Travel Insurance - Book with Cruise Line or Independent

[bronweis]

I have taken less than ten cruises and now I'm hooked! I am wondering if you all have advice on the trip insurance. Is it always better to book the insurance through the cruise line? 

[NotADopey1]

We usually use an independent company either directly or through a travel agent.  They provide better coverage and usually at a better price.  The cruise line insurance favors the interests of the cruise line.  We also purchase insurance for trips on land or flying if the trip is a large amount of money.  

[CDNPolar]

We book independently and we scour that policy language with more than a fine tooth comb to understand every word.

 

[klfrodo]

I go 3rd party only. The cruise line policy is too low and if you need help, you're on your own. They won't help when it comes time to file a claim. I can only speak of my TA, they don't have a basic understanding of the policy they sell and wouldn't be of any help if I asked them if I should file under Trip Delay or Trip Interruption. Also, the coverage is too low in my opinion.

By going 3rd party (Steve at TripInsuranceStore), he has access to a few different policies that best fit my needs and when it comes time to file a claim, he will gladly assist. He's also been known to intercede on his clients behalf with the insurance company to help clear up any misunderstanding.

[shipgeeks]

Another option is to not buy cruise insurance, or at least to know what might be covered. I'm always curious to read "my insurance didn't cover that, and I assumed it would cover everything".

 

Many people apparently assume that insurance will cover anything that can go wrong. Hospitals in foreign countries frequently require cash or credit card upfront; proof of insurance might not be enough. Coast Guard evac is paid for by our taxes.  Existing credit card might cover loss of luggage. Know what you are buying insurance for.

[Host Kat]

3 hours ago, bronweis said:

I have taken less than ten cruises and now I'm hooked! I am wondering if you all have advice on the trip insurance. Is it always better to book the insurance through the cruise line? 

 

Hello @bronweis!

 

Thank you for your new thread on the Ask a Cruise Question forum! However, it is the forum for general questions regarding cruising. Your inquiry concerns cruise travel insurance and was off topic there. 

 

To help you out, your new thread has been moved to the Cruise/Travel Insurance forum where it will be on topic. The majority of your fellow Cruise Critic members that have cruise insurance questions frequent this forum and receive feedback here. Browse through the thread titles on this forum looking for threads of interest. You will probably find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that may be of interest to you. 

 

The Cruise Critic website and message boards are both great resources for new as well as experienced cruisers, and we are so glad you posted! Please feel free to browse the Cruise Critic Community categories list for the various forums. I suggest you Bookmark the page or put it in your Favorites for quick and easy access in the future. Please read a few threads in the different forums to get a feel for what each forum is about. Make sure you read any pinned threads (aka Stickies) on the top of the first page of threads in most forums. You will find very important instructions or information there.

 

Hope this will be helpful!

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat

[ecs66]

On 5/4/2024 at 10:08 AM, NotADopey1 said:

The cruise line insurance favors the interests of the cruise line.

Yes.  And I'm surprised that people even consider that option.  Disputing a claim with the cruise line's employee is a bit like, "Never argue with a man whose job depends on not being convinced". (Mencken)

 

We buy from at least one private provider.  Sometimes more if the trip is more complicated than normal.

[CDNPolar]

7 hours ago, ecs66 said:

Yes.  And I'm surprised that people even consider that option.  Disputing a claim with the cruise line's employee is a bit like, "Never argue with a man whose job depends on not being convinced". (Mencken)

 

We buy from at least one private provider.  Sometimes more if the trip is more complicated than normal.

 

I have also read that many of the cruise line offered insurance packages do not insure pre and post extensions that you are doing on your own?

 

I think that it is flight there and flight home on the day that the cruise ends?