Do I really need travel insurance?

[tvguy]

No, you do not need to buy travel insurance. If you are prepared to take the risk and pay out of pocket if something comes up, you don't need it. Or more importantly, if you already have coverage other places. Check what your credit card company gives you for free. Check your health insurance, especially if you have group coverage. Medical Evacuation and medical insurance is often part of group health plans.
Let's be honest, the Travel Insurance companies KNOW that the premium they charge is going to be more that they have to pay out for most of those with policies, otherwise they would go bankrupt.
Covid turned the Travel Insurance industry upside down, and premiums soared. I am not a fan of Travel Insurance, but at my age 68, I realize the risk of me having a health issue has increased. My employer sponsored plans ALWAYS covered medical evacuation and out of the country medical expenses. I am on Medicare now, which covers NOTHING outside the U.S. However, my Medical Supplement (Part G) does.
As for Medical Evacuation, it depends where you are cruising. I have cruised the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii and New England. Just about the only Medical Evacuation option on those cruises would be the US Coast Guard, which of course is free.

 

[SnowWhite2]

We bought travel insurance for the medical coverage in case we needed it. But, the day we left for the airport earlier this year I found out my dad was in the ER with abdominal pain. 3 days later, the night before embarkation, I cancelled the cruise and went home. My dad was fine until that day. 5 1/2 months later he passed. We eventually got our money back for the cruise. We didn’t lose out any other money since our flights were on Southwest and all other costs at the disembarkation were cancelable. This was a one way cruise. We’ve purchased insurance many times but this time we needed it and I was glad we had it.

My dad was once life flighted out of Cancun to Miami and in the hospital there for over 2 weeks before he could go home. The flight had a dr, nurse and two pilots on board. That had to cost over $100K back in the mid 2000’s. Travel insurance paid it all but $50.

Like everyone is saying…when you need it, you need it!

 

[Doingitagain]

We have annual travel insurance policy. If traveling internationally, we frequently purchase an individual policy to get the extra coverage. We do not purchase it from DCL, because we want it to cover our flights, prestay, etc.

We are also DVC members, and we purchase their policy to cover the dues portion of any points that might be lost, plus a few other coverages that come with it.