A few questions about insurance

[twinkle toes]

We are cruising to Bahamas in July. I notice quite a few posts stating that insurance should be bought instead of taking a chance. I don't want to buy RCCL insurance, but would rather go thru insuremytrip. Since we aren't buying it within the 15 day window of final payment to get the pre-existing condition clause, that isn't an issue. We are all healthy (not traveling with heart, etc. issues). I just want insurance that will cover me if my trip is cancelled, plane is delayed, and a basic medical rider that would supplement my current health insurance. Any ideas? The options seem to be limitless with all the stuff they offer. What is a waste, and what is essential? Thanks in advance.

[eandj]

You might want to look at Travel Guard. We have used one of their policies for our last 2 land trips that allowed us to "build" what we needed/wanted into the policy. Not sure if you can use it for crusies tho. I don't remember which TG policy we used in Jan. for our cruise. We always want to be flown to the hospital of our choice or home, not just the closest when out of the country, so that costs us more.

 

As every policy is "packaged", you just have to find the one that covers what you want for the most competittive price. The price is determined too on the cost of the trip, time you'll be gone and your ages.

 

You can talk to a rep and see which policy they'd rec. Remember the pre excisiting condition would apply to someone you leave at home...an elderly parent that has a problem while you are gone? Would you need to interrupt or cancel your cruise because of an immediate family member's exisitng condition?

[Roz]

Make sure you get insurance that includes medical evacuation.

[ab0si]

Before you decide on buying ANY insurance, may I suggest you consider the following? (focused on U.S. residents' issues)

 

1) All insurance, if properly priced, is going to cost you in the long run (e.g., if you take an infinite number of trips, you will pay more for the insurance than if you merely absorbed the losses yourself).

 

2) All travel "insurance" packages I've sen contain more non-insurance items than "real" insurance. this is important because you will have fewer rights and much less protection for the non-insurance items.

 

3) Make sure you understand what protection you current have through your medical plan, home owners, etc.

 

4) Many travel medical plans are reimbursement plans. So you will still need to come up with the cash to pay the bill and then, one hopes, get reimbursed for all or part of the expenses. Many plans are secondary to any and all other coverage you might have. here are problems with this approach; the must obvious one being a delay in receiving reimbursement, another being spitting contests between the travel insurer and your other coverage (this is most likely to result from an employer's self-funded plan).

 

5) The basic "rule" of insurance is to buy what you need and only what you need. If you can afford the full expense of a loss, it is usually better to NOT buy the insurance. 'better" means a purely financial risk/reward decision; it does not take emotions into account -- only you can decide that issue.

 

 

With that said, my specific input is:

 

a) Make sure you have medical coverage - either through an add-on policy or through whatever medical coverge you already have. Admittedly this is much less important for the Bahamas than if you wre going further afield.

 

b) Make sure the medical evacuation coverage is meaningful. Some policies merely allow for transport to the nearest facility equipped to handle whatever is wrong with you. You will lose on that sort of policy -- I would never recommend such a policy to anyone for any reason, ever.

 

c) The best "insurance" for missed or delayed flights is simply to fly in a day or three early.

 

d) Buy coverage for losses you can not afford and self-cover the losses you can afford.

 

FWIW, I spent 30+ years in the medical insurance field (most of the time developing and pricing products). I have no axe to grind or product to sell and I am no longer in that field. So my advice, while it might be wrong, is not motivated my any direct or indirect financial incentive.

 

Paul

[serendipity1499]

We've mainly used Travelex light for the Caribbean & now using Travel Guard Essential for our Alaska cruise..You can call or e-mail Insure my trip as well as the Insurance Companies directly...We also don't purchase Insurance from the cruise line or Travel Agents

Travelex light is the primary insurer on their policies & Travelguard Essential is only the Secondary Insurer...In other words for a Secondary you must submit claims to your Homeowners or private or Medicare first before travelguard will kick in & pay the Balance..I like Travelguard because they gave us $!00,000 in Evacuation Insurance while travelex light only give $50,000...

Travelex light also permits you to insure a lower portion of your cruise fare than what you paid..We purchased a policy from them for our 26 day Amazon cruise, & decided how mnuch we could afford to lose,..Then we only insured the balance..I'm not sure if Travel Guard permits that..

Enjoy your cruise..:) Betty.

[Jade13]

I don't want to buy RCCL insurance, but would rather go thru insuremytrip. Since we aren't buying it within the 15 day window of final payment to get the pre-existing condition clause, that isn't an issue. quote]

 

Can you buy insurance a month (or week) before your cruise? I thought it had to be bought by final payment (or with x amount of days after final payment?)

[IDKaren]

Either talk to a REAL person or read the policies VERY careful as far as airplane delay/cancellation etc. MOST of them make you have at LEAST a 12 hour delay-some 24 before they will cover. Others flat out do not cover airplane UNLESS they are MECHANICAL or WEATHER related. I found that out the HARD way! Read and re-read:(

[Jade13]

Either talk to a REAL person or read the policies VERY careful as far as airplane delay/cancellation etc. MOST of them make you have at LEAST a 12 hour delay-some 24 before they will cover. Others flat out do not cover airplane UNLESS they are MECHANICAL or WEATHER related. I found that out the HARD way! Read and re-read:(

 

What happened that was not covered?

[IDKaren]

Plane was delayed due to a "loading the food" delay--missed connecting flights- had to book our own to get out on time-NOT covered- NOWWW my DH does not hassle me when I INSIST that we go the day before!:)