Is a basic plan good enough for trip insurance?

[EllieinNJ]

Our trip is just DH and myself going on POA in May. When I looked up insure my trip, there were many different companies, some with several types of plans, ranging from $250 up to $1000. Is the $250 basic plan good enough?

[arf2005]

Our trip is just DH and myself going on POA in May. When I looked up insure my trip, there were many different companies, some with several types of plans, ranging from $250 up to $1000. Is the $250 basic plan good enough?

 

 

You don't have enough info here. Regardless, it's a personal decision. You should have enough to cover the cost of your trip and then enough to cover and medical emergency that might arise while on the trip. An evacuation from one of the ships is going to run you around $40,000 - $50,000 minimum.

 

Again, it's really a personal decision based on what you want to cover.

[deladypilot]

I agree with the above poster. Look at the amounts and think of the things that might happen (I know, not a fun thing to do). Ages can play a part in this process as well.

 

On a couple of our vacations (land and cruise) we have been stuck getting home. Once in 2008 we went to Disney at Christmas time. We could not get home as the roads in several states were closed do to a snow storm. We had to pay for hotels for a few days. On one of our Alaskan cruises, we were stuck in Seattle at the end because a hurricane came up the east coast and closed all the airports. Again, hotel bills and meals. We have finally decided that we should just stay on vacation and never come home (I wish I could). We did not have insurance on our Disney vacation but we had a basic plan on our Alaskan vacation and I sent in the hotel and food receipts and a check arrived a few weeks later.

 

So look at everything and make the best decision based on your traveling parties situation

[more cruises]

After paying for insurance on my first several cruises we decided not to get trip insurance anymore (we do get medical insurance, though). The lost luggage portion of the policies is almost useless. You have to claim on your homeowners first. They ask for receipts for each lost item. Who has that?

 

Chances were pretty slim I would need the insurance and I wouldn't end up destitute if we had to cancel the cruise or were delayed getting home. I might be mad I lost the money but I wouldn't be bankrupt so we just quit getting it. (Lordy, I hope I didn't just jinx myself)

 

For us the health insurance is another matter. Our insurance doesn't cover us if we are out of the US so I always buy a medical only policy on insuremytrip. I choose one with highest coverage and highest medivac with a $500 deductible, from a company with an A or A+ rating. Costs somewhere between $55 to $75.

 

Your needs could be totally different than mine so decide what you really need, why you need it and find the policy that best matches your needs.

[RJ2002]

Agree that we don't have enough info to respond, but since you will be on the POA, med-evac will likely not be an issue, and perhaps medical coverage as well if you already have insurance. What is important to you, being able to get a refund if you need to cancel?

[garycarla]

First thing is to decide WHAT you are insuring against.

 

I think many people are insuring the "cost" of the cruise. They say they can not afford to pay for a cruise they can not go on due to family emergency.

 

Wrong - they can afford it, since they already paid for it. What they may have trouble is to pay for a cruise they did not get to go on.

 

Medical issues are another story.

[cruzsnooze]

Your cruise is in the US so check to see what your medical insurance says about medical emergenies when you're traveling. If you have coverage through your own insurance then you have to assess what your level of comfort is in regard to insurance. When we travel we only think about insurance when going abroad. As a side note, don't expect the American crew to be any where near as "efficient" as the foreign flagged ships.

Edited February 9, 2014 by cruzsnooze

[roger001]

I'll confirm the importance of trip insurance, not that it is in doubt. My sister and friend were an hour from heading down to the POM to board the Getaway yesterday, when friend had symptoms of a heart attack, and they headed to the nearest hospital instead. Friend is still in hospital this morning with my sister standing by. The Getaway is long gone. They are very disappointed of course...but had trip insurance to cover the cruise cancellation. Friend is feeling much better physically, but tests still being run. Trip insurance....don't leave home without it. You never know.

[garycarla]

I'll confirm the importance of trip insurance, not that it is in doubt. My sister and friend were an hour from heading down to the POM to board the Getaway yesterday, when friend had symptoms of a heart attack, and they headed to the nearest hospital instead. Friend is still in hospital this morning with my sister standing by. The Getaway is long gone. They are very disappointed of course...but had trip insurance to cover the cruise cancellation. Friend is feeling much better physically, but tests still being run. Trip insurance....don't leave home without it. You never know.

 

Hope the friend is okay.

 

As to insurance, hopefully your sister's expenses will be covered. Let us know.

[EllieinNJ]

I think I only want/need coverage for the plane and cruise, my pre-paid and non-refundable costs. I work for a hospital and have excellent medical coverage and we are in pretty good health, no pre-existing conditions. We are arriving two days before the ship leaves so no problem there. The only thing I worry about is an unforseen emergency that can happen that would force us to cancel.

[LrgPizza]

Hope the friend is okay.

 

As to insurance, hopefully your sister's expenses will be covered. Let us know.

I agree. That doesn't sound like a covered item, but I guess there are a lot of types of trip insurance. I hope all turns out well.

[garycarla]

I think I only want/need coverage for the plane and cruise, my pre-paid and non-refundable costs. I work for a hospital and have excellent medical coverage and we are in pretty good health, no pre-existing conditions. We are arriving two days before the ship leaves so no problem there. The only thing I worry about is an unforseen emergency that can happen that would force us to cancel.

 

Leaving the medical issues out of the equation as this poster has, it then becomes a nothing more than a "bet" about going or not going on the cruise.

 

The traveler has already spent the money, so they can afford the cruise. The cost is the same if they go, or stay home. Of course, if they stay home, they miss out on a vacation. But they are NOT out extra money. Actually, they will be spending less than if they went on the cruise.

 

So, you are placing a bet with the insurance company that you will miss the cruise. If they win the bet, they get to keep your $200 -or whatever.

 

If you win, you still get the money back you paid for the cruise.

 

This is not about affording the cruise or not. One could argue is can you afford to place this bet?

 

AGAIN, this poster has decided medical issues are not an issue for them.