Princess insurance or not

[teddie2]

Has anyone purchased the princess insurance and had to use it? If so how was the experience? Am I better off getting my insurance elsewhere? I have purchased insurance for past trips when there has been a substantial amount that would not be refunded. Last trip I only took only medical from Berkshire Hathaway and got all my costs back from a medical issue I had. Most companies I have researched complaints are all the same the companies try not to pay out. I know my credit card covers the trip so maybe that's enough.

[teddie2]

Just looking to hear though others experience 

[LACruiser88]

We always have the Princess insurance as well as a yearly GeoBlue Trekker plan (for international/evacuation coverage).

 

Check out the Cruise Critic Travel Insurance Forum for lots of information, link below...

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2023 by LACruiser88

[c-boy]

past experience say's. Better to have it and not need it then, need it and not have it.

[NebrFarmer]

We had to cancel our 12 day British Isles one week before embarkation.  I took out the Princess Insurance for the first time.  It had been a bad year for me because of a fall.  I don't know if I would use it again.  We just received our fare back this week.  There were so many issues with what they needed.  I had to follow thru with my Doctors.  After everything was received we did get the money.  I have no suggestions except for the cost.  We are on a cruise Nov 4 and I again took out Princess.  If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Jean

[WisCruiser2]

We used to always buy 3rd-party travel insurance (and fortunately never had to use it) but with trying to get back into cruising post-pandemic have gone with Princess, mainly for the Cancel for any Reason. We're Platinum, so we get the 100% back. We recently had to use it when we decided to cancel after final payment - we received our FCCs within a couple of days, as well as the amount refunded directly to our Credit Card. I also always book refundable airline tickets -- either cash or credits.

 

Also, with the Princess insurance, you don't have to pay it until final payment (although you may need to check the Pre-existing Conditions section), so if you cancel before then, you're not out the insurance cost. Cancelling after payment, we of course, didn't get it back but wouldn't have with other insurance either. 

Edited October 24, 2023 by WisCruiser2

[Rick&Jeannie]

5 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

We always have the Princess insurance as well as a yearly GeoBlue Trekker plan (for international/evacuation coverage).

 

5 hours ago, teddie2 said:

Has anyone purchased the princess insurance and had to use it?

We do exactly the same as @LACruiser88...and just recently added MedJet Assist.

 

But to answer the original question posted by @teddie2, yes, we have used the Princess insurance when we literally "missed the boat" in March 2022.  We missed a connecting flight and we would never have reached the ship in time for a transatlantic.  Surprisingly, Princess (AON) covered this with FCCs in full.  I was very surprised.

[Lady Arwen]

In mid August we had to cancel our British Isles cruise for September 5th because our dog became seriously ill and needed emergency surgery.  We had purchased the Princess protection (Platinum level due to our loyalty status) because we liked the CFAR option.
 

 I cancelled and within three days received our refund to our credit card for excursions, our deposit, etc. and in four days we received our FCC for 100% of our cruise fare.  Very prompt.  To be clear, I called our CVP and she took care of that and we took care of our dog.  We were happy in the knowledge that we didn’t have to talk to an agent who we didn’t know or have wait on hold.

 

So, for us the Princess coverage was well worth the money.

[Earthworm Jim]

I see you're from New York. I believe us New York residents can only purchase Princess' At-Ease Waiver Program.

 

"At-Ease Waiver Program. The program offers a cancellation fee waiver as well as baggage protection in a single package, as neither may be purchased separately. This program is not trip interruption insurance and only covers cancellation fees and guest’s baggage while on the cruise, cruisetour or Cruise Plus.*"

 

The regular Princess Vacation Protection that most everyone else can buy we can't get: "Note that Princess Vacation Protection is not available to residents of the state of New York, British Columbia, Quebec, Puerto Rico, or Mexico."

Edited October 25, 2023 by Earthworm Jim

[sailaway2joy]

It’s been awhile but 10 years ago I fell on the Emerald Princess  I had 3 fractures to my fibula and tibia.   Princess doctors reduced the fracture on board and then I was flown home from Aruba two days later.  They arranged the air transportation and made arrangements for a direct admit to our local hospital.  I incurred no out of pocket charges.  What my private insurance did not cover the Princess insurance picked up the tab.  That included some home health aids once discharged from the hospital.  We never forgo the insurance option. 

[teddie2]

Earthworm Jim. Wow that is a real bummer I wonder why!  Thank you.

Yuck then I am stuck trying to find decent insurance. Well at least now I know that. Thanks to all of you who shared their experiences.   

[sunviking90]

2 hours ago, Earthworm Jim said:

I see you're from New York. I believe us New York residents can only purchase Princess' At-Ease Waiver Program.

 

"At-Ease Waiver Program. The program offers a cancellation fee waiver as well as baggage protection in a single package, as neither may be purchased separately. This program is not trip interruption insurance and only covers cancellation fees and guest’s baggage while on the cruise, cruisetour or Cruise Plus.*"

 

The regular Princess Vacation Protection that most everyone else can buy we can't get: "Note that Princess Vacation Protection is not available to residents of the state of New York, British Columbia, Quebec, Puerto Rico, or Mexico."

This restriction must be new for British Columbia. We bought it for our first post Covid cruise in January 2022 and Quebec was the only Canadian restriction at that time.

Edited October 25, 2023 by sunviking90

[rj59]

The advantage of Princess is that they have cancel for any reason, with a certain amount given as a FCC. It's even better if you're Elite, because you get the higher Platinum insurance for the price of the basic plan. Princess handles that aspect of it, rather than the insurance company, which helps. It also depends on your fare, since it's based a percentage of it, 8% or so, so it was dirt-cheap for a $700 14-night to Europe next month. Medical bills on board add up quickly, and medivac would be even more costly, so it's well worth it.

[Cruisintimer]

14 hours ago, teddie2 said:

Has anyone purchased the princess insurance and had to use it? If so how was the experience? Am I better off getting my insurance elsewhere? I have purchased insurance for past trips when there has been a substantial amount that would not be refunded. Last trip I only took only medical from Berkshire Hathaway and got all my costs back from a medical issue I had. Most companies I have researched complaints are all the same the companies try not to pay out. I know my credit card covers the trip so maybe that's enough.

We always purchase the insurance probably because of the many stories we have heard from people who found themselves really needing it due to a medical emergency or cancelation of a cruise.  The ole saying works for us, better safe then sorry.  

[Earthworm Jim]

10 hours ago, teddie2 said:

Earthworm Jim. Wow that is a real bummer I wonder why!  Thank you.

Yuck then I am stuck trying to find decent insurance. Well at least now I know that. Thanks to all of you who shared their experiences.   

 

Finding trip insurance online is easy, and you'll probably get better coverage for the same money that way. I use The Trip Insurance Store, which if you aren't bothered by their amateurish but excellent website, gives you excellent customer service if you have questions or problems. And they prescreen all the companies for you and give you a side by side comparison.

 

Other people prefer Insure My Trip, which I suspect is fine too.

[skrink]

I bought Princess insurance for a 3 week Med cruise in ‘22 with Princess EZAir and used it when my flights home were canceled twice.  I submitted a clean claim with receipts for all hotel and meal expenses.  

 

It took six months and multiple frustrating contacts with Aon and Princess before they paid the claim.  During that time, claim status on Aon’s web portal sat unbudging as “waiting to be processed” (or similar wording).  The only silver lining was that once they finally processed it, they didn’t contest it or require me to jump through additional hoops.  

 

I won’t use Aon or Princess insurance again.

[kmezz]

2 1/2 weeks before final payment Princess tells us that New York residents can’t get their insurance. Anyone else have this problem?

[lx200gps]

3 minutes ago, kmezz said:

2 1/2 weeks before final payment Princess tells us that New York residents can’t get their insurance. Anyone else have this problem?

Princess stopped selling their insurance to residents of NY a year or two ago. The same holds for us residents of the province of Quebec. Local laws apparently.

[voljeep]

Please note that even with 'Princess Aon' "insurance" - if you have onboard charges from the medical center, they will be added to your folio and to be paid/cleared (OBC) when you disembark the ship.

 

A claim can then be filed with any primary or other insurance(s) including Aon

[teddie2]

I have used foursquare to look for trip insurance before. I will say that just about every insurance company I read about the complaints were all the same. The companies drag their heels and make you jump through hoops. Has anyone taken different insurance not from Princess, needed to make a claim and had a good experience?

[Guindalf]

Not!

 

If you want to cover independently-booked flights and hotels as well as more coverage for the price before and after your cruise, you need third party insurance.

 

Try using something like insuremytrip.com for options.

[DCThunder]

2 hours ago, Guindalf said:

Not!

 

If you want to cover independently-booked flights and hotels as well as more coverage for the price before and after your cruise, you need third party insurance.

 

Try using something like insuremytrip.com for options.

If you are a Costco member, check out the comprehensive travel insurance (trip cancellation, medical, and evacuation) that they sell.  It is offered through Cover-More, which is a subsidiary of pf Zurich Insurance.  You can't buy it on-line only by a phone call, (unless you booked through Costco Travel), but the premiums are very reasonable, and the coverage is better than offered through the Princess Platinum plan.

Edited October 25, 2023 by DCThunder

[Alaska05]

2 hours ago, DCThunder said:

If you are a Costco member, check out the comprehensive travel insurance (trip cancellation, medical, and evacuation) that they sell.  It is offered through Cover-More, which is a subsidiary of pf Zurich Insurance.  You can't buy it on-line only by a phone call, (unless you booked through Costco Travel), but the premiums are very reasonable, and the coverage is better than offered through the Princess Platinum plan.

I just looked at this on Costco’s website and got a quote. It didn’t ask for age.  Or do they wait til you call and the price goes up if you’re older?

[DCThunder]

2 hours ago, Alaska05 said:

I just looked at this on Costco’s website and got a quote. It didn’t ask for age.  Or do they wait til you call and the price goes up if you’re older?

Nope.  I've never had them ask for age.

[CruisinFinsUp]

We buy the Princess insurance.  We get the platinum plan as we are elite. 

We've been buying it for a long time because of the CFAR part.   We have elderly parents, and other issues that might require a change in plans, and with CFAR we are protected. 

 

Last year we had to cancel due to one of our travelling party becoming ill.  We were in the 50% penalty period.   Princess refunded the 50% to my credit card within 48 hours of our call to cancel.   

 

AON took about 10 weeks, but they eventually mailed us a cheque for the other 50%.   They didn't want more info, they were just s l o w.   We were covered under the "medical cancellation" so we got cash instead of FCC.   

 

For us, the Princess CFAR is worth it.