Travel Insurance ?? Yes or no

[cc waddles]

What is the general feeling about taking out the insurance?

[sparks1093]

I find it's a good idea for my family and I make it a point to obtain it.

[luv2cruiseny]

worth the cost for me!

[BigDfromTN]

I find it's a good idea for my family and I make it a point to obtain it.

 

worth the cost for me!

 

Count me in!

 

I did not buy it until I became informed as to some of the potential costs I was risking.

 

Now I buy it every time I leave the country.

[tulsacubfan]

Depends on your situation and circumstances. Everyone's situation is different and the need for insurance may be great for some and minimal for others. Also depends on the amount of risk you are willing to take and how many trips you take. Are you willing to take that risk? You could pay for another cruise if you take say 10 cruises and buy insurance but don't ever use it. Or do you like the peace of mind that comes with the insurance, even if you take 100 cruises and never have to use it.

[bythehex]

What is the general feeling about taking out the insurance?

 

We always buy insurance. You're going to get bombarded with people giving you all their reasons for it, and the people who have never bought it and will never buy it because they "never needed it". It's a very subjective thing.

 

I don't know what your circumstances are. If you have any older relatives at home, or if you're sailing in the winter and fear bad weather, or if you and your travel companions have any health issues you're concerned about. This would probably factor into your decision as well. My recommendation is to look into all the various policies and prices, and then decide for yourself what you feel comfortable with doing.

[finsupcruiser]

We always purchase trip insurance thru our TA--well worth the 136 for both of us

[sparks1093]

they "never needed it".

 

I've never died before but I still have life insurance;).

[Earthworm Jim]

The key thing is to know whether your health insurance would cover you overseas including a medical evacuation, in the event one was needed. Compared to that, the worry of getting the price of your cruise back should you not be able to go is penny ante stuff.

 

If your health insurance does not cover you abroad and cover evacuation back to the U.S., then my advice is to get travel insurance. If you are covered, then you may not need travel insurance unless you feel you are at high risk of having the miss the cruise at the last moment due to your or relatives health issues, or some other risk.

[pbxtech]

Always.

[onthecobb]

I never thought I needed it, but for some reason purchased it for our last cruise. My dad unexpectedly passed away a few days before we were supposed to leave (he was not cruising with us). For the $115 I paid for my family policy, I received a full refund of the $3,000 cost of the cruise. I will never travel without it again.

 

Of course, this is a pretty rare situation, but I can't tell you what a difference it made not to have to stress about losing all that money when I was also dealing with such a horrible event.

 

As with all insurance, you hope you never have to use it, but it's there to protect you in case you do.

 

Laurie

[mommyof3girls]

I always buy it, especially for cruises where you dont' have the option of just going a day later. We have small children and you never know what's going to happen. I like the peace of mind if gives me.

[Alliezona09]

Our personal choice is to Not buy it~

[bigsmooth]

What is the general feeling about taking out the insurance?

Its good to have. Things happen. You do not want to miss the ship like I did:eek:. Its not a great feeling:eek:. To miss it with no insurance, man:eek:.

[bigsmooth]

I never thought I needed it, but for some reason purchased it for our last cruise. My dad unexpectedly passed away a few days before we were supposed to leave (he was not cruising with us). For the $115 I paid for my family policy, I received a full refund of the $3,000 cost of the cruise. I will never travel without it again.

 

Of course, this is a pretty rare situation, but I can't tell you what a difference it made not to have to stress about losing all that money when I was also dealing with such a horrible event.

 

As with all insurance, you hope you never have to use it, but it's there to protect you in case you do.

 

Laurie

I hope you are doing well now. My brother pass away two week before I was to cruise back in 2008. GOD is so good. LORD JESUS CHRIST brought us thur. To GOD be the glory.

[tulsacubfan]

I've never died before but I still have life insurance;).

 

But....eventually you WILL die.....you may never in your life have to cancel a vacation and use trip insurance.

[bythehex]

I've never died before but I still have life insurance;).

 

My point exactly!:D

 

Nobody needs it until they need it. We all pay auto insurance in order to drive a car, even if we've never been in an accident. But once it happens, then we're awfully glad to have it. I look at travel insurance the same way.

[tulsacubfan]

Also check your credit card (assuming you purchase the cruise with a credit card). Some cards offer trip protection with the card.

[sparks1093]

But....eventually you WILL die.....you may never in your life have to cancel a vacation and use trip insurance.

 

I actually get it because it's much more than cancelling a vacation coverage. It's trip delay coverage, delayed/lost baggage coverage, medical coverage, medical evacuation coverage and, hope I never use this:eek:, repatriation of remains coverage.

[golfadj]

We used to get it but now do not. Our medical insurance will cover our costs and if we ever had to pay for medical evacuation would not destroy our finances.

 

If we lose a cruise somewhere down the road so be it.

[mikesteg]

Also check your credit card (assuming you purchase the cruise with a credit card). Some cards offer trip protection with the card.

 

Do you have some detail on that? I've searched quite a bit but haven't found that any of the cards offer viable cruise insurance.

 

As with others, I buy it every time... but not through the TA or CCL. I buy it for medical evacuation, and also trip delay to some extent. The cost of eating the cruise wouldn't kill us, but flying to the next port or home at same-day prices wouldn't be fun.

 

One thing I've found in my recent readings of policies is that the portion of the policy which covers catching up to the boat has time restrictions, and some seemed to be 6 hours. If you're flying in the same day at noon, it would be possible to miss the ship and NOT be covered under that clause. I guess it makes perfect sense that they require you have a reasonable amount of slack, but had never thought about it... so I mention it. Happily, our flights suck so we're arriving at LAX around 9:30. :rolleyes:

[hihosilvers]

I hope you are doing well now. My brother pass away two week before I was to cruise back in 2008. GOD is so good. LORD JESUS CHRIST brought us thur. To GOD be the glory.

 

:eek:

[CRUISE4JANE]

We used to get it but now do not. Our medical insurance will cover our costs and if we ever had to pay for medical evacuation would not destroy our finances.

 

If we lose a cruise somewhere down the road so be it.

 

If I had to be evacuated, it wouldn't break my bank either, but for the sake of paying for DH & me $188.00 to be insured, I have peace of mind. I don't think anyone would want to pay thousands of dollars to be evacuated when it could have only cost zero by buying the insurance or should I say in my case $188.00. I personally don't like paying for something I don't get. You are putting out all the money for a cruise, so what is a couple of hundred dollars more :confused:?

[sparks1093]

If I had to be evacuated, it wouldn't break my bank either, but for the sake of paying for DH & me $188.00 to be insured, I have peace of mind. I don't think anyone would want to pay thousands of dollars to be evacuated when it could have only cost zero by buying the insurance or should I say in my case $188.00. I personally don't like paying for something I don't get. You are putting out all the money for a cruise, so what is a couple of hundred dollars more :confused:?

 

I was going to say the same thing. The last medevac I read about on the boards cost $15k. Even if I had that available I'd hate to spend it knowing that for less than $200 I wouldn't have had to.

[Missileer]

My wife and I always get insurance and about five years ago we were notified that her Mom was near death. We got off in Puerto Vallarta and flew home. Insurance covered nearly everything and what they didn't Carnival did. OBTW Carnival was absolutely superior in the way they looked after us and helped us get air home and multiple use of the phone in the Pursers office at no cost to mention just two things I can remember. We were thrilled with their response in a very difficult time.

I think insurance is a must.