Trip Insurance

[Sugarbearsmom]

First time cruise coming up. Getting ready to pay in full. Do I really need the trip insurance ? Sure its always better to be safe than sorry, but how many people have actually had to use trip insurance ?

[truffles2]

We have! Twice!

[Merion_Mom]

I have had to make a claim once.

 

Like all insurance, it is INSURANCE. You don't buy it because you are going to need it. You buy it IN CASE you need it.

 

Look at all the people on the Jersey shore. Those who had adequate homeowner's insurance.................and those who didn't.

 

Which would you rather be?

[MS52]

When we do land vacations overseas, I consider myself self insured. I've saved so much on not buying insurance, that I would be okay if I lost the cost of the vacation if I couldn't go. Yes, it would be a bummer, but I would be okay.

 

When we cruise I always get insurance. I worry that if I get sick on a cruise and need to be evacuated at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars, I would have a tough time paying that out of pocket. That's the main reason that I get insurance.

[Gonzo70]

First time cruise coming up. Getting ready to pay in full. Do I really need the trip insurance ? Sure its always better to be safe than sorry, but how many people have actually had to use trip insurance ?

 

Do you have health insurance that will pay emergency medical care while out of the country (some do) AND that will pay for an emergency air evacuation off of a ship (few do and this can cost $25,000 and up). Accidents (i.e. falling and hitting your head) or serious illness (i.e. appendicitis) can effect even the young and seemingly healthy at the drop of a dime. I highly recommend insuring at a minimum emergency medical care AND air evacuation if you are not already covered - otherwise an accident or illness could devastate you financially for years to come. Whether or not to insure other potential costs such as lost baggage, needing to leave a cruise early because a loved one back home is gravely ill, needing to cancel a cruise last minute because of a medical problem is purely up to you. Nice to have insurance in such situations, but not the end of the world if you do not.

[Cathalain]

I bought trip insurance because we have an elderly member in our party that is... well, not in great health, and let's face it - she could pass away before the cruise happens. We have no recourse if this occurs - with the trip insurance, it's one less thing to worry about. I know that this sounds morbid, but in truth it was HER idea.

 

Most credit cards have plans for travel insurance, but I'm not real sure they'd cover cruises (except for American Express, which seems to cover EVERYTHING, heh). It's really not very much when you think about it - ours was 60 dollars a person. For 180 bucks, I'd say covering nearly four thousand dollars in travel expenses is pretty reasonable.

 

Go with what you feel is right.

[karinad]

We cruised about 13 times in the past 11 yrs. We used the insurance about 3 times. Two of the times were for very unexpected deaths 2 wks before sailing. I used to get the insurance mainly for what could come up before the cruise. Now that dh and I are in our late 50's, I look closed at the allowance of what they give you for medical evacuation. We do have good health insurance, but don't know about how it would be on a cruise.

 

We wouldn't go without it, but, we're not rich or near to it, so losing 2 or 3, thousand dollars, etc., would hurt!

[sandy toes]

IMHO I say always budget it into the cost of your trip. It is just part of the cost of the cruise for me. I travel with family (ages 2yrs to 83yrs) each with their own set of health/wellness issues. We have used ins in the past when there was a death 3 days before sailing, when there was a major cardiac episode that needed surgery and a flight home from St Maarten, when a child broke an arm, when someone lost a filling and had dental pain, when someone was majorly sea sick (3 times/different people & different cruises) and finally when I cut my hand during a life boat drill when pushed into a sharp piece of metal and needed sutures and antibiotics. In nearly 2 decades of cruising I think it has been worth every cent. BUT it is up to the individual...some folks really enjoy playing the odds...I don't like taking risks.

[Janet524]

The long and short of it is that you have to decide if you're willing to lose the money that you've paid for your cruise should something happen and you don't make the trip. If you're okay with being out the $$$, then don't take the insurance.

[Wichenford Wolf]

In the UK travel insurance is (relatively) very cheap. We were due to travel in an Owner's Suite on Adventure of the Seas in August - cost several thousand pounds - and had to cancel a month before travel because my wife broke her ankle. Because of the timing we had to pay a substantial part of the amount due but were able to recover virtually all of it from the insurance company.

 

The cost of the insurance (which covers four of us for worldwide travel for twelve months) was £50.

 

It's what I would call a "no-brainer"! :D

 

Paul

 

PS; the same policy is in place for our "replacement" trip, on Allure at Xmas.

[Starry Eyes]

I always carry Medical and Evacuation insurance, as my health care policy will not give adequate coverage for those potentially expensive issues. we have carried an annual policy for this for about 4 years now...so far no claims...yea!

 

OTOH, we only carry comprehensive travel insurance on selected trips. We travel a lot and can afford to "self-insure" should something happen (cancellation, lost luggage, trip interruption) for almost all the trips. for the occasional trip that would have high cancellation costs and high trip interruption costs (last minute international airfare:eek:), we take a comprehensive policy.

 

unless you have the financial wherewithal and emotional fortitude to shrug off a loss if you must cancel or interrupt a trip, do buy insurance. Always be sure you have international medical and evacuation coverage.

[39august]

I, too, insure mainly for medical and emergency evacuation, which as another poster says can be very, very costly. Just losing the cost of the trip because of a necessary cancelltion is not that big a deal. Emergency evacuation is a whole other kettle of fish.

[philip_g]

Do you have health insurance that will pay emergency medical care while out of the country (some do) AND that will pay for an emergency air evacuation off of a ship (few do and this can cost $25,000 and up). Accidents (i.e. falling and hitting your head) or serious illness (i.e. appendicitis) can effect even the young and seemingly healthy at the drop of a dime. I highly recommend insuring at a minimum emergency medical care AND air evacuation if you are not already covered - otherwise an accident or illness could devastate you financially for years to come. Whether or not to insure other potential costs such as lost baggage, needing to leave a cruise early because a loved one back home is gravely ill, needing to cancel a cruise last minute because of a medical problem is purely up to you. Nice to have insurance in such situations, but not the end of the world if you do not.

 

this is good advice.

 

the air evac/repatriation is a biggie, if you get seriously ill on a cruise ship they keep you going on board until the next stop then it's good bye. cozumel is a nice vacation stop but I sure don't want to be in the hospital there. believe me, I made a lot of money picking people up that had just that happen to them.

 

Cozumel back to the us is probably pushing 35k these days, anywhere across the atlantic well over 100k

 

some insurance companies cover, some don't when you're out of the US. Some can handle it, some can't. Keep in mind most of these countries won't let you out until your medical bill is PAID and I've seen families in mexico get forced to pay out of pocket to continue care until the insurance can pay.

 

in my opinion you're out of your mind not to spend a few dollars and get it.

[Sugarbearsmom]

Wow..thank you everyone ! I guess its worth it, for only $100 some bucks, just for the piece of mind. I guess when you think "none of that will happen to me", is when it happens ! I can't believe that all of you have had such issues and still cruise :) I'd be devastated and say never again ! But I guess you take a chance no matter where you travel ! I'll be purchasing the insurance ! Thanks !

[Mapleleafforever]

I've had to use it once for something small but here in Toronto we've had 2 big news stories lately of people who are stuck in the hospital in Europe due to not having insurance. Better safe than sorry.

[nbsjcruiser]

First time cruise coming up. Getting ready to pay in full. Do I really need the trip insurance ? Sure its always better to be safe than sorry, but how many people have actually had to use trip insurance ?

 

Me twice. First time was 2010 when our flights were delayed and we ended up needing to fly out of Boston instead of Portland Maine in order to make the cruise. They then lost our luggage. All costs incurred including $1500 for new clothes covered.

 

In 2011 I was hit by a wave in Nassau and broke my collar bone. Ended up in the hospital - again all costs covered.

 

You never need it until you do and when you do you're some happy you have it. Its like driving without car insurance. 99% of the time you're ok. that 1% is when it pays off. So roll the dice if you will but I've been on this board for a few years and I cannot tell you how many times I've read messages from people asking for sympathy because they had to miss their cruise for one reason or another and had no insurance.

[Suite Cruise]

We had to cancel one time, I had to cancel close to the cruise due to an emergency health issue. All money was returned except the cost of the trip insurance policies.

 

We had suites booked and we would have been out a bunch of money.

 

Some do take elderly people with them. Medicare does not cover medical expense out of the US.

 

We have witnessed people flown out on jets after a heart attack and also being injured the first day arriving at port in a foreign country.

 

We have three suites booked Oct. next year and a suite and stateroom booked for a TA crossing in April. I could not even compute having anything go wrong on these two trips. Air evacuation would eat ones lunch.

 

Another thing, the insurance pays to get your body back home if you die on the cruise. Your flight likely just got switched to cargo at an additional expense . :rolleyes:

 

A friend got sick at start of a cruise in Rio last Dec. They missed the cruise after being sent to a hospital. No knowledge he had cancer. He has since died. They had flown first class to Rio plus the cost of the lost cruise and medical treatment.

[MonaCK]

Get insurance. Better safe than sorry. As they say: Better to have it and never need it, than not have it and require it.

[philip_g]

I've had to use it once for something small but here in Toronto we've had 2 big news stories lately of people who are stuck in the hospital in Europe due to not having insurance. Better safe than sorry.

 

It's 3x more important for Canadians with national health care.

[linkerbink]

We used it once....wouldn't travel without it.

[Kellie Poodle]

I have a DH with health issues. I would not travel without excellent coverage. The cost of insurance and a separate evacuation policy (you can't always rely on the travel insurance to evacuate you - BTDT) is part of our travel budget.

 

This is what is important to our situation. I think the OP has to look at their own personal situation to decide if they need it or not.

[annabell08]

I'm cruising with my niece and her daughter along with a friend of hers and her daughter. They didn't want to buy insurance. I found emergency medical and evacuation insurance for less than $40 for them and bought it. My piece of mind was important to me . You never know what might happen.

[shippmates]

We never travel without insurance. Our medical insurance will cover us internationally after we pay upfront. We just got off the Explorer of the Sea or to say I did. My husband was airlifted off the ship in Haiti and transported to the hospital in Dominican Republic. He spend one day in the Medical Center on ship before he was airlifted. Spent 6 days in the ICU at the hospital in Santiago. We had a maximum $10,000 limit on medical costs and had to pay the balance before we could leave the hospital. Not only did we have the charge on the ship, we had airline tickets for me to fly to Dominican Republic after the cruise docked in Bayonne, 2 nights in a hotel and all my meals, and then flights back to PA for both us of. The hospital was a good facility but they do not have more than a handful of employees that speak English. We had a very difficult time communicating and trying to understand the medical attention he needed.

 

Thank the good Lord we are home and have had him checked out by our doctors and he is on the road to recovery.

[cruiseguy1016]

People here always talk like the only reason to buy trip insurance is for a medical reason or in case you have to cancel. We've used ours for something else. You probably don't even know there is coverage, I didn't until the event happened. I was on a zip-line excursion and dropped my camera to the rocks below. The camera was destroyed. I ended up buying a new camera on the ship. While sitting in the airport waiting for my plane on the way home, I got bored and was looking for something, ANYTHING to read. I pulled out our trip insurance policy and started reading that. In it was a section covering "baggage". Baggage is not just your suitcase, it is everything you have brought with you on your trip. Clothes, shoes, cameras, hair dryers etc. Basically, anything you are carrying with you is covered. When I got home, I called the insurance company to inquire about the camera. Sure enough, the camera was covered. So, for the cost of my $100 insurance policy, that I had taken out for the other reasons, I got reimbursed for my broken camera.

[Clarea]

People here always talk like the only reason to buy trip insurance is for a medical reason or in case you have to cancel. We've used ours for something else. You probably don't even know there is coverage, I didn't until the event happened. I was on a zip-line excursion and dropped my camera to the rocks below. The camera was destroyed. I ended up buying a new camera on the ship. While sitting in the airport waiting for my plane on the way home, I got bored and was looking for something, ANYTHING to read. I pulled out our trip insurance policy and started reading that. In it was a section covering "baggage". Baggage is not just your suitcase, it is everything you have brought with you on your trip. Clothes, shoes, cameras, hair dryers etc. Basically, anything you are carrying with you is covered. When I got home, I called the insurance company to inquire about the camera. Sure enough, the camera was covered. So, for the cost of my $100 insurance policy, that I had taken out for the other reasons, I got reimbursed for my broken camera.

Thanks for this, I had not thought about that. We typically bring a 2 cameras and at least one laptop, and it's nice to know that we're covered.

 

Bob