Required Health Insurance?

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Just to answer the question of “who wouldn’t?”.: we have good coverage by booking with a high-fee, high-benefits credit card. Just one circumstance where added insurance isn’t really necessary.

[exlondoner]

35 minutes ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Just to answer the question of “who wouldn’t?”.: we have good coverage by booking with a high-fee, high-benefits credit card. Just one circumstance where added insurance isn’t really necessary.

 

But that is Insurance, just by a different route.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

2 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

But that is Insurance, just by a different route.

Yes…a free one.

[exlondoner]

22 minutes ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Yes…a free one.

 

Didn't you mention a high fee credit card?

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Yes, but it provides more than the fee is worth without thinking about travel insurance, so when I evaluate it, as I do yearly before the fee is charged, I don’t even get to the point of putting the insurance into the pro column. So it does feel free to me.

[lissie]

On 5/4/2022 at 5:56 AM, frankp01 said:

I saw your question about the requirement for insurance. It's not required for those booked through the US, regardless of their citizenship. That's why our British friend had no questions asked at all. What I don't know is, if you're a US resident but booked through a British agency (or the UK Cunard site) whether you'd be required to have said insurance. I think the controlling factor is through which Cunard office you booked (UK vs US). I honestly don't envy Cunard, trying to keep all of the factors straight for each passenger.

 

FWIW, I just did a bit of research and P&O also require insurance prior to sailing. The UK clearly allows that imposition, while the US must not.

It comes down the t&c that you booked under - I checked mine and for Au and NZ its the same as US insurance rec not required . So presumably  I should never book via a UK agent because getting covid insurance for cruises is pretty near impossible here 

[Megabear2]

9 hours ago, lissie said:

It comes down the t&c that you booked under - I checked mine and for Au and NZ its the same as US insurance rec not required . So presumably  I should never book via a UK agent because getting covid insurance for cruises is pretty near impossible here 

Virtually all UK insurance policies offer full covid cover.  The policies cover all eventualities if you get covid or are unable to board as you've been in contact with someone with covid in the 14 days before travel.  

[lissie]

46 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Virtually all UK insurance policies offer full covid cover.  The policies cover all eventualities if you get covid or are unable to board as you've been in contact with someone with covid in the 14 days before travel.  

Lucky  you - we can't even get cover for medical costs (which seems like the least risk given we are triple vaxxed) - I figure that if we test postivie in SF and are denied I'll have 7 days of isolation to figure out how to get  to Barcelona! ) 

[Victoria2]

Like others, we have travel insurance through our bank and the cover, for us,  is the best on the UK market at the moment.  Can't call it free though as the account isn't peanuts but we keep the account for the cover and will continue to do so.

Having been a visitor to QV's medical centre [mini hospital] to see a poorly table companion who was travelling solo, I know how expensive onboard medical bills can be. 

No one knows if you're going to trip up and break a limb,  be in need of emergency treatment or  admitted to the medical centre, so to board a cruise ship without any cover, is asking for an unwelcome hit on the finances. 

[EuropeanAmericanTraveler]

For US travelers, isn't the CunardCare protection option supposed to cover any potential medical expenses on board?

[TheOldBear]

57 minutes ago, EuropeanAmericanTraveler said:

For US travelers, isn't the CunardCare protection option supposed to cover any potential medical expenses on board?

It is not available for many US travelers [e.g. currently not available for New York State residents as it includes 'cancel for any reason' coverage].

 

I also believe that its medical coverage is 'secondary' - they will reimburse costs not covered by 'primary' insurance.

[Back in 2019 with 'secondary' coverage, I needed to go through the motion of submitting a claim I knew would be denied before sending the same claim to my travel insurance carrier. I purchased 'primary coverage for my upcoming trip, but without the 'cancel for any reason ' coverage that is no longer available in New York]

[WestonOne]

I spent quite a while worrying about travel insurance on a trip fairly recently , because the terms and conditions required said it needed to include cover for 'emergency evacuation' and my insurance policy did not include that exact phrase.  Yes, they would take me by helicopter or whatever if I was ill enough - that was clear - but what exactly is covered?  If, for example, I was fine but due to an outbreak the ship decided to terminate its voyage and everyone was disembarked would I be covered?

Many fraught calls with the insurance company later, they sent me a separate cover letter saying such things were covered.  I reached the embarkation desk,  they said "Do you have insurance?"  I replied "Yes" and that was the end of it.

Thinking about it from a more practical level, I doubt if the people at the check-in desks are authorised to refuse entry for such matters.  If I claimed I had insurance, but hadn't, it would be my problem if I needed it, not theirs.   More particularly, they are not trained lawyers prepared to spend time assessing what exactly is and is not covered.  Most policies have a small summary panel saying things like a £10million limit and as long as that meets a threshold, it will be good enough. 
(I have known people turned away from other trips for not having yellow fever certificates when required, though.)

Edited May 17, 2022 by WestonOne

[Poole Boy]

1 hour ago, WestonOne said:

I spent quite a while worrying about travel insurance on a trip fairly recently , because the terms and conditions required said it needed to include cover for 'emergency evacuation' and my insurance policy did not include that exact phrase.  Yes, they would take me by helicopter or whatever if I was ill enough - that was clear - but what exactly is covered?  If, for example, I was fine but due to an outbreak the ship decided to terminate its voyage and everyone was disembarked would I be covered?

Many fraught calls with the insurance company later, they sent me a separate cover letter saying such things were covered.  I reached the embarkation desk,  they said "Do you have insurance?"  I replied "Yes" and that was the end of it.

Thinking about it from a more practical level, I doubt if the people at the check-in desks are authorised to refuse entry for such matters.  If I claimed I had insurance, but hadn't, it would be my problem if I needed it, not theirs.   More particularly, they are not trained lawyers prepared to spend time assessing what exactly is and is not covered.  Most policies have a small summary panel saying things like a £10million limit and as long as that meets a threshold, it will be good enough. 
(I have known people turned away from other trips for not having yellow fever certificates when required, though.)

I did read somewhere on the UK Cunard website, that the check in agent will check that you have Insurance, that has the minimum £2,000,000 medical expences and that it covers all passengers and is in date, and that is it.

 

Check in agents are not insurance specialists , as you say,  if your insurance is not fit for purpose, then that is your problem not Cunards.