UK v US Cruise cover

[Aulanis]

 

@iamtrustworthy
Hi  Steve

I find cruise insurance a minefield   we are over 70 and have previous

and  in the UK we have different policies  Euro  world  Ex US & CAN  and Worldwide
I know you did a recent Q&A session  relating to Insurance In the US only
but wondered if you you could give a brief opinion on what seems to me to be 
a bit of an anomaly between the US & Uk on the amount for
Medical Emergency  & Repatriation.

 

The Princess PVP policy has the following showing as cover for
Accident Medical/Sickness Medical
Reimbursement if you get sick or hurt on your tripUp to $10,000 each
Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation
Coverage if you need emergency medical transportation
 (or shipment of remains in the event of death during the trip)  $25,000
 Underwritten by Nationwide.

 

I have been looking at policies in the UK and the policies  have coverage 
in a great excess to these figures.

examples

                                                                          Classic Cruise      Deluxe Cruise
Cancellation and cutting your holiday short    £6,000    £10,000
Medical emergency and repatriation    £10 million    Unlimited

                                                        Basic                   Comprehensive
Medical emergencies and repatriation    Up to £5 million     Unlimited 
Cancellation    Up to £500     Up to £5,000 

Bronze
Included£10,000,000 emergency medical and repatriation cover
IncludedUp to £10,000 for personal accident cover
Silver    
Included£10,000,000 emergency medical and repatriation cover
IncludedUp to £20,000 for personal accident cover
Gold    
Included£15,000,000 emergency medical and repatriation cover
IncludedUp to £30,000 for personal accident cover

 

Have you  any experience  of actual repatriation costs

are these nearer to  $25000  or  £15,000,000

TIA

[klfrodo]

I'm not Steve, but let me try to help until Steve can respond.

Here is a link that I think answers your specific question regarding how much money is real need when it comes to evacuation.

Please understand the meaning of evacuation in regards to patient is already off the ship and has been initially treated at a local hospital and stabilized, but needs to be evacuated to better facility who can treat the patient. 

 

 

Also please note that evacuation off the ship and to the nearest medical facility is going to be (99.9% of the time) at NO COST because it will be done by a highly trained Coast Guard or Military unit. Very few, if any, civilian companies can perform such an extraction.

 

Also Note: Medical expenses may be and often are required to be paid upfront before any services can be performed or at the least paid in full before discharge. In the US and Caribbean, these expense can be high. Recent story of a US person who had a problem and almost died due to diabetes. He went to a hospital in Mexico, and they saved his life. However, they wanted $14,000 before they would discharge the patient. They didn't have the available credit and they didn't buy travel insurance. A celebrity had to pay the bill for them so they could come back home to the states.

What I'm saying is, the $10,000 coverage that Princess is offering is woefully a low number.

[Roger88]

If I am not mistaken the cover is quite similar for both the US and UK passengers. There shouldn't be much of a difference really. Medical expenses must be included in the insurance that you are being issued. Moreover, in case of anything (depending where you are at) you will be covered by either American or British insurance company  

[Aulanis]

Thank you @klfrodo    I had not seen the thread you linked to. It seems to pretty much answer my query  unless there are other replies suggesting why  the UK have quotes in  £Ms

I did read some articles on  repatriation and medical fees  and didnt find anything anywhere near the figures, hence the question  when I saw the PVP details.

Not that we can use it  - on the Princess site it suggests  a UK Insurance  which has figures similar to the ones I posted.

 

I am thinking I might  query some of the  UK insurers to ask why they think £15m  might be required.   Our annual policy was a May renewal so as we had nothing booked I didnt renew it so have more time than usual to look a bit more deeply.  Until now we have always had 3 maybe 4 cruises booked forward so it has always been easier to just renew.

Edited July 27, 2020 by Aulanis

[iamtrustworthy]

On 7/27/2020 at 11:16 AM, Aulanis said:

 

@iamtrustworthy
Hi  Steve

I find cruise insurance a minefield   we are over 70 and have previous

and  in the UK we have different policies  Euro  world  Ex US & CAN  and Worldwide
I know you did a recent Q&A session  relating to Insurance In the US only
but wondered if you you could give a brief opinion on what seems to me to be 
a bit of an anomaly between the US & Uk on the amount for
Medical Emergency  & Repatriation.

 

The Princess PVP policy has the following showing as cover for
Accident Medical/Sickness Medical
Reimbursement if you get sick or hurt on your tripUp to $10,000 each
Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation
Coverage if you need emergency medical transportation
 (or shipment of remains in the event of death during the trip)  $25,000
 Underwritten by Nationwide.

 

I have been looking at policies in the UK and the policies  have coverage 
in a great excess to these figures.

examples

                                                                          Classic Cruise      Deluxe Cruise
Cancellation and cutting your holiday short    £6,000    £10,000
Medical emergency and repatriation    £10 million    Unlimited

                                                        Basic                   Comprehensive
Medical emergencies and repatriation    Up to £5 million     Unlimited 
Cancellation    Up to £500     Up to £5,000 

Bronze
Included£10,000,000 emergency medical and repatriation cover
IncludedUp to £10,000 for personal accident cover
Silver    
Included£10,000,000 emergency medical and repatriation cover
IncludedUp to £20,000 for personal accident cover
Gold    
Included£15,000,000 emergency medical and repatriation cover
IncludedUp to £30,000 for personal accident cover

 

Have you  any experience  of actual repatriation costs

are these nearer to  $25000  or  £15,000,000

TIA

Hi Aulanis,

 

Sorry about the delay writing back.

 

One of the reasons there are differences in the coverages is because the UK has socialized medicine which oftentimes does not covered the traveler when they are outside the UK. It's not nearly as expensive to get ill or injured as the limits imply, but the UK based travel insurance companies do not want their customers to have any risk of a large uncovered medical claim.

 

And, as klfrodo said "the $10,000 coverage that Princess is offering is woefully a low number." If I was a UK traveler I would not want to rely on the Princess medical coverage.

 

I hope this makes sense,

 

Steve Dasseos

 

[Aulanis]

Thanks Steve  - didnt expect a quick reply  and its not like we will be going anywhere soon!   

Princess dont offer PVP  to UK passengers  - they suggest  Holiday Extras ( who have been pretty poor in handling queries and refunds)

It is underwritten by  AWP P&C SA and administered in the UK by Allianz Global Assistance. 

The cover they provide is

 

So £5M   for medical.

If I understand you correctly you are saying that  as there is no NHS as such ,in the US people have to buy  Medical /healthcare insurance  and that  will maybe cover whilst  out of the US  on a cruise.   ( Or at least be available as an add on) ?

Consequently  the  US Travel insurance policies do not need to have Millions for the  Medical section  but are  more for  the cruise add ons -   Missed port Cabin , Cancellation  ( by passenger) , lost luggage ,  delays , lost passport and so on. 

   Of course  that may not be what you are saying at all .  I will try

reading more of the posts on CC  re Insurance  to try and gain a bigger picture.

 

Many  travel insurances in the UK also have a  " Cruise add on for those extras"    which  would be added on to a  "Standard"Travel Insurance policy for a   land tour  or   air & hotel  package which would also have the  medical cover in the  £Ms.

Edited July 30, 2020 by Aulanis

[iamtrustworthy]

6 hours ago, Aulanis said:

Thanks Steve  - didnt expect a quick reply  and its not like we will be going anywhere soon!   

 

If I understand you correctly you are saying that  as there is no NHS as such in the US people have to buy  Medical /healthcare insurance  and that  will maybe cover whilst  out of the US  on a cruise.   ( Or at least be available as an add on) ?

 

Consequently  the  US Travel insurance policies do not need to have Millions for the  Medical section  but are  more for  the cruise add ons -   Missed port Cabin , Cancellation  ( by passenger) , lost luggage ,  delays , lost passport and so on. 

 

Hi Aulanis,

 

Yes. many US medical plans have coverage if someone is outside the USA. They have a maximum out of pocket limit.

 

For example, on this website: https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/out-of-pocket-maximum-limit/ , you will see these limits:

The out-of-pocket limit for Marketplace plans varies, but can’t go over a set amount each year.

• For the 2020 plan year: The out-of-pocket limit for a Marketplace plan can’t be more than $8,150 for an individual and $16,300 for a family.
• For the 2019 plan year: The out-of-pocket limit for a Marketplace plan couldn’t be more than $7,900 for an individual and $15,800 for a family.

If a US resident on Medicare is outside the USA, Medicare doesn't cover them, but a Medicare Supplement will have partial coverage.

 

Steve

[klfrodo]

If I may add to what Steve has said, for the most part, there is no NHS in the US.

For Example,,, Myself

I worked for a major corporation for 30 years, I recently retired at age 60 and draw a pension from that company.

For those 30 years, I had healthcare insurance which I pay $400 and some change each month for my family. That $400 a month does not cover everything. It only pays a % and that % varies by if I am treated by a physician who accepts my insurance, or a physician who does accept my insurance but doesn't accept the pre-negotiated rates, or a physician who accepts my insurance and is in the network of providers my insurance company works with..

 

It gets even more complicated. Let's just say that on top of my monthly insurance payment, I also spend an additional $5000 a year out of pocket for healthcare.

 

Now, when I turn 65, I MUST (unless I'm still an employee) sign up for the US Govt's Medicare program and can no longer be a part of my companies plan. Medicare IS as close to an NHS program as you can get, but I still have to pay for it and Medicare is not valid outside the US.

 

 

Thus,,,, supplemental coverage anytime I travel and I ensure that my coverage is "Primary"