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

[gumbypee]

wow. Speaking of travel insurance, I've never purchased it. However, I am spending a week in the bahamas (not DCL) and would like to get travel medical insurance. My credit card only covers trip interruption, not medical.

What do most people use? I just got a quote from MEDEX with $500,000 medical coverage, medical evac, and lost luggage -- for under $60. Now, if I add trip cancellation to the policy, it jumps to almost $1000 (I dont want trip cancellation, jsut medical)

For those that DO purchase travel medical insurance, does this seem reasonable or should I look elsewhere?

$1000??? no way, that is ridiculous. $60. sure but I would do higher med coverage

 

[hubbard53]

$1000??? no way, that is ridiculous. $60. sure but I would do higher med coverage

yeah, maybe the cancellation coverage was higher b/c we're just a few weeks out? But i'm not interested in that anyway... I ended up payin $49 for the $500,000 coverage (that's as high as i could get with MEDEX)

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I always buy travel insurance when we travel outside the country. The company my husband works for actually self-insures and we've heard from coworkers of instances where the company's insurance DOES cover medical expenses outside the country. Even knowing this we still buy travel insurance. Why? Because if something should happen for most any reason it's a resource. They will be the there to help us and guide us when we need it & probably not in the best state of mind. And we can rest assured that we will be okay financially. In the grand scheme of vacation expenses, travel insurance is but a small amount to have peace of mind.

I particularly look at medical evacuation coverage, always carry at least half million for that. Towards the end of last year my brother required a medical helicopter ride just over 100 miles right here in the US. The bill for that before they received his insurance info is over $52k. This occurred in mid-November. The insurance company (BCBS) has yet to settle the bill.

If I was the man in the OP's link I would've had my travel insurance: (#1) I could bypass the public hospital & go to the private hospital to be stabilized so that (#2) I could be medivac'd back to Miami for treatment.

 

[yellowfish78]

My FIL passed away while on vacation on a Caribbean island. If it wasn't for the $160 insurance he purchased for the trip, getting him home would have cost my MIL her house. Insurance paid for everything and for that we are thankful.

I think a travel insurance is an investment - on both your vacation and for peace of mind.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

Also note that if you have a pre-existing condition and you want a trip policy, it is cheapest to buy within 7-21 days of making first payment (policies vary on the time limit). Trying to buy a policy close to your departure date (and far from booking date) makes them generally more expensive. When we shopped for insurance I found it interesting that you could even buy year long policies - I guess for those people that do a lot of travel.

 

[MunFam]

Yes, but if you were already covered it is 300 dollars too much...

Knowing exactly what is covered is critical. Posting things like "your insurance might cover this already" is a little misleading. My insurance covers international medical care. It DOES NOT cover trip cancellation, lost luggage, damage to my belongings, emergency evacuation for non-medical related issues. Etc. So yes, it covers my medical bills, but its not JUST medical bills that trip insurance covers and for a few hundred dollars on a $10,000+ trip, I still buy the insurance.

 

[Jennifer Scicchitano]

while in mexico some friends we met got really sick and ended up going to the hospital- they wouldn't even look at her until they gave her 5000$ U.S. they ended up putting it on cc, and whatever cash they had. They called their medical insurance co, and they said they would be reimbursed when they got back, I don't know if that happened but it was super scary.

 

[RRB]

while in mexico some friends we met got really sick and ended up going to the hospital- they wouldn't even look at her until they gave her 5000$ U.S. they ended up putting it on cc, and whatever cash they had. They called their medical insurance co, and they said they would be reimbursed when they got back, I don't know if that happened but it was super scary.

That is scary. BTW, like your avatar! What do you have there?

 

[Danni75]

Knowing exactly what is covered is critical. Posting things like "your insurance might cover this already" is a little misleading.

I take on the remark, which is a fair one. My objective is certainly not to mislead anyone about what they might or not be covered for.

I just find very often people being covered by multiple other policies without even knowing it. I feel it is important to understand what you are paying for, and whether that is adequate for your personal situation.

 

[Starwind]

Not trying to be argumentative, just trying to understand travel insurance as well as medical services when not in the US....
1 - does a person's health insurance NOT cover this type of situation in the Bahamas (or other foreign locations)?
2 - the article didn't say that he asked for a better/private facility than where he was taken. When abroad, are you supposed to request a private medical facility instead of public?
3 - when in a foreign country, how would anyone know where to go and not to go?

Thanks

1. my employer-provided extended health insurance covers up to CAD$100,000 outside my home province, and it is an exception -- many people I know have zero out of country coverage. the government health insurance plan covers upto what the same service would cost in Ontario (which is not much compared to many other places) and you have to pay first and then fight the government to get reimbursed.

2. in many foreign countries, yes, you want o be going to a private hospital not the public hospital. and even then, only if it is a genuine emergency (i.e. you have no choice). Depends on the country or even the part of the country.

3. many travel insurance policies come with an assistance service. So, short of an immediate emergency where you need to get medical care absolutely right away, if you have time to call the assistance service (usually a toll free or collect number available worldwide 24/7) the service will provide you with advice about where to go, including recommended doctors/hospitals/etc; calling also usually kicks in satisfying the requirement that the insurance company be notified (each travel insurance policy will have its own rules about when and how you have to notify them).

One can also research the hospitals in the area one if traveling to, or at least the medical system in the country in general, so you have an idea of what you will be dealing with should you need it.

SW

 

[Starwind]

This. My credit card has insurance for a lot of things. Not everything it doesn't cover me deciding to cancel the trip for anything but medical reasons, death, or the company cancelling. However I'm willing to risk losing the money for the trip on the very rare cases something else would have caused me to not go.

The only one I'm unsure about for my next trip is rental car insurance. I normally don't since my car insurance covers a rental car. However I'm nto sure how that works if I'm renting a car in a foreign country. I'll probably have to call my car insurance and check.

Calling your insurance company is a good idea. e.g. my car insurance covers rental cars only in Canada and the USA and the vehicle is not allowed to be taken into Mexico. No other countries are covered.

SW

 

[Starwind]

Did some checking on the web - looks like BCBS is accepted in the Bahamas and at least 150 foreign countries. You may have to pay for services then ask for reimbursement later and not every single facility accepts it. How about on the ships? Are individual insurance plans accepted for treatment on-board?

My understanding is that the DCL medical facility does not "accept" insurance; you pay up front and get reimbursed. However, your insurance company may be able to make arrangements to make the payment on your behalf.

SW

 

[Jennifer Scicchitano]

That is scary. BTW, like your avatar! What do you have there?

Thanks! a bottle of moet

 

[RRB]

Thanks! a bottle of moet

aaaahhhh. Rose Imperial

 

[tvguy]

Clearly his medical care was mismanaged. THAT was the issue, NOT him not buying Travel Insurance. Why he wasn't airlifted by the U.S. Coast to a Miami Hospital 110-170 miles away is the issue. And that would have been done at no expense to him as a U.S. Citizen.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Clearly his medical care was mismanaged. THAT was the issue, NOT him not buying Travel Insurance. Why he wasn't airlifted by the U.S. Coast to a Miami Hospital 110-170 miles away is the issue. And that would have been done at no expense to him as a U.S. Citizen.

I think at some point I would've sought out the consulate, too. I know if it were me a call back to my parents would be all it takes to get me back state side. I can only think maybe he was thinking he couldn't fly.

 

[bumbershoot]

Travel insurance would have covered the $5000 to get "in the door" of the private hospital that may not have cut him open and possibly found out what was wrong

I doubt it. They might have reimbursed him for it, but they wouldn't have fronted it.

I wonder why the company he was working for didn't cover the expense?

EXACTLY.

"Jake went to Paradise Island to work at an annual poker tournament, as he had in previous years"

DH travels for work, and they take out extra insurance on him when he's out of the country, and it's the same for his European, Japanese, and Indian counterparts when they travel to the US (or any country) on work.

Correction... your BCBS plan apparently covers those locations. Not all BCBS plans cover medical in foreign countries.

Absolutely.

I would've had my travel insurance: (#1) I could bypass the public hospital & go to the private hospital

The private hospital required 5K to get in the door. Travel insurance doesn't give you cash or a credit card. They reimburse.

Clearly his medical care was mismanaged. THAT was the issue, NOT him not buying Travel Insurance.

So very very true.

The story is so odd it's just on the side of rather unbelievable, IMO.

 

[RRB]

Why he wasn't airlifted by the U.S. Coast to a Miami Hospital 110-170 miles away is the issue. And that would have been done at no expense to him as a U.S. Citizen.

Is this correct? No cost for medical airlift?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

The private hospital required 5K to get in the door. Travel insurance doesn't give you cash or a credit card. They reimburse.

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

 

[lanejudy]

Is this correct? No cost for medical airlift?

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!