How to decide or where to research

[luckyfincruiser]

Hi All -

I have been combing through posts on this forum and also online.  I think I am more confused than before I started...especially because some posts and advice are pre- vs post- covid.

Where is the best place to gather the basics on what insurance options are ideal for 46 and 47 year old cruisers who cruise with Royal Caribbean 2-3x per year?  I have often bought the Travel Guard policy through Costco travel but in reading the FAQ there I am not sure it is best.  Most important is the med evacuation , really bad stuff coverage...but I'm not sure with COVID what else we should look for.  I appreciate your help!

 

 

[iamtrustworthy]

1 hour ago, luckyfincruiser said:

Hi All -

I have been combing through posts on this forum and also online.  I think I am more confused than before I started...especially because some posts and advice are pre- vs post- covid.

Where is the best place to gather the basics on what insurance options are ideal for 46 and 47 year old cruisers who cruise with Royal Caribbean 2-3x per year?  I have often bought the Travel Guard policy through Costco travel but in reading the FAQ there I am not sure it is best.  Most important is the med evacuation , really bad stuff coverage...but I'm not sure with COVID what else we should look for.  I appreciate your help

Hi luckyfincruiser,

 

Take a look at the Q&A I'm doing here on CruiseCritic:
https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2500-qa-cruise-insurance-with-the-tripinsurancestorecom-june-2021/

 

Steve Dasseos

[Babr]

42 minutes ago, luckyfincruiser said:

Hi All -

I have been combing through posts on this forum and also online.  I think I am more confused than before I started...especially because some posts and advice are pre- vs post- covid.

Where is the best place to gather the basics on what insurance options are ideal for 46 and 47 year old cruisers who cruise with Royal Caribbean 2-3x per year?  I have often bought the Travel Guard policy through Costco travel but in reading the FAQ there I am not sure it is best.  Most important is the med evacuation , really bad stuff coverage...but I'm not sure with COVID what else we should look for.  I appreciate your help!

 

 

Since you travel several times a year, you might be interested in an annual policy because it will be less expensive than two or three individual comprehensive policies. The down side is that they are primarily for medical and evacuation with little or no cancellation coverage. You’d have to depend on credit card travel benefits or be willing to self insure the cost of cancellation.

 

Most comprehensive policies today cover Covid as any other illness. You can search for Covid-friendly polices using the search feature at insuremytrip.com. Just pay attention to the dollar limits and whether it is primary or secondary. Primary will reimburse you without having to file with your regular insurance; whereas secondary will pay expenses left over after your regular insurance pays such as deductibles and co-pays.  You will have to pay for service and file for reimbursement in either case. Primary or secondary is a matter of preference and convenience, for the most part.

Also be sure you understand the pre-existing condition clause and whether it applies to you. A lot of people think they don’t have a pre-existing condition, but any one who takes prescription meds regularly could be affected. A short look-back period lessens the chance of a problem if you forego the pre-existing waiver.

 

Evacuation seems to cause the most concern these days. Any comprehensive policy will pay evacuation expenses up to the dollar limit of the policy. For a Caribbean cruise $50,000 is probably adequate. The problem is that any of these policies will take you to the nearest appropriate facility. They will fly you home only if your condition warrants after you have been treated in the first facility. That transfer requires the concurrence of all doctors involved on both ends and the insurance company. 
 

Nobody is going to fly you home for a positive test alone or even minor symptoms. All of these policies are hospital-to-hospital transfers. If you want more control over the decision, look at MedJet as a supplement to a comprehensive policy. MedJet is evacuation only. It gives you the choice, but there are still stipulations, so check out their website for details and costs.

The Trip Insurance Store has a wealth of information on its website. The owner often answers questions here. That is another good source of information and advice if you choose to contact Steve. He can help you find the right policy and guide you through the claims process if that becomes necessary.

[luckyfincruiser]

On 9/2/2021 at 11:38 AM, Babr said:

Since you travel several times a year, you might be interested in an annual policy because it will be less expensive than two or three individual comprehensive policies. The down side is that they are primarily for medical and evacuation with little or no cancellation coverage. You’d have to depend on credit card travel benefits or be willing to self insure the cost of cancellation.

 

Most comprehensive policies today cover Covid as any other illness. You can search for Covid-friendly polices using the search feature at insuremytrip.com. Just pay attention to the dollar limits and whether it is primary or secondary. Primary will reimburse you without having to file with your regular insurance; whereas secondary will pay expenses left over after your regular insurance pays such as deductibles and co-pays.  You will have to pay for service and file for reimbursement in either case. Primary or secondary is a matter of preference and convenience, for the most part.

Also be sure you understand the pre-existing condition clause and whether it applies to you. A lot of people think they don’t have a pre-existing condition, but any one who takes prescription meds regularly could be affected. A short look-back period lessens the chance of a problem if you forego the pre-existing waiver.

 

Evacuation seems to cause the most concern these days. Any comprehensive policy will pay evacuation expenses up to the dollar limit of the policy. For a Caribbean cruise $50,000 is probably adequate. The problem is that any of these policies will take you to the nearest appropriate facility. They will fly you home only if your condition warrants after you have been treated in the first facility. That transfer requires the concurrence of all doctors involved on both ends and the insurance company. 
 

Nobody is going to fly you home for a positive test alone or even minor symptoms. All of these policies are hospital-to-hospital transfers. If you want more control over the decision, look at MedJet as a supplement to a comprehensive policy. MedJet is evacuation only. It gives you the choice, but there are still stipulations, so check out their website for details and costs.

The Trip Insurance Store has a wealth of information on its website. The owner often answers questions here. That is another good source of information and advice if you choose to contact Steve. He can help you find the right policy and guide you through the claims process if that becomes necessary.

Thanks so much for all of this information.  I really appreciate it!

[luckyfincruiser]

On 9/2/2021 at 11:22 AM, iamtrustworthy said:

Hi luckyfincruiser,

 

Take a look at the Q&A I'm doing here on CruiseCritic:
https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2500-qa-cruise-insurance-with-the-tripinsurancestorecom-june-2021/

 

Steve Dasseos

Thanks!