Travel/flight insurance, do I need it?

[JTfromGA]

I am starting to worry, should I? We are on the Carnival Spirit crusing Hawaii, Sept 28-October 10. We cruise homeward to Ensenada, Mexico and then are bused back to the US. Our return flight is from LAX at 2:00. My TA called Carnival and was told LAX flights need to be after 1:00. I have paid for the flight but do I need to worry? Should I get travel insurance? HELP!! :eek:

Janice

[daisykl]

I got it for my trip - I figure better safe than sorry - just make sure you check to see exactly what is covered

[georoc01]

I am starting to worry, should I? We are on the Carnival Spirit crusing Hawaii, Sept 28-October 10. We cruise homeward to Ensenada, Mexico and then are bused back to the US. Our return flight is from LAX at 2:00. My TA called Carnival and was told LAX flights need to be after 1:00. I have paid for the flight but do I need to worry? Should I get travel insurance? HELP!! :eek:

Janice

 

I would in case for whatever reason you miss the boat on the front end. Catching up with the boat in Hawaii wouldn't be cheap.

[Sea Hag]

I used to look at travel insurance as something that I always wanted to get so I wouldn't be out the cost of the cruise if something happened. We did a couple of really cheap last minute cruises where we didn't buy insuance. Then I saw posting here that pointed out the cost of having an emergency evacuation from the ship in case of accident or illnes. Yikes! :eek: I can suck it up about the cost of the cruise, but those emergency evacuation costs would really hurt! Now I think of cruise insurance as a necessity, no matter what the cost of the cruise is.

[DocM4]

My input is DO NOT GO WITHOUT IT! There are just too many things that can happen and you could be out the entire cost of your trip. Not at all worth taking the chance - as the old saying goes "insurance is the best insurance"

 

There have been enough horror stories posted on here that ought to convince you - there is one now on the Princess Thread.

[JTfromGA]

I am not so wooried about the cruise or missing the ship (we will be in Hawaii three days prior), but the flight home from LAX. I am worried of the possibility that Carnival will not get us to the airport at the time they said they will.

[TrentS]

The delays at the border can be lengthy at times... AS can the traffic on I-5 and the 405! Personally I wouldn't fly home that day, I'd spend the night in Los Angeles and take a flight the next morning. If that's not possible at all, then I'd switch to a much later flight.

 

As for insurance, DEFINITELY! No matter when you're flying or where you're cruising.

[JTfromGA]

I would switch flights but my TA purchased the tickets as nonrefundable, nontransferable. So, where would you suggest I get the travel insurance? Should I try Carnival, my TA's agency or an online place? I am such a novice at this. Even though I have cruised and flown before, I have never bought insurance. Any help will be appreciated.

[TrentS]

It may cost a bit more at times, but personally I get it through the cruise line... However if you've gone through a TA then call him/her and let them handle it. They likely have a reputable company they deal with as well.

[JTfromGA]

I appreciate the information. I will be comparing prices and benefits. I do agree that I should have the insurance.

Janice

[DoMoreCruisin]

We added the Travel Protection at the time of our booking with NCL, however at that time we were having NCL book the air transportation for us. Since then, we've decided to book our own air travel. Will the NCL Travel Protection policy still cover any air related claims?

[cmjaffe]

Check out insuremytrip.com for your insurance needs.

Add up all your your out of pocket expenses to use as what you need to cover. Also you never know what may happen to you between Ensenada and crossing the border or if you get hurt on the ship since you may not "technically" be in US waters. By having the insurance you'll be covered for medical as well as the "what ifs".

We've used TravelEx, TravelEx Lite and CSA and have "unfortunately" put in claims.

Had no problems whatsoever.

I believe you'll do better getting the insurance on your own both $$ and coverage wise.

Good luck with your decision.

We even get insurance for our land trips now even when using FF miles to Hawaii since we'd be out of $$ for deposits etc since we travel during high season Xmas/New Years and must get back in time for work/school. If there's weather delays, flight cancellations bags lost we're covered.

[brettsmom2004]

We added the Travel Protection at the time of our booking with NCL, however at that time we were having NCL book the air transportation for us. Since then, we've decided to book our own air travel. Will the NCL Travel Protection policy still cover any air related claims?

 

 

If NCL did not book your air, they will not cover your air related claims. You can probably get air insurance thru the air carrier....

 

gg

[CaribbeanBound]

I always buy travel insurance. It sounds like you need help. I recently posted this on another thread.

 

Here are several important items to consider when buying travel or cruise insurance.

 

1. I agree with cmjaffe... Check out InsureMyTrip.com. This is a really good place to start your search for travel insurance. Simply fill in a few of your travel details and they will present you a great spreadsheet with side-by-side comparisons of the most popular travel insurance policies.
   
2. If you graduated from a University, check out AlumniAbroad.com. They offer alumni access to their comprehensive Travel Insurance Select© policy which may be less expensive than some other policies depending upon your age and total cost of your trip. Along these same lines, check out STATravel.com. They offer insurance to student travelers. Rates are based entirely on the length (number of days) of your trip.
   
3. Always pay for all of your travel arrangements (cruise, hotel, airfare, insurance) with a credit card. There are numerous benefits which include: (a) the potential ability to get back money if any of the travel arrangements failed to deliver, (b) some credit cards offer travel benefits (and secondary insurance) when you use their card, and © a good paper trail when you need to make a claim. Check with your credit card company to get specific details on what they cover.
   
4. Many companies offer two different policies. A premium policy with all the "bells and whistles" and a less expensive alternative with a little less coverage. Buy the policy that fits your needs.
   
5. Make sure your policy includes the following coverages at a minimum: Trip Interruption, Trip Cancellation, Supplier Default (also known as "Financial Default"), a Trip Delay Benefit, and --- depending upon how far away, and remote, your travel --- at least $50,000 worth of Air Evacuation (also called "Medical Evacuation") in the event of a medical emergency. Be sure the Air Evacuation coverage also covers "Repatriation", which pays to get your remains back home.
   
6. Make sure your insurance coverage is considered "Primary". This way if your problem is covered by the policy, the insurance company pays you. Period. You do not want "secondary" coverage wherein you have to submit your claim elsewhere first (like to your Homeowners, Health, or other insurance).
   
7. Make sure your policy is real insurance. Don't get fooled into buying "travel protection" offered by non-insurance companies. These other companies are often fly-by-night outfits who are not governed by the same rules and bonding/reserve requirements that insurers are.
   
8. Do not buy travel protection or insurance issued by your travel agency, airline, or cruise line. There is bound to be some contention here from fellow travelers, but think about why you are buying the insurance. What good is that insurance if the airline, travel agency, or cruise line you are traveling with goes under? You never know. (The one possible exception to this rule is if you pay with a credit card that covers financial default). Now, this is not to say you shouldn't buy your travel insurance from any provider, like your Travel Agent. Just make sure the insurance is independent of the provider. Your Travel Agent will certainly appreciate the small commission they make from selling you the policy.
   
9. Make sure the insurer is rated "A" or higher by AM Best. The highest rating is "A++". Note that A.M. Best only rates the company's financial wherewithal to pay your claims. They do not rate the company's level of service. Ratings and coverages can also differ from state to state.
   
10. Buy the policy within the first 7 to 21 days (or so) from when you make your first trip payment, so that all Pre-Existing Conditions are covered. Check your company's policy on this time window. This way you never have to prove that a pre-exiting condition didn't exist.
    
11. Some policies allow you to pay an extra 40%-50% more for the option to "Cancel For Any Reason". Provided that you cancel your trip more than two days prior to your scheduled departure date, the insurer will typically reimburse you up to 75%-80% of the prepaid, forfeited, non-refundable payments or deposits you paid for your trip. Supporting documentation will be needed. This is best for folks who have family matters which may cause them to have to cancel their trip. If you have concerns that your business may keep you from traveling, look for a policy that offers a "Cancel For Work Reasons" rider. It is less expensive than the "Any Reason" coverage (about 25% - 30% extra). Be sure to read the specific terms and conditions for this coverage. Substantiation will be required.
    
12. Common add-on riders for which you may need to pay extra include: rental car collision insurance, increasing the maximum medical coverage, accidental death insurance due to an airplane crash or other common carrier (taxi, bus, ship), sports coverage, and additional evacuation coverage. Again, get to know the terms, conditions, and exclusions of these riders.
    
13. Read the entire policy before buying. Usually the policy and the exclusions can be found online. Look for a document titled "Evidence of Coverage". Make sure it covers you for any scenario you want covered. This is important because some policies do not cover potentially dangerous activities like scuba diving, bungee jumping, sky diving, and hang gliding.
    
14. While you are reading the policy, don't forget to review the definitions section which dictates how the insurance company defines all of the terms (like family member, medical necessity, and covered trip) and the State Exceptions section which provides any state mandated exceptions and add-ons which may affect your policy.
    
15. Look for carrier exclusions to make sure your cruise, air, or travel operator you are considering is not on their list of excluded companies. Excluded companies are not covered by insurance if they go under.
    
16. Insurance is usually based upon the total cost of your trip (on a per person basis). Be sure to include the cost of your airfare, cruise, or other public transportation as well as any non-refundable deposits for excursions. Some companies (like Travelex) will cover your minor children for free.
    
17. Important: in the event that you do need to make a claim, be sure to collect every receipt and keep them in one place so you can easily find them. Be sure to keep: receipt from Travel Agent with cost of trip, all unused airline tickets and transportation receipts, medical bills, copies of theft or other official reports, and any other pertinent receipts relating to the specific claim.
    
18. I have purposely not mentioned any insurers by name to this point as everyone seems to have a preferred insurer. I like Travelex's (rated "A+") Travelite product and have bought it five times now. Other folks have mentioned Travel Guard (rated "A-"), CSA (rated "A-"), and Travel Insured (rated "B++") for cruise insurance. Please note that A.M. Best ratings are not static. The ratings can and do change over time, and can also vary from one state to another. Be sure to check the current ratings if this is important to you. It is surprising how difficult it can be to actually find the ratings on some companies. (Low rated companies don't like to advertise the fact that they are poorly rated).
    

Cruise & Travel Index for Incredibly Useful Information: http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/useful-info-travel.html

[DoMoreCruisin]

Aloha! Looking for feedback (pro's, con's, past experiences) from CC'ers that have used either Travelex or BerkeleyCare Travel Insurance? Thanks in advance! :)

[cmjaffe]

Used TravelEx... had a claim.. no problems.

Was a bit of a hassle with paperwork though -- but that would be with anything.

They were the cheapest.