If you're on the fence about travel insurance...

[bumbershoot]

Right. So give them a credit card and rest assured it will be reimbursed. No problem.

If he had a cc with 5k on it you don't think he would have handed that over? I don't think he had it. Reimbursement or not, I don't think he had it.

If any of this is true.

 

[jodifla]

We travel a lot, but I only by the insurance when I'm going out of the country. We did end up needing the infirmary on one cruise, and it was so nice that the insurance we bought just handled it all.

 

[RedSox68]

And again: getting insurance is good, but you might well be already covered by your credit card or other insurance policies you may have such as home or health insurance.
Verify your personal conditions to avoid paying for something you don't need.

We have never travelled without it. Our insurance does not cover medical evacuation and that is the main reason we get it -- and trip cancellation coverage for medical or work. My aunt had to use it within one week of sailing after she hurt her leg and got all her monies back ($1,900 worth) and only paid $88 for the insurance! We saw a horror show at CC a decade ago where someone had a heart attack and they had helicopter evacuation and the woman had to sign a guaranty for the $25,000 fee -- they didn't have insurance! It's a great comfort should anything happen and I think it's worth the small amount you pay!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I can't confirm it, though I have heard this information before. BUT I've also been told that there is no guarantee you would get a Coast Guard transfer. Depending on where you are, what your needs are, and what other emergencies the CG is responding to at the moment -- they could dispatch a private helo transfer. So I wouldn't count on a med-evac being free; better to plan not.

Enjoy your cruise!

I'm not sure the Coast Guard would have airlifted him. I believe that would only be for medical evacuation from a ship. If he's on land, and goes to a hospital and needs transportation, it would be on him (and his insurance, if he had evacuation coverage) to be flown elsewhere.

 

[RRB]

From the US Embassy Nassau Bahamas web site......

When a cruise ship must make a detour to drop off an ill passenger, the costs of the detour are passed on to the passenger. These costs, along with after-hours cruise ship fees for medical attention, can quickly add up.

Each medevac company follows different procedures. For example, if it is a helicopter versus a jet pick-up, the patient’s next of kin, if present, may have to decide whether to travel with the patient or give up that right so a medevac nurse can accompany (weight limits become extremely important on helicopters if they must cover a long distance due to limited fuel capacity).

Check if the insurance will cover all or part of the flight, as it may only cover transport to the closest hospital. This may mean being medevaced to somewhere other than the United States or, being taken to a hospital other than where you live. Most medevacs will take you to the nearest hospital, which may not be the hospital of your choice. Due to the urgency of the situation, the most important consideration for the Medevac company or other emergency team is to get the patient to a hospital as quickly as possible. This often means taking the patient to whichever is the closest hospital.

No hospital in The Bahamas has a helipad landing. Therefore, the Medevac plane or helicopter will be forced to land at the airport and then transport the patient by ambulance to the hospital. Please note that the airport is on the opposite side of the New Providence island from where the nearest private hospital with full emergency care services is. Air ambulance pick-up, landing and transport to the emergency room or hospital, therefore, can often take over two hours.

Medevac companies do not normally offer door-to-door service. For The Bahamas, most Medevac companies price quotes, if quoting a Medevac to the U.S. from The Bahamas, usually covers direct transport to Florida. When purchasing insurance, ask if they have a door-to-door policy and what the price difference is, as well as what the maximum amount is that the company will cover in advance of service if payment in cash is required before service.

Medical emergencies at private hospitals in The Bahamas often require payment in cash before rendering services. Find out if the medevac company will pay these for you, or if you are expected to have to pay these costs out of pocket for reimbursement later. If surgery is required, these up-front costs can often surpass $20,000 US dollars. Therefore, when traveling abroad, it is always advisable to carry a credit card with a high remaining balance to ensure you will not become destitute if a medical emergency arises. If you cannot pay in advance of service, you will be transferred to a public hospital.

Normally, a medevac company will work directly with the patient’s regular US physician who will work with the medevac company to establish the relationship with the receiving hospital and physician in the U.S.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

If he had a cc with 5k on it you don't think he would have handed that over? I don't think he had it. Reimbursement or not, I don't think he had it.

If any of this is true.

True. But really, I'd be calling every relative I have.... LOL!

If he was over there working I am curious as to why there was no arrangements for medical care for him. When DH has worked out of the country there's always arrangements by the company for this.

 

[tvguy]

We have never travelled without it. Our insurance does not cover medical evacuation and that is the main reason we get it -- and trip cancellation coverage for medical or work. My aunt had to use it within one week of sailing after she hurt her leg and got all her monies back ($1,900 worth) and only paid $88 for the insurance! We saw a horror show at CC a decade ago where someone had a heart attack and they had helicopter evacuation and the woman had to sign a guaranty for the $25,000 fee -- they didn't have insurance! It's a great comfort should anything happen and I think it's worth the small amount you pay!

You make what is really the most important point, you need to do your homework and find out what your insurance covers.
DW and I work for corporations with thousands of employees, some of whom may travel overseas, so international coverage for healthcare has always been part of our group health insurance. Last time we changed insurance companies, the rep was questioned about that by someone wanting to know how much extra they charged us for that coverage. He said nothing, because on average, medical procedures cost LESS outside the U.S., so the insurance company actually saves money if you get treatment overseas.

Now, if you are on MEDICARE, you NEED to buy international medical coverage because MEDICARE does not cover you outside the U.S.

Now, I did have the sad experience in 2012 of my mom having a stroke 6 weeks before a cruise that she did not buy travel insurance on. I called the travel agent, and she contacted HAL and Alaska Airlines and they refunded her money that day. Travel Agent says that isn't unusual, because not doing so could generate HORRIBLE bad publicity for the cruise line.

Finally, there is no way to measure the value of the peace of mind you get from the insurance.

Having said this, and having done 9 cruises, and trips around the world, I have only purchased Travel Insurance once in my life. It was for a Disney Cruise. I felt the insurance was worth it for the following reasons:
1) The trip was in Winter and cross country so weather could case delays
2) The trip was December 26 to January 3, a peak holiday travel period where heavy demand could cause delays.
3) It was the most expensive trip (by almost double) we have ever taken. I would not be happy about losing my money on a cheaper cruise, but I would be REALLY unhappy if I had lost that much money, so the peace of mind was worth the cost of the insurance.

 

[RedSox68]

TV Guy -- haven't bumped into you lately on other threads. Nice to see ya.