Insurance Question

[Rainbowfalls]

Does anyone know when the latest someone can purchase cruise insurance. I am debating whether to get it or not and I would rather not if I could... but the closer the cruise gets I know I would want to have it. lol.

[sparks1093]

Generally you can get it up until you cruise, but you take the chance on missing out on coverage. For instance, many policies will waive pre-existing condition exclusions if you purchase your policy within 15 to 20 days of the initial trip payment. If a hazard is known at the time that you purchase your policy (i.e. a tropical storm has been named or a volcano is erupting) then you won't be covered for losses from that event.

[paul929207]

If you wait to buy it, you may find that you need it and can't get the coverage. If you don't buy when you book, any pre-existing conditions AT THE TIME YOU PURCHASE THE INSURANCE, will not be covered.

[Rainbowfalls]

So pre exisiting conditions are mostly weather related? Since most illnesses or if you have to work are not really pre existing since they are at the moment?

[MoneyGuy]

So pre exisiting conditions are mostly weather related? Since most illnesses or if you have to work are not really pre existing since they are at the moment?

 

Weather has nothing to do with pre-existing conditions. That refers to medical issues.

[paul929207]

Pre-existing conditions normally are medical problems. For instance, if you father has a heart attack today and you have not bought the insurance, if you buy it tomorrow, you are not covered for any heart problems he might have. So if he died or was in serious condition the day you were to leave for the cruise, you would not be reimbursed for canceling.

[Rainbowfalls]

Pre-existing conditions normally are medical problems. For instance, if you father has a heart attack today and you have not bought the insurance, if you buy it tomorrow, you are not covered for any heart problems he might have. So if he died or was in serious condition the day you were to leave for the cruise, you would not be reimbursed for canceling.

 

 

Thank you! Hopefully nothing like that will happen

[paul929207]

Of course we hope things like that don't happen, but we by insurance in case they do.

[janina]

So pre exisiting conditions are mostly weather related? Since most illnesses or if you have to work are not really pre existing since they are at the moment?

You must purchase the insurance with most companies within 14 days of making the initial deposit, in order for Pre-Existing conditions to be covered. These are medical conditions mostly, such as if you have had a heart attack before, and if you have another right before the cruise and need to cancel. Also some weather such as the Iceland volcanoe, etc. There is an option with some companies like Travelguard that we use, where it will cover you for cancellations due to work or for any reason. Look around, the cruise insurance offered by the cruiselines is not always the best. Also remember that the cruiseline insurance will not cover you if you purchase your own air, it will only cover the cruise.

[fishywood]

It sounds like the OP is more concerned with insurance covering cancellation of the trip whether for medical or otherwise. As said, if buying from the cruiseline, you normally have to purchase within a certain number of days after first deposit--or immediately if booking after the cancellation deadline for that voyage. Unfortunately there is no way to game the system: if you get sick a week before the cruise, you can't purchase insurance that day and then call to cancel the next. If you purchased air on your own many airlines will sell you insurance up to a few days before your first flight that will reimburse you for all travel missed from the start of first flight until end of last flight as well as pay your fare home if you have to leave early.

[cruiseco]

Also remember that the cruiseline insurance will not cover you if you purchase your own air, it will only cover the cruise.

 

Some will. For example, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity.

[glomomma]

HI all this is my first cuise also and was wondering do the cruise lines have medical insurance if u get hurt on the cruise? i ask because my husbands insurance does not cover outside of the u.s.

[sparks1093]

HI all this is my first cuise also and was wondering do the cruise lines have medical insurance if u get hurt on the cruise? i ask because my husbands insurance does not cover outside of the u.s.

 

Maybe. Best bet is to go to a site such as insuremytrip.com. You can input your basic data (where you are going, trip costs, age etc.) and compare many package plans that offer medical coverage for illness/injury, medical evacuation, trip delay, trip cancellation, etc. The cruise lines may offer it but it would be more expensive. We bought a plan for $107 for our upcoming cruise in October with very good coverage limits.

[Dayenu]

I like "InsureMyTrip" too, you can compare different coverages and pick what you need.

[paul929207]

HI all this is my first cuise also and was wondering do the cruise lines have medical insurance if u get hurt on the cruise? i ask because my husbands insurance does not cover outside of the u.s.

The cruise line does NOT provide insurance for you while on the cruise. They will sell you insurance or you can purchase it from any one of a number of companies. There is a medical center with one or more doctors and one or more nurses on most (all?) ships. Someone is available 24 hours. Any changes go to your onbiard account.

[sellinonebay]

Booked 12 Night cruise on Breeze in Oct looking to purchase trip insurance.

Question I have is what is your recommended coverage for Medical costs and Emergency Evacuation? Seeing quotes from $25K Primary - $150K Secondary and $100K - $1Million for Evacuation....what limits do you all recommend for countries visiting? (Spain, Italy, Croatia) I'm ok with all the other benefits of the plans, just not sure what should be the min to have protection in these countries. Thanks

[sparks1093]

Booked 12 Night cruise on Breeze in Oct looking to purchase trip insurance.

Question I have is what is your recommended coverage for Medical costs and Emergency Evacuation? Seeing quotes from $25K Primary - $150K Secondary and $100K - $1Million for Evacuation....what limits do you all recommend for countries visiting? (Spain, Italy, Croatia) I'm ok with all the other benefits of the plans, just not sure what should be the min to have protection in these countries. Thanks

 

I use the compare policy feature in insuremytrip.com and buy the policy that affords the highest coverage for what I want to spend. The guideline that I've heard and use is that the insurance should cost no more than 10% of the cost of the trip. I would be satisfied with $25k of medical and $100k evacuation coverage but if I could obtain a policy with higher coverage limits for only a little more I'd go with that, as a general rule.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We switched to HAL's new insurance Premium when they started this program in the summer of 2010 -- cancel for any reason up to 24 hours before your cruise and you will get back 90% -- sure glad we had it when I fell and fractured my wrist the night before we were to fly to Ft Lauderdale.

 

The year before we had a different insurance company and when our house had major, major damage from a 100 year snow storm we lost everything -- there is a clause in many policies that as long as there is at least one room inyour house for you to live in -- they will not pay off. So check and read the fine print of all policies.

[attilamom1217]

Since you are taking about getting hurt while on the cruise - check with your own Medical Insurance policy as well. Some medical insurance policies (but not all) will cover illness or accidents out of the U.S. Outside travel insurance (such as Travel Guard and the others) will also cover, but as secondary insurance (primary is extra money). You would first file with your medical insurance, then whatever they don't pay, you would file with your travel insurance.

 

I got sick on my last cruise and visited the Dr. I was surprised that medical insurance reimbursed me every penny. I did have travel insurance, but did not need to use them for the illness.

[sparks1093]

Since you are taking about getting hurt while on the cruise - check with your own Medical Insurance policy as well. Some medical insurance policies (but not all) will cover illness or accidents out of the U.S. Outside travel insurance (such as Travel Guard and the others) will also cover, but as secondary insurance (primary is extra money). You would first file with your medical insurance, then whatever they don't pay, you would file with your travel insurance.

 

I got sick on my last cruise and visited the Dr. I was surprised that medical insurance reimbursed me every penny. I did have travel insurance, but did not need to use them for the illness.

 

A good point, but for my health care they will only pay if I use a preferred provider, and who wants to try to hassle with that when overseas? Because I purchased my TravelGuard Gold within the time frame allocated from the deposit I not only got a pre-existing conditions waiver but also primary coverage for the medical. Worth it's weight in, well, gold:D.

[attilamom1217]

A good point, but for my health care they will only pay if I use a preferred provider, and who wants to try to hassle with that when overseas? Because I purchased my TravelGuard Gold within the time frame allocated from the deposit I not only got a pre-existing conditions waiver but also primary coverage for the medical. Worth it's weight in, well, gold:D.

 

Absolutely. I was surprised that my insurance paid and I did not have to file with travel guard for the illness. We did have other claims with travel guard due to being stranded due to blizzard back home, but that is another story. However, travel guard paid every penny for the blizzard claims (2 days hotel, food, alternate travel arrangements...).

 

We never go on a cruise or to an all inclusive resort without the travel insurance. Worth the piece of mind even if you don't use it (and I would rather not have to use it)

[SkystheLimit]

Another place to try is http://www.tripinsurancestore.com. The people that man their phones are very helpful. Also, there website has great FAQ's. They broker many of the same companies as other websites so there are many choices.

 

Medicare does not cover any incidences outside the country. Some of the supplemental policies have limited coverage. The last cruise we were on someone had to be evacuated by helicopter. It took over two hours to accomplish the task. I can only imagine the cost associated with that.

 

We purchase cancel for any reason because we fly standby. The time to purchase for us varied from 14 to 21 days from initial deposit the next cruise we are doing.

[indiana123]

Am I right in thinking that if cruising with P and O it is compulsory to have Insurance. I ask this as on our cruise personaliser we had to give the name and reference numbers from our Insurers before going on our recent Oriana cruise.

 

Another thing that puzzled me was when arranging Insurance I was asked if I was going to Spain. I said yes, and another £100 was added. When enquiring why I had a couple of different answers. Anyone any idea?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Am I right in thinking that if cruising with P and O it is compulsory to have Insurance. I ask this as on our cruise personaliser we had to give the name and reference numbers from our Insurers before going on our recent Oriana cruise.

 

Another thing that puzzled me was when arranging Insurance I was asked if I was going to Spain. I said yes, and another £100 was added. When enquiring why I had a couple of different answers. Anyone any idea?

 

You should ask this on the P & O board here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=38

[6rugrats]

Outside travel insurance (such as Travel Guard and the others) will also cover, but as secondary insurance (primary is extra money). You would first file with your medical insurance, then whatever they don't pay, you would file with your travel insurance.

 

This is not always true; depends on the policy and where you live. In my state, there is no extra fee to make your medical coverage primary through your travel insurance. State law makes it primary.