Cruise Insurance

[DisSarahK]

I've come to the conclusion that I want to buy cruise insurance for our trip. Buying it through Disney isn't an option because of the state I live in (I don't know why, but they say I can't buy it--which, from what I read, doesn't sound like a great loss.)

However, I'm totally confused by the major cruise insurance comparison sites and I have no clue what I'm looking at. I'm still (just barely) within the 14 days of booking window, so I really need to jump on this...I think.

Here is what I think I want covered...
*reimbursement in case we get confined to our cabin because someone is throwing up/catches norovirus
*coverage for visiting the ship doctor (what would that be called in insurance terms?) (do I really need this?)
*medical evacuation from the ship
*trip cancellation for medical reasons (like if someone gets really sick at the last minute)

Is it reasonable to expect to get this for a $7000 policy for around $200?

 

[mellers]

I've come to the conclusion that I want to buy cruise insurance for our trip. Buying it through Disney isn't an option because of the state I live in (I don't know why, but they say I can't buy it--which, from what I read, doesn't sound like a great loss.)

I'd have to agree with that.

However, I'm totally confused by the major cruise insurance comparison sites and I have no clue what I'm looking at. I'm still (just barely) within the 14 days of booking window, so I really need to jump on this...I think.

Did you try http://www.tripinsurancestore.com/ ? They tend to be the best for a clear overview of what each policy does, and does not cover.

Here is what I think I want covered...
*reimbursement in case we get confined to our cabin because someone is throwing up/catches norovirus
*coverage for visiting the ship doctor (what would that be called in insurance terms?) (do I really need this?)
*medical evacuation from the ship
*trip cancellation for medical reasons (like if someone gets really sick at the last minute)

This sounds like a good, basic overview. I don't think you'll have any problems with any of these, but you might want to specifically ask about cabin confinement--all of the insurance comparison sites have people you can call who can give you a definitive "yes/no".

As to whether or not you need coverage for visiting the ship's doctor, I would say this is a qualified yes if your medical insurance will cover illnesses out of the country, and a certain yes if it won't. Understand that most policies will cover "reasonable and customary" medical expenses out of the country, if they cover any at all. What relationship "reasonable and customary" has to what they actually charge is questionable. Remember, once you board that ship, whether or not you get off it, or travel primarily in the US and Canada, the minute you set foot on the ship, you're in the Bahamas, as far as medical insurance is concerned.

Is it reasonable to expect to get this for a $7000 policy for around $200?

Let's assume you have a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 children, both adults are under 35, and you purchase (for example) TravelInsured insurance (it's got its plusses and minuses--check out Trip Insurance Store, but TravelInsured, Access America or USAA would probably be my recommendations if you have kids, because I believe all three insure kids free.) According to the Trip Insurance Store, you could insure the four of you for about $214, two adults paid, and two kids free. Again, though, I would double-check on cabin confinement, and this does assume you pay a $50 deductible if you see the ship's doctor--not true of some other policies.

Hope that helped.

 

[kcashner]

Coverage to see the ship's doc is generally called medical insurance--your at home policy may or may not cover you outside of the US.

Cost of insurance is based on the age and state of residence of each covered person. Many companies offer one child policy free with a covered adult, so if you are 2A, 2C you could end up with 2 free policies. BE SURE that you list the amount for the adults when you specify coverage. You purchase private insurance on a "per person" amount, but you need to be sure that you cover the "per adult" cost. For instance, your $7000 cruise may be $2500 per adult and $1000 per child. In that case, you want to purchase coverage on the $2500 per person amount in order to fully cover each person. If you cover each person at $1700 (thinking $7000 divided by 4) the adults will be under insured. In reality, you couldn't buy $1700 as it is sold in $500 increments--so you'd have $2000 PP at least.....

There are many good companies; consult your TA and check out insuremytrip.com. We have used Travel Insured International's Worldwide Trip Protector and had GREAT service when we needed to make a small claim.

 

[Floridagram]

I was just signing on here to recommend the tripinsurance website the previous poster mentioned. I just got mine there yesterday and Steve was very helpful and he knows his stuff.

The price you mention sounds reasonable compared to what I paid but if you call them toll free they can assure you. I did a lot of reading before I called and then ended up getting something that I had not really looked at because the kids were free under some policies.

 

[PizzieDuster]

Unfortunately, I did not purchase insurance. Thankfully, I didn't need it but came close. I broke half a tooth off eating an appetizer in Tritons. Thankfully, it didn't cause any nerve damage, no tooth ache. Still had an incident report made with security AFTER demanding it. I was told security was dealing with another incident and would come to my stateroom the next morning. If I needed to see the doctor, it would be a $250 charge. They asked me what time the next day would I be available. I said 10:00 am. At about 11:30 am I had to call and was testy and put off again. Finally around noon someone showed up. They were very good on calling me all day and the next to check on me.

Trip insurance If I needed emergency dental work, it would have had to be done in Cabo!

 

[DisSarahK]

Thank you so much for your help and advice. I called USAA today and bought cruise insurance through them (well, through their vendor) for $150 for the four of us. The policy is by Worldwide Trip Protector and it covers everything I wanted.

 

[mellers]

Thank you so much for your help and advice. I called USAA today and bought cruise insurance through them (well, through their vendor) for $150 for the four of us. The policy is by Worldwide Trip Protector and it covers everything I wanted.

Then thank you (or DH, or your traveling companion), for your (or his, hers, or their) service

 

[DisSarahK]

Then thank you (or DH, or your traveling companion), for your (or his, hers, or their) service

That is so kind of you. It was my grandpa who put in many many years in service to this country. I'm excited that the cruise stops in Ketchikan as that was one of his duty stations and I've only seen it in old slides.

 

[mellers]

That is so kind of you. It was my grandpa who put in many many years in service to this country. I'm excited that the cruise stops in Ketchikan as that was one of his duty stations and I've only seen it in old slides.

If you're interested in the World War II activities in Alaska, you might want to skip the Disney excursions and take a taxi or the trolley tour to the Alaska State Museum. It has a whole section devoted to Alaska's role during WWII. It's a particularly good choice for a tour if Juneau is particularly rainy or foggy, and it's not a good day for sightseeing in general. It's also a good "backup" if a flightseeing or helicopter tour is cancelled.

When we got into Juneau last year, it was raining buckets and none of us felt like doing any outdoor sightseeing, so it was a great choice for us.

We use USAA in much the same way as you--my father served in the Marines during Vietnam--'67-'69. Although he was not a member of the USAA, we also have a soft spot for servicepeople for another reason--my father-in-law was a hero during WWII. He came to the United States at the request of Chiang Kai-Shek, and was the first person to wear a US uniform who was not a US citizen (he was naturalized a couple of weeks later).

He worked in Army Intelligence, behind enemy lines, as a spy. He had a cover story as a journalist, so he could do bomb assessment for the allies. He narrowly escaped toture and death, and earned several commendations for bravery. He had no idea if his parents were alive or dead (they did survive the war).

When he was discharged from the military, despite the fact that he had earned a degree from Johns Hopkins, and had served his country bravely and with honor, he could not get a job. The more polite sneered that he wasn't "suitable" for the job--the blunt would say, "Go home, slant-eye!" Despite his education, the only job he was able to get was working as a Merchant Marine, and, after his son, my husband, was born (when FIL was in his 60s), he decided that, even if it meant taking a less attractive job, he would rather be close to home.

FIL wound up managing a Chinese restaurant. While cleaning the bathrooms, he accidentally mixed bleach and ammonia, passed out, hit his head, and died of a brain aneurysm the next day. My husband was 4 years old.

This is why I try to thank all of the soldiers I know of and see. Given the epidemic homelessness and unemployment among our soldiers, and some discrimination against those who have the misfortune to share physical features or religion with the enemy, when they are loyal Americans, the least I can do is say, "thank you," and treat them better than my FIL was treated.

 

[dreamcruiser]

Another question about trip insurance....we didn't purchase insurance when we paid our deposit. How long do you have to decide you want insurance without a penalty? It's been less than a month since we booked.

 

[mellers]

Another question about trip insurance....we didn't purchase insurance when we paid our deposit. How long do you have to decide you want insurance without a penalty? It's been less than a month since we booked.

It depends on what you need--if you're looking for pre-existing conditions coverage, which I would seriously recommend, you need to buy your insurance right away--you have already lost the pre-existing option on some policies. If you're within 21 days of your initial deposit, you can still by Travel Insured's World Protector policy and get pre-existing conditions coverage, and if you're within 30 days, you can get Travel Insured's World Protector Gold and still get pre-existing conditons coverage, and I'm sure there are other policies from which you can still choose. If you, or one of your traveling companions, is a serviceperson, reservist, or vet, you can get either policy through http://www.usaa.com , and if nobody is, you can purchase the policy (or research other good ones which will give you pre-existing conditons coverage) through http://www.tripinsurancestore.com , http://www.insuremytrip.com , http://www.squaremouth.com/

If you have kids, you might want to check out Travel Insured or Access America, as both their policies (as I recall) allow kids to be insured free--just make sure you insure yourself for the adult rates on the cruise.

Another poster filed a claim against Travel Insured's World Protector, and got a great response. That factored in my decision to buy their coverage for an upcoming cruise.

Please bear in mind, pre-existing conditions coverage isn't just for you and your traveling companions--for example, if your mother is sick, and you might conceivably have to cut your trip short or not go because you need to take care of her, her pre-existing conditions count too, and you could be out the cost of the cruise because her pre-existing conditions are not covered.

This appears to be true of DCL's insurance as well--I would call and check, if you want more information.

Another thing to remember about later purchases of insurance--if something happens between now and then, it may not be covered. One person on another thread (it was awhile ago) found that her traveling companion had developed breast cancer, and they had not bought insurance yet. This put them in a bad spot, because they now had a pre-existing condition, where they hadn't before. DCL purchases your insurance when you make your last payment (as I recall--always best to call and verify), which means if something comes up between now and then, even if you didn't have a pre-existing condition before you booked the cruise, you do now, and it will be excluded.

If you are really in trouble, and can meet the "no turn for the worse" clause at some point, even if you have waited quite awhile to purchase insurance, if you are not scheduled for surgery or barred from travel at some point before the day after your final payment, you can still purchase CSA insurance and get pre-existing conditions coverage. They will cover pre-existing conditions up to 24 hours after your final payment, but you will pay for the privilege--it is more expensive than other options.

Whatever insurance you decide to purchase, I hope you have a wonderful trip and no need to use it.