Year-round or individual cruise insurance?

[muggo11]

I am retiring and we are on our way to being International nomads. Starting in January 2021 and through 2022 we plan to take three cruises and live for a few months in Sydney, Como and Montevideo for a few months each. What recommendations do you have for year-round or individual travel insurance?  I plan to get Med-Jet as a back-up as well. I am 67 and my husband is 72 and other than bouts with cancer, are mobile and in good health. 

[iamtrustworthy]

6 hours ago, muggo11 said:

I am retiring and we are on our way to being International nomads. Starting in January 2021 and through 2022 we plan to take three cruises and live for a few months in Sydney, Como and Montevideo for a few months each. What recommendations do you have for year-round or individual travel insurance?  I plan to get Med-Jet as a back-up as well. I am 67 and my husband is 72 and other than bouts with cancer, are mobile and in good health. 

Hi muggo11,

 

I have three questions:

1) Will you be returning home after each trip?

2) Do you have a primary medical plan like Medicare?

3) Will each period of round-trip travel from home have fixed or open-ended travel dates?

 

Steve Dasseos

 

[muggo11]

Thanks, Steve,

 

**We plan to establish residency in Washington State this coming August. And will back there when needed for as-needed medical care, which will be. . .

**a Medicare Advantage policy, probably with Kaiser or maybe USAA. Still exploring/comparing options and plans. 
**dates are more or less set for each location (the 3 cruise dates are definitely set—*June-sept 2021, *Dec-2022 and *Jan-Feb 2022). Travelling back to Washington State MAY not happen between each location and cruise. It depends on our health and my husband requires a medication by injection every 3 months (we are exploring access to the medication in foreign countries). 
I am guessing by your questions that going back “home” between trips has implications for the kind of insurances that are advisable?  Thanks. 
 

 

 

 

 

[muggo11]

Steve, based on my answers do you have recommendations?  

[iamtrustworthy]

On 6/7/2020 at 7:56 PM, muggo11 said:

Thanks, Steve,

 

**We plan to establish residency in Washington State this coming August. And will back there when needed for as-needed medical care, which will be. . .

**a Medicare Advantage policy, probably with Kaiser or maybe USAA. Still exploring/comparing options and plans. 
**dates are more or less set for each location (the 3 cruise dates are definitely set—*June-sept 2021, *Dec-2022 and *Jan-Feb 2022). Travelling back to Washington State MAY not happen between each location and cruise. It depends on our health and my husband requires a medication by injection every 3 months (we are exploring access to the medication in foreign countries). 
I am guessing by your questions that going back “home” between trips has implications for the kind of insurances that are advisable?  Thanks.

Hi Muggo11,

 

I'm sorry I missed your reply on Sunday.

 

Neither the annual travel medical or annual trip cancellation plan will work for you.

 

I also emailed MedJet because you are in a grey area with them. The MedJet plans covers for up to 90 consecutive days, but you might be gone longer. Their Expatriate plan covers up to 180 or 365 consecutive days, but you have to be living outside the USA. I'll let you know what I find out.

 

Steve Dasseos

 

 

 

 

[muggo11]

Thanks.  Yes we DO plan to live outside the US for 4-5 months of time between cruises. We also need to change our Medicare Advantage policy and will look at emergency coverage while overseas for the various alphabet plans. 

[iamtrustworthy]

1 hour ago, muggo11 said:

Thanks.  Yes we DO plan to live outside the US for 4-5 months of time between cruises. We also need to change our Medicare Advantage policy and will look at emergency coverage while overseas for the various alphabet plans. 

Do you mean that the plan is to leave the USA, take a cruise or other trip, stay outside the USA, take another cruise or trip, stay outside the USA, etc. And only return to the USA if absolutely becessary?

[muggo11]

Yes.  At least through mid 2022.  

[summersbreeze]

HEALTH INSURANCE FOR CANADIANS

 

We return from Arizona the end of March and at that time, we then take out an "annual health insurance policy" through BCAA (similar to AAA)  The annual policy covers us for all travel in Canada and we take a 3-day policy as it's the shortest one can take. The rate then is very low. If we go on a cruise between April and November we upgrade the policy to a 7 or 10 day policy to cover us while on that cruise. 
When we leave in October for Arizona we upgrade to a 3-mth policy. We then fly into Canada and right back to the USA the same day. Doing this is less money than to take a 6-mth policy by far. Occasionally we go home for Christmas and if so, that takes care of flying home in January for a day. Many do it this way. It is by far the least expensive for us living in British Columbia.
This also means we are covered for any cruises we take during this 3-mth period.
My husband is in his 80's and I am in my 70's and insurance gets very expensive for many in this age category.

 

covid-19
Our 2020-2021 policy clearly states that it will not cover anything related to this virus and that includes anything they may deem related (i.e. heart, lungs asthma etc.)  I know many have coverage through credit cards and work but please check VERY CAREFULLY for the fin print. There is only one company we are aware of that will cover COVID-19 and it is $8/day and that is expensive for a long trip and even it has exclusions one must be very aware of.

I hope this information helps someone.

[iamtrustworthy]

On 6/14/2020 at 3:11 PM, muggo11 said:

Yes.  At least through mid 2022.  

Hi Muggo11,

 

I have one company that has good medical for extended trips outside the USA. It is the Cigna Global. You may see all the details on my https://ExpatriateTripInsurance.com website: https://expatriatetripinsurance.com/medical/

 

Steve Dasseos

[muggo11]

Cigna looks terrific.  Bookmarking this to get. How far in advance should we purchase?  

[iamtrustworthy]

11 hours ago, muggo11 said:

Cigna looks terrific.  Bookmarking this to get. How far in advance should we purchase?  

The plans are underwritten, so I suggest you start the process about a month before you are leaving. You'll have enough time to review their offer before you leave.

 

If you ever have any questions about the Cigna plans, email me at steve@tripinsurancestore.com

 

Steve Dasseos

Edited June 17, 2020 by iamtrustworthy
typo

[mrschiefopd]

Due to cancelled cruise in 2020, we now have three cruises booked for 2021:

12 day Panama Canal cruise in February 2021

 

14 day French Polynesia/Hawaii cruise with 5 days in Tahiti/Moorea before cruise and 3 day post cruise in Hawaii in March.

 

11 day Mediterranean cruise in September with four days precruise in Rome and one day post cruise in Rome

 

We will also have our usual 10 day beach trip to Playa del Carmen in October 2021

 

We both reside in the US.  My husband will be 68 and has Medicare and a supplement.  I will be 64 and have private health insurance.  Both of us are in good health and have no preexisting conditions at the present time.

 

I'm wondering if we should get a yearly trip insurance plan or opt for individual plans for each trip.  We basically want the insurance for a medical emergency.  Our airfare has the option to change until March 2022.  (Haven't booked air for Mediterranean or Mexico yet.)  If cruises are cancelled, I would imagine that cruise line would offer monetary refund or FCC.  

One of the first two cruises will be paid for with FCC from cancelled cruise in 2020.  

 

I'm not sure which way to go.  The trip insurance we had for the 2020 cruise didn't help much when the cruise was cancelled and I'm not sure it was worth the money paid.  

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you very much.

Barb

Edited June 24, 2020 by mrschiefopd
omitted information

[iamtrustworthy]

2 hours ago, mrschiefopd said:

Due to cancelled cruise in 2020, we now have three cruises booked for 2021:

12 day Panama Canal cruise in February 2021

 

14 day French Polynesia/Hawaii cruise with 5 days in Tahiti/Moorea before cruise and 3 day post cruise in Hawaii in March.

 

11 day Mediterranean cruise in September with four days precruise in Rome and one day post cruise in Rome

 

We will also have our usual 10 day beach trip to Playa del Carmen in October 2021

 

We both reside in the US.  My husband will be 68 and has Medicare and a supplement.  I will be 64 and have private health insurance.  Both of us are in good health and have no preexisting conditions at the present time.

 

I'm wondering if we should get a yearly trip insurance plan or opt for individual plans for each trip.  We basically want the insurance for a medical emergency.  Our airfare has the option to change until March 2022.  (Haven't booked air for Mediterranean or Mexico yet.)  If cruises are cancelled, I would imagine that cruise line would offer monetary refund or FCC.  

One of the first two cruises will be paid for with FCC from cancelled cruise in 2020.  

 

I'm not sure which way to go.  The trip insurance we had for the 2020 cruise didn't help much when the cruise was cancelled and I'm not sure it was worth the money paid.  

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you very much.

Barb

Hi mrschiefopd,

 

What State do you live in?

 

> The trip insurance we had for the 2020 cruise didn't help much when the cruise was cancelled and I'm not sure it was worth the money paid.

 

Which policy did you have?

 

Do you already have trip insurance for the other trips?

 

Steve Dasseos

[mrschiefopd]

On 6/24/2020 at 4:37 PM, iamtrustworthy said:

Hi mrschiefopd,

 

What State do you live in?

 

> The trip insurance we had for the 2020 cruise didn't help much when the cruise was cancelled and I'm not sure it was worth the money paid.

 

Which policy did you have?

 

Do you already have trip insurance for the other trips?

 

Steve Dasseos

We live in Missouri.

 

We had a policy that covered the entire cruise and air.  The policy wasn't needed, since the cruise gave us FCC and the airlines gave us a certificate which we have applied for the new French Polynesia cruise.

 

We haven't purchased any trip insurance as of yet.  We are trying to figure out whether to buy an annual plan or individual plans for each trip.  We want a plan that will cover emergency medical issues.  (Hopefully we won't need this portion.)  All of our private tours and hotels are refundable within 24-48 hours, so we won't need a plan to cover those.

 

Thanks for your insight.

Edited June 26, 2020 by mrschiefopd
omission

[trbarton]

What’s the cancellation policy with Princess Insurance?

 

Thanks!

 

Tom😀