Travel Insurance

[TEXASMUNK]

We purchase travel insurance, in the past, we have had to use it twice...so we are already believers!

Just a simple question, with recent events, have you changed your mind and will now invest in travel insurance?

 

I askIn recnt days, maritime lawyers have discussed the fact that reimbursement to those passengers that survived the disaster will have very limited compensation.

 

Your thoughts?

[cruiseguy1016]

We never travel without it so the recent events have no affect on whether or not we purchase it.

[aurelius180]

The first time I purchased it I needed it. Now we purchase it every time. For us it works out to be about $100 per trip and for the peace of mind alone it's worth every penny to us. :)

[megr1125]

I won't change my system...i never leave for a cruise without it.....I've used it more often than i care to admit...sometimes just for a visit to the medical facility for a sinus infection....others for cruises that had to be cancelled....

[Big_G]

Only had to use it once but we never travel without it.

[pseudoware]

We've been on cruises before, but I bought insurance prior to the Costa accident for the first time for our upcoming trip. Older and wiser, perhaps.

 

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[peteukmcr]

Never travel without it. In fact in the UK many travel reservations request details and proof of travel insurance, including the company name, the policy reference and the emergency contact number.

 

When we complete online checkin for our RCI cruises they request travel insurance information.

[6rugrats]

I askIn recnt days, maritime lawyers have discussed the fact that reimbursement to those passengers that survived the disaster will have very limited compensation.

 

Your thoughts?

Thoughts about what? How would these maritime lawyers know what people's policies would cover? Doubt they've read all of them.

[TEXASMUNK]

Lawyers?

 

That came out of left field.

 

No intent to even mention lawyers! Simply talking about travel insurance. Do you have a issue that you thought fit with a question about travel insurance?

[EugeneD]

It's interesting to hear how many have had to use the insurance.

 

There seem to be several types that cover various events (evacuation to a hospital of your choice, other optional events). Besides the obvious, ie getting your money back on a cruise you could not take, what other things have you found useful to have covered by insurance?

[peteukmcr]

Being robbed in Madrid as arriving at the hotel meant that travel insurance was invaluable in replacing personal items in the backpack stolen.

 

Medical expenses covered for doctors visit for my travelling companion in Luxor, Egypt.

 

Lost baggage by airlines.

 

Damaged bags by airline.

[klfrodo]

It's interesting to hear how many have had to use the insurance.

 

There seem to be several types that cover various events (evacuation to a hospital of your choice, other optional events). Besides the obvious, ie getting your money back on a cruise you could not take, what other things have you found useful to have covered by insurance?

 

Lost, stolen, misplaced wedding band. (max coverage was $500)

Stranded in Jamaica (land vacation) for additional day due to hurricane closing down Miami.

[lbibunny]

Bought travel insurance for a tour we did in Italy with Insight Vacations. Missed my air connection due to bad weather. Air line put us up for the night with meals. We had to fly out the following night and catch up with the tour in another Italian city. To make a long story short, we missed 2 days of the tour plus had to take a cab for 2 hours and pay to catch up with them. I put a claim in and received an insulting $24.00. They told me the missed air connection had to be 3 hours to get compensated. I will never buy travel insurance again.

[lsok]

We are going on our first Mediterranean cruise and, since final payment is due in a few days, we are deciding on the trip insurance. Wanted to get opinions of experienced cruiser as to the amounts they feel comfortable with for medical coverage and medical evacuation. I am covered with a high deductible ($5000) on my medical insurance and would be responsible for the first $9000 of any expenses. DH is newly on medicare and therefore will not have any coverage in Europe.

 

On a Mediterranean cruise, what would be the cost if one needed to be flown to a hospital and then flown home?

 

Thanks for your help

[bedsquare]

even though it was years ago my late husband and I purchased travel insurance through CSA.. we missed our flight from Newark, N. J. to board The Brilliance of the Seas, RCCL cruise out of Florida.... because of an accident enroute(. I sent a copy of the accident report) the highway was shut down from North Branch north for two hours. We missed our flight, made reservations for another flight to Florida only to be told by the cruise line that we could not board the ship in Key West. We never made the cruise, Continental airlines lost our luggage for one week and we never got a penny of reimbursement or a thing. CSA stating that we were not "DIRECTLY involved in the accident" so much for insurance. won't take it again. and just got off the Explorer of the Seas last week after a delightful cruise out of Bayonne, N.J. (no airlines involved) . Read those contracts very CAREFULLY.

[bedsquare]

Nine of us took the New Years cruise 2012 on the Explorer of the Seas out of Bayonne, N. J. we were so looking forward to the CAT Walk (category walk), Slot Pull and Playing the game Left Right Center (which we ended up playing with the 9 of us but it would have been even better w ith more people) Other than the first night's meeting at Dizzy's Lounge, followed by a small party hosted by RCCL, we never got a message or communication of any kind. and the very small bulletin board near Guest Relations never had notices of any kind. I put up one to Play LRC but got no replies. maybe we don't know how this operates. please advise..

[klfrodo]

We are going on our first Mediterranean cruise and, since final payment is due in a few days, we are deciding on the trip insurance. Wanted to get opinions of experienced cruiser as to the amounts they feel comfortable with for medical coverage and medical evacuation. I am covered with a high deductible ($5000) on my medical insurance and would be responsible for the first $9000 of any expenses. DH is newly on medicare and therefore will not have any coverage in Europe.

 

On a Mediterranean cruise, what would be the cost if one needed to be flown to a hospital and then flown home?

 

Thanks for your help

 

Medicare/Medicaid is of no good outside the US. Medical evacuation back to the States could be upwards of $250,000 - $300,000.

For a Med cruise? I'd be looking at half to a mil in coverage for medical and evacuation.

[cruiseco]

CSA stating that we were not "DIRECTLY involved in the accident" so much for insurance. won't take it again. and just got off the Explorer of the Seas last week after a delightful cruise out of Bayonne, N.J. (no airlines involved) . Read those contracts very CAREFULLY.

 

Yep, when an insurer tells you that you have to be directly involved in the auto accident, believe them. They won't cover you if you are delayed by someone else's accident.

[cruiseco]

They told me the missed air connection had to be 3 hours to get compensated. I will never buy travel insurance again.

 

They told you that when you bought the policy. I don't know why you were surprised come claim time and they did what they told you they were going to do.

[scrabulous]

Sometimes we purchase it, sometimes not; depends on how expensive the trip. But we had children and grandchildren along and wanted the access to medical care or medical evacuation that travel insurance can provide. Happily no one needed any medical care; but we were stranded in Seattle after our cruise when Hurricane Irene closed all the northeast airports. The trip insurance was wonderful; the customer service very helpful and payment so prompt. We'll be steady customers.

[peteukmcr]

We are going on our first Mediterranean cruise and, since final payment is due in a few days, we are deciding on the trip insurance. Wanted to get opinions of experienced cruiser as to the amounts they feel comfortable with for medical coverage and medical evacuation. I am covered with a high deductible ($5000) on my medical insurance and would be responsible for the first $9000 of any expenses. DH is newly on medicare and therefore will not have any coverage in Europe.

 

On a Mediterranean cruise, what would be the cost if one needed to be flown to a hospital and then flown home?

 

Thanks for your help

Unfortunately I don't understand your system when you refer to deductibles but our policy covers for £10,000,000 for medical expenses including repatriation back to the UK for worldwide destinations including specifically the USA. I would presume you would need a similar insured amount for travelling from the US to Europe.

[sirwired]

We are going on our first Mediterranean cruise and, since final payment is due in a few days, we are deciding on the trip insurance. Wanted to get opinions of experienced cruiser as to the amounts they feel comfortable with for medical coverage and medical evacuation. I am covered with a high deductible ($5000) on my medical insurance and would be responsible for the first $9000 of any expenses. DH is newly on medicare and therefore will not have any coverage in Europe.

 

On a Mediterranean cruise, what would be the cost if one needed to be flown to a hospital and then flown home?

 

Thanks for your help

 

Personally, I'd be comfortable with $50k + medevac of $250k. Note that some medevac coverage is only to "the nearest suitable hospital" (i.e just about any major Hospital in Italy) while others will get you home. For re-patriation, just about any medevac coverage limit will cover that.

 

Bought travel insurance for a tour we did in Italy with Insight Vacations. Missed my air connection due to bad weather. Air line put us up for the night with meals. We had to fly out the following night and catch up with the tour in another Italian city. To make a long story short, we missed 2 days of the tour plus had to take a cab for 2 hours and pay to catch up with them. I put a claim in and received an insulting $24.00. They told me the missed air connection had to be 3 hours to get compensated. I will never buy travel insurance again.

 

For trans-oceanic connections, I'd never book one with a connection time LESS than three hours. In any case, this should have been spelled out in your insurance contract, which you should have read prior to making flight arrangements.

[lbibunny]

I never read the policy because I trusted my TA so much to give me the best. Been using them for years and years. Stupid me. Never again. I read everything for now on. Guess I have a bad taste because of what happened but I'm planning a cruise to the Baltics this summer with HAL so I will try the insurance again.

[lsok]

Thanks for the replies regarding medical and medical evacuation coverage. I was leaning towards the higher coverage--especially since my husband will not be covered at all by Medicare.

 

Does anyone know the difference between CSA freestyle and CSA custom? They both have "luxe" policies. My TA quoted me the freestyle fees but I can only get the quotes for the Custom on insuremytrip and on the CSA site.

I tried to call CSA today, but they were closed for a company event.

 

Any other recommendations as far as a good company to go thru for travel insurance?

 

Thanks

[ghstudio]

In reference to the Costa Concordia grounding, most think that those with Travel Insurance are covered fully....after all it is a trip interruption which reimburses up to 100% of the total insured amount. Well, if you are in the US, read your policy carefully, very carefully. The insurance companies are very specific about what is covered by trip interruption (and other parts of the policy) and you will find that a breakdown of the ship or a cancellation of the cruise after the cruise begins is NOT covered as trip interruption...it is only covered by catch all Trip Delay terms which have a much much lower limit ($500/$1000 per person).

 

For example, when the Celebrity Century cruise was cancelled in late 2010 due to a mechanical problem on ths ship and passengers had to get themselves home, perhaps stay in a hotel for a few days, had other expenses, the Travel Insurance did not cover anything other than a trip Delay. (celebrity finally made passengers whole, but it was not covered under Travel Insurance. (this isn't hearsay...we were on that cruise).

 

Here's another gotcha in travel insurance....what hospital do you go to if you have a medical emergency. Most policies say "the nearest hospital that can handle the medical condition"...and it's the hospital that says it can or can't handle the condition, not you. In almost every policy, you do not have a say in what hospital you are taken to...or what hospital you go to for recovery.

 

I strongly advise anyone who travels to buy MedJet insurance...and here's the big difference. Medjet will evacuate you to the hospital of your choice as long as the patient is medically able to be moved. You decide where you are taken, not the foreign hospital. This insurance does not get you to the first emergency hospital from the ship, that's part of your travel insurance....but MedJet then provides the transportation from that little hospital in Kenya to the Mayo Clinic on your request, even if the hospital in Kenya says that you can be treated there for your six week recuperation. (discount thru AARP on MedJet, by the way).