Essentials Travel Protection

[Smitheroo]

1 minute ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Interesting.  How do they define "effective date of coverage?

the date you provide that you want coverage for. I dont know if you can make it before the cruise- like if you are traveling a few days before the cruise. I didnt because that isnt my situation.  My cruise starts 1/12/24  and my effective date of coverage is 1/12/24.    I dont know the details about any other situation than the effective date of coverage is first day of cruise.  That would be a question for an agent.But I am confident that 1st day of cruise would be eligible to be 1st day of effective coverage.

[Smitheroo]

6 hours ago, M4RK said:

I believe the essentials coverage starts at the time you board. So, it includes none of the travel to the port, or any trip cancellation. It is basically to cover medical emergencies.

 

yes, but why would one choose this?   What could be the situation where this type of coverage would be the choice

[Smitheroo]

46 minutes ago, SoloAlaska said:

We aren’t covered outside of Canada but basically the provinces have to fight it out to get the money from each other if you need care outside your province. The problem is when people in one province want to get care in another by choice. This happens in place like my home town which borders two provinces. One has decent care the other has longer wait times etc so people from one try to take advantage of their other, think of it as you should be using in network or pay out of pocket (the network is our province).

 

Agree you don’t nearly as much when traveling outside the US. It also depends on your risk for health concerns and also risk due to activity. 10M is overkill but 100k wouldn’t be enough for a search and rescue extraction, medical care, and a medical flight home but that’s because I do things like multi day hiking in remote areas. I like having 500k in coverage personally but that’s from figuring out what I would need for my risk profile if something catastrophic happens.

Now that is very interesting about coverage by province.  The two people I asked both live in Ontario.  but both were talking in terms of travel.  One couple said they cant travel because of this (which is why I concluded what I did, but the context of the conversation was travel, not what you are describing)  They are quite elderly and its just too expensive for them. The other couple, still seniors, but not as elderly said "yes that is true, we have a travel plan"  In neither case were we discussing bordering areas of a province. That is a different situation. I will ask them to see what they say.   

[cruiser2015]

42 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

I atttached a cut and paste from GeoBlue Voyager Choice Plan to your other comment. You can cancel any time before your effective date of coverage. So if you book on 1/1/24 but the cruise doesnt begin until 8/1/24 you can cancel up until 8/1/24 which is your effective date of coverage.  This only makes sense. Why would you not be able to cancel during a period of time before your coverage starts?  You can do it any way your want to, its your decision but I wanted to point out that  you can cancel  before the cruise happens.

Here's a tricky point about that effective date.

As for the trip cancellation coverage, it's effective when you can't get your money back from the cruise line - essentially final payment date and/or booking date, whichever is later.

So, the trip insurance coverage is liable to you for up tp 4 months for an NCL trip, if you must cancel for, say, medical reasons.

I don't know if all insurance companies will consider the trip start date as the effective date in all circumstances. If they do, they have an exposure potential while their premium may end up being refunded. Of course, if there has been no claim up until the departure date they have no net expense - but the potential was still actually there.

[SoloAlaska]

30 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

Now that is very interesting about coverage by province.  The two people I asked both live in Ontario.  but both were talking in terms of travel.  One couple said they cant travel because of this (which is why I concluded what I did, but the context of the conversation was travel, not what you are describing)  They are quite elderly and its just too expensive for them. The other couple, still seniors, but not as elderly said "yes that is true, we have a travel plan"  In neither case were we discussing bordering areas of a province. That is a different situation. I will ask them to see what they say.   

It could be an issue with a specific condition where one province won’t cover it for another. I’ve actually temporarily lived in other provinces and never had issues and never had a bill. I’ve used a GP to ER without any issues in other provinces. My father ended up with shingles in another province and same thing, no issue at all. Now if your friends are from Quebec that could explain why they may be having issues.

[Smitheroo]

1 minute ago, SoloAlaska said:

It could be an issue with a specific condition where one province won’t cover it for another. I’ve actually temporarily lived in other provinces and never had issues and never had a bill. I’ve used a GP to ER without any issues in other provinces. My father ended up with shingles in another province and same thing, no issue at all. Now if your friends are from Quebec that could explain why they may be having issues.

No, they live in Ontario.    I may have misunderstood them.  The first couple might have meant they are not covered if they go out of province (network) by choice to obtain medical care. I thought she meant that if she went out of the province for any reason. In other words, live in Ontario but going to visit family in Manitoba you woudl need a travel insurance plan. That's what I thought to be outrageous. The topic came up concerning posts I made about a trip to Alaska which is mostly outside of Canada.  Details are important lol.   The other couple may have misunderstood my question and thought I was referring to cruising. Anyway, I have asked them for clarification.

[Smitheroo]

8 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

Here's a tricky point about that effective date.

As for the trip cancellation coverage, it's effective when you can't get your money back from the cruise line - essentially final payment date and/or booking date, whichever is later.

So, the trip insurance coverage is liable to you for up tp 4 months for an NCL trip, if you must cancel for, say, medical reasons.

I don't know if all insurance companies will consider the trip start date as the effective date in all circumstances. If they do, they have an exposure potential while their premium may end up being refunded. Of course, if there has been no claim up until the departure date they have no net expense - but the potential was still actually there.

I'm not following well but if the problem is tying up your money the amount is usually not that significant (except in cases of a family or expensive cruise, I'm always small amounts) Maybe that's not what you meant.

[M4RK]

1 hour ago, Smitheroo said:

yes, but why would one choose this?   What could be the situation where this type of coverage would be the choice

I have bought this before. It is very low cost compared to more coverage. It was on a cruise that I was flying in days ahead of time, and I was healthy and young(er). I only wanted the medical emergency coverage. 

 

It is the same as car insurance (Do you have comprehensive or only collision? Is it $100 deductible or $1000 deductible?)  Sometimes it is best to buy what you need. 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2023 by M4RK

[Smitheroo]

44 minutes ago, M4RK said:

I have bought this before. It is very low cost compared to more coverage. It was on a cruise that I was flying in days ahead of time, and I was healthy and young(er). I only wanted the medical emergency coverage. 

 

It is the same as car insurance (Do you have comprehensive or only collision? Is it $100 deductible or $1000 deductible?)  Sometimes it is best to buy what you need. 

 

 

I guess it would work in the right situation, sure is cheap enough.  

[cruiser2015]

4 hours ago, Smitheroo said:

I'm not following well but if the problem is tying up your money the amount is usually not that significant (except in cases of a family or expensive cruise, I'm always small amounts) Maybe that's not what you meant.

I was basically referring to "effective date".

While coverage for most of what you insure (medical, luggage, delays) begins your first day of travel, cancellation coverage begins when you can no longer get back money you paid.

 

There are several factors that go into the cost of insurance.

Total cost, destination, age of passengers, what features of coverage have been selected.

As for me and my DW, we are in our seventies. What I call decent coverage (not including CFAS), premiums run from about 6% of your trip cost and up.

I just checked insurance that I have now for my January trip. "Effective date" is the day after the premium is paid. I also show the following extract:

 

WHEN AN INSURED'S COVERAGE BEGINS – Provided: (a) coverage has been elected; and (b) the required premium has been paid. All coverage (except Trip Cancellation) will begin on the Scheduled Departure Date when the Insured departs for the first Travel Arrangement (or alternate Travel Arrangement if he/she must use an alternate Travel Arrangement to reach his/her Trip destination) for his/her Trip. Trip Cancellation coverage will begin on the Insured’s Effective Date.

 

So, as to trip cancellation coverage, the policy is in effect when you pay for it and your trip costs are non-refundable.

 

[Smitheroo]

1 hour ago, cruiser2015 said:

I was basically referring to "effective date".

While coverage for most of what you insure (medical, luggage, delays) begins your first day of travel, cancellation coverage begins when you can no longer get back money you paid.

 

There are several factors that go into the cost of insurance.

Total cost, destination, age of passengers, what features of coverage have been selected.

As for me and my DW, we are in our seventies. What I call decent coverage (not including CFAS), premiums run from about 6% of your trip cost and up.

I just checked insurance that I have now for my January trip. "Effective date" is the day after the premium is paid. I also show the following extract:

 

WHEN AN INSURED'S COVERAGE BEGINS – Provided: (a) coverage has been elected; and (b) the required premium has been paid. All coverage (except Trip Cancellation) will begin on the Scheduled Departure Date when the Insured departs for the first Travel Arrangement (or alternate Travel Arrangement if he/she must use an alternate Travel Arrangement to reach his/her Trip destination) for his/her Trip. Trip Cancellation coverage will begin on the Insured’s Effective Date.

 

So, as to trip cancellation coverage, the policy is in effect when you pay for it and your trip costs are non-refundable.

 

Ok, I was mainly talking about effective coverage date of medical insurance.  I get what you mean by effective date of trip cancellation. That makes sense.   I thought the person responding to my post want his medical coverage insurance was non refundable.   Could  have been my error or we were talking apples and oranges.   Also, I've been looking at separate coverage for each.

Edited November 13, 2023 by Smitheroo