Insurance - necessary?

[dip00]

Hello,

 

During the online profile info bit to complete check in for the cruise, it asks for Travel as well as Health insurance and the details thereof.

Is this mandatory to have or can I just write "none" / 0 in there?

 

I couldn't find out whether I must have it or not and I don't normally get it for non-cruise trips.

 

Thanks in advance

[skynight]

It isn't necessary to have travel insurance.

I would strongly suggest you have travel insurance. In case of a medical emergency are you able to cover all the local Dr. and hospital costs, evacuation expenses, hotel bills for the family, plane fares? These can run into 10's of thousands of dollars. What about a family emergency at home? Will you be prepared to cut your trip short and pay the expenses to get home? It isn't just about the cost of the cruise.

[dip00]

Thanks for the information - I was concerned because those details showed up as mandatory on the webform (as in, not allowed to leave blank).

I suppose not too worried about getting health insurance as travelling doctors!

[JF - retired RRT]

Thanks for the information - I was concerned because those details showed up as mandatory on the webform (as in, not allowed to leave blank).

I suppose not too worried about getting health insurance as travelling doctors!

Where do you live? In the US, there isn't any info requested about insurance. Others have posted that in some countries (England?), it is mandatory to have insurance.

And it isn't a good idea to cruise without it anyway, even a trip to the doctor on the ship for an aspirin can cost you as much as the insurance would have cost.:(

[bUU]

... evacuation expenses ...

This really needs to be emphasized. Unless you have your own helicopter that the cruise ship is willing to let you park on the sports deck for the duration of the cruise, you probably will want cruise insurance that includes coverage for evacuation expenses.

The average air ambulance trip is 52 miles and costs between $12,000 to $25,000 per flight.

http://www.naic.org/documents/consumer_alert_understanding_air_ambulance_insurance.htm

That's general air ambulance. 52 miles, generally over land, generally within the United States. Midway between Cancun and Tampa, you're over 250 miles from any land (other than Cuba, and they're probably not letting you land). Midway between New York and Bermuda you're over 375 miles from the nearest hospital. (Though I think air ambulances don't have have that much range; they'll have to get you a little closer before they'll be able to rescue you.)

[dip00]

When I booked via a travel agent, they didn't ask for any insurance details, just the check in process on the princess website does, hence the confusion.

I do live in England, but Princess website doesn't have any information on whether it is mandatory or not, and there will be folks from all over the world on the same cruise departing in a European country (not England), so it would appear strange if only some had that requirement?

 

Health insurance in a way would be covered by european health insurance card. Travel insurance I've always seen as optional

[JF - retired RRT]

This really needs to be emphasized. Unless you have your own helicopter that the cruise ship is willing to let you park on the sports deck for the duration of the cruise, you probably will want cruise insurance that includes coverage for evacuation expenses.

http://www.naic.org/documents/consumer_alert_understanding_air_ambulance_insurance.htm

That's general air ambulance. 52 miles, generally over land, generally within the United States. Midway between Cancun and Tampa, you're over 250 miles from any land (other than Cuba, and they're probably not letting you land). Midway between New York and Bermuda you're over 375 miles from the nearest hospital. (Though I think air ambulances don't have have that much range; they'll have to get you a little closer before they'll be able to rescue you.)

My mother was helicoptered from Prescott, AZ to Phoenix, AZ (a 2 hour drive) and the charge was $10,000.

[bUU]

My mother was helicoptered from Prescott, AZ to Phoenix, AZ (a 2 hour drive) and the charge was $10,000.

And from a cruise ship there's such a high premium. Coverage limits of $500,000 for medical evacuation aren't uncommon now.

[tailspintom]

Hello,

 

During the online profile info bit to complete check in for the cruise, it asks for Travel as well as Health insurance and the details thereof.

Is this mandatory to have or can I just write "none" / 0 in there?

 

I couldn't find out whether I must have it or not and I don't normally get it for non-cruise trips.

 

Thanks in advance

Hello Dip,

While it is always your choice to purchase insurance or not, we never cruise without it. Travel insurance, like all insurance is a waste of money.... until you need it. We had to use it with my wife's breast cancer diagnosis. All monies were returned promptly and, to boot, Princess customer service actually reinstated our Future Cruise Credits as an exception. It took an issue off the table when we had some more things attend.

Good luck with your trip, whatever your choice.

[Sea and Me]

When we first starting cruising we did not purchase travel insurance. However, the more cruises we took we decided for the small cost we did purchase the insurance. I personally have used it twice!! On a cruise to Hawaii I was very seasick!! We went to the medical center where I spent 2 1/2 hours under a very competent doctor and nursing staff. I was severely dehydrated and needed an IV. I was also given medication to help. The cost of $526.00 was put on our seapass card. Once home I had to submit the bill 1) Medicare, 2) personal insurance. After both rejected the claim I submitted it to the travel insurance company. I received the full amount in about a month. We would never travel without it. You may have your reasons for not buying insurance but anything can happen at any time.

 

I personally know a woman who died tragically in Nassau about a month ago!! The family had travel insurance and it paid for all that family had to go through to get her body back to the United States. It took over 2 weeks. It required an autopsy, preparing the body at a funeral home, flying the body home. You can just imagine the cost. Thank goodness, travel insurance was purchased! It helped the family a great deal.

[laktex]

When I booked via a travel agent, they didn't ask for any insurance details, just the check in process on the princess website does, hence the confusion.

I do live in England, but Princess website doesn't have any information on whether it is mandatory or not, and there will be folks from all over the world on the same cruise departing in a European country (not England), so it would appear strange if only some had that requirement?

 

Health insurance in a way would be covered by european health insurance card. Travel insurance I've always seen as optional

I think you will find the booking conditions clearly state that Medical Insurance IS a condition of the contract and every passenger must have it. Item 27 of UK booking conditions. I don't think European Health Insurance Card would have any value whilst on board ship - but I am willing to be corrected.

[cherylandtk]

What Trevor said. The health card is not valid onboard, hence the requirement for UK Travelers to provide some sort of health insurance while on the cruise.

 

All the US responses were assuming a US resident asking the question.

[neverbeenhere]

And we all know what we do when we assume.

[Thrak]

What Trevor said. The health card is not valid onboard, hence the requirement for UK Travelers to provide some sort of health insurance while on the cruise.

 

All the US responses were assuming a US resident asking the question.

 

To be fair, in post #4 JF - retired RRT did bring up the point. He asked where the OP lived and said he believed that in the UK the insurance is required. However, I do see this a lot where people give "definitive answers" that only relate to US passengers. A bit mind boggling really - and a good reason for people to fill out the part of their profile that lets others know where they live although it seems that people will still quite often not pay attention to that information and give incorrect answers anyway.

[scouse mouse]

I would not go on a cruise without travel insurance. Just for the peace of mind.

[Sea Hag]

While it's not required, I certainly wouldn't be without it. Example: last May our cat got sick about a week out from the cruise we'd booked. We had to cancel, and if we hadn't had "cancel for any reason" insurance, we would have been out the entire amount. As it was, we were only out the amount that the insurance cost, and this Saturday we're going on the replacement cruise. If the cat cooperates.

[Pink-belle]

I think you will find the booking conditions clearly state that Medical Insurance IS a condition of the contract and every passenger must have it. Item 27 of UK booking conditions. I don't think European Health Insurance Card would have any value whilst on board ship - but I am willing to be corrected.

 

Trevor is correct UK booking conditions require you to have Travel Insurance, when cruising with Princess

 

Under the terms of our booking conditions all guests travelling with us are required to have valid travel insurance in place. This cover has been specially arranged by Holiday Extras Insurance and underwritten by AGA International SA and is administered in the UK by Allianz Global Assistance. Insurance cover must be purchased within 14 days of booking your cruise

[Colo Cruiser]

Hello,

 

During the online profile info bit to complete check in for the cruise, it asks for Travel as well as Health insurance and the details thereof.

Is this mandatory to have or can I just write "none" / 0 in there?

 

I couldn't find out whether I must have it or not and I don't normally get it for non-cruise trips.

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

Where does it say that?

Are you in the UK?

[frugaltravel]

The main question for most people is whether they want to self-insure or whether they want to buy travel insurance. I buy an annual travel insurance policy mainly for med evac and repatriation. I can cover/self-insure everything else if need be, though my annual policy and my credit card travel insurance covers some of that.

[jefa]

When I booked via a travel agent, they didn't ask for any insurance details, just the check in process on the princess website does, hence the confusion.

I do live in England, but Princess website doesn't have any information on whether it is mandatory or not, and there will be folks from all over the world on the same cruise departing in a European country (not England), so it would appear strange if only some had that requirement?

 

Health insurance in a way would be covered by european health insurance card. Travel insurance I've always seen as optional

 

As doctors I would have thought you were aware that the EHIC doesn't cover you for cruises, even if you are cruising in Europe.

[boone2]

I am a cruise ship nurse. (Not Princess)I can't tell you the number of times people travelling without insurance have been caught out and had huge bills. One patient ended up with an $8000 ship bill, coastguard medivac, medijet to Fort Lauderdale ( from the Caribbean at least $40,000) where he ended up in ICU (non USA resident).at least 8 days in ICU. (Can't even imagine the cost ) I don't know his outcome. I suspect it wasn't great. And he was a doctor. And he didn't have health insurance.

[elliair]

Doctors get sick too, doctors get injured too. I know an anesthesiologist who was out riding his bike and fell off and got injured. He hit his head and he was wearing a helmet. He felt fine and didn't feel the need to see a doctor. Two months later while traveling back east for a wedding, he collapsed and spent several days in the hospital. That head injury turned into a subdural hematoma, he nearly died. There's plenty of horror stories of people's disasters on CC, read some of them and if you're still convinced it will never happen to you, then chintz on the insurance.

[drgrinch]

Keep in mind there are different levels of travel insurance - from "cancel at will" to relatively bare bones emergency coverage. The former can be quite expensive, costing a significant percentage of the cruise fare, while the later can usually be had for a few hundred dollars (US) depending on your age (over 70 can get expensive). My wife and I buy the emergency only variety in case we have to be evacuated or a severe health issue forces us to cancel the trip. The choice is yours and you do get what you pay for.

[pris993]

Hello,

 

During the online profile info bit to complete check in for the cruise, it asks for Travel as well as Health insurance and the details thereof.

Is this mandatory to have or can I just write "none" / 0 in there?

 

I couldn't find out whether I must have it or not and I don't normally get it for non-cruise trips.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Depends on your individual circumstances. We have been traveling well over 30 years... never took out any insurance, until about 5 years ago. Started doing so when I reached Medicare age because Medicare does not cover health issues outside the USA. We always felt we self insured our trip. We never had more than a bug bit and an ear infection over all those years, in terms of medical issues. Even now, we do not insure our trip, we simply by health and emergency evacuation insurance through Travel Guard, actually purchase an annual business travelers' insurance plan that cost $518 a year for the two of us, covers any travel domestic and international for the year. It has some travel components... but we are most interested in the health insurance portion. We did not buy insurance all those years because we often changed our mind on what trips we booked... booked and cancelled and rebooked cruises... if we had bought insurance we would have lost the money we paid on the insurance when we cancelled. Some would feel we were crazy not to carry insurance so many years... it worked for us. Now that I am 70 and my DH is 83... we decided to start carrying medical etc. Luckily we still have not had to use it.

[Pink-belle]

As previously stated, and as I quoted direct from Princess FAQ here in the UK.

 

Travel Insurance is required.

 

I appreciate that in other countries, including the USA, that is not the case.