Trip insurance... is it worth it?

[trout96]

I bought trip insurance for my hubby and my self for our trip. My Mom and Dad are going with us and they did not. My parents are in generally good health until the last month. Mom has been to the ER twice and was very ill. We leave in less than a week. The cost of a 12 day cruise is just not in my budget to loose. However, If they had bought the insurance I think they would have cancelled so I am kinda glad they didn't. It has lead to me having a much closer relationship with God. PLease God let Mom be health enough until we get back!!!!! I will be good! What do I have to promise you.:D :D :D :D

[Fazzdaan]

Our Alaska trip is covered thru Carnival. However since I can't get Fly Aweigh on my military discount for Hawaii in 2009, my sister got me to get in touch with Travel Guard. It was a good thing she did because you only have 15 days to get the coverage after the deposit is made if you want pre-existing condition coverage. The cost worked out to about 8% of the price of the trip, and the coverage is door-to-door. I just need to amend the policy when the air is booked, probably next May, and the insurance price will go up only about $28.00 once that is done.

 

I know that I can get my deposit back anytime until last payment. But paying early and having full coverage on all pre-existing conditions is worth it to us so there is no stress. Plus, between now and then you never know when something may pop up and be a pre-existing condition later even though it doesn't exist now.

[cruiseco]

I got sick on our cruise last year and had to go to the infirmary. We had the insurance, and they still managed to charge me over $20 for Cepacol drops and tylenol! Now is that something the insurance is supposed to cover? I wound up getting actual medication from several fellow CC'ers that were on our cruise. They took better care of me then the woman in the infirmary! ;)

 

But does the insurance cover silly illnesses like that, or just the major stuff?

 

It will cover any type of medical services provided by a doctor, no matter how small. But I think your problem is more of a misunderstanding of how the medical component of the insurance works.

 

In all cases, big or small, you have to pay the doctor and submit the bill upon your return home for reimbursement. It's not like walking into your local clinic or hospital and handing over your Blue Cross card.

[AllyCat81]

It will cover any type of medical services provided by a doctor, no matter how small. But I think your problem is more of a misunderstanding of how the medical component of the insurance works.

 

In all cases, big or small, you have to pay the doctor and submit the bill upon your return home for reimbursement. It's not like walking into your local clinic or hospital and handing over your Blue Cross card.

 

Ohhhhhh that makes sense. See, no one tells me these things! lol

 

Thanks :)

[CruiseQueen13]

Ally - I don't travel w/o it. I NEVER book thru cruiseline though. I use http://tripinsurancestore.com. They are fantastic. Just got a policy for $110 for family of 3!

[Name game]

I have a different insurance question. If you travel prior or after your cruise, do you insure that as well?

[shipshapegal]

do y'all know that you can buy annual policies if you travel alot? we do and i use travelguard.com. covers car trips too! just thought i'd throw that into the pot in case anyone is interested.

 

smiles, b

[Name game]

do y'all know that you can buy annual policies if you travel alot? we do and i use travelguard.com. covers car trips too! just thought i'd throw that into the pot in case anyone is interested.

 

smiles, b

 

I for one did not know that.

[Mysticks1]

We're not booking airfare through the cruise line, we're planning on flying in the day before so we don't have to worry missing the ship.

 

Sometimes one day isn't enough. Remember on 9/11 when all flights in the United States were cancelled for days? All it would take would be a terrorist threat closing a major airport (like Atlanta, New York, Chicago, etc.) for a day for the whole countries air travel to be affected. Where we live you can't go anywhere without going through Atlanta.

The insurance is relatively cheap for the coverage and peace of mind that you get.

[donaldsc]

You need to balance off the things that can go wrong and the odd of them happening, whether you have a problem eating losses, and your need to peace of mind versus the cost of insurance.

 

For example, everyone says that you should have insurance if you cruise during hurricane season. I would like to see the statistics of what percentage of the cruises are cancelled due to hurricanes before I paid for insurance.

 

DON

[cruiseco]

 

For example, everyone says that you should have insurance if you cruise during hurricane season. I would like to see the statistics of what percentage of the cruises are cancelled due to hurricanes before I paid for insurance.

 

DON

 

I think it's not so much how many cruises get cancelled due to hurricanes (if they are the cruise fare is refunded to you anyway). But in a bad hurricane year there could be hundreds or thousands of people who can't get to the ship because of hurricane-related flight cancellations or damage to their own homes. For example, if I lived in south Florida and was taking an Alaska cruise in September I'd definitely worry about not getting to the ship because of a major storm. In this type of case there would be no refund from the cruise line as the ship sailed as scheduled.

[BJHOOSER]

Hi Allycat, GET the insurance, you might be glad you did. I knew nothng of insurance and was going with family members and they told me the same thing. Not knowing what, or why, i did as i was told.

 

I am sure glad i did, I fared a little bit better then the posters on their 12 day cruise as i was only out my things for four days which when they got them to me they were soaking wet.

 

Still no clothes of my own for another two days, only had what i could buy on the ship which for a lady my size was not much. It is a lot of fun to hand wash things on vacation.

 

If you have to buy, from an island don't do as i did. I did not get receipts so it was not covered on my claim, only things with receipts.

 

Both of my suitcases were torn apart and legs off, and zippers broken, out side the clothes were so wet couldn't wear for two more days while they made a trip to the cleaners, expense, and seven days of weariing same clothes with the exception of a tee shirt for day, and a tee shirt for a gown at night.

 

I bought some clothes when we got to first port of call and that was four days later, which were not covered by insurance as i did nto get a receipt. The ship did provide formal wear for me but i was so big i could not fit in a size ten dress.

 

The insurance is so cheap and oh so worth it. Besides paying for the things i had to buy on the ship, and to fix my suitcases, the airliine did send a voucher for two hundred dollars, plus a check for one hundred dollars.

 

I guess you know at that point i wasn't sure i ever wanted to travel with them again. I knew they were not responsible for the weather but i did blame their people who handle the luggage for leaving it sitting out in the rain, yes, i know it because i saw it.

For my upcoming cruise in September i am paying $87 for me and my son only $45 so i do beleive it is worth those few pennies for peace of mind.

 

Good luck to you no matter your decision.

[BJHOOSER]

The insurance company them selves paid for the clothes i had to replace. The airlines only what they were responisble for. The luggage.

 

I hope this all helps

[BJHOOSER]

Allycat, i forgot tot tell you that i booked through a TA and the airfair i did my self so doesn't matter who does it, and the ship you can bet will charge you a lot more, if not double so NO you do not have to get insurance from them. As the other posters said. Get on line by putting in your seach engine, insure my trip, and it will come up and follow it from there. There are a lot of companies to chose from

 

JJMM sorry you didn't make the deadline but if i am not mistaken the only thing you would forfeit would be the pre-existing . I could be wrong so if you have a travel agent ask them. If you have a pre-existing and your cruise is several months down the line you might be able to cancel and rebook but be carefu land check closely as you could end up losing a lot if a certain time frame has gone by. Hope this helps.

[oscar's mom]

BJHooser-love your dog!

As for us we always buy insurance. Just the peace of mind makes it worth it to me.

[Hat Pinz Guy]

We have only cruised a few times, (3) and on our last cruise in April of this year, We had mechanical problems @ 35,000 feet and had to dump fuel, turn around and have a very rough emergency landing at RDU. Its lovely sitting in the emergency landing position and when they actually show you how to open the emergency exit doors. :eek: Long story, Still breathing so let's get to my point. There were no more flights to Miami that day that would get us there in time of the cruise departure. We were going on on the valor for a seven day, by the way. So we were stuck in Raleigh. Due to the passengers bill of rights (joke), American was responsible to get us to our first port. The first port was Grand Cayman, so if we did not have our passport our trip would have been canceled because we could not have flown there. So we actually had to board in Grand Cayman with the lost luggage. The cruise insurance company was wonderful, they actually walked me step by step over the phone on how to fill out the claim and what to include. We had to get a hotel in GCA and meals for 2 days. And we get reimbursed for the 2 days we missed. I know some people go on 30 cruises and never have one issue, But if we didn't on this cruise, We would have had to front about a grand out of pocket. The Valor is wonderful , by the way.

[ata1976]

We bought travel insurance for our Oct 05 cruise and used it. DH pulled a muscle in his shoulder. The infirmary put his arm in a sling and gave him some pain pills and we got a bill for $220 or so.

 

For our last cruise we booked within a month if sailing and didn't get insurance and thankfully didn't use it.

 

Our next cruise is in Sept and I have booked insurance. We will be in Orlando before and after the cruise so I included the dates when I got the quotes for insurance. It was the exact same amount to only insure the cruise and to add the days in Orlando. It was $85 for 3 people.

[Emmabelle]

I have a question. If you have to go to the ship's doctor, I know that you pay for the visit up front, but can you not submit that bill then to your health insurance provider when you get home?