decision is up to you.

 

SirWired

[CariBear]

Thanks for the replies!

 

If the policy states that the medical coverage is a secondary coverage does that mean I would need to access my own personal medical insurance first...and then if my insurance didn't cover the situation then the cruise insurance would??

 

I guess it would help if I know the ball park of a medical evacuation, but I have no clue....would $500,000 cover it...or do you need more?? We will be in the Caribbean....and we live in Florida....so I am just not sure of these costs.

 

Thanks for the help it is appreciated!

[sirwired]

Thanks for the replies!

 

If the policy states that the medical coverage is a secondary coverage does that mean I would need to access my own personal medical insurance first...and then if my insurance didn't cover the situation then the cruise insurance would??

 

I guess it would help if I know the ball park of a medical evacuation, but I have no clue....would $500,000 cover it...or do you need more?? We will be in the Caribbean....and we live in Florida....so I am just not sure of these costs.

 

Thanks for the help it is appreciated!

 

A half-million will certainly get you to FL from the Caribbean.

 

SirWired

[cherylandtk]

If the policies are too numerous and overwhelming, you can look here for a smaller list of the best ones:

http://tripinsurancestore.com/5/trust.shtml

[CariBear]

Thanks again for the replies! I think I am going to go with Travelex....just need to decide between the basic and select plans. Not sure if $15,000 per person for the medical will be sufficient....I might feel more comfortable with the $50,000 limit on the select plan.

[cruiseco]

Thanks again for the replies! I think I am going to go with Travelex....just need to decide between the basic and select plans. Not sure if $15,000 per person for the medical will be sufficient....I might feel more comfortable with the $50,000 limit on the select plan.

 

Does your regular health insurance cover you during your cruise? If so, the Basic plan's coverage limit is probably enough to cover any deductibles or co-payments you might end up with. If not, you'd feel more secure with $50K than $15K.