Do you all buy travel insurance??

[austinhoops]

So, speaking of insurance, and the reasons for it, how does everyone deal with the worry that comes with going on a cruise? Namely, elderly parents.

 

This is a concern for me having parents in their upper 80s, but the way I handle it is that I know they want me to ENJOY my life and would honestly be horrified if they thought their health/age was limiting my travels for fear of them dying. So, I just try to be optimistic that nothing will happen when I'm away, but I've insured this next trip in the event that it does. Yes, the logistics of travel back home is much trickier and will probably take longer, but I trust that the timing would somehow work out in the case that something happened when I was overseas.

 

A simple yes or no answer won't provide useful information.

 

Does your health insurance policy offer international coverage? Does it cover medical evacuation? Repatriation? What limits?

 

If the answer is no (or not enough) you need insurance. Self insuring a potential claim of hundreds of thousands of dollars doesn't make sense.

 

 

Excellent point. In general, I don't purchase travel insurance for domestic trips-- I self-insure for those. For an upcoming European land trip & cruise, however, I have purchased travel insurance for the medical coverage as well as the fact that non-refundable expenses are very large, and I don't want to chance losing them in the event of a trip cancellation (note elderly parents mentioned above). The policy costs only a fraction of those expenses, so it gives me some piece of mind that if something went wrong, I'd be covered.

 

For a less costly domestic trip, I'm less concerned about the loss and am confident that my medical coverage is excellent. My decision to buy depends on the trip and circumstances.

[Smiles3usa]

I had travelled on 6-7 cruises before I decided to buy travel insurance. Nothing had ever "gone wrong" and I figured all was okay (but then again, everything is okay in our 20/30's.) When we decided to do a 16 day asia cruise with stays for 3 days pre-cruise and 6 days post-cruise, I decided to insure the travel because our budget for the cruise had basically quadrupled from previous trips. The insurance was approximately $900 (at the time we were in middle 40/50's). Two weeks before our trip was scheduled to begin, my mom died unexpectedly. It was a devastating time for me. I got back from the funeral (out of state) three days before we were scheduled to leave. I called the insurance provider and found out everything was covered. So I knew that I could cancel without any financial repercussions (unlike our land trip to Egypt in early October 2001 when few americans were traveling to the middle east and we had prepaid everything, with no travel insurance)

 

Anyway, I decided to go on the cruise, since there was nothing I could do to change the situation. Although I had my mournful moments, I found myself enjoying the trip much more than I could have ever anticipated.

 

On our cruises and land trips since then, I have yet to buy travel insurance again. I am afraid to. Although I know superstitions are childish, I now equate buying insurance with something devastating happening on/before our trip.

 

I guess we all do what we are comfortable with. It was comforting to me to know that I had brought travel insurance -- even though I did not use it -- because it gave me the choice I needed.

[bflohr]

Best case scenario is that your insurance was a waste of money. Doesn't mean you don't need it though.

 

Medical evacuation could go into hundreds of thousands. Even if you are young and healthy, an accident could happen on vacation. Family member could get ill right before you leave.

 

Chances are nothing really bad will happen, still worth the piece of mind. You can find policies without cancel for any reason for around $100.00 (about double with). If something bad did happen, it could keep you out of bankruptcy.

[SmileyMcMit]

This is my first time buying insurance for an upcoming cruise. Before we would usually risk it but we are doing a 14 day cruise to Europe and I would like to have the piece of mind that we are covered as this trip will cost 3x as much as what we usually spend on vacations.

[shearboinky]

The 1st time I nearly died from severe medical issue. I got my insurance money back and my deposit the other 3 who were in other rooms got their deposit back.

 

The 2nd time was during Hurricane Wilma. We incurred extra hotel food and taxi money and loss of cruise days. All of which was reimbursed after showing all receipts and getting a letter from the cruise line.

 

You never know what can or may happen in regards to anything and everything!!!!

[14Terry]

I don't cruise without it!

[donaldsc]

Young healthy people tend to do things that are more likely to cause accidents than older people. You are less likely to have a heart attack but you are more like to have an accident skiing.

 

There are basically 2 types of insurance - the type that cover just medical and evacuation (option 1) and the type that covers medical, evacuation, and a whole bunch of other things (option 2).

 

Option 2 is obviously more expensive and is typically bought on a per trip basic and the cost depends upon the cost of the trip you are insuring. The cost of option 1 basically depends upon how old you are.

 

We carry an annual option 1 policy that covers every and all trips we take either domestically and foreign as long as the trip length is less than 75 days and we are more than a defined (I think 200 miles) from my home. It costs us about $400 per year for the 2 of us and we are in our 70's.

 

If we have to cancel a trip either before or during a trip, we have to eat the loss.

 

DON

Edited January 2, 2014 by donaldsc

[gdpups]

I have a friend that was on a cruise that ended Jan 2nd, the day they were supposed to fly back to California from San Juan. Due to the weather around the country and all the flight cancellations they can't make a return flight home until Jan 10th. They are very glad they purchased travel insurance as it won't cover all their additional expenses, but will help them with the additional hotel and other costs until they can make it home.

 

Travel insurance also helped when my sister was taken ill during a cruise she and I were on. Half way through the cruise she had to be taken off the ship and to a hospital in Canada for 10 days. My insurance paid for the days I missed on the cruise and helped with my additional costs of hotel, etc. during my stay with her as well as my expensive last minute flight home once she was released. Of course her insurance covered her.

 

Also had a friend that had to be airlifted back to Florida the first night of a cruise we were on because she had a bleeding ulcer and needed a blood transfusion. Total shock as she was young and healthy and had never had a problem before.

 

Let's just say I would never travel without insurance!

[dchan865]

Same here, I buy it just in case as you never know what's gonna happen in the future.

I buy it for international land trip as well.

[PoppyandNana]

The 1st time I nearly died from severe medical issue. I got my insurance money back and my deposit the other 3 who were in other rooms got their deposit back.

 

The 2nd time was during Hurricane Wilma. We incurred extra hotel food and taxi money and loss of cruise days. All of which was reimbursed after showing all receipts and getting a letter from the cruise line.

 

You never know what can or may happen in regards to anything and everything!!!!

 

 

How did you get your insurance money back? Are you talking about the premium? You never get reimbursed for the premium on a policy

[TNDeb]

25+ years ago I went on a overnight road trip with 3 girlfriends, to a college football game. That night, walking back to the apartment I tripped on a tree root and fell. Managed to catch myself on open palms, resulting with TWO broken elbows. :eek: My point is...ANYTHING can happen ANYWHERE!!!

 

We always buy insurance. My parents aren't spring chickens anymore. :(

[heythereyou]

have never bought insurance. the online site I book with gives free travel insurance on cruises 5 days longer. Have never had to use it, They do offer a upgrade insurance which I have never bought.

[cofgren]

only simple minded people

 

 

Really ?! You're an ass !

Edited February 10, 2014 by cofgren

[LMaxwell]

How did you get your insurance money back? Are you talking about the premium? You never get reimbursed for the premium on a policy

 

That is not true. I have a policy which included reimbursement of the cost of the premium itself. This was a feature bundled with some other increased benefits.

[runner2013]

I always get it when we cruise. My boyfriends mom is in her 80's (but very healthy thankfully) and you never know what can happen. We also fly into port the day before. I'd much prefer being delayed on a plane when I know I still have a day to reach the ship as opposed to a few hours. :cool: