Always Have Insurance

[Mara4166]

6 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Just curious as I have had bowel blockage surgery 3 times and I did worry about symptoms happening on a cruise..  You said above that no underlying conditions (is that same as pre existing condition??).  I always thought my blockage would be even though 2017 was the last occurrence.  Haven't considered high blood pressure or AFIB to be as medication/treatment has remained unchanged. We are 78 and 80 and use PVP due to high cost of non cruise insurance.

Not certain about the US, but in the UK insurance companies will use any excuse to not pay out.  If you were to have a stroke on the cruise or kidney issues, insurance could claim it might be associated with High Blood Pressure and not pay.  When getting insurance we mention all medication either of us are taking and all surgeries/ major treatments for at least the last 5 years.  DH had a TIA last year and we will report that as pre-existing forever.  Medical evacuation costs are so high we do not want to take any chance insurance will not cover us.

[Cruise Raider]

On 7/29/2024 at 1:30 PM, Sea Hag said:

I was really happy to have the cancel for any reason some years ago when our cat got sick right before cruise time. Obviously, not a covered reason that would result in a cash refund, but the 100% credit for a future cruise was just as good.

We are cruising so much this coming year that we finally decided that the annual policy was going to save us so much on our insurance premiums.  
But, I must say, that one perk from the Princess insurance I will miss is to be able to cancel for any reason and still receive those FCCs.  When we won’t have have as many cruises planned after this coming year, I will definitely go back to the PVP policy.  
 

[NavyVeteran]

6 hours ago, coo359a2 said:

Just curious as I have had bowel blockage surgery 3 times and I did worry about symptoms happening on a cruise..  You said above that no underlying conditions (is that same as pre existing condition??).  I always thought my blockage would be even though 2017 was the last occurrence.  Haven't considered high blood pressure or AFIB to be as medication/treatment has remained unchanged. We are 78 and 80 and use PVP due to high cost of non cruise insurance.

Read the formal description of Princess Vacation Protection (PVP). The following language is from the policy for departures on or after December 1, 2023, for a resident of Texas. You should look at the exact description for your departure date and residence.

 

Pre-Existing Condition means an illness, disease, or other condition during the sixty (60) day period immediately prior to the Effective Date of Your Certificate for which You, Your Traveling Companion, or a Family Member booked to travel with You: 1) exhibited symptoms that would have caused a typical person to seek care or treatment; or 2) received or received a recommendation for a test, examination, or medical treatment; or 3) took or received a prescription for drugs or medicine. Item (3) of this definition does not apply to a condition that is treated or controlled solely through the taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled without any adjustment or change in the required prescription throughout the sixty (60) day period before the Effective Date of Your Certificate.

 

Note that the Effective Date of Your Certificate is the date that you paid for PVP - not the date you booked your cruise and paid your deposit even if you selected PVP at that time. You have to actually pay the cost of PVP to have coverage (but the cost is fully refundable until final payment). I always pay for PVP when I deposit if DW and I have had no changes in the preceding 60 days. If we have, then I wait until we have 60 days with no changes and pay the cost of PVP then. You can do it anytime between deposit and final payment, so you need to look carefully at the 60 day period before paying.

 

Has your bowel blockage been treated or controlled solely through the taking of prescription drugs or medicine without any adjustment or change in the required prescription throughout the 60 days before you purchased and paid for PVP? If so, you should be OK. If you have had any treatment other than prescription drugs or medicine or any change in prescriptions during the 90 days, then it may not be covered. However, don't take my opinion - read the policy yourself.

 

Also note that the pre-existing conditions exclusion applies to Princess Cruise Cancellation Fee Waiver and to Trip Interruption, Trip Delay, and Accident and Sickness Medical Expense insurance coverage. It does not apply to Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains coverage. They will fly you or your remains under that coverage even if it were caused by a pre-existing condition.

 

[TRLD]

7 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

We are cruising so much this coming year that we finally decided that the annual policy was going to save us so much on our insurance premiums.  
But, I must say, that one perk from the Princess insurance I will miss is to be able to cancel for any reason and still receive those FCCs.  When we won’t have have as many cruises planned after this coming year, I will definitely go back to the PVP policy.  
 

The question is how often you actually used that perk compared to how much additional over the years that you paid for it.

[d9704011]

6 minutes ago, TRLD said:

The question is how often you actually used that perk compared to how much additional over the years that you paid for it.

Well, you could say much the same thing about any type of insurance.

[Cruise Raider]

3 minutes ago, TRLD said:

The question is how often you actually used that perk compared to how much additional over the years that you paid for it.

That’s exactly why we got the annual policy.  We oftentimes discussed that we could use it and keep that in the back of our minds but, have never done so.  
In addition to never using it for the CFAR for FCCs, the annual policy just has better coverage for medical and emergency evacuation.  

[TRLD]

24 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Well, you could say much the same thing about any type of insurance.

Sure. However big difference when talking about the cost of a trip, a few thousand, and medical or evacuation where costs can be a lot more.

 

Also with CFAR you are paying for the ability to cancel for an uncovered reason (in most cases this does not medical, or death of family member or damage to residence) which reduces the times when one really needs it. Making it more of I can cancel if I feel like insurance.

[d9704011]

34 minutes ago, TRLD said:

Sure. However big difference when talking about the cost of a trip, a few thousand, and medical or evacuation where costs can be a lot more.

 

Also with CFAR you are paying for the ability to cancel for an uncovered reason (in most cases this does not medical, or death of family member or damage to residence) which reduces the times when one really needs it. Making it more of I can cancel if I feel like insurance.

So what?  I'd say the likelihood of someboby who purchases CFAR insurance using it is higher than having to make a high-value claim for medical expenses and evacuation.  If somebody wishes to hedge on their vacation by paying for CFAR, that is s risk-based decision only they can make knowing their own circumstances.

[TRLD]

1 minute ago, d9704011 said:

So what?  I'd say the likelihood of someboby who purchases CFAR insurance using it is higher than having to make a high-value claim for medical expenses and evacuation.  If somebody wishes to hedge on their vacation by paying for CFAR, that is s risk-based decision only they can make knowing their own circumstances.

Sure if they want to pay 5% plus of their travel costs or more. Expensive hedge.

[mbglib]

On 7/30/2024 at 3:40 PM, DCThunder said:

I know this will be an unpopular take, so here goes....

 

Someone upthread made the comparison to the ship Medical Department to a free-standing Urgent Care facility.  I think this is a very apt comparison in that the ship or UC can take an X-ray or EKG or dispense/prescribe some RX type meds, but they aren't going to do any "invasive" procedures.  Do they start IVs for instance?  I don't know the policy on that type of thing at either an Urgent Care clinic or the ship medical department.

 

 

I have had two visits to shipboard medical centers where I was severely dehydrated.  They did start ivs.

[Wishing on a star]

On 8/4/2024 at 11:30 AM, coo359a2 said:

Just curious as I have had bowel blockage surgery 3 times and I did worry about symptoms happening on a cruise..  You said above that no underlying conditions (is that same as pre existing condition??).  I always thought my blockage would be even though 2017 was the last occurrence.  Haven't considered high blood pressure or AFIB to be as medication/treatment has remained unchanged. We are 78 and 80 and use PVP due to high cost of non cruise insurance.

If in the U.S., for insurance purposes, a pre-existing condition is any condition that has required any treatment (other than ongoing maintenance meds and things like that) within the look-back period.  If you are in the US and Princess has this policy, you should be good to go.

Some insurance companies have a pre-existing WAIVER, for example, if you get a policy that offers this, and is purchased at the time the initial booking was made on the trip.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

I just received an email that my travel friends claim was approved. It’s funny that I received notice on her part of the claim before I heard about my part of the claim but I’m sure that mine will be approved too. It only took them six days. 

 

I am thankful that this did not happen on a ship because they would have called for a helicopter. I would have messed up the cruise for all of the other passengers. My medallion and my pretty gold necklace arrived a few days ago… I still wished that they had coverage for sadness. 😭