How many risk No insurance when cruising

[Rustybuttons123]

We have been on 36 cruises as of yet have never purchased cruise insurance.I figure if I lost out on price of one in 10 cruises we would be even. So if we did lose out on cost of a cruise in the long run we would be ok.

 

Insurance is a risk assessment of whether you can bear the cost of or not, many just need catastrophic coverage, that being health insurance outside US that covers medevac that can cost several hundred thousand dollars. For some, it's not about getting your cruise fare or airfare back, those can be absorbed by most but huge medical costs most can't. It's why you have auto and homeowners insurance as well, the 3rd biggie is medical.

 

Though I do use your method with household appliances, I never buy extended warranties or service packages, I figure all the money saved if one were to break or wear out prematurely, it's a small risk though, an $800-$1000 appliance isn't a big deal

Edited October 7, 2016 by Rustybuttons123

[JessyCruises]

We never get separate insurance. Our travel medical is covered by our personal health insurance through our employers. We never get travel insurance (i.e. Trip cancellation) and roll the dice. We also never get extended warranty on anything that would cost us additional. We do some some additional insurance through our credit cards as well.

 

 

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Edited October 7, 2016 by Canadian Disney Mom

[CapeCodCruiser]

I just started purchasing it for our last couple of cruises - the medical is basically what we need. As DH gets older it is one risk I am not willing to absorb. Annual Travel is what we do now.

[Snit13]

Grace, everyone's needs are different. We use Travel Guard because it's recommended by our travel agent, but it might not be the best bang for the buck. Mostly I want good evac coverage, and we get $100K with that policy.

 

Bob,

 

Thanks for advice. We have Medicare and Cigna so coverage is great in US but I too want good evac coverage. Hope never need it but the cost of evac would pay for a suite on a future cruise.

 

On The Connie on a 14 day Southern Caribbean someone was evacd during the night. Captain actually turned back to the island we had visited so copter could pick up.

 

Better safe than sorry.

 

Grace

[Snit13]

If you can cover the premiums, you might be able to make your Medicare situation as good as the one you had.

 

MIL has schedule F which means she can go to any hospital, and it would cover 80% abroad. She then has a supplemental policy through AARP and UHC that covers the rest. And she has drug coverage.

 

Between all of that she pays about $5 every 90 days for 7 pill-based medications. Pays nothing that I can recall for her diabetes testing materials (gets them through CVS at Target...ordering from her mail order company would cost her money, and back before I was in charge of her medical care another relative was ordering from one of those advertised places and she AND Medicare paid through the nose as they lied about how expensive things were...they sent her a new meter every few months!). The only drug with a decent cost are her clonidine patches, which WE pay for because she thinks it's too expensive ($40/month) and she's not compliant to take the pills exactly on time as required.

 

She never gets a medical bill at all because of the supplemental.

 

And I hear that if she wanted to be under Chiro care, that they'll cover some of that, too.

 

Her premiums are upwards of $500/month, but given that she's a heavy western medicine user with numerous health problems and many doctor visits, it's worth it. Especially when she is hospitalized.

 

 

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Thanks for your suggestions. I researched AARP supplement last year at this time and found it was more expensive for less coverage than my Cigna supplement.

 

I too have many doctor visits and meds so I know the costs. Glad I get a supplement from retirement plan to assist in premiums.

[sdrocks]

We always get insurance & pay the higher cost for medical evacuation, etc.

Never cruise without it. Used it on our last cruise but not medical. It was for trip delay (motel costs, meals, etc).

I am a retired nurse and can envision many scenarios where it would be

necessary (ruptured appendix, broken hip, leg, head injury, etc,etc) the

list is endless. Even the young and healthy may not escape a medical

evacuation. Gives me peace of mind. We are senior citizens and don't

have endless wealth to cover an extreme situation, nor do I want to have to

sell my home to pay for it. :)

[fletch1027]

Being British we are covered for emergency medical treatment in other EU countries.

 

 

Other EU countries? Was Brexit repealed? :-)

 

 

 

 

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[fletch1027]

In the past I did not purchase insurance - but lately I have for nearly every cruise. I didn't for my 3 night one coming up because the cruise itself is not that expensive, I am driving to port so no air and we will be pretty close to the US.

 

 

 

I get mine through USAA. I generally wait and purchase it at final payment.

 

 

 

Same here. I also buy through USAA...

 

 

 

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[stl82]

If you can cover the premiums, you might be able to make your Medicare situation as good as the one you had.

 

MIL has schedule F which means she can go to any hospital, and it would cover 80% abroad. She then has a supplemental policy through AARP and UHC that covers the rest. And she has drug coverage.

 

 

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Plan F is Medicare supplement insurance and it does pay 80% of costs outside the US. Medicare itself pays for costs outside the US only in very limited and specific cases. Within the US Medicare pays 80% of approved costs and Plan F will pay the remaining 20%. I am not sure about drug purchases outside the US and if Plan D will cover all or part of the costs.

[lattelady]

The higher-fee credit cards can come with some really good travel insurance, which can offset the cost of the fee (often $450). I'm particularly impressed with the new Chase Sapphire Reserve card which includes 100k emergency evac, 10k trip cancellation, and 1M accidental death. (You may still want to purchase medical insurance). However, the really, really cool feature about the card is that you get a $300 credit against travel costs each year! So your net cost is only $150 and you can easily make that up in benefits.

[Theresa522]

We always get insurance & pay the higher cost for medical evacuation, etc.

Never cruise without it. Used it on our last cruise but not medical. It was for trip delay (motel costs, meals, etc).

I am a retired nurse and can envision many scenarios where it would be

necessary (ruptured appendix, broken hip, leg, head injury, etc,etc) the

list is endless. Even the young and healthy may not escape a medical

evacuation. Gives me peace of mind. We are senior citizens and don't

have endless wealth to cover an extreme situation, nor do I want to have to

sell my home to pay for it. :)

 

My dh is 50 and I am 48 and we ALWAYS have taken the insurance through travel guard. Like you said, the peace of mind it brings is well worth it to us. In life you never know what can happen, so why not be prepared!!

[marci22]

The higher-fee credit cards can come with some really good travel insurance, which can offset the cost of the fee (often $450). I'm particularly impressed with the new Chase Sapphire Reserve card which includes 100k emergency evac, 10k trip cancellation, and 1M accidental death. (You may still want to purchase medical insurance). However, the really, really cool feature about the card is that you get a $300 credit against travel costs each year! So your net cost is only $150 and you can easily make that up in benefits.

 

I have used this system on our last few trips, just purchased medical which was under $100 for 5 of us. Has saved me the card fees many times over.

 

On the new Reserve card they will also pay your $100 Global Entry fee.

[Langoustine]

Other EU countries? Was Brexit repealed? :-)

 

The actual Brexit has not yet begun (next Spring, I think, is when it will start) so Britain is still part of the EU until it is completed.

[jcg4550]

We purchase Travel Insurance every time we cruise or go abroad from Seven Corners direct. You will often see them quoted on other insurance quoting sites.

[terry&mike]

The higher-fee credit cards can come with some really good travel insurance, which can offset the cost of the fee (often $450). I'm particularly impressed with the new Chase Sapphire Reserve card which includes 100k emergency evac, 10k trip cancellation, and 1M accidental death. (You may still want to purchase medical insurance). However, the really, really cool feature about the card is that you get a $300 credit against travel costs each year! So your net cost is only $150 and you can easily make that up in benefits.

Like lattelady we use a high end credit card from Chase, although a slightly different one. For around $400 year we get great travel insurance benefits from travel delays to evacuation to cancellation, plus many perks on United, which we fly often.

Given we take 4-6 trips per year, the cost of the card is great value compared to the benefits one gets in travel insurance and perks.

We recently booked an Antarctic trip for January, 2018, and medical evacuation coverage is mandatory, Ponant accepted a document provided by the insurance benefits department of my Chase card as proof that I had ample coverage to meet their requirements.

[Judyumcer@aol.com]

Get travel insurance! Most U.S. Insurance does not cover outside the U.S.

 

 

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[lbjen]

We always get insurance because we have two kids, and I have a medical condition that could flare up at any time and leave me unable to travel. Its worth the $300 for me. I also used to work at a travel insurance company and have heard some crazy stories!

 

I think it is important to consider the cost paid for the trip, the cost of the insurance, the destination and duration, and then personal health and financial situation. For some it really might not make sense, for us it does.

[TC1957]

Lately the only time we have traveled outside the US is a cruise. On our upcoming cruise we have purchased insurance for the first time...mainly in case evacuation is needed.

 

Face it...like any insurance, you are betting with the company that something bad will happen and they are betting nothing will happen. I hope everyone here keeps losing the bet.

[VASOXFANN]

I used to, but my DH has issues with his back, so now we get it each time. We've needed it twice!

Edited October 7, 2016 by VASOXFANN

[BekkaW]

We always have insurance, currently through our credit card but in the past we have purchased yearly policies. The insurance covers a range of things but the most important one for us is medical.

 

In Australia medical care is usually free or low cost - the idea of potentially getting a bill for 100s of thousands of dollars in th US system is mind blowing to us! We're well off but I couldn't just come up with $100k or more in cash or credit cards out of nowhere. I don't see how anyone can who isn't super rich or celebrities etc

[dreadpirate3]

I followed the advice of some other posters and just looked up travel insurance through USAA, and was able to get coverage for our upcoming cruise for $50 total for two. Absolutely worth the cost, and it is comprehensive.

 

Before we cruise next year, we'll take out a credit card with full comprehensive travel insurance coverage or buy an annual travel insurance plan. Including our adult son, it was going to be $575 for a year.

[redsoxfan58]

We're going on our 4th cruise and I've purchased it every time. I buy it mostly because my husband and I have elderly mothers and just in case we had to cancel before the cruise. I told him once we're gone we're gone. I don't think we're covered to get taken off the ship in the event there is a death when we're at sea.

 

 

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[steveru621]

Almost all US health insurance insurance covers you "out of network". Of course the deductibles are higher and you will need to submit bills AFTER you have paid the out-of-network provider. You are covered.

[Siora7777]

I only get it if the person I'm traveling with wants it or if they have health issues. Lately I've been getting it. It's a small sacrifice that could pay off later.

[shippmates]

We always buy travel insurance and had to use it once. Thankful we had it to cover the helicopter evacuation. Our medical insurance at work covered the cost over and above the travel insurance coverage we had. Just remember to check your insurance policy to make sure you are covered out of the country. The hospital in Dominican Republic does not accept medical insurance but did take our travel insurance up to the limit. The infirmary on the ship also does not take medical insurance. We had to pay the ship costs and pay the balance owed to the hospital before could leave.