Credit card insurance

[tere247]

Although we always purchase Princess platinum insurance, I wonder about insurance included with your credit card. 

I'm asking because a family member feels she has enough coverage from her credit card as well as her health insurance and refuses to purchase extra. I'm thinking that's a mistake. Especially since her cruise is in January and she insists on flying to FLL from upstate NY on the day of the cruise.

So, if you've used the insurance provided by your credit card, how was your experience

[skynight]

I can't answer your question regarding the credit card, but offer this comment to pass along. If you have to cancel a cruise for some reason the most you risk is the cost of the cruise and maybe some airfare.  You have to think beyond this basic cost.

If you are in an accident or become ill in a foreign country you risk very high medical expenses, hotel charges for the extra person, extra airfare, and possibly evacuation expenses. This is a primary reason to  purchase travel insurance. I doubt this kind of expense is covered by the credit card. Does her health insurance cover medical services and evacuation outside of the U.S.? Many policies do not.

We live in the northeast. In winter we always book our flights 2 to 3 days early. Experienced cruisers will tell you the same. A four hour flight delay on the day of the cruise and you miss the ship. Not worth the risk.

Edited June 30, 2019 by skynight

[Coral]

1 minute ago, skynight said:

I can't answer your question regarding the credit card, but offer this comment to pass along. If you have to cancel a cruise for some reason the most you risk is the cost of the cruise and maybe some airfare.  If you are in an accident or become ill in a foreign country you risk very high medical expenses, hotel charges for the extra person, extra airfare, and possibly evacuation expenses. This is a primary reason purchase travel insurance. I doubt this kind of expense is covered by the credit card. Does her health insurance cover medical services and evacuation outside of the U.S.? Many policies do not.

We live in the northeast. In winter we always book our flights 2 to 3 days early. Experienced cruisers will tell you the same. A four hour flight delay on the day of the cruise and you miss the ship. Not worth the risk.

I agree with everything you said.

 

I can afford to lose the cost of the cruise. It is evacuation or a major medical issue/accident that could bankrupt me as I don't have decent coverage outside of the US.

 

If I am flying far or even within the US during winter, I always fly 2 days early. I have missed too many flights (not my fault but weather, etc...) to fly in the day of or the night before.

[skynight]

To add. I have a friend that became ill on a cruise. She disembarked in Rome and was admitted to a hospital. They had to pay US$20,000 up front. She did recover all the expense from the travel insurance once the claim was filed.

[tere247]

4 minutes ago, skynight said:

To add. I have a friend that became ill on a cruise. She disembarked in Rome and was admitted to a hospital. They had to pay US$20,000 up front. She did recover all the expense from the travel insurance once the claim was filed.

Was that with Princess insurance or with another travel insurance policy?  

[riffatsea]

Hi,

The details of the insurance coverage is much more important than whether you get it from Princess or from your credit card!

We use my Chase Sapphire credit card and it offers decent travel insurance.

It does not cover "cancel for any reason". It covers  typical reasons like illness of the person or family member etc.

We also use a yearly medical travel/evacuation plan that I buy from Geo Blue.

Together they give us good coverage and we don't buy from the cruise line or other companies.

Check the details of the coverage offered on your family member's card to see if you think it is enough.

Edited June 30, 2019 by riffatsea

[skynight]

5 minutes ago, tere247 said:

Was that with Princess insurance or with another travel insurance policy?  

Not a Princess cruise, another line. I don't know if they purchased the line's insurance or another policy, but they did purchase travel insurance. They had to pay with their credit cards and then file with the travel insurance. They recovered just about all of the costs.

I just offer it as one example of the kind of expense you can incur if you need to be hospitalized in a location not covered by your health insurance policy.

[riffatsea]

I agree that flying from upstate NY in winter on the day of the cruise is just ridiculous!

[Coral]

24 minutes ago, riffatsea said:

I agree that flying from upstate NY in winter on the day of the cruise is just ridiculous!

Same in the Midwest. Also, remember many have connecting flights in Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis and Detroit which all have awful winters.

 

Last summer, I flew in the summer and had a connecting flight. Flights were severely delayed on United in 2 of their major hubs that day (Chicago and Houston) due to storms.

[tere247]

54 minutes ago, skynight said:

I can't answer your question regarding the credit card, but offer this comment to pass along. If you have to cancel a cruise for some reason the most you risk is the cost of the cruise and maybe some airfare.  You have to think beyond this basic cost.

If you are in an accident or become ill in a foreign country you risk very high medical expenses, hotel charges for the extra person, extra airfare, and possibly evacuation expenses. This is a primary reason to  purchase travel insurance. I doubt this kind of expense is covered by the credit card. Does her health insurance cover medical services and evacuation outside of the U.S.? Many policies do not.

We live in the northeast. In winter we always book our flights 2 to 3 days early. Experienced cruisers will tell you the same. A four hour flight delay on the day of the cruise and you miss the ship. Not worth the risk.

Her Blue Cross does cover medical outside of the U.S. She's sure her credit card will cover the rest, if necessary.  

[Coral]

6 minutes ago, tere247 said:

Her Blue Cross does cover medical outside of the U.S. She's sure her credit card will cover the rest, if necessary.  

My BCBS only covers 50% .

[tere247]

6 minutes ago, Coral said:

My BCBS only covers 50% .

I had a minor medical issue on Princess a few years back.  I found out my union BC would have covered me if I wasn't also on Medicare.  Princess paid.   

Thank goodness it was minor. 

[klfrodo]

22 minutes ago, tere247 said:

Her Blue Cross does cover medical outside of the U.S. She's sure her credit card will cover the rest, if necessary.  

her BC/BS may cover her outside the US, but she will have to pay up front for any medical costs. Then, she can file for reimbursement when she returns to the States.

Here is the States, while it may be a common practice that your doctor or hospital calls insurance companies and files for reimbursement for stuff,,, it is not a requirement. 

[GeezerCouple]

25 minutes ago, tere247 said:

Her Blue Cross does cover medical outside of the U.S. She's sure her credit card will cover the rest, if necessary.  

Careful... some credit cards are starting to cut back (a lot) on the travel insurance offered.

 

Also, what they have been offering didn't cover some things that other policies covered, so make sure it covers what you might need.

 

GC

[pms4104]

1 hour ago, tere247 said:

Although we always purchase Princess platinum insurance, I wonder about insurance included with your credit card. 

I'm asking because a family member feels she has enough coverage from her credit card as well as her health insurance and refuses to purchase extra. I'm thinking that's a mistake. Especially since her cruise is in January and she insists on flying to FLL from upstate NY on the day of the cruise.

So, if you've used the insurance provided by your credit card, how was your experience

Buying insurance (or not) is a personal decision.

 

What you can do is to advise of the situations when insurance would be of value.  And tell your family member to read and understand the benefits of her current coverage.

 

The ultimate decision is that of your family member.

 

Some people need to learn the hard way.

 

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by pms4104

[tere247]

6 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

her BC/BS may cover her outside the US, but she will have to pay up front for any medical costs. Then, she can file for reimbursement when she returns to the States.

Here is the States, while it may be a common practice that your doctor or hospital calls insurance companies and files for reimbursement for stuff,,, it is not a requirement. 

Don't you have to pay up front no matter what travel insurance you purchase?

[tere247]

4 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

Buying insurance (or not) is a personal decision.

 

What you can do is to advise of the situations when insurance would be of value.  And tell your family member to read and understand the benefits of her current coverage.

 

The ultimate decision is that of your family member.

 

Some people need tk learn the hard way.

 

 

You're right. It's her decision. She has to learn.   But I'm not the type to sit back and not at least try to educate. 

[RJ2002]

1 hour ago, tere247 said:

You're right. It's her decision. She has to learn.   But I'm not the type to sit back and not at least try to educate. 

 

Nice of you to help her out.   Travel insurance coverage definitely requires research.

 

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet on this thread...  many (most?) of the travel insurance coverage associated with credit cards does not waive pre-existing conditions - so need to be aware of that.

 

Best bet is for her to contact the credit card company and obtain documentation as to the specific coverage.

[Walfam]

9 hours ago, klfrodo said:

 

Here is the States, while it may be a common practice that your doctor or hospital calls insurance companies and files for reimbursement for stuff,,, it is not a requirement. 

Here in the states, remember, if we end up in an ER, one has to worry about who is in network.  Sometimes the hospital is, but it's providers who work there might  not. There have been some local news stories, over the years, about surprise medical bills as a result.

[Philob]

On 6/30/2019 at 6:56 AM, tere247 said:

Don't you have to pay up front no matter what travel insurance you purchase?

In most cases yes.  The medical provider will require full payment before you are discharged.  In the case of the ships medical center, their bill will be added to your account.  My aunt had to pay off my uncle's medical bills before they would release him to the mortuary people 👎

 

When you get home you file a claim with the travel insurance to get reimbursed.  The fun begins when you don't have the documentation the claims adjuster wants and you trying to get it from the medical facility. 

 

   

[mustgo]

We just received notice from Chase that our claim has been approved.  I had unexpected surgery 2 weeks before a cruise.  It was not from a pre-existing condition.  The claim took 

about 2 months to process.  They did ask for additional information.  We had submitted a form signed by the surgeon.  What they wanted was the form from our PCP.  Chase also paid the $175 to redeposit the two AA ticket miles.  We are pleased.