Travel/ Medical Insurance

[RTLS]

Friends of ours travelling with Princess just added the cruise company insurance to their booking. To me it sounds like an excellent price with good coverage. I haven't been able to find anything on the Oceania site showing that they offer a similar product or, in fact, any type of travel insurance.

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who can clarify this for me.

Thanks

 

[LHT28]

They offer one  but  usually the US companies do not insure Canadians

Have you tried insuremytrip.ca   or maybe your autoclub sells trip ins

I use RSA though a TA/broker & had good results  when making claims

https://www.rsagroup.ca/

 

read the fine print 

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005362613-Who-do-I-contact-when-I-have-questions-about-Travel-Insurance-

[irisbax3]

44 minutes ago, RTLS said:

Friends of ours travelling with Princess just added the cruise company insurance to their booking. To me it sounds like an excellent price with good coverage. I haven't been able to find anything on the Oceania site showing that they offer a similar product or, in fact, any type of travel insurance.

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who can clarify this for me.

Thanks

 

When we cruise with Princess we usually purchase their travel insurance but for our next Oceania cruise I decided to do a little research on my own. Although Oceania does offer insurance, we found better coverage through USAA. It cost the same but usaa has much better benefits. 

Edited August 6, 2019 by irisbax3
Missing words

[irisbax3]

Sorry, RTLS, I didn't notice that you live in Canada. Unfortunately, USAA won't apply for you. LHT28 offers goods suggestions. Best of luck.

[RTLS]

A quick thankyou to both of you.

 

LHT28, I haven't tried www.insuremytrip.ca but I will look into it and will check out RSA.

 

We have used Medoc for a long time but we are now dealing with a couple of pre existing conditions which are not covered by them. Time to look around for a different company.

[LHT28]

maybe  check with this one also

https://www.snowbirds.org/medipac-travel-insurance

 

I have not used it  so no comment on how good they are

[giustot]

2 hours ago, irisbax3 said:

When we cruise with Princess we usually purchase their travel insurance but for our next Oceania cruise I decided to do a little research on my own. Although Oceania does offer insurance, we found better coverage through USAA. It cost the same but usaa has much better benefits. 

Thanks for the information. I have been a USAA member for 20 years and I had no idea they sold travel insurance. They seem to be a little less expensive than CSA but I don't see that USAA covers pre-existing conditions.

[GeezerCouple]

Here is a link to the travel insurance section of CC:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/

 

Also, I recently found out that the travel insurance broker we use

 

www.TripInsuranceStore.com

 

does offer some policies for Canadians.

(Not sure how long that's been available through them, but I had missed it until recently.)

 

But *call* them; don't rely just on the online summaries.  The fine print *really* matters here!

 

In general (but not necessarily "always"), third party policies have better coverage than the cruise lines' offerings.

 

Anyway, we've had great help from them with our policies purchased through them; they work with several vetted insurers.

We've had excellent experiences with policies purchased through them from Travel Insured, and that DOES include actual claims, including some large claims.

(Also, IF there is a glitch with a claim, Steve - owner of TIS - can help cut through anything bogged down, although usually that hasn't been necessary.)

 

GC

[tropicalkerry2002]

We (fellow Canadians) were with Medipac(health insurance only) for a while, but now are with Travel Insurance Specialists for medical. Medipac was also great, settled a claim with no problem, but now I am not eligible for it.

 

tis.ca

 

Last year was our first year with TIS, and a claim was no problem. I am just about to buy insurance for 2019-2020, as we are Snowbirds and buy a multi trip policy, but they also cover single trips, and you can get as short as a one month stability period for changes in medications that you have been on.

 

God, I sound like an invalid!

 

Whatever you choose, read well!

I use Travelguard for cancellation insurance only, but you can get medical with them as well.

Edited August 6, 2019 by tropicalkerry2002

[bbqoug]

I can also vouch for tripinsurancestore.com.

I have received great advice and service through them. We purchased a Trip Insured International policy through them for our cruise last year and when I had to file a trip interruption claim both Trip Insurance Store and Travel Insured were great to work with.

 

I don't know how the insurance with Princess works, but I have read that many cruise line policies provide future cruise credit on a claim while a third party policy will reimburse in cash.

 

Edited August 6, 2019 by bbqoug

[ricka47]

We buy the yearly insurance from Allianz and had the misfortune of having to make three claims on three different cruises on our last policy.  My granddaughter got sick on the Oasis, then my wife came down with an infection in Cuba on the Empress and I broke my foot on a HAL Thanksgiving cruise! 

 

That's the bad news.  The good news is that the company paid all three claims quickly and without issue.

[StanandJim]

For those with the gumption to do so, all of the "insurance consolidator" Sites listed above may be the answer.

 

Through hard experience, however, we have learned that an essential part of any policy, for US, anyway, is that the Insured (i.e. NOT the Insurance Company) may select the location where medical  services will be provided.

 

That information is usually not easily discernible without extensive, careful reading of the Terms and Conditions for each "new" policy.  In addition, we have also had that stipulation amended by the Insurer, several times between Policy purchases, making each vacation a new research project.

 

For that reason , we have taken to purchasing Travel Insurance strictly through a Broker, who reads Policies for a living.  

Edited August 6, 2019 by StanandJim

[Rob the Cruiser]

35 minutes ago, ricka47 said:

We buy the yearly insurance from Allianz and had the misfortune of having to make three claims on three different cruises on our last policy.  My granddaughter got sick on the Oasis, then my wife came down with an infection in Cuba on the Empress and I broke my foot on a HAL Thanksgiving cruise! 

 

That's the bad news.  The good news is that the company paid all three claims quickly and without issue.

 

We have Allianz annual travel insurance and had to make a claim also. DW got sick on the "we don't know what it is but it isn't noro" cruise aboard Marina from Miami to Tahiti.

 

The bill was over $9K! We filed the first claim through Kaiser and were covered for about 50%. It took about 1 1/2 months to get a check. Allianz paid the balance, plus deductible, within 3 weeks of our submitting the claim. No problem.

[LHT28]

9 minutes ago, Rob the Cruiser said:

 

We have Allianz annual travel insurance and had to make a claim also. DW got sick on the "we don't know what it is but it isn't noro" cruise aboard Marina from Miami to Tahiti.

 

 

did you stop in Peru?

Did she get sick after that?

[LHT28]

I just checked my latest policy for trip cancellation/interuption

TIPS  by Old Republic of Canada

https://www.orican.com/travel-insurance

I have not had to make a claim with them  so cannot comment on how well they pay

 

We have medical Out of Country though DH  retirement package with Green Shield

I did make a claim in April when we returned from Marina  where he ended up with  URI  & the bill was $860 USD

I was surprised  to receive a cheque  in 3wks  with the amount converted to CAD 

[Rob the Cruiser]

We stopped in Peru but she got sick before that. It was on the day we went through the Panama Canal. 

Edited August 6, 2019 by Rob the Cruiser
typo

[LHT28]

6 minutes ago, Rob the Cruiser said:

We stopped in Peru but she got sick before that. It was on the day we went through the Panama Canal. 

Usually common for  people to get sick after Peru  that is why I asked

 

Not fun being sick on a cruise ...

[GeezerCouple]

3 hours ago, StanandJim said:

For those with the gumption to do so, all of the "insurance consolidator" Sites listed above may be the answer.

 

Through hard experience, however, we have learned that an essential part of any policy, for US, anyway, is that the Insured (i.e. NOT the Insurance Company) may select the location where medical  services will be provided.

 

That information is usually not easily discernible without extensive, careful reading of the Terms and Conditions for each "new" policy.  In addition, we have also had that stipulation amended by the Insurer, several times between Policy purchases, making each vacation a new research project.

 

For that reason , we have taken to purchasing Travel Insurance strictly through a Broker, who reads Policies for a living.  

 

I assume you are familiar with MedJet Assist?

Presumably the main concern is with a hospital of,  shall we say, questionable quality?

If one is admitted as an inpatient, YOU get to decide if you want to be medevac'd to a hospital back home, or perhaps to a specialty hospital.

No beancounters make the decision, and no local medical staff need to declare themselves, er, not up to the medical issues at hand, etc.

 

GC

[RTLS]

WOW! I have lots of reading to do.

 

Many thanks to everyone who jumped in.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

We have bought GeoBlue both short term and long term plans.  I like them as they have preferred providers all over the world and if you go to one of them there is no out of pocket and then hope for reimbursement.  They include medical treatment and medivac coverage.  USAA was a little less expensive but also had less coverage.  I'm not aware of other plans that have the prefered providers in foreign locations.  So well you might get reimbursed you might have to come with a lot of money to get out of the country.  I'm not sure of GeoBlue coverage on a cruise ship we used it for strictly land travels.  

[edgee]

3 hours ago, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

We have bought GeoBlue both short term and long term plans.  I like them as they have preferred providers all over the world and if you go to one of them there is no out of pocket and then hope for reimbursement.  They include medical treatment and medivac coverage.  USAA was a little less expensive but also had less coverage.  I'm not aware of other plans that have the prefered providers in foreign locations.  So well you might get reimbursed you might have to come with a lot of money to get out of the country.  I'm not sure of GeoBlue coverage on a cruise ship we used it for strictly land travels.  

Geo Blue sounds great but is not available to residents of all states, unfortunately. 

[CintiPam]

Glad to read from two posters above that each had good claims experience with Allianz annual insurance.  We just switched last year from individual trip policies to purchasing an annual plan because we are traveling much more since my spouse’s retirement ..

[ropomo]

7 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

I assume you are familiar with MedJet Assist?

Presumably the main concern is with a hospital of,  shall we say, questionable quality?

If one is admitted as an inpatient, YOU get to decide if you want to be medevac'd to a hospital back home, or perhaps to a specialty hospital.

No beancounters make the decision, and no local medical staff need to declare themselves, er, not up to the medical issues at hand, etc.

 

You have brought out a significant point that I think most travelers are unaware of.  The fine print in most travel insurance only provide "evacuation" to the nearest licensed facility (possibly only a few miles from where you are) that may not be of a standard that meets yours and you are not near home.  The only repatriation coverage in most policies is for your remains if you should die (I'm more concerned about my repatriation when I'm living, if I'm dead, leave me there). Most people I believe assume that the evacuation coverage means transport back to your home, not the case in most cases when you read the fine print.  Our strategy has been to take out the basic medical coverage that will provide adequate care and supplement with MedJet (which is not insurance, it is a service).  MedJet has very reasonable yearly or multi-year subscriptions that when coupled with basic travel insurance covers your cost abroad and gets you home. Taking this approach actually costs less than the "premium" policies that really don't cover what you think they do.  Please understand what your insurance does and doesn't do!

[Caymus88]

11 hours ago, ricka47 said:

We buy the yearly insurance from Allianz and had the misfortune of having to make three claims on three different cruises on our last policy.  My granddaughter got sick on the Oasis, then my wife came down with an infection in Cuba on the Empress and I broke my foot on a HAL Thanksgiving cruise! 

 

That's the bad news.  The good news is that the company paid all three claims quickly and without issue.

I tried to get a quote from Allianz and they said I had to wait until 60 days before I cruise. I have never bought cruise ins before, but we’re older now

 

[Nymich]

Learned a lot from this thread!   Good stuff!