How many people get trip insurance?

[MillauFr]

Are you just feeling the need to be argumentative? I'm fully aware of what my policies cover and what they don't; I read the fine print.

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I think the point was that the vast majority of people don't read the fine points and have very little idea what they are covered for. Just reading through the posts here many are confused about what travel insurance covers and what it does not. I think his point was correct that medi-vac doesn't automatically ship you back to the US.

 

[sayhello]

trip cancellation - pay $80 a year on our credit card to have it

medical - my work benefits cover out of country emergencies. Would never leave Canada without coverage.

car rental - get it from our socialized car insurance in our provice. It's a small fee per day.

People I know in Canada & England both have access to way more reasonable coverage like you have.

Most credit cards in the US don't offer trip cancellation coverage - only lost luggage, death and dismemberment, rental car, etc.

Most medical insurance does not cover you outside the USA.

Most car insurance covers you for a rental car. But a lot of people are afraid if they use it for an accident with a rental car, that their rates will go up. Or don't realize they are covered.

Sayhello

 

[ilovetexas]

I think the point was that the vast majority of people don't read the fine points and have very little idea what they are covered for. Just reading through the posts here many are confused about what travel insurance covers and what it does not. I think his point was correct that medi-vac doesn't automatically ship you back to the US.

That's the second time he's quoted my post and contradicted what I said. If he thinks the US Coast Guard is going to relieve him of the financial burden of cruise vacation mishaps he should probably read their fine print. I never said anyone automatically ships you back to the US. I did, however, refute his claim that the US Coast Guard would take care of all your medical evacuation needs, free of charge. It's a misleading thing to imply when giving people advice on travel insurance.

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[barbarasc]

I NEVER EVER leave home (on vacation) with out travel insurance. My insurance coverage that I make sure are covered are; Pre-existing Conditions, Medivac, Medical, Trip Delay, Trip Interruption, baggage, these are the things that are important to my family situation. I have elderly parents at home, my daughter (that travels with us) is severely disabled, I have arrived at my cruise port to find NO ship.

a note on Medivac - it just so happens that my husband is a Medivac pilot for our local hospital. The Coast Guard will transfer you form the ship to the closest medical facility free of charge. THEN if the doctor determines that you need to be moved to the US or closer to home you may be moved via a medivac helicopter or airplane and this is COSTLY! The cost for that aircraft to turn on the engine can start at $15,000 and they haven't even left their home base, the rest of the cost is a per air mile. I make sure we have a at least $500,000 in medivac coverage and I actually prefer 1million in coverage for that service. .....just me 2 cents.

 

[ilovetexas]

I NEVER EVER leave home (on vacation) with out travel insurance. My insurance coverage that I make sure are covered are; Pre-existing Conditions, Medivac, Medical, Trip Delay, Trip Interruption, baggage, these are the things that are important to my family situation. I have elderly parents at home, my daughter (that travels with us) is severely disabled, I have arrived at my cruise port to find NO ship.

a note on Medivac - it just so happens that my husband is a Medivac pilot for our local hospital. The Coast Guard will transfer you form the ship to the closest medical facility free of charge. THEN if the doctor determines that you need to be moved to the US or closer to home you may be moved via a medivac helicopter or airplane and this is COSTLY! The cost for that aircraft to turn on the engine can start at $15,000 and they haven't even left their home base, the rest of the cost is a per air mile. I make sure we have a at least $500,000 in medivac coverage and I actually prefer 1million in coverage for that service. .....just me 2 cents.

^^ This. My family is young and healthy but that's almost scarier, traveling with teens the MAIN thing we have to worry about is accidents.

Plus, more things to consider regarding the medical evacuation coverage:

http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/travel-guard-insurance/medevac/

I would think that more people who travel on DCL would be concerned about an injury while onshore that required hospitalization. What would you do to get your children back home, or yourself if it was your child hurt, if you didn't have medical evac coverage? The ship isn't going to wait for you.

 

[libpetersen]

^^ This. My family is young and healthy but that's almost scarier, traveling with teens the MAIN thing we have to worry about is accidents.

Plus, more things to consider regarding the medical evacuation coverage:

http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/travel-guard-insurance/medevac/

I would think that more people who travel on DCL would be concerned about an injury while onshore that required hospitalization. What would you do to get your children back home, or yourself if it was your child hurt, if you didn't have medical evac coverage? The ship isn't going to wait for you.

We would not go without it, as my husband and I are both trial attorneys. We need the cancellation policies. The best policies must be purchased within days of booking though.

 

[KateMW]

We would not go without it, as my husband and I are both trial attorneys. We need the cancellation policies. The best policies must be purchased within days of booking though.

I bought a policy that covers work related cancelation. My husband is CEO and general counsel of a company that is in the process of selling a part of itself, so we really have no idea what will be happening in a year. It was worth the extra $48 to cover my 10k vacation.

 

[HappyPeach]

Many people have brought up their medical needs as a reason for Travel Insurance. However, what would you do it your mom or dad or immediately family member died right before the cruise. Could you absorb the cost you would lose if you had to cancel?

In addition, the Magic was delayed coming into Galveston yesterday. Many of those people had to change their flights at a very high cost due to no fault of the airlines. Having enough travel insurance would also help with those costs. Also, many travel insurance companies have 24/7 help desks and with one quick phone call, you could have them sit on hold with their airlines making alternative arrangements as well as arranging for a hotel room if needed.

Just something to think about when thinking about whether or not you should purchase travel insurance.

I was booked for the 12 / 29 / 12 Fantasy cruise. 30 minutes from the port, I got the phone call that my mother had died that morning. Devastating. But at least we had trip insurance and will be reimbursed the full cost of that (very expensive, holiday) cruise once we submit the death certificate. What is the saying? We make plans and God laughs? That's why trip insurance is a great idea.

 

[1153rsmith]

We have always gotten trip insurance on the cruise because of the time frame involved and the health of our parents. I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow, let alone 60 days from now. I sure would hate to loose all that money due to a last minute medical emergency. I just consider it the cost of cruising.

 

[1153rsmith]

I was booked for the 12 / 29 / 12 Fantasy cruise. 30 minutes from the port, I got the phone call that my mother had died that morning. Devastating. But at least we had trip insurance and will be reimbursed the full cost of that (very expensive, holiday) cruise once we submit the death certificate. What is the saying? We make plans and God laughs? That's why trip insurance is a great idea.

Oh my, I am very sorry for your loss. That type of situation is exactly why I buy trip insurance.

 

[sayhello]

^^ This. My family is young and healthy but that's almost scarier, traveling with teens the MAIN thing we have to worry about is accidents.

Plus, more things to consider regarding the medical evacuation coverage:

http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/travel-guard-insurance/medevac/

I would think that more people who travel on DCL would be concerned about an injury while onshore that required hospitalization. What would you do to get your children back home, or yourself if it was your child hurt, if you didn't have medical evac coverage? The ship isn't going to wait for you.

This kind of thing happened on a cruise I was on to Nassau. I and a friend did a Segway tour (before the robberies!) and a woman on the cruise fell off her Segway & severely broke her ankle. She was taken to the hospital in Nassau. Her husband got all their belongings, and stayed in Nassau with his wife when the ship left. I don't know if they had trip insurance or not, but I sure hope they did! Not only the costs of her medical treatment, but having to arrange their own way home once she was released from the hospital. And most medical insurance in the US will not cover you outside the US. That had the potential to be a very expensive accident.

Sayhello

 

[cypressmom]

I always buy flight/trip insurance.

 

[Ladyshopper]

I always do......

This time I haven't, yet, and may have a problem (although am hoping not). I was basically waiting to buy it until after next week, as I had a bladder op before Christmas and another next week. Its not serious, just taking something out that was put in before Christmas (nerve stimulator). I just wanted to avoid the complication with insurance so was waiting for that to be out the way.

I now have a lump on my neck, which has been there a month. Have an ultrasound scan on it tomorrow, and keeping everything crossed its nothing serious.

Scan in 16th, my paid in full date is 18th. I won't get the scan results for a week to 10 days. Flight is already bought.

So, am stressing about the scan, have self diagnosed myself with all sorts thanks to google (!!), and am thinking what if.....

Nothing I can do now (except worry of course!). Going to be gutted if I end up losing my money though.

 

[pannm]

we did buy DCL travel insurance, but that is the only time we ever have...even when we go on expensive vacations. We have a primere credit card that covers ALL of our travel/emergency things that come up (as long as we book using that card). Many people don't know about the current insurance(s) that their cc may offer, if you have certain insurance available through your CC company, you do not usually need to buy additional insurance.
My husband got a great Credit Card that offers a LOT of different types of travel insurance (car, health, travel cancelation and so forth), because he travels a lot for work (he always gets re-imbursed, his company never pays his travel expenses upfront). He also got a 'free upgraded health insurance plan' FROM his company that provides it at no extra cost for our entire family, because my DH travels 3-4 times a year for work.
It covers all health costs, accidents, Dr. visits in most countries and areas that we'd ever think of visiting.
The only type of insurance that we don't already have covered for travel is if we need to cancel our cruise. THAT would come out of our own pockets and so we bought the insurance.

 

[bluenosemickey]

According to our finance guy, you should insure against disasters, not inconvenience or minor expenses.

For me, the cost of a cruise for our family of 5 borderlines on a disaster in my mind. Just missing the cruise would be bad enough, but loosing the money too! It would be terrible! Plus the bonus of the added peace of mind also has value to me.

I still shop around though, I use one of the sites recommended here on DIS. Disney and AAA are too pricey for my peace of mind.

 

[manateesmom]

My Primary Care Doctor is from Belize.

Certainly not every medical issue will the U.S. Coast Guard come get you, but I suspect if medical evacaution isn't to that level, iTravel Insurance isn't going to pay for a Private medical evacaution either. Check the fine print. It only covers medically necessary medical evacuation, not evacuation to take you to a hospital you want to go to.

There are plans that cover elective evacuation. MedJetAssist, for example, provides this benefit:

MedjetAssist members are transferred without regard to medical necessity. This means members, as long as they are hospitalized as an inpatient, can choose to be transferred to another hospital, even if the facility they are in is considered adequate. The choice is theirs. It's that simple!

I'm honestly quite surprised by the people who profess to be so sanguine about losing thousands of non-refundable dollars for a vacation. Our family paid $150 to insure a trip worth nearly $5k. I just can't see how the cost-benefit ratio ever tips toward pocketing the cost of dinner but exposing yourself to thousands in losses.

As noted above, there are plenty of unforeseen issues that don't keep you from ever leaving home, but end up occurring mid-cruise or en-route, leaving you away from home with lots of out-of-pocket expenses to get transportation and/or medical treatment. I've budgeted for my planned vacation. I have not budgeted hundreds or thousands on unexpected last-minute flight bookings, buying a new wardrobe if the luggage disappears, or getting out-of-network medical care. I can budget for those things - I can buy $150-200 worth of trip insurance. It seems crazy to me not to.

 

[bluenosemickey]

Well said.

 

[MillauFr]

I just can't see how the cost-benefit ratio ever tips toward pocketing the cost of dinner but exposing yourself to thousands in losses.

Do you really think the insurance companies are losing money? Absolutely not. Travel insurance is one of the most profitable products they sell.

I buy insurance to protect me from catastrophic losses that would bankrupt me. If I have to cancel a $5,000 cruise and am out the money that it is inconvience not a catastrophy. Life will go on and I will get over it in about 5 minutes.