Can i buy 2 different cruise insurances?

[vaindioux]

Hi

 

We booked a cruise with MSC, we bought their insurance and it's not that good (I know "Read it first next time"). It's not like it's an arm and a leg, no sweat.

What concerns me more is that we only get $25000 medical each.

Looking around, for not much we can get 10 times that. We can't cancel the insurance provided through MSC.

So the question is "Is it legal to have 2 insurances?". We are in the USA, sailing to the Bahamas and Mexico.

 

Thxs

 

Pat and Kris

[mom says]

29 minutes ago, vaindioux said:

Hi

 

We booked a cruise with MSC, we bought their insurance and it's not that good (I know "Read it first next time"). It's not like it's an arm and a leg, no sweat.

What concerns me more is that we only get $25000 medical each.

Looking around, for not much we can get 10 times that. We can't cancel the insurance provided through MSC.

So the question is "Is it legal to have 2 insurances?". We are in the USA, sailing to the Bahamas and Mexico.

 

Thxs

 

Pat and Kris

It may depend on the country, but I don't think  there's a law against having more than one travel medical policy.  There are laws against filing claims for the same thing on more than one policy. Unless you filed on one policy, exhausted the maximum, then claimed the remaining outstanding balance on the other.

[klfrodo]

Sure it's legal. What you would need to do is ensure you get a policy that is considered "Primary". Your current MSC policy is "Secondary". With the MSC policy, should you file a medical claim with them, they are going to require that show who else your filed with first. Then they will deduct what you have received in the claim and reimburse you any remainder owed.

Check out Get the Best Trip Insurance Details, Advice (tripinsurancestore.com) for any additional coverages you may want now or in the future. Steve is great to work with. I would even encourage that you call them and explain your needs.

 

Edit. Since I see after reading "Mom Says" post that I have no clue what country you reside in, my response may be totally invalid.

Edited September 9, 2023 by klfrodo

[vaindioux]

4 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

Sure it's legal. What you would need to do is ensure you get a policy that is considered "Primary". Your current MSC policy is "Secondary". With the MSC policy, should you file a medical claim with them, they are going to require that show who else your filed with first. Then they will deduct what you have received in the claim and reimburse you any remainder owed.

Check out Get the Best Trip Insurance Details, Advice (tripinsurancestore.com) for any additional coverages you may want now or in the future. Steve is great to work with. I would even encourage that you call them and explain your needs.

 

Edit. Since I see after reading "Mom Says" post that I have no clue what country you reside in, my response may be totally invalid.

I really appreciate the help and will look at your link.

One thing, you and the other poster wrote that you did not know which country I was from but I did write it "USA".

 

Thanks again

 

Pat

[klfrodo]

23 minutes ago, vaindioux said:

I did write it "USA".

 

Thanks again

 

Pat

You're right. My bad. 

[Mary229]

I would recommend using The trip insurance store who you will find in the insurance forum of this website.  Their team will answer all of your questions and if there is an issue help you navigate the claim.  I purchase an annual medical policy through them in addition to any other insurance we may buy 

[jsn55]

Lots of good advice and information here.  This kind of thing is done all the time.  You are very smart to want proper coverage when you travel, and not be faced with a financial disaster. It's not complicated, it's legal and all you have to be concerned with is setting up the new policy correctly.  That will require an experienced insurance agent/broker.  I would suggest you deal with a 'real agency', not some online entity.  But before you proceed, read your MSC coverage carefully and make notes.  If your basic concern is medical, review your personal health insurance equally as carefully to see what it covers.  For instance, Medicare will not cover you out of the country, but your supplemental health insurance might.  My Chase Reserve credit card comes with excellent travel insurance, including emergency evacuation, so your credit card is another good source for you to check also.  It's all a big pain, but I've been through it ... my husband had a nasty accident in Paris 7 years ago, and it was incredibly comforting to have all that support while I waited for his surgery.

Edited September 10, 2023 by jsn55

[vaindioux]

14 hours ago, jsn55 said:

Lots of good advice and information here.  This kind of thing is done all the time.  You are very smart to want proper coverage when you travel, and not be faced with a financial disaster. It's not complicated, it's legal and all you have to be concerned with is setting up the new policy correctly.  That will require an experienced insurance agent/broker.  I would suggest you deal with a 'real agency', not some online entity.  But before you proceed, read your MSC coverage carefully and make notes.  If your basic concern is medical, review your personal health insurance equally as carefully to see what it covers.  For instance, Medicare will not cover you out of the country, but your supplemental health insurance might.  My Chase Reserve credit card comes with excellent travel insurance, including emergency evacuation, so your credit card is another good source for you to check also.  It's all a big pain, but I've been through it ... my husband had a nasty accident in Paris 7 years ago, and it was incredibly comforting to have all that support while I waited for his surgery.

Wow

This is the second extremely helpful answer. I m starting my homework.

 

Thank-you

 

Pat and Kris

[Smitheroo]

On 9/9/2023 at 7:26 PM, mom says said:

It may depend on the country, but I don't think  there's a law against having more than one travel medical policy.  There are laws against filing claims for the same thing on more than one policy. Unless you filed on one policy, exhausted the maximum, then claimed the remaining outstanding balance on the other.

I *think* it would be okay to have two travel insurance policies. Like "mom" said, it would not be okay to make a duplicate claim to each.  Not sure how they determine which would be primary and which would be secondary

[Smitheroo]

On 11/2/2023 at 8:12 AM, Smitheroo said:

I *think* it would be okay to have two travel insurance policies. Like "mom" said, it would not be okay to make a duplicate claim to each.  Not sure how they determine which would be primary and which would be secondary.  

I would like to add if its anything like regular health insurance there is the "coordination of benefits" factor involved.  Sometimes a second policy will only pay up to the amount it would have covered if it had been the first (Primary) policy.  I'm old enough to remember the old time practices of health insurance.  I remember if you had a medical expense and two insurance policies (i.e. you and your spouse are both covered through each of your employers, very often the case decades ago)  You could submit the bill to the first insurance and then the second would pay what the first did not.  That stopped with "coordination of benefits" (  for most insurances, as far as I am aware, I am not an insurance expert) 

[Coral]

I did buy 2 different polices for a trip and used them both, but for different reasons.

 

I planned a trip to Whistler, Canada. Covered the hotel with Allianz (better medical coverage). I broke my wrist in Vancouver (even before getting to Whistler). 

 

About 8 days after my trip in Whistler was going to be over, I booked a cruise from Princess leaving Vancouver  and bought Princess insurance which has low medical amounts but cancel for any reason.

 

I called Allianz after I broke my wrist. I used their coverage to cover hotel in Whistler, hotel in Vancouver while waiting to get home, ER visits, taxi visits, ambulance ride, food, etc... Also, they arranged for a paramedical to escort me home and arranged/paid for those flights. So their insurance paid for trip interruption, trip medical and trip repatriation.

 

I did file a claim with Princess/AON for the cruise portion (trip cancellation). 

 

I wanted Allianz for medical as AON's medical is not much. I did cover Allianz for the dates of the entire trip (land and cruise).

 

Both paid quickly. I was very impressed with Allianz and how quickly they got me home - it was a holiday weekend in Canada (I wanted to have surgery back home as opposed to in Canada).

 

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Coral

[Coral]

On 9/9/2023 at 5:53 PM, vaindioux said:

Hi

 

We booked a cruise with MSC, we bought their insurance and it's not that good (I know "Read it first next time"). It's not like it's an arm and a leg, no sweat.

What concerns me more is that we only get $25000 medical each.

Looking around, for not much we can get 10 times that. We can't cancel the insurance provided through MSC.

So the question is "Is it legal to have 2 insurances?". We are in the USA, sailing to the Bahamas and Mexico.

 

Thxs

 

Pat and Kris

Your thinking is correct. I used $5000 in Canada for ambulance and 2 ER visits (no surgery). $25K will not go far.

 

Yes it is legal to have 2 policies. It is not legal to recieve claim for the same things. You will need to coordinate benefits.

 

Cruise insurance doesn't have high medical limits.

 

What I learned from my trip is that if I am medically stable - I want to travel back to the US for medical care. In my situation - wrist surgery. So  medical repatriation is important. I had a $1 million dollar coverage with Allianz. They paid for 2 business class seats (for me and a Paramedic), a paramedic's pay and his hotel and air back home. So that wasn't that bad. Glad it wasn't an air ambulance.

Edited November 19, 2023 by Coral