Jump to content

Medical/Travel Insurance


bclub
 Share

Recommended Posts

Need help with the above. Got my P&O Holiday Package this week, on reading the fine print, it States I need insurance. We have traveled on 8 different cruise lines and over 2 dozen cruises and never was getting insurance a requirement of passage. My TA checked and said yes P&O requires insurance. We live in the USA, anyone out there have advice about what carrier we can use. Went to P&O recommendation and guess what? Only for UK residents. We are coming over on a Celebrity cruise into Southampton arrive April 27 and leave on P&O the same evening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We usually do travel uninsured, haven't seen a need for it. We are both healthy, yes something could happen however I don't worry about the something. I have looked at policies in the U.S. and there are many. Was hoping I could get an idea from someone who has already used one. I don't think we can post a company on CC but I could give my email if any has info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm surprised that US cruise lines don't require one to have travel insurance, as not only P&O but every UK package holiday company I've travelled with requires it. On a cruise, if you needed an emergency medvac when at sea the cost could run well into five figures.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, bclub said:

We usually do travel uninsured, haven't seen a need for it. We are both healthy, yes something could happen however I don't worry about the something. I have looked at policies in the U.S. and there are many. Was hoping I could get an idea from someone who has already used one. I don't think we can post a company on CC but I could give my email if any has info.

If you Google travel insurance companies in UK, you should find plenty of Ideas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most uk travel insurance companies state :-

To help us give you a quote as quickly as possible, we've made some assumptions. Please tell us if these assumptions are correct.

Every traveller to be covered by this policy:

  • is a permanent UK resident
  • has resided in the UK for the past six months
  • is registered with a UK doctor

Please note all trips must start and finish within the UK and that this policy cannot be arranged for a trip you have already started.

Are all the assumptions correct?

A USA traveller would not meet these requirements and would probably be best taking out  insurance before leaving home .Should the worst ever happen you need a insurance that takes you back to your homeland .

Edited by kalos
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Each to their own.

As a middle aged couple with medical conditions to declare, we would never travel without insurance.

Yes it gets pricey, but I would rather pay that knowing we wont get hit with a 5 or 6 figure sum if something dreadful happened.

Especially true for us Brits cruising to the US or Caribbean.

Even if you think you are perfectly healthy anything can happen. My better half few off the bottom of the gangway on an RCI Baltic cruise two years ago, bruised but no other problems - had she broken a bone, then what?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

I cannot believe you would buy travel insurance including medical for any holiday.  Suppose a car hit you, suppose one of you had a stroke, heart attack, whatever.

 

I think you have missed out "not" as in not buy, Jean.

 

I have an ongoing Annual Policy purchased through American Express Insurance Services.

 

Regards John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, bclub said:

We usually do travel uninsured, haven't seen a need for it. We are both healthy, yes something could happen however I don't worry about the something. I have looked at policies in the U.S. and there are many. Was hoping I could get an idea from someone who has already used one. I don't think we can post a company on CC but I could give my email if any has info.

I'd hazard a guess that in the US you're much more used to the risks of being uninsured than we are in the UK, with our excellent (but now grossly underfunded) NHS.

 

Serious health issues are still dealt with here for everyone, without charge, most of the time.  But travel abroad can give rise to costs amounting to tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds/dollars (the cost of an air ambulance alone may well be £25,000+) so mostly we insure against it.  Medical claims could cost you your house and everything you own, and none of us know when illness (or an accident) can strike.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, bclub said:

Thanx, that helps. It's not compulsory in the U.S. that's why we have never bothered. Our credit card covers travel, just not medical.

Just out of curiosity (and I'm not judging or questioning your decision in any way) but what would happen if you were to fall seriously ill and had to be medevaced from your ship lets say 100 miles from Southampton on your Celebrity cruise?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, swaddy said:

When you do buy insurance , make sure it includes specific cruise insurance and not just generic travel insurance. It is compulsory for British tour operators, not just cruise lines. 

If you want to keep costs down, but still avoid the risk of financially crippling medical costs, you may not need specific cruise insurance - provided that cruises aren't specifically excluded from the standard policy.

 

Cruise insurance does carry some useful extras (such as cover for missing the ship on a port visit) but the medical cover isn't usually much different from that of a standard policy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanx for all the help. Just purchased insurance from Globe Hopper Senior. Got it for the whole 24 days we will be away. You all had good points 're: the insurance. Still not sure it is necessary, my brother who lives in England had it when my dad died, he was with me on our way to Hawaii via Las Vegas. He had to turn around and go back to England, had a hard time collecting from his insurance. Me, I just forfeited the airline change fee. Safe travels to all of us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, docco said:

If you want to keep costs down, but still avoid the risk of financially crippling medical costs, you may not need specific cruise insurance - provided that cruises aren't specifically excluded from the standard policy.

 

Cruise insurance does carry some useful extras (such as cover for missing the ship on a port visit) but the medical cover isn't usually much different from that of a standard policy.

 

Agreed. Some people buy very expensive cruise insurance which isn’t needed. My wife and I have an annual worldwide travel insurance policy that covers all eventualities (including on board & ashore medical fees, medivac, repatriation etc) plus covers my wife’s pre existing medical condition and it costs us around £130 a year. The insurer we use considers cruises to be normal holidays. We don’t get missed port compensation (which you do with specific cruise policies) but the relatively small amount that you get for that is paid for many times over by some of the exorbitant fees for cruise specific cover that I have read about on here. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...