Travel insurance/buy it or not

[Pegs222]

If anybody has read the thread this far, and isn't yet convinced to buy trip insurance, there's no hope for you.

 

I've seen people comment about how they are so healthy, nothing could ever happen, not worried about themselves, etc, etc, etc. There are millions who die every year who thought the same thing about 2 seconds before they died, were seriously injured, or developed severe medical conditions. Medivac by a medical transport plane can cost in the tens of thousands (think $50,000). Do you want treatment in a dingy, ill equipped, 3rd world hospital, or do you want to go home? Do you do hazardous things on a cruise, like jet ski, ride scooters, parasailing? What if you are hurt bad? How about a bad wreck at home the day before, or day of, your cruise? The perils are many, but the solution is easy. Just figure in the cost with your cruise budget and buy the coverage. I don't know if I'm allowed to post a web page address here, but you can find good travel insurance on the Internet.

 

Just do it!

 

Ken

 

 

Great thoughts Ken, Between Travel Insurance and Passports, I will never understand why we have to have this constant battle trying to convince posters that they need both. It should be just a given.

[Shutterlady]

Can you still purchase the insurance once your final payment has been made?

[Sprocket]

A few weeks ago while on a camping trip my 18 month old granddaughter fell backward off the picnic table was knocked unconscious and had a grand mal seizure. Luckily, camping with them was on off duty fireman who took control of the situation, got them to a local fire hall and an air ambulance was dispatched and they transported Makenna and DD to Children's Hospital. Very scary, for everyone.

 

We always buy insurance, I am covered under DH's plan, my own plan and we buy a yearly policy that covers us worldwide. Paranoid, perhaps but my brother in law had a heart attack at 54 and had a stent put in. He also snapped an achilles tendon at a badminton tournament in California about 15 years ago.... no insurance. He got himself on a plane and flew home. Insurance is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

[richkinkade]

It's not a given. It's a bad buy for most people. Of course, unlike Cracker Ken, I don't work for insurance companies.

[popcorngal]

It's not a given. It's a bad buy for most people. Of course, unlike Cracker Ken, I don't work for insurance companies.

 

I'm sorry, but I really must disagree. Several years back, DH and I, his mom and his brother and SIL headed off for a cruise. His dad, didn't like to cruise and stayed home. Halfway through the cruise we received a frantic call from his out of state brother that their dad had passed away and we needed to get home ASAP. Next stop for the cruise was Ocho Rios. Carnival helped us make all the arrangements to be transported to Montego Bay and catch a flight home. Of course we had to pay everything up front, but it wasn't more than a couple of weeks and we were totally reimbursed for everything, including the remaining days of the cruise.

 

The next year we decided to try it all again, and MIL fell and broke her hip two weeks before the cruise. Other than feeling like we definitely shouldn't be cruising, ever, we got a total refund very quickly.

 

I would not even consider booking a cruise without the insurance. For the small cost, it's simply not worth taking the risk.

[jessemon]

There is an old saying about insurance.......

It is better to have it and not need it.....

Then to need it and not have it......;)

[DocF]

If you can pay, out of pocket with no chance of reimbursement, expenses running in to the many tens of thousands, then skip the trip insurance. If you can afford to eat the cost of a cancellation account of health issues two days before departure, then skip the trip insurance. If you know with 100% certainty that you and your spouse are never going to have a medical emergency, then skip the trip insurance. If your 88 year old mother will live forever, then skip the trip insurance.

 

For those of us who live in the real world, we cannot afford to eat the amount of money that we would if anything untoward were to happen. That is why I, a notorious cheapskate, always buy trip insurance.

 

Doc:rolleyes:

[jff50]

It's not a given. It's a bad buy for most people. Of course, unlike Cracker Ken, I don't work for insurance companies.

This is exactly right. Unless you think that the anecdotal stories of many of the people that post here have more credibility than a publication like Consumer Reports.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money/insurance/travel-insurance-5-07/overview/0507_travel_ov.htm

 

I'll rely on Consumer Reports (an independent organization that does a pretty good job of research to support it's conclusions) over those that make blanket statements like "If anybody has read the thread this far, and isn't yet convinced to buy trip insurance, there's no hope for you."

 

Personally, I think that those who use anecdotes on these boards to try to convince others that everyone needs travel insurance do a disservice to people that come onto these boards looking for information. It doesn't help to tell someone that they should spend the money to buy travel insurance, without knowing what coverage they have elsewhere.

 

Travel insurance is undoubtedly a good buy for some people. But for many/most some or all of the protection purchased duplicates other coverage. I wouldn't pretend to know whether anyone else needs/does not need travel insurance--but then again, I don't pretend to be clairvoyant like those that claim that everyone needs it.

 

I'd suggest that people looking at whether or not they should buy travel insurance should know what their risks are (overseas medical, evacuation, trip cancellation), which of these are already insured, and whether the remaining ones should be insured. I think that the Consumer Reports article is a good place to start.

 

Of course, if anyone can cite another article by an independent, well respected organization that makes a case for everyone needing travel insurance--that would be worth looking into. I just doubt that one exists

[Pegs222]

If you can pay, out of pocket with no chance of reimbursement, expenses running in to the many tens of thousands, then skip the trip insurance. If you can afford to eat the cost of a cancellation account of health issues two days before departure, then skip the trip insurance. If you know with 100% certainty that you and your spouse are never going to have a medical emergency, then skip the trip insurance. If your 88 year old mother will live forever, then skip the trip insurance.

 

For those of us who live in the real world, we cannot afford to eat the amount of money that we would if anything untoward were to happen.

 

That is why I, a notorious cheapskate, always buy trip insurance.

 

Doc:rolleyes:

 

You and the many on this board like you HAVE A BRAIN, and use it. Do the other people not have health insurance? Do the other people not have life insurance? Would these same people not want to protect their children? If anyone could answer no to any of these questions then I can see why you would not want to buy the very inexpensive insurance for a cruise.

[PA Dutchman]

Medivac by a medical transport plane or coast guard from the ship can cost in the tens of thousands. Seen this happen 3 times in our years cruiseing , we never go without insurance. To many things can go wrong. So far we have been lucky but you never know.

[jff50]

You and the many on this board like you HAVE A BRAIN, and use it. Do the other people not have health insurance? Do the other people not have life insurance? Would these same people not want to protect their children? If anyone could answer no to any of these questions then I can see why you would not want to buy the very inexpensive insurance for a cruise.

Well thought out. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: If you can't make a cogent argument, imply that those who disagree with you don't have/use a brain.

 

I haven't seen anyone make an argument against insurance for overseas medical or evacuation--just arguments against overinsurance. Unless you know what other protection other posters have, maybe you should avoid such blanket statements.

[LHP]

To 95% of the people I would speak with about cruising, I would recommend they purchase the insurance.

 

Today's health insurance (in many cases) may not cover huge expenses out of the country if they happen. An individual has to know their policy. Most people don't know what all the fine print says...so they should cover themselves.

 

That being said, we have only purchased insurance once. That was for a 2 week trip to Alaska with nonrefundable hotels while traveling during a holiday week and a one week cruise.

 

(You see the list of cruises below.) Hubby travels all over the world for his job, so his health insurance does cover us for any event ... any where. If one of us dies, our insurance will get us back.

 

We have taken as many as 5 cruises in a one year period of time. So at this point, we are basically self insuring ourselves against the loss of a cruise.

 

I only have one brother whose funeral I would attend. They always know where we are and his wife will just hold the funeral until we get back.

 

Lost luggage, again we have saved enough over the years of not buying insurance to self insure for that event.

 

Health/death is covered. Events at home are covered. Cruise cancellation is covered. Luggage is covered.

 

However, we are the exception.

 

1. Most people do not cruise enough to self insure.

2. Most health coverage is not that extensive.

3. Most people have family and extended family that they are either responsible for or would need to respond to in an emergency.

4. The cost is worth folks not having to worry about it!

 

So, yes. If you cruise occasionally...buy the insurance.

 

Now the hard part, so far we have heard the "yes we bought...we needed it and it worked" posts. But as we all know, there have been as many stories on here of where insurance did not do anything. When the barge hit the Fantasy in New Orleans....many folks posted that they had insurance and did not get one dime of reimbursement for their troubles. The claims were denied.

The insurance companies did not reimburse for the cruise because Carnival refunded all the cruise cost. The insurance companies did not reimburse for the hotel and meals that first day because Carnival allowed folks to stay on the ship that first night and fed them for free. The insurance companies did not reimburse for airline tickets...because those tickets were used. (just not for the purpose it was intended) Carnival paid the money to have airline tickets changed. So according to the insurance company (one represented on insuremytrip) these folks were not out any money...therefore the claim was denied.

 

So...while I say yes to insurance, you can't have your blinders on at the time you buy it...or you are wasting your money.

[ruskatab]

We always buy the insurance and never really thought much about until our cruise in August and we saw the Coast guard come out and pick up a child with appendicitis. I cant even imagine how much that would cost on top of the medical bill on the ship. I will continue to get the insurance.

[travelingirl70]

I can honestly say, I am a believer in travel insurance. I started buying it after DH got certified in SCUBA. I wanted it for emergency medical evacuation more so than the trip interruption, cancellation, etc. Thankfully, we haven't needed it for medical purposes, but we have filed claims on two trips this year.

 

First trip with insurance - Carnival Miracle February 2007. Our flights home were canceled due to a storm in the northeast. The airline told me it would be 3 days before we could get out of Tampa. I used the emergency trip reservation service who found me another filght that evening to an airport about 3 hours away from where I live. United wouldn't transfer my ticket, so I had to pay for it out of pocket. Total cost of insurance $152. Total amount refunded $1685.

 

Second trip with insurance - Atlantis, Paradise Island August 2007. My husband's 52 year old uncle died suddenly a few days before the trip. The funeral was scheduled for the day we were supposed to fly out. With insurance, I was able to move our flights and we just shortened our trip by a day. Total cost of insurance $192.00. Total amount to be refunded $1500.

 

We are a young, healthy couple with young, healthy parents. The likelihood of us having an emergency that required trip cancellation or interruption always seemed so remote. It just goes to show you, you never know what can happen. My trip insurance has paid for itself many, many times over. I will always buy it from now on.

[Pegs222]

Well thought out. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: If you can't make a cogent argument, imply that those who disagree with you don't have/use a brain.

 

I haven't seen anyone make an argument against insurance for overseas medical or evacuation--just arguments against overinsurance. Unless you know what other protection other posters have, maybe you should avoid such blanket statements.

 

Your right, and I do apologize. I just do not understand why anyone would think that their insurance would benefit them on a cruise. It would not pay for the cruise if someone became ill, or worse died. It would not pay for someone that lost their luggage because of the airlines.There are so many reasons IMHO that their insurance would not pay for when on a cruise by your personal insurance that I believe it would be a huge risk and a risk that I do not understand why anyone would want to take. I am not alone on this, but I do not speak for anyone but me. Again, I apologize for my very rude remark.

[covkid]

We allways get travel insurance, have seen too many people taken off the ship for one thing and another. Allways use Travel Guard, they have several different policies so one can allways find one to suit.:o

[OneQT]

I believe in the concept of insurance, but unless you cancel immediately you are locked in, which sucked, cause I found cheaper insurance elsewhere.

 

Bottom line, if you decide to, do your cost comparision research!

[jff50]

Your right, and I do apologize. I just do not understand why anyone would think that their insurance would benefit them on a cruise. It would not pay for the cruise if someone became ill, or worse died. It would not pay for someone that lost their luggage because of the airlines.There are so many reasons IMHO that their insurance would not pay for when on a cruise by your personal insurance that I believe it would be a huge risk and a risk that I do not understand why anyone would want to take. I am not alone on this, but I do not speak for anyone but me. Again, I apologize for my very rude remark.

I can only speak to my situation--

 

I have overseas medical coverage and evacuation insurance through my employer. If I did not have this coverage, I would be looking at insurance to cover this risk (but probably nothing else).

 

Cancellation coverage is only meaningful if I have to cancel on/near the last minute. If I need to cancel with more notice, I get all/almost all my money back. If I bought travel insurance, I wouldn't get that back. While I would prefer not to have to forfeit the cost of the cruise, I could. In fact, if I had to cancel and forfeit some/all of my cruise fare, I'd still save money since I wouldn't have all the expenses I incur on the cruise. Since the likelihood of my having to cancel at the last minute is extremely small, it is not worth spending money to insure.

 

According to Consumer Reports, airlines are required to reimburse for lost bags and the limit was raised to $3,000/passenger in February. That is enough for me.

 

If I didn't have overseas medical/evacuation coverage, or had significant potential for having to cancel at the last minute--I would reconsider. But, for now, I am making an informed decision (not out of stubborness or ignorance) to go without travel insurance. So far, I have saved enough in premiums to pay for an additional cruise or 2.

 

According to Consumer Reports, most people that buy travel insurance don't need any/all of the coverage they buy. Even so, if buying it provides a level of comfort that is worth the cost, it is probably money well spent--even if it is not the best decision from a risk standpoint.

[nimbex1970]

Different reason;

 

supposed to cruise on saturday...... had a house fire eliminate almost everything, passports, legal documents and savings in the interm while we're rebuilding.

 

yes, we could have gotten birth certif. in the mail asap. no drivers license, ss cards.... we are in no position financially, mentally or in our house to leave, after taking a week off in this crisis. plus ten thousand reasons more. (plus this one was without the kids, won't leave 'em now to save my life). The amount of up front cash to rent, move, do laundry, salvage services, eating out (sorry, can't cook when your remaining pots are charred and finding them and cleaning them is not a priority). Then the time spend cleaning black smoke off your little remains... anyway...

 

Three weeks ago, I would have never though this could happen to me. IT DID, the insurance gave us all my $$ back. The lack of travel docs did not cover me, the house fire did.

 

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT LIFE WILL BRING, be prepared.

[monlyba]

i've only gone on one cruise so far, and am trying currently to pick/plan our wedding cruise for next year. we didn't get the insurance last November for our first cruise. my mom is a cruise sales agent and didn't strongly recommend it to us, but basically gave us the "risk" info. that cruise was fairly cheap so we felt it would be ok, and luckily it was. my parents cruise often and they always get the insurance at least for my dad, as he has medical issues that could cause him to get sick right before or during a trip. my mom probably figures if he gets sick and can't go, she'll still go, with a friend taking his place! we'll definitely get it once i pick a wedding cruise... it will be a very important (and expensive!) trip and i would hate for unforseen circumstances to ruin it.

[Cracker Ken]

There was a remark made earlier in the thread about me that I take exception to. The remark inferred that I was pushing trip insurance because I'm in the insurance business. Nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, I don't sell insurance, never have, never will. The insurance company I work for doesn't sell, handle, or adjust trip/travel insurance policies or claims. My response has nothing whatsoever to do with my occupation, other than the fact that I'm well aware of risks and perils, and how people can be negatively effected by the lack of insurance when needed. I'm just a retired law enforcement officer trying to make a living investigating fraudulent insurance claims. No hidden agenda's here. Perhaps it's my background, but I don't tend to see the world through rose colored glasses, and I'm a realist.

 

I know what the trip insurance covers, and what it doesn't. I know what my credit card covers, and what it doesn't. I know what my homeowners insurance will cover, and what it doesn't, and I'm aware of what airlines will pay for baggage. We still buy trip insurance because there are perils (expensive ones at that) for which I have no other coverage.

 

It appears that some of you are very fortunate and have financial independence and or wealth, and that's great. I'm proud of you. No problem there. If you can financial handle the various contengencies without worries, that is fine, and insurance would indeed be a waste of your money. However, it appears as though the abundance of us are not, and we cannot afford to take huge financial hits. Even though it's important, losing the cruise fare is the lesser of my worries when it comes to trip related financial concerns. Medivac, medical air transport back to the US, medical treatment while out of the country (no, my company doesn't provide insurance for that sort of thing), and related costs, are a major concern.

 

Some of the arguments made against trip insurance here on this thread could be transposed to automobile or homeowners insurance, if you want to get technical about it.

 

I always recall those threads that keep popping up, where folks are asking "Bla bla bla happened to us, and we cannot get our money back, what can we do?" Most are in a position where they have two choices - file a trip insurance claim with a policy they obviously don't have, or eat it. I wonder if they will get trip insurance next time?

 

One thing for sure - there are plenty of view points on this thread to help someone make up their minds about this, and that's great.

 

Buy trip insurance, or don't - It doesn't bother me one way or the other.:)

 

Ken

[Pegs222]

Different reason;

 

supposed to cruise on saturday...... had a house fire eliminate almost everything, passports, legal documents and savings in the interm while we're rebuilding.

 

yes, we could have gotten birth certif. in the mail asap. no drivers license, ss cards.... we are in no position financially, mentally or in our house to leave, after taking a week off in this crisis. plus ten thousand reasons more. (plus this one was without the kids, won't leave 'em now to save my life). The amount of up front cash to rent, move, do laundry, salvage services, eating out (sorry, can't cook when your remaining pots are charred and finding them and cleaning them is not a priority). Then the time spend cleaning black smoke off your little remains... anyway...

 

Three weeks ago, I would have never though this could happen to me. IT DID, the insurance gave us all my $$ back. The lack of travel docs did not cover me, the house fire did.

 

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT LIFE WILL BRING, be prepared.

 

I can't even imagine what you have gone though. I am so happy that you are safe and that hopefully one day you will be back in your home.

 

This is what I have been trying to tell everyone, you just never know what could happen. I would never risk my fabulous trip, never.

[jff50]

There was a remark made earlier in the thread about me that I take exception to. The remark inferred that I was pushing trip insurance because I'm in the insurance business.

...

One thing for sure - there are plenty of view points on this thread to help someone make up their minds about this, and that's great.

 

Buy trip insurance, or don't - It doesn't bother me one way or the other.:)

 

Ken

FYI--Some people may take exception to your statement "If anybody has read the thread this far, and isn't yet convinced to buy trip insurance, there's no hope for you."

 

But good to see that you recognize other viewpoints.

[Cages2000]

I never buy it, I'll take my changes. They would not sell it to you unless they made money on it, ie-they pay out less on claims then they get $ coming in. If I ever do have to cancel a trip, I know I'll be out the $. But, spending $200 to $400 per trip adds up and I figure I'll come out in better shape in the long run by not purchasing it. So far, have never regretted my decisions.

 

There are certain circumstances where I would understand purchasing it. If you had a medical condition that may prevent the trip or had a sick family member. I can also understand why a TA would always recomend the insurance as they would never want to tell somebody "I'm sorry but you're out of luck".

[nimbex1970]

I've used insurance twice in 9 cruises, both times were unusual circumstances. So I've learned for us we need it.... they're going to increase our premiums if this keeps up:rolleyes:

 

With my odds of using the insurance, I'll happily pay it and consider the fees an excellent waste of $$ if I don't use it:D

 

To each their own. I just hate reading threads of people who are out serious amounts of $$ because they didn't get it, or don't seek treatment they needed. It seems like a horrible experience to learn from, wish people didn't have to go through that.