Do you get travel insurance??

[Walt724]

Always. Never thought it would be needed, but if you are a smart shopper, you can find great coverage for pennies on the dollar.

 

I recently booked a last minute cruise for myself and my son. Guys only, my DW would wait for our planned cruise in December. 13 days before the cruise, my wife died. It was very unexpected. Even though she was not on the cruise, the insurance I bought gave me the option to cancel due to the death of a family member and receive a 100% refund of my cruise costs.

 

 

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[NMLady]

I am wondering what most people do? We are driving to port, sailing mid June to Bermuda, have no medical issues and don't plan on doing anything more dangerous than snorkeling from the beach. I'm thinking it's not too likely we will need insurance. Of course you just never know. What would/do you do?

 

At least get medical coverage and medical evacuation. Illness, appendicitis, falling down stairs etc can happen on ship, in port.

Edited March 11, 2014 by NMLady

[kcwingwalker]

Always. Never thought it would be needed, but if you are a smart shopper, you can find great coverage for pennies on the dollar.

 

I recently booked a last minute cruise for myself and my son. Guys only, my DW would wait for our planned cruise in December. 13 days before the cruise, my wife died. It was very unexpected. Even though she was not on the cruise, the insurance I bought gave me the option to cancel due to the death of a family member and receive a 100% refund of my cruise costs.

 

 

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So very sorry for you and your family. It must be a great loss to you and all of your family.

Edited March 11, 2014 by kcwingwalker

[cmoose]

Thanks for all the input. I think I will buy the insurance. I did check with our credit card company and there is no coverage there. Any advice or anything I should be cautious of when finding a policy? Thanks for your help!!

[mypleasure]

have no medical issues and don't plan on doing anything more dangerous than snorkeling from the beach. I'm thinking it's not too likely we will need insurance. Of course you just never know. What would/do you do?

 

 

Sounds just like me the day I boarded Spirit in Barcelona on 6th Jan this year. I had to disembark 7 days into the 9 day cruise at Malaga as I picked up pneumonia and spent 9 days in hospital. Insurance covered all my medical costs, the hospital stay and rescheduled flight home. Great value for the cheap price I paid.

[gooch47]

Just got a $6000 refund for an all inclusive trip and airfare because of serious health emergency in our immediate family. It was a cancel for any reason policy, don't know if illness of my husband's brother would have been covered or not.

 

I personally would be more concerned more about medical evacuation though.

[mikenhe]

did a RCI cruise from Baltimore a few years ago. we all got hit with sever illness. my 14yo son was diagnosed with suspected appendicitis. we got to be first off the ship - in an ambulance. got him to hospital and ran a battery of tests and a cat scan - turned out to be an inflamed appendix - no surgery necessary. jst prescription meds.

 

 

Glad we were able to check in at hospital instead of doing surgery on the ship!!

 

anyway. Cost of insurance - $120. medical costs incurred - just over $10,000.

 

 

get the insurance.

[QuiGonJohn]

I tend to get it for large, out of the country trips. In 2010 we went on a 12 day Australia land tour package, I got it from the online tour/vacation vendor, it was quite reasonable. Now for our upcoming Sept 2014 Alaska cruise I got it 3rd party, Trip Insurance Store and it will cover the cruise, the airfare, the Whittier Shuttle and if I prepay my Anchorage and Vancouver hotels, they will be covered as well. But I've done smaller, less costly trips, San Francisco and Boston and did not even think about it, (not that I decided not to get it, the thought just never entered my mind). As others said, the medical and return home parts of the coverage for the larger tours are a big issue.

[deb63]

I always get the insurance, was fortunate to never have to use it. . .until our last cruise.

 

Our last cruise was out of a port 1 hour away. We drove down 2 days early in order to do some things in Galveston before the cruise. We were all healthy, was a close drive, etc.

 

That night our DD came down sick. By morning we were concerned as she was not keeping down liquids. We wound up in the ER on Saturday, she was already dehydrated. She was healthy when we left home on Friday, however she came down with a nasty virus

 

The ER doctor told us she would be contagious for about 7 days, and we should all count on getting the virus. We missed our cruise Sunday.

 

I was thankful to have the insurance. I got most of my money back.

 

One lesson I did learn though - was the person that booked the trip for me insured the cruise only. If she had put the dates from the time we left home to the time we were due back home the insurance would have covered our ER costs and our non refundable tickets for a dinner show the night before the cruise.

 

I will always travel with insurance, and always make sure the dates are covered.

[em-sk]

Thanks for all the input. I think I will buy the insurance. I did check with our credit card company and there is no coverage there. Any advice or anything I should be cautious of when finding a policy? Thanks for your help!!

 

If you work, you may want to have a quick look at your employers extended health benefits plan. It may or may not include travel insurance.

[mrsfiona613]

Wouldn't leave home without it!!! (travel insurance)!!!!!:)

[MAMATAMA]

never had to us it….never travel with out it….;)

[CarolinaMamma]

Heck, yeah, I buy insurance! I broke my leg when I was young and healthy, and that was $30,000. Imagine if that had happened on vacation and I had needed to be flown home!

 

One thing though. If you are young and healthy, the cruise line's insurance is usually not a good deal for you.

 

I like insure my trip dot com, because you can specify exactly which features you want. For example, do you want a policy that lets you cancel for work reasons? Cancel for any reason? Do you want the medical coverage to be primary or secondary? (Secondary means they will expect your regular insurance company to pay first.) Do you want coverage for lost luggage, or are you willing to take that risk? Will the policy fly you to your hospital of choice? You can really tailor the features to your particular situation and which risks you are willing to take.

 

Their website makes it easy to compare and buy policies.

[garycarla]

Sadly people buy insurance without thinking what they are buying and often have no idea what they bought. I think many buy incase they are unable to make the trip and want their money back which is primarily an emotional issue. (after all, the expense is the same if you go or not go)

 

Yet, the real financial exposure is medical. Look at all the things you can get coverage for. This is taken from InsureMyTrip.com (ignore those numbers).

 

Before buying insurance, ask YOURSELF what you are covering. By the way, none of these will guarantee getting you to the ship in time if flights are delayed. That is just life.

 

 

Plan Type

Comprehensive Coverage (34)

Medical (Single-Trip) (10)

Medical (Multi-Trip) (5)

Evacuation (9)

Accidental Death (24/7) (1)

Accidental Death (Flight) (2)

Embassy Visa (2)

All Inclusive (0)

Trip Cancellation Only (0)

Coverage

Trip Cancellation (35)

Cancel for Any Reason (13)

Cancel for Work Reasons (17)

Trip Interruption (48)

Evacuation (59)

Pre-Ex Waiver (29)

Accidental Death (24/7) (40)

Accidental Death (Flight) (32)

Baggage (49)

Rental Car (32)

[Winchester Ranger]

We opted for NCL's own Booksafe Platinum travel insurance, it wasn't cheap but then I'm hoping that buying the highest level of coverage available via the cruise line itself should create the fewest problems in the event of an emergency.

 

But we all know how insurance companies love to find a reason not to pay out......

[shepherdqueen]

I didn't for our first two cruises, but on cruise #2 I took a nasty fall on the pool deck. Thankfully I was just black and blue (and sore) and did not do major damage. Luckily I avoided needing medical attention. Now we don't book a cruise without it.

Edited March 17, 2014 by shepherdqueen

[Twiz]

I am wondering what most people do? We are driving to port, sailing mid June to Bermuda, have no medical issues and don't plan on doing anything more dangerous than snorkeling from the beach. I'm thinking it's not too likely we will need insurance. Of course you just never know. What would/do you do?

 

ALWAYS, we never go without it. You never know what will happen and its cheap $ for piece of mind. The first time we dont would be the first time we will need it... Murphys Law !!

[garycarla]

Just got an email from a friend of mine. His father is in the hospital and not doing well. They were suppose to leave this coming Wednesday for a cruise on the POA. They are not going and have no insurance on their cruise, hotel (3) nights and airfare. They are going to be out close to 10K:eek::eek::eek:

 

That really sucks. Really it does.

 

But, another way to look at is that they are out a great cruise. They have already spent the money, but are not getting what they expected (a cruise). I only point this out as many people say they can not afford the $thousands of dollars. They can, as they already spent it.

 

Not that it will help much, but they should be able to get hotel money back. Maybe a little of the airfare for future use. I think they still refund port fees? Most or all excursions will come back and other prepaid items if they did any of that.

[CarolinaMamma]

Sadly people buy insurance without thinking what they are buying and often have no idea what they bought. I think many buy incase they are unable to make the trip and want their money back which is primarily an emotional issue. (after all, the expense is the same if you go or not go)

 

Yet, the real financial exposure is medical. Look at all the things you can get coverage for. This is taken from InsureMyTrip.com (ignore those numbers).

 

Before buying insurance, ask YOURSELF what you are covering. By the way, none of these will guarantee getting you to the ship in time if flights are delayed. That is just life.

 

 

Plan Type

Comprehensive Coverage (34)

Medical (Single-Trip) (10)

Medical (Multi-Trip) (5)

Evacuation (9)

Accidental Death (24/7) (1)

Accidental Death (Flight) (2)

Embassy Visa (2)

All Inclusive (0)

Trip Cancellation Only (0)

Coverage

Trip Cancellation (35)

Cancel for Any Reason (13)

Cancel for Work Reasons (17)

Trip Interruption (48)

Evacuation (59)

Pre-Ex Waiver (29)

Accidental Death (24/7) (40)

Accidental Death (Flight) (32)

Baggage (49)

Rental Car (32)

 

True. An accident or medical emergency while traveling could cost you a lot more than a cancelled trip, especially if you are going to a place where you are not covered by your regular health insurance. That's why I always look first at coverage for medical and evacuation. I don't care so much about insuring luggage or getting coverage for flight delays. Those are not catastrophic expenses

 

I do like the "cancel for work reasons" coverage, due to the nature of my husband's job. To each his own. Which is why I think comparing policies and buying the one that covers the risks you want to insure is so much better than just taking what the cruise line offers.

[Tricialy]

We do - every since my mom was diagnosed with Cancer - we just never knew. She's no longer with us, but my mother-in-law is in her 70's and you never know what might happen. I hate to spend the money, but it's just a little at a time and makes us feel better.

[SWACK]

Always.. and have used it twice out of 16 cruises...

[3shar]

Definitely...We were supposed to cruise last July and were on the plane getting ready to go to Miami and the baggage cart hit the plane. Needless to say our 9 am flight did not leave. We were not going to make the ship because this flight was not leaving until close to 1 and no other flight. Thank God we had insurance.. It took 2 months to get our money but we did..

[QuiGonJohn]

We opted for NCL's own Booksafe Platinum travel insurance, it wasn't cheap but then I'm hoping that buying the highest level of coverage available via the cruise line itself should create the fewest problems in the event of an emergency.

 

Not always a good option. For one thing, I think if you didn't book your air through NCL then it won't be covered. Sometimes it's better to go third party, tripinsurance dot com or trip insurance store, etc.

[gracett1]

We buy the comprehensive insurance because it covers, health, cancellations, most things. I usually have 2 to 3 cameras rolling all the time. On a shore bus excursion in Rome, the bus driver stopped short and my professional Nikon camera was jammed between my chest and the seat back in front of me. I had the option to go to the ship doc but was ok. I was glad I had the insurance because the cost of fixing the camera was worth it. Also, things happen to other people who can affect your cruise. Things are always changing. So, far, we have not had to cancel, but have come close. We will never leave home without. ;)

Edited March 18, 2014 by gracett1

[JenLovesToTravel]

I buy insurance for every vacation I go on. I also require all my clients to acknowledge receipt of a quote from the insurance company I take applications for. I have a blurb about why travel insurance is a great value and priceless if you ever need it

 

It's fine if they decline but I want it in writing that they refuse knowing why it's important

 

 

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