Cruise insurance

[Drazil65]

We always purchase travel insurance, for us it is about getting insurance that is "primary" (it will pay first before our personal insurance) and if admission to a hospital is necessary, we get "advance payment upfront" to the hospital. Many hospitals (especially in the Caribbean) require upfront payment in full before admitting etc, we do not want to mess around with our insurance company or putting it on a credit card then perhaps fighting the insurance company here to get reimbursed. Just easier to (and cheaper) to go ahead and get the primary, pay in advance stuff for us. In addition, the trip interruption and cancel options along with the other things it covers, it brings a lot of comfort to know that those things would not be a hassle for us.

 

Travel insurance is not just for a medical condition you may already have or are dealing with (so many here state they are healthy so do not need it), but it will also cover something you may get or have something happen (we have seen so many people slip and fall on deck, sprain or break something) or a fall or other issues on an excursion. It happens all the time with people and for us, better to be prepared if possible. Travel insurance for the 3 of us is not expensive to get that kind of peace of mind.

[pe4all]

We always purchase trip insurance the minute after we book our cruise. (Travelguard) Have made claims 2x, with absolutely no problems getting re-imbursed for literally every dollar we spent. The main reasons we do not buy CCL insurance is they do not cover pre-existing medical conditions, which 3 out of the 4 of us now have. (sucks getting old!)

[cruziJenn]

pe4all I totally get your concerns and even some younger people have chronic issues that may worry them a lot. And as someone else said the exhorbitant cost of emergency med evac is one the biggest reasons why we always cruise insured, and with a policy that has high coverage for any kind of evacuation or other kinds of trip interruption from the time that we leave home.

[chicchic325]

When do you have to purchase travel insurance? As soon as you book? before the final payment?

[firemanbobswife]

When do you have to purchase travel insurance? As soon as you book? before the final payment?

 

Depends what you want covered. Nationwide Choice Cruise requires you to get it before final payment if you want pre existing conditions covered. Look on InsureMyTrip.com.

[cruziJenn]

When do you have to purchase travel insurance? As soon as you book? before the final payment?

 

If you want to have pre-existing medical conditions covered that's the most important deadline, a very short time after you FIRST BOOK the cruise. It varies by company, they may give you up to 21 days or as little as 10 days after you book. That's why it may be very important for some people to compare different policies line by line. And that's what websites like insuremytrip or squaremouth give you, you can select 3 or 4 different insurers and then get a window that shows each category of coverage for each insurer.

[firemanbobswife]

If you want to have pre-existing medical conditions covered that's the most important deadline, a very short time after you FIRST BOOK the cruise. It varies by company, they may give you up to 21 days or as little as 10 days after you book. That's why it may be very important for some people to compare different policies line by line. And that's what websites like insuremytrip or squaremouth give you, you can select 3 or 4 different insurers and then get a window that shows each category of coverage for each insurer.

 

For many of them, yes. For Nationwide cruise policies you have to buy it before you make FINAL PAYMENT regardless of when the deposit was made.

[cruziJenn]

For many of them, yes. For Nationwide cruise policies you have to buy it before you make FINAL PAYMENT regardless of when the deposit was made.

 

Thank you the addional detail, I have never looked at the Nationwide policies.

[sparks1093]

There are two issues at play- many companies will provide a pre-existing condition waiver at no additional cost if you buy the insurance within a set time of making your first payment. Many companies will allow you to purchase a pre-existing condition waiver after that time has passed.

[Jules7226]

Jules, which plan of travel insurance did you use?

 

I got it through insuremytrip, but Nationwide was the carrier. Bought it again this year. ;)

[chicchic325]

Thank you all, I did so.e digging on insuremytrip for the preexisting coverage and came up with another question!

 

Has anyone found a policy y

That covers snorkeling? The top 3 policies suggested, including Nationwide's two, dont cover water activities except for 'recreational swimming'.

[sparks1093]

Thank you all, I did so.e digging on insuremytrip for the preexisting coverage and came up with another question!

 

Has anyone found a policy y

That covers snorkeling? The top 3 policies suggested, including Nationwide's two, dont cover water activities except for 'recreational swimming'.

 

insuremytrip's reps are knowledgeable and readily available, you can email them or phone them and they will have the answer for you. I would think that snorkeling is recreational swimming (at least the way that I do it).

[klfrodo]

Thank you all, I did so.e digging on insuremytrip for the preexisting coverage and came up with another question!

 

Has anyone found a policy y

That covers snorkeling? The top 3 policies suggested, including Nationwide's two, dont cover water activities except for 'recreational swimming'.

 

Snorkeling is going to fall in with Recreational Swimming. SCUBA diving, on the other hand, would not be a covered event should something go sideways. SCUBA divers have to get special insurance.

[cruziJenn]

Thank you all, I did so.e digging on insuremytrip for the preexisting coverage and came up with another question!

 

Has anyone found a policy y

That covers snorkeling? The top 3 policies suggested, including Nationwide's two, dont cover water activities except for 'recreational swimming'.

 

RoamRight is one that has an upgrade option for 'hazardous sports' including water sports. I don't know how good they are about claims but they're one of the higher rated companies. I believe that on one or more of the agent sites you can search for specific lines of coverage like sports.

[jayscore]

We have never gotten insurance - our medical coverage reimburses us for any treatment outside of the country, we only pay what we would have as a copay while we are home.

 

It sounds like your medical is good for you. (Ours covers most of this also.) BUT, will your insurance cover emergency medical evacuation, loss of luggage, trip cancellation for various reasons to name a few.

I'm not mocking you, I'm just reminding that trip insurance covers the other "little things". ;)

Edited August 21, 2018 by jayscore
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[mulewagon]

I just get the Carnival trip protection. We don't fly, so we don't need much baggage protection. My mother is elderly so third-party insurance is significantly more. And my biggest worry is that we have to cancel because of one of us or a family member being sick, so I want the cancel for any reason option.

 

(Then I meditated on the medical coverage, my age, and what's really worth the risk, and canceled my plans to try parasailing. You have to balance things out!)