Travel Insurance cruise cover.

[majortom10]

Anyone have the above account and use it for travel insurance was just wondered if it is OK as thinking of opening account. £13 a month for worldwide travel insurance is excellent value for money and wondered if anyone has paid extra for the optional cruise upgrade and what extra they charge for medical conditions that anyone has. 

[cruisenewbie1976]

9 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Anyone have the above account and use it for travel insurance was just wondered if it is OK as thinking of opening account. £13 a month for worldwide travel insurance is excellent value for money and wondered if anyone has paid extra for the optional cruise upgrade and what extra they charge for medical conditions that anyone has. 

We've got the flex plus account insurance and have found them to be OK. Only had to claim once and although I had to submit various bits of evidence, they did pay out. I'm on medication for high blood pressure and I think I have to pay about £30 extra per year for that to be covered. We've never paid for any of the extras such as cruise cover as you're covered for the main stuff with a standard policy. 

[tring]

I know nothing about their travel insurance, but I have just transferred an ISA because of very low interest.  What I do know is that some very good savings account rates have been available for certain accounts that can only be opened if you have one of their current accounts.  I am pretty sure it is that account, so perhaps other benefits.

 

I chose not to open one as we did not want to use it as main account and my income was not high enough to make it possible as an extra from what I recollect.  Perhaps worth searching that sort of thing as I am not sure what the ins and outs were when I looked into the current account a couple of years ago.

 

Edited March 5, 2021 by tring

[Cathygh]

You do need to pay extra for cruises out side Europe, sorry can't remember how much. 

[Waju]

23 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

You do need to pay extra for cruises out side Europe, sorry can't remember how much. 

We've had this account for a few years and consider it great value.  I don't think you have to pay extra for worldwide travel - we have used it for longer cruises of 83 days and 60 days - both outside of Europe and we have only had to pay extra for the length of the cruise.

 

Luckily we don't have any health problems to declare so can't comment on how much extra that would be nor have we had to make a claim (hope that's not tempting fate!). My sister i law took out missed port insurance with them last year the day before they set off on the world cruise, the amount she paid was miniscule compared to what the insurance had to pay out due to them not being able to dock after the Covid nightmare began.  If you ring them for advice they are really friendly and helpful!  Something else I never think about, but it is perhaps more relevant now, you will be covered on weekends away or short breaks in this country too.

 

Don't forget you also get breakdown cover in the UK and Europe - that even covered our motorhome when we had one.

[cruisenewbie1976]

35 minutes ago, Waju said:

We've had this account for a few years and consider it great value.  I don't think you have to pay extra for worldwide travel - we have used it for longer cruises of 83 days and 60 days - both outside of Europe and we have only had to pay extra for the length of the cruise.

 

Luckily we don't have any health problems to declare so can't comment on how much extra that would be nor have we had to make a claim (hope that's not tempting fate!). My sister i law took out missed port insurance with them last year the day before they set off on the world cruise, the amount she paid was miniscule compared to what the insurance had to pay out due to them not being able to dock after the Covid nightmare began.  If you ring them for advice they are really friendly and helpful!  Something else I never think about, but it is perhaps more relevant now, you will be covered on weekends away or short breaks in this country too.

 

Don't forget you also get breakdown cover in the UK and Europe - that even covered our motorhome when we had one.

Agree - we've never paid any extra for this insurance to cruise outside Europe. Unless you want the added extras. 

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Cathygh said:

You do need to pay extra for cruises out side Europe, sorry can't remember how much. 

According to Nationwide website FlexPlus includes worldwide travel cover, the optional upgrade is if you want extra cover i.e. missed ports or cabin confinement etc.

Edited March 5, 2021 by majortom10

[Holiday130256]

12 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Anyone have the above account and use it for travel insurance was just wondered if it is OK as thinking of opening account. £13 a month for worldwide travel insurance is excellent value for money and wondered if anyone has paid extra for the optional cruise upgrade and what extra they charge for medical conditions that anyone has. 

We opened the account before our World Cruise last year. It is excellent value, paid a little extra for 100 days cover, £30k cancellation cover for the full cost of the cruise and a couple of declared minor medical issues. Just  before we left paid for missed ports cover. Think from memory the extras cost about £400.

You also get included with the account mobile phone insurance and car and caravan recovery insurance Europe wide.

On our return home the insurer paid up for the ports we missed, they only required a note from P and O Confirming that the stops were not made. As we missed all of the ports after Australia and a couple prior to that it was a tidy sum. 
 

David

 

[Cathygh]

11 hours ago, majortom10 said:

According to Nationwide website FlexPlus includes worldwide travel cover, the optional upgrade is if you want extra cover i.e. missed ports or cabin confinement etc.

I have now been informed by He Who Knows it All that we don't have the flex plus account, just a Flex Account and the insurance cover is different. 🙄

[bobstheboy]

Interesting. Has anyone over 70 paid for the age extension and how much is it ? I am 75.

 

Just checked, it is £65.

Edited March 6, 2021 by bobstheboy
Addition

[pete14]

I think it may be helpful if a few more people could let the rest of us know how good the insurance is at settling claims. That will be the true test.

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, Cathygh said:

I have now been informed by He Who Knows it All that we don't have the flex plus account, just a Flex Account and the insurance cover is different. 🙄

there is no travel insurance cover now with Flex account.

Edited March 6, 2021 by majortom10

[Cathygh]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

there is no travel insurance cover now with Flex account.

It's closed to new applicants but we are still covered

[Splice the mainbrace]

2 hours ago, pete14 said:

I think it may be helpful if a few more people could let the rest of us know how good the insurance is at settling claims. That will be the true test.

 

I made a claim last March / April when we had to curtail our land tour of Vietnam due to Covid restrictions coming into place. I got a letter from the travel company confirming how many days we had left of  the tour when we had to fly home and they worked out how much the reimbursement should be (cost per day x number of days left).

I completed the online claim form and attached the letter, got a phone a week or so later where I confirmed what I had put in the claim. I was expecting problems or them trying to wriggle out of it with some technicality but it was agreed during that phone call of a few minutes. The monies were paid a week or so later. So no issues with them for this only claim I have made with them.

 

I was told that the insurance does cover cruises. I take stains so I informed them and they covered me at no extra charge for heart / circulatory issues, they classed it as a 1 medication issue which they cover for no additional charge. I don't know what types of medication or conditions fall into this category though. 

[kruzseeka]

3 hours ago, pete14 said:

I think it may be helpful if a few more people could let the rest of us know how good the insurance is at settling claims. That will be the true test.

Friends had 3 claims in 4 years - all for Caribbean fly/cruise holidays.  Two cancellations were the result of developing last minute infections, the third a broken leg.  All were paid promptly, no quibbles - and no increase in premiums. 

[JessM66]

Thanks for the info, I have been searching for Insurance that would cover a world cruise, and every quote was hellishly expensive, and only covered cancellation up to £5k !!!  Had a call with the Nationwide Insurance people today who were super helpful and explained if you opened a joint account the insurance policy covers both people even if they don’t live together, so any add ons for age, cruise add on, and long trip extension etc, are per policy and not per person, also for £150 they would insure the world cruise trip up to the amount paid. I am now in the process of opening a flex plus account 😀

 

[majortom10]

56 minutes ago, JessM66 said:

Thanks for the info, I have been searching for Insurance that would cover a world cruise, and every quote was hellishly expensive, and only covered cancellation up to £5k !!!  Had a call with the Nationwide Insurance people today who were super helpful and explained if you opened a joint account the insurance policy covers both people even if they don’t live together, so any add ons for age, cruise add on, and long trip extension etc, are per policy and not per person, also for £150 they would insure the world cruise trip up to the amount paid. I am now in the process of opening a flex plus account 😀

 

What number did you ring if you dont mind me asking as I would like to know cost of extra upgrade for cruise cover and what extra we might have to pay for medical conditions.

[delgirl]

We have the barclays travel pack plus for £12.50 per month which also includes full RAC with at home call out. I think that is very good value. I had breast cancer in 2013 I wasn't covered for the 1st 2 years but after that I was and no increase in cost.

[scarlet ohara]

We’ve had Flex plus for several years, primarily for the annual worldwide travel insurance, although it also gives us breakdown and recovery for our cars, and mobile phone insurance for the £13 per month. I have had to pay extra for medical cover which has gone up over the last few years. I have asthma, (on 2 inhalers) high blood pressure (well controlled on one tablet) and a dodgy heart valve under annual review. Last year the upgrade cost about £250 for both of us.  (Hubby has no medical issues, we are both early 60’s) We had 2 x 3week land holidays (Peru and Japan) and had to pay small ( £15) upgrades for the cost when over £5k each. We’ve also had a couple of cruises each year- Med and Caribbean- and European/USA city breaks. It’s been excellent value. Have only had to claim once - last year on a cruise in Jan 2020 I had a mishap and had to go to hospital for a CT scan. The total bill was around £400, including the P&O medical centre costs. It was reimbursed within a week of phoning on our return without even having to send in the receipts - probably because it was a relatively low claim. We returned from holiday in Vietnam on 11March last year, just before lockdown and our renewal was waiting for us. I renewed the next day and soon realised that we wouldn’t be going very far. I think I contacted NW in June/July to ask for a refund of my additional health premium which was promptly processed. I think they no longer cover Covid for new bookings (from approx 18 March) I hope they reinstate cover for Covid and would consider them again so have kept the Flex plus policy meantime. I think the service from NW was excellent when I needed to claim (and also from P&O too)

[Splice the mainbrace]

I was confused by the covid terms which not only does not cover you if you travel when gov travel advises against travel (quite understandable) but it says if you book when covid advice is in place. Surely if gov advice changes to OK to travel then it doesn't matter what the conditions were when you booked. Someone on here many months ago assured me that they had phoned them and the booking date restriction does not apply when travel advice changes to being OK, but the NW wording looks quite clear to me.

[JessM66]

0800 051 0154

Edited March 7, 2021 by JessM66

[JessM66]

13 hours ago, majortom10 said:

What number did you ring if you dont mind me asking as I would like to know cost of extra upgrade for cruise cover and what extra we might have to pay for medical conditions.

Hi I called 0800 051 0154, they were very helpful

 

[terrierjohn]

43 minutes ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

I was confused by the covid terms which not only does not cover you if you travel when gov travel advises against travel (quite understandable) but it says if you book when covid advice is in place. Surely if gov advice changes to OK to travel then it doesn't matter what the conditions were when you booked. Someone on here many months ago assured me that they had phoned them and the booking date restriction does not apply when travel advice changes to being OK, but the NW wording looks quite clear to me.

This has been discussed before and my own broker dismissed it, but several insurance companies do still seem to be using this phraseology.  If you get any information on it from NW, please share it with us.

[tring]

59 minutes ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

I was confused by the covid terms which not only does not cover you if you travel when gov travel advises against travel (quite understandable) but it says if you book when covid advice is in place. Surely if gov advice changes to OK to travel then it doesn't matter what the conditions were when you booked. Someone on here many months ago assured me that they had phoned them and the booking date restriction does not apply when travel advice changes to being OK, but the NW wording looks quite clear to me.

Does that though mean if you have need to claim for cancellation before the FCO advice changes, you would not be covered from loss of payments so far. 

 

I am thinking someone booked could become seriously ill or possibly even pass away before advice changes, so the holiday could effectively be cancelled for all parties and normally loss could reclaimed from insurance.

[JessM66]

The travelling against FO advice is a bit concerning, I have booked a world cruise for 2023, but it was booked when the FO advice was not to travel. The Nationwide insurance says it’s the later of when you booked, or when you took out insurance. I will have to take the trip extension add on to cover for the 120 day trip, which I will do nearer the time, as it’s too far in advance to cover me for the 2023 trip, so presumably so long as at the point I pay for the trip extension there is no FO travel restrictions in place I should be covered? Flipping hope so anyway!

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by JessM66