Problems with CruiseCare Travel Insurance

[djtodd105]

We are considering purchasing CruiseCare Travel Insurance with Celebrity Cruises. We got burned once when we sailed on Princess with their travel insurance and they would not reimburse us for medical expense, so we have been purchasing travel insurance independent of the cruise lines. Has anyone had in difficulties in getting reimbursed through CruiseCare? What does it not cover I should be aware? Any good stories for those who have used it before? I would appreciate replies soonest...thanks!

[budbo]

We typically purchase our insurance from insuremytrip.com. On their site you can pick and choose exactly what you want coverage for and what you don't. You can choose several options and compare side by side to see which best suits your needs. Check it out.

[tsklag]

I was a day late at a hotel in Auckland, NZ that I had booked for a few nights before a cruise. I didn't arrive until a day late due to flight delays and a curfew at the Sydney airport. I had paid for the room in advance and lost the deposit for one night's stay. Cruise Care would not reimburse me because I booked the room on my own. They only cover hotel charges if purchased through Celebrity. i.e pre cruise or post cruise packages. Since then I always buy insurance on my own through insuremytrip.

 

 

 

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[CHEZMARYLOU]

My DH was hospitalized in San Diego as our ship was sailing. We were reimbursed for the cost of the cruise, some of our airline costs and change fees, additional hotel time in San Diego while he was in the hospital and some meals for me, and our medical insurance co-pay. Considering we had 2 good days in San Diego before this and the co-pay reimbursement, we were happy with Celebrity's insurance.

[Lisah101]

I got a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card which has excellent trip insurance if you use the card to pay for the trip. Worth checking out!

[AdGuyMG]

I got a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card which has excellent trip insurance if you use the card to pay for the trip. Worth checking out!

 

I have heard about this Sapphire Reserve card but am not familiar with it's trip insurance coverage.

 

Does the Trip Cancellation coverage for a medical reason cover a pre-existing medical condition for which I have been treated for in the past 4 -6 months?

 

I've not found a Credit Card that offers medical with a pre-existing waiver. If it does, I would give an enrollment serious consideration.

[warmwinds]

I was a day late at a hotel in Auckland, NZ that I had booked for a few nights before a cruise. I didn't arrive until a day late due to flight delays and a curfew at the Sydney airport. I had paid for the room in advance and lost the deposit for one night's stay. Cruise Care would not reimburse me because I booked the room on my own. They only cover hotel charges if purchased through Celebrity. i.e pre cruise or post cruise packages. Since then I always buy insurance on my own through insuremytrip.

 

 

 

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We had a slightly different experience. Our flight home from a cruise was delayed by weather, so we missed the connection to the last flight home to our town that night. The airline left us high and dry because they said the delay was weather related (most airlines will only pay to put you up if it is mechanical-related).

 

At 11 pm I had to find us a hotel room in SEA that night. I did. I then submitted evidence of the flight delays and the hotel bill to Cruise Care and they DID cover it.

 

We also have used them a few other times when either us or family that we were NOT traveling with got ill. And another time when we used their "75% credit for any reason clause". All with no problems, except what I felt to be slower response (several weeks to get everything settled, not sure if other insurance is quicker).

 

I've been happy with the Celebrity insurance.

 

Oh, and another little twist - Cruise Care is priced as a percentage of your fare, so if your cruise price goes down, the insurance also goes down.

[ghstudio]

Please look carefully at their limits on medical costs and evacuation. Both may be far less than you need.

 

 

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[CruisinNole]

Celebrity Cruise Care covered my emergency medical procedure in Cozumel. I found them to be very responsive. The claim forms were waiting for me when I returned home. It took about a month for full reimbursement because I had to file with my supplemental medical insurance company first. What they did not pay -- deductible and 20%, was covered by Cruise Care. I was also reimbursed for one night of the cruise that was partially spent in the ship's medical center. It was considered trip interruption. No complaints at all.

[wrk2cruise]

I have looked at the policy many times regarding pre-existing conditions waiver. I have seen one mention of it in the policy like "Unless you have the pre-existing conditons waiver" but I have not been able to find anything about if or when it's available. I'm wondering if it's just not available due to where I live. You have to specify your state of residence before viewing the policy details. If it had a pre-existing conditions waiver (which I think it doesn't for me) it would be more attractive although the limits are very low.

[shrifk]

We are considering purchasing CruiseCare Travel Insurance with Celebrity Cruises. We got burned once when we sailed on Princess with their travel insurance and they would not reimburse us for medical expense, so we have been purchasing travel insurance independent of the cruise lines. Has anyone had in difficulties in getting reimbursed through CruiseCare? What does it not cover I should be aware? Any good stories for those who have used it before? I would appreciate replies soonest...thanks!

 

 

I had CruiseCare and became ill on the ship and prior to departure. I was evacuated to a nearby hospital. Since we were in the U.S medicare and supplemental insurance paid all of the hospital and ambulance charges. The insurance also paid for first class airline returning to home. (I had booked airline with Delta and they kindly refunded my return portion.)

 

However the charges to the Medical dept. on the ship amounted to about $1500,00 After a few emails I received a detailed copy of the charges and other information required by the insurance co. AON (CruiseCare) could not process this charge until my primary (medicare + subliment insurance) processed the claim. AON then would pay the remainder. Medicare initially rejected the claim because they did not cover international. They only sent me a letter not an EOB. or referral to sublemental carrier. It was very frustrating with several phone calls, emails etc.to finally get Medicare to submit an EOB to me and referral to my supplemental carrier. AON eventually paid after receiving all the documentation.

 

 

The problem was with Medicare or the first person reviewing my claim. I'm not sure if I had other insurance rather than AON the problem would have been resolved.

 

Sorry for the long post but I hope this helps.

[TeaBag]

In March, we cancelled a 30 day cruise a month before sailing. I was very skeptical that Aon would pay based on what I read on reviews. They paid every penny and I was very pleased with them, so I will continue to use Celebrity's insurance.

[RDC1]

We are considering purchasing CruiseCare Travel Insurance with Celebrity Cruises. We got burned once when we sailed on Princess with their travel insurance and they would not reimburse us for medical expense, so we have been purchasing travel insurance independent of the cruise lines. Has anyone had in difficulties in getting reimbursed through CruiseCare? What does it not cover I should be aware? Any good stories for those who have used it before? I would appreciate replies soonest...thanks!

 

What was the reason that they gave for not paying a medical claim? I know several people that have filed claims with Princess insurance (myself included) without any problems.

[Lisah101]

I have heard about this Sapphire Reserve card but am not familiar with it's trip insurance coverage.

 

Does the Trip Cancellation coverage for a medical reason cover a pre-existing medical condition for which I have been treated for in the past 4 -6 months?

 

I've not found a Credit Card that offers medical with a pre-existing waiver. If it does, I would give an enrollment serious consideration.

 

The following information is a summary only. Please see your Guide to Benefits for complete details.

 

Benefit Overview

 

Trip Cancellation provides reimbursement if a covered loss prevents you from traveling on or before the departure date and results in cancellation of the travel arrangements.

Trip Interruption provides reimbursement if a covered loss on the way to the point of departure or after departure causes interruption of your covered trip. It can also provide reimbursement if a trip is postponed due to a covered loss and certain fees are incurred if a new departure date is set.

The information below applies to both benefits. Reimbursement can be provided for pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses including passenger fares, tours and hotels.

• Covers trips when travel arrangements for a pre-paid tour, trip or vacation have been purchased with an eligible Chase card or with rewards earned on an eligible Chase card
  
• Reimbursement is in excess of any travel insurance purchased, or reimbursement from the occupancy provider or common carrier such as airline, bus, cruise ship, or train
  

Who’s Covered

 

• Cardholder
  
• Immediate family members (even if the Cardholder is not traveling with them)
  

Coverage Amount/Period

 

• Up to $10,000 per covered trip and a maximum limit of $20,000 per occurrence and a maximum benefit amount per 12-month period of $40,000
   
  Examples:
  
  • A family of four charges a covered trip to their Chase card or pays with rewards earned on a Chase card for a covered trip that costs $6,000/person. If the family experiences a loss of $24,000 for the entire trip, the reimbursement would be $20,000, as that is the maximum limit per occurrence.
    
  • A Cardholder charges a covered trip to their Chase card or pays with rewards earned on a Chase card for a covered trip that costs $8,000. If the Cardholder experiences a loss of $8,000 for the trip, the reimbursement would be $8,000, as that is less than the maximum limit of $10,000 per covered trip.
    

What’s Covered

 

This is not an exhaustive list. Examples include:

• Accidental bodily injury, loss of life, or sickness experienced by the Cardholder, a traveling companion or an immediate family member of the Cardholder or a traveling companion
  
• Severe weather that prevents the start or continuation a covered trip
  
• Terrorist action or hijacking
  
• Jury duty or a court subpoena that cannot be postponed or waived
  
• Financial insolvency of the Cardholder’s travel agency, tour operator, or travel supplier
  

What’s Not Covered

 

This is not an exhaustive list. Examples include:

• Travel arrangements canceled or changed by a common carrier, tour operator, or any travel agency unless the cancellation is the result of severe weather or an organized strike affecting public transportation
  
• Change in plans or financial circumstances
  
• A pre-existing condition
  
• Traveling against the advice of a physician
  
• A declared or undeclared war
  
• Trips that exceed 60 days in duration are not covered
  

Important Claim Information and Timeframes

 

• You, the Cardholder, must notify the travel supplier within 48 hours of receiving advice from a physician that travel is not medically advisable (Trip Cancellation only)
  
• You must file a written claim within 20 days after the occurrence (or as soon as reasonably possible)
  
• The Benefit Administrator will send you a claim form when you report your loss. You must submit a completed claim form with supporting documentation within 90 days from the date of occurrence (or as soon as reasonably possible)
  

[ghstudio]

That's actually not really helpful...it's a summary. You need to look at the policy and look at their definition of a pre-existing condition. Generally speaking, there is a lookback period. If during that period, you have not visited (or should have visited) a doctor for the condition during the lookback period...and you have not changed any medications for that condition during the lookback period, then by the policy definition it is NOT a pre-existing condition. For example....if you are on lipitor to control your cholesterol and you have been on that same dosage for longer than the lookback period....and you have not had any heart issues/problems where you should have seen the doctor and if on even a normally scheduled checkup with your doctor, there is no change in medication or dosage, you do NOT have a pre-existing heart condition AS DEFINED BY THE POLICY.

 

This is commonly misunderstood....

[ptrpanpens]

Citibank Thank You Premier cancellation insurance even pays for cancellation due to illness or death of a pet. This is the only insurance policy other than cancel for any reason, that does this. Of course you need signoff by a veterinarian but still a fantastic benefit IMO.

[Marelaine]

My son was hospitalized with a life threatening illness the day before we were to sail. My TA told me to notify Celebrity and she started the claim process, ION sent me a link to the online Cruise Care claim form. We filled them out, got the doctors to fill out and sign the medical portions. We sent in copies of our invoice and boarding pass etc...We were reimbursed 100% within six weeks for both cabins. I was a very straightforward process.

 

I didn't use ChoiceAir for our flights, but booked directly with JetBlue, which meant my flights weren't covered by AON. I didn't expect anything from JetBlue because I booked non-refundable tickets. They asked why I was cancelling and offered me credit, minus $25 processing fee, to be used within a year.

[sippican]

Insuremytrip and squaremouth websites offer travel policies that are customizable, more comprehensive and and an overall better value than you will get from the cruiselines. Remember the cruiselines make a profit from every policy sold, and the TAs get a commission. Through policy vendors, you can also cover your entire trip from airfare, to hotels, along with the actual cruise.

As mentioned, beware of evacuation coverage - read it carefully if that is important to you. Most policies only evacuate you to the nearest qualified facility - that does not mean they'll get you back to the US if you are abroad.

We no longer purchase insurance for individual trips. We have the Chase Sapphire, and a supplemental long-term policy through MedJet Assist for evacuation.

[bigbeergut]

Insuremytrip and squaremouth websites offer travel policies that are customizable, more comprehensive and and an overall better value than you will get from the cruiselines. ....

 

I'm not sure you're helping anyone with this type of conclusion. It's impossible for you to conclude that these policies would be a better value for anyone else but yourself. Value depends on an individuals needs, costs and risk tolerance.

[ghstudio]

I'm not sure you're helping anyone with this type of conclusion. It's impossible for you to conclude that these policies would be a better value for anyone else but yourself. Value depends on an individuals needs, costs and risk tolerance.

 

Anyone purchasing travel insurance should go to one of the on line travel insurance web sites to see the alternatives to the cruise line or TA offered insurance. It also gives one an opportunity to see what a more expensive policies offer...and then you can at least decide you don't need that coverage, etc. Keep in mind that the cheapest policy is the greatest policy as long as you don't need it :) When you need coverage, you will care about what's in the policy...you will really care....so, just in case, try to understand what you are, and what you are not, buying.

 

In our experience, Celebrity's coverage for medical and evacuation is inadequate, should a problem occur. Note: most reviews for any insurance are great...."I didn't use the insurance, but I felt good having it" and similar....don't go by the ratings!!!!

 

Everyone should at least look at MedJet Assist to understand what it offers in addition to the travel insurance you may be buying.

 

Be an informed consumer.....don't, please don't, assume that the cruise line or TA has selected a policy that covers your needs.

[bigbeergut]

Anyone purchasing travel insurance should go to one of the on line travel insurance web sites to see the alternatives to the cruise line or TA offered insurance. It also gives one an opportunity to see what a more expensive policies offer...and then you can at least decide you don't need that coverage, etc. Keep in mind that the cheapest policy is the greatest policy as long as you don't need it :) When you need coverage, you will care about what's in the policy...you will really care....so, just in case, try to understand what you are, and what you are not, buying.

 

In our experience, Celebrity's coverage for medical and evacuation is inadequate, should a problem occur. Note: most reviews for any insurance are great...."I didn't use the insurance, but I felt good having it" and similar....don't go by the ratings!!!!

 

Everyone should at least look at MedJet Assist to understand what it offers in addition to the travel insurance you may be buying.

 

Be an informed consumer.....don't, please don't, assume that the cruise line or TA has selected a policy that covers your needs.

 

Excellent advice. It always pays to be an informed consumer. But since your needs maybe different from others it's incorrect to suggest any approach is a better value than another.

[nomadguy]

Excellent advice. It always pays to be an informed consumer. But since your needs maybe different from others it's incorrect to suggest any approach is a better value than another.

 

wondering if value can be interpreted before or after one needs to be med evac'd from the coast of Costa Rica to San Jose for instance or from the fjords of Norway to a major medical facility!

 

I use the following pricing assumptions as a "swag" -

- any medical evacuation could easily cost more than $25K - and as much as $100K depending on the situation and

- medical coverage for those who have Medicare as their primary could easily start at $25K for something like bone breakage and probably more than $50K for a heart situation. (Those not on Medicare may have their own insurance coverage outside of the USA.)

 

Personally, I consider "table stakes" for getting in the insurance coverage game is:

- Medical Evac coverage - at least 1/2 Million;

- Medical coverage - $100K whenever possible ($50K minimum)

[ghstudio]

There are six Medigap standard policies that offer up to $50K (lifetime limit) emergency medical outside the US subject to a $250 deductible and 20% copay. I've found that most don't consider that when they pick a medigap policy and the difference in price is really very little.

 

Just a thought....

[sippican]

I'm not sure you're helping anyone with this type of conclusion. It's impossible for you to conclude that these policies would be a better value for anyone else but yourself. Value depends on an individuals needs, costs and risk tolerance.

 

We can agree to disagree on what is helpful in these forums, and the definition of "value".

 

If I can get something equitable for less money - that is of value to me.

If I can get more, or better for the same amount of money - that is of value to me.

 

In my experience, there has not been a single instance where the offerings outside of cruiseline policies did not cost less for the same coverage, or offer more coverage for the same cost. It is just worth checking.

 

If someone offers advice that may enhance my travel experience - that is helpful to me.

 

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/06/do-you-need-travel-insurance/index.htm

[ghstudio]

The problem with this approach is that it leaves out the concept of “adequate” for me.

 

Many assume the cruise line/at offering is adequate...which I questioned. The first step is to understand what YOU need...and then you can decide which policy best meets your needs.

 

Value does not equate to least expensive....nor does higher price always mean more value.

 

 

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