Cruise Insurance Poll

[Sky Sweet]

Which applies to you?

[flashdog_1]

None of the above. I sometimes use Celebrity's insurance, and other times independent. Because of my age (65) and husband's age (69) we sometimes get a better deal with Celebrity. If the travel agent is offering free or reduced rate insurance thru their office and it beats Celebrity's rate, I use that.

[tuggers]

Travel ins is for people who can't lose the trip and replace it easily. If it would be a financial hardship without the ins, then get it, Otherwise let it go.

[Sky Sweet]

Travel ins is for people who can't lose the trip and replace it easily. If it would be a financial hardship without the ins, then get it, Otherwise let it go.

 

Do you have any idea what it would cost if someone needed to be air lifted, due to a medical emergency, while on a cruise? Keep in mind that many people have health insurance policies that do not provide any coverage outside the United States. Travel insurance is not just about the cost a cruise. Most people take greater risks than that, with their personal financial investments, on a daily basis.

 

You may be fortunate enough to be in a financial position where unexpected emergency medical costs in excess of $100,000 would not be a hardship for you, but the average American earns substantially less than that in a year.

[mechcc]

Do you have any idea what it would cost if someone needed to be air lifted, due to a medical emergency, while on a cruise? Keep in mind that many people have health insurance policies that do not provide any coverage outside the United States. Travel insurance is not just about the cost a cruise. Most people take greater risks than that, with their personal financial investments, on a daily basis.

 

You started a poll, people answered the poll with their honest opinion, and then you attack the opinions and preach all with the title of "Sky Sweet".

[Sky Sweet]

You started a poll, people answered the poll with their honest opinion, and then you attack the opinions and preach all with the title of "Sky Sweet".

 

I was just questioning her comment that insurance is only for people who can't afford to lose the cost of a cruise. There are many people who can afford to lose $10,000 for the cost of a cruise, but not $100,000 for unexpected emergency medical costs if their health insurance policy does not provide coverage outside the United States.

 

Everyone has a different tolerance for risk, but I felt it was important to correct the erroneous information in her post.

[Nancyquilts]

None of the above. We have insurance for medical problems and evacuation only. Nancy

[FinelyCruising]

Medical and evaculation....Those seem to be the amounts that are truly uncontollable expenses that could jeapordize someone. As some have pointed out a cruise has already been paid for, for many it's pointing to the risk relating to medical. For me, I also want to insure for all my belongings, although any instance would be a partial offset, not the value to replace item for item.

[skyview851]

I have debated on posting this earlier, but didn't for various reasons. I think that many people do not understand the value of a good travel insurance, so here's my story. In Feb of this year, DH & I cruised on Zenith. While in Costa Maya, I injured my knee. I went to the ships infirmary, and there was a possible fracture near the knee. I ended up in a cast from toes to thigh. Luckily, this was our next to last day of the cruise, for if it had been earlier in the week, the Doctor said in no uncertain terms that I would not have been allowed to stay on the ship. I would have had to be medevac'd back to Mexico & then made arrangements to fly home to Virginia. My trip insurance would have covered that, who knows how much it would have cost? Once home, I have been to the Orthopedics clinic multiple times, and am still facing possible surgery & definite physical therapy for the next several months. Of course, my medical insurance is picking up most of the tab for all of this, but even then, I have already paid $500 in co-pays for all these visits. Yup, you guessed it, travel insurance will cover that too. No one plans on getting hurt while on vacation, but accidents do happen. For me, my preference is good travel insurance. Bad insurance is a waste of your money, so it is important to research before you buy. This is probably old news to many of you regulars, but for other newbies that might not know this information, I felt like it might be helpful. Just my 2 cents worth.....

[momofmeg]

Travel ins is for people who can't lose the trip and replace it easily. If it would be a financial hardship without the ins, then get it, Otherwise let it go.

 

Travel ins. is also for MEDICIAL EMERGENCIES. If you have to be taken off in a helicopter that is like $60,000 and most medical ins. you have from your job does not cover that-so unless you don't care if you lose a good chunk of your life's savings I recomend the ins.

 

We had a man on our Feb. 11 cruise (his early 40's in age) who had a heart attack and was taken off in a helicopter the first night. Hubby is late 40's I am in my early 50's- we BUY trip insurance.

[MBMiner]

Travel ins is for people who can't lose the trip and replace it easily. If it would be a financial hardship without the ins, then get it, Otherwise let it go.

 

Tuggers - I agree with you entirely, not only for travel insurance, but all types of insurance including auto, homeowners, and medical.

Bruce

[momofmeg]

Tuggers - I agree with you entirely, not only for travel insurance, but all types of insurance including auto, homeowners, and medical.

Bruce

 

My brother inlaw's father had a house paid for and he kept no insurance on it-his cars were paid for and he kept only liability on them. He said it is a gamble EITHER way.

 

Well when BIW's younger brother turned 16-Dad bought LB a trans-am (this was like 25 years ago)-well you guessed LB wrecked that car in less then 3 months-so they lost of a car. Ofcourse good ole Dad could afford the loss.

 

We did the same thing with our daughter except we did not give her a brand new car to drive but a six year old corolla-before she was driving a year she totaled it. Yes we could afford the loss but I sure wish we had just paid the extra $600 a year in premiums. The car was valued at $5000 at the time of the wreck. That could have been a cruise for us! I would have rather had a cruise.

 

Needless to say we replaced the 6 year old corolla with a 10 year old one-and the next time we paid for full coverage. Hindsight is ALWAYS 20-20 I guess.

 

Bye the way we are be sued also-fortunatelly we had a good chunk on that insurance.

[CruiseQueen13]

I always buy from a third party - too expensive thru cruiseline and our coverage is just as good. Ran me about $210 for 5 people!

[Sky Sweet]

Tuggers - I agree with you entirely, not only for travel insurance, but all types of insurance including auto, homeowners, and medical.

Bruce

 

Are you referring to liability insurance for your autos or just collision insurance?

 

Are you referring to liability insurance for your home or just fire insurance?

 

Are your referring to major medical and hospital insurance or just routine doctor visits?

 

I am curious because I would also be willing to take the risk of not having insurance on tangible items, but potential liability issues and unexpected major medical expenses are beyond my comfort level. In fact, we recently raised the insurance deductibles on our home and auto policies to save money on premiums, and bought a substantial umbrella liability policy with the money we saved.

[vaccardi]

We don't get the insurance, but that will change as we get older and we have more health concerns. Its a matter of the risk level one wishes to assume.

[tuggers]

You started a poll, people answered the poll with their honest opinion, and then you attack the opinions and preach all with the title of "Sky Sweet".

 

Unfortunately, that seems to be a theme of some posters on this board. Always stirring, always spoiling for a fight. It is a shame. It takes away from the boards and from the people trying to post and give honest opinions and to be helpful to others.

 

Sorry to say this is a fact of life on chat boards.:(

[momofmeg]

Are you referring to liability insurance for your autos or just collision insurance?

 

Are you referring to liability insurance for your home or just fire insurance?

 

Are your referring to major medical and hospital insurance or just routine doctor visits?

 

I am curious because I would also be willing to take the risk of not having insurance on tangible items, but potential liability issues and unexpected major medical expenses are beyond my comfort level. In fact, we recently raised the insurance deductibles on our home and auto policies to save money on premiums, and bought a substantial umbrella liability policy with the money we saved.

 

Surely he has liability as that is the LAW.

 

I am GLAd we had liability on our daughter for sure-as we are being sued for more then we have-I would have hated to lose my home and savings both.

 

We did the same on our auto ins. as you did after our daughter's car accident-we raised the deductable to $500-our daughter is now 21 and finished with college and looking for a good position in her field, so hopefully SOON she can afford her own auto ins. I know she wants a better, newer car then what she has-when she can afford that-she will get her own ins.

[LMKohler]

Everyone has a different tolerance for risk, but I felt it was important to correct the erroneous information in her post.

 

What erroneous information. You started a poll and asked for people's opinions. Tuggers gave her opinion, nothing erroneous about it. I, personally, always get travel insurance--but that's MY choice. Other people may choose not to and that is what Tuggers was saying, no more or less.

 

I would suggest to just let people give their opinions and leave it at that.

 

Lucy

[Sky Sweet]

Lucy, this is the misinformation that I addressed. The poster in question indicated that the only potential loss from not obtaining travel insurance is the cost of the trip itself, which is not accurate. I agree that she had every right to express her opinion, but when she supported that opinion with erroneous information, she should have realized that someone would notice. As you know, I am not the only poster who noticed her error and commented on it.

[geoherb]

My in-laws found out the value of having travel insurance when my MIL had to be hospitalized on their Mediterranean cruise. She spent three nights in a hospital on Rhodes before being allowed to fly back to the U.S. The insurance company helped tremendously with arrangements for my MIL's hospital stay, my FIL's hotel, and the flights home, including having a student nurse accompany them in case my MIL had any medical problems on the flights.

 

We can afford to lose the cost of the cruise, but I don't think I could afford the cost of what they would have had to pay if anything happened to one of us on a cruise that caused us to be hospitalized. And I would appreciate the help from the insurance company in making arrangements at a time I wouldn't be prepared to do so.

 

My FIL's brother took a gamble and did not buy insurance for a cruise. His wife fell and broke her collar bone and arm. They had to leave their cruise early. They spent a lot of money changing their flights back to the U.S. plus lost the remainder of the cruise cost. Fortunately, they did not have a huge medical bill.

[tuggers]

If it would be a financial hardship without the ins, then get it, Otherwise let it go.

 

I don't really want to get into a tizzy over this with someone, but when I posted the above, I meant ALL the financial hardships that could occur. That is why we buy insurance. That would include the instances which have been pointed out.

 

Insurance is for people who cannot afford the loss that may be incurred. Whatever the loss. I believe this to be a true statement with no erroneous information. That's what insurance is. Period.:)

[CruisingChick]

Keep in mind that many people have health insurance policies that do not provide any coverage outside the United States.

 

Is that really true? I called my health insurance company 2 years ago because I kept reading here on these boards how you are not covered out of the US. The Health Insurance Rep practically laughed at me when I asked if we got sick away from home on a cruise ship or out of the country if we are covered. She said of course you are covered, you are covered no matter where you are.

 

So I don't really buy the fact that so many people aren't covered by their own health insurance policies if they get sick on a trip.

[Sky Sweet]

Is that really true? I called my health insurance company 2 years ago because I kept reading here on these boards how you are not covered out of the US. The Health Insurance Rep practically laughed at me when I asked if we got sick away from home on a cruise ship or out of the country if we are covered. She said of course you are covered, you are covered no matter where you are.

 

So I don't really buy the fact that so many people aren't covered by their own health insurance policies if they get sick on a trip.

 

It depends upon the policy. My health insurance policy provides world wide emergency care, but not all do. I know that Medicare does not provide coverage outside the country and most Medicare Supplementary Insurance plans only provide benefits if Medicare does.

[cruising with marti]

It depends upon the policy. My health insurance policy provides world wide emergency care, but not all do. I know that Medicare does not provide coverage outside the country and most Medicare Supplementary Insurance plans only provide benefits if Medicare does.

 

Well, you got the Medicare correct, it does not cover you outside of the U.S In fact will not cover you on any cruise ship, even if the ship is in U.S. waters

 

 

Phil

[momofmeg]

 

Insurance is for people who cannot afford the loss that may be incurred. Whatever the loss. I believe this to be a true statement with no erroneous information. That's what insurance is. Period.:)

 

 

that is true but it is not just being able to afford that come into it. we felt the same way when we just covered our daughter with liability ins. on the car she was driving-we felt rates were too high for full coverage on her and it was worth the risk. we lost the car-no that did not mean we have starved to death-in fact we actually booked a cruise a few weeks later-we needed the pick up after that happening-but heck instead of buying her another car-I sure would have liked to do something like take a trip to Hawaii or something.

 

 

But in the case of a medical emergency on a cruise ship and having to pay $60,000 out of pocket for a helicopter ride-NOW THAT WOULD HURT-again we would not starve to death but we sure would not be taking any cruises in the future next 20 years-so we could pay that bill.

 

On our last cruise-the trip ins. added less then a $100 to the cost of the cruise- true-it was just a 5 day mini Zenith cruise-but we can blow that small amount of money on one dinner at TGI Fridays-I would rather buy the cruise ins. and have piece of mind and we will do this even when we book pricier cruises. What is a couple of hundred when you have piece of mind? I would book an inside cabin with insurance before I would book a balcony without insurance-I am NOT going to enjoy that balcony if I am worrying.

 

And heck-even if you cruise only in owner's suites- and $60,000 is nothing to you-wouldn't you prefer to spend that money on your kids then on a helicopter ride?