Insurance. What do you use? Insurance through DVC?

[Brian Noble]

For incremerntal costs (travel delay, etc.) I self-insure. Those costs are not back-breaking, so I am willing to absorb them to avoid paying a premium to sell the (otherwise acceptable) risk. In the long run, I should come out ahead unless i am unusually unlucky. But even if I am unlucky, I can absorb the costs. I'm wiling to bet on the actuaries being right about all of this. I am sometimes covered by this or that credit card, but not always, and I've probably neglected to file a claim here or there.

I do always have international health coverage (my employer offers a pay-as-you-go version for personal travel), and I will buy insurance for e.g. a cruise or a vacation package once the non-refundable costs start creeping into five figures.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I can confirm Travelex covered my baggage delay for a flight booked on points. It paid out what the airline and my CSR didn't to make me whole. I was very satisfied. The longest part of the process was waiting for Travelex to confirm I took the trip from DVC and the correct UYs were covered.

That’s great to hear.

 

[VGCgroupie]

So going through all these various insurance T&C's and I see cruise is mentioned various times within the DVC insurance. They aren't open for me to verify with them what exactly this means and I dont read legalese very well. If you are staying DVC pre and post cruise is there a chance the insurance covers the cruise? Like medical evacuation etc? If so then the DVC insurance is very well worth it.

Has anyone ever asked if DVC insurance covers cruising?

I did see the preexisting conditions clause states you have to buy DVC insurance BEFORE you pay your MF. I paid my MF well before they were due so I guess if I wanted DVC insurance I screwed myself on that one.

 

[VGCgroupie]

So going through all these various insurance T&C's and I see cruise is mentioned various times within the DVC insurance. They aren't open for me to verify with them what exactly this means and I dont read legalese very well. If you are staying DVC pre and post cruise is there a chance the insurance covers the cruise? Like medical evacuation etc? If so then the DVC insurance is very well worth it.

Has anyone ever asked if DVC insurance covers cruising?

I did see the preexisting conditions clause states you have to buy DVC insurance BEFORE you pay your MF. I paid my MF well before they were due so I guess if I wanted DVC insurance I screwed myself on that one.

So now Im thinking they possibly mentioned cruising in the event that you use DVC to swap into a cruise..

 

[VGCgroupie]

Still in my insurance rabbit hole. But wanted to share some of what I found out.

DVC insurance
If you do an exchange for your cruise with points your cruise is covered. They provide a much higher evacuation coverage amount than DCL insurance. So in the future when comparing booking a cruise cash/swap/exchange I will factor in DVC insurance cruise coverage as part of my dollar to dollar comparison for the cruise cost. $121 is much cheaper than any other insurance for a cruise I have found.

RE: The 3 day after paying dues and signing up for the insurance pre-existing condition waiver. If you pre pay your dues but sign up when dues are still "due" then you qualify for the waiver.

They cover boarding your pet as part of their travel delay benefits. This one is pretty rare and pretty cool. Especially since I pay $120 a day to board my dogs while we are gone. The benefit isnt enough to cover my dogs bougie penthouses but it would cover some of it which is nice.

Trips booked prior to signing up are still covered.

American Express Platinum insurance.
If you don't pay for the entire flight with the platinum they don't cover anything. They possibly wont even cover a 1 way flight (I didnt dig deeper into this)

They do provide medical evacuation if you pay part of your cruise with the card. One stipulation is you must use the Amex hotline to order your evacuation to be covered. I cant imagine in any scenario where we need medical evacuation that we are able to stop and be like "lets call Amex" So that is basically a non coverage for me.

 

[juliebee]

I know this wasn't your question, but I will mention an experience I had on a DCL cruise when I had to utilize their medical services. I did an ocean kayaking adventure and wore myself out and got dehydrated. Later back on board, I started feeling off at dinner and ended up passing out. I didn't revive quickly and they transported me to the medical center. They put an IV in me for fluids, ran blood work, and did an EKG. I was in the medical center for a few hours and felt better after the IV fluids, everything else was normal. Immediately, I was dreading the cost and regretting not getting travel insurance. They wanted me to check in with the nurse the next day and I did and asked about the cost then. They said the doctor would have to fill out some info and they didn't have the cost yet. Next day was departure day... and I was never charged a penny. It was a huge blessing. So, that said, I'll always get insurance on a cruise from now on. I've been given grace by Disney Cruise Line already and don't want to push my luck again.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I know this wasn't your question, but I will mention an experience I had on a DCL cruise when I had to utilize their medical services. I did an ocean kayaking adventure and wore myself out and got dehydrated. Later back on board, I started feeling off at dinner and ended up passing out. I didn't revive quickly and they transported me to the medical center. They put an IV in me for fluids, ran blood work, and did an EKG. I was in the medical center for a few hours and felt better after the IV fluids, everything else was normal. Immediately, I was dreading the cost and regretting not getting travel insurance. They wanted me to check in with the nurse the next day and I did and asked about the cost then. They said the doctor would have to fill out some info and they didn't have the cost yet. Next day was departure day... and I was never charged a penny. It was a huge blessing. So, that said, I'll always get insurance on a cruise from now on. I've been given grace by Disney Cruise Line already and don't want to push my luck again.

Glad everything was okay. Wow on not getting a bill. Just shows you that things can and do happen. My husband is saying "what can really happen" and leaning no additional insurance but you never know.

 

[CarolynFH]

Glad everything was okay. Wow on not getting a bill. Just shows you that things can and do happen. My husband is saying "what can really happen" and leaning no additional insurance but you never know.

When traveling internationally, including cruises, we always make sure we have extra coverage for medical care and evacuation, just in case. The Chase CC we use for travel has good coverage for trip delay, lost luggage, etc., so we’ve been buying medical and evacuation only from American Express (an AmEx CC account isn’t required). The cost is amazingly low.

 

[VGCgroupie]

When traveling internationally, including cruises, we always make sure we have extra coverage for medical care and evacuation, just in case. The Chase CC we use for travel has good coverage for trip delay, lost luggage, etc., so we’ve been buying medical and evacuation only from American Express (an AmEx CC account isn’t required). The cost is amazingly low.

I had no idea Amex had just medical and evac. I will have to find that to compare the cost.

 

[CarolynFH]

I had no idea Amex had just medical and evac. I will have to find that to compare the cost.

They let you pick and choose exactly what coverage you want. So if you want coverage for other issues you can buy that too.

 

[Girlstar30]

I know this wasn't your question, but I will mention an experience I had on a DCL cruise when I had to utilize their medical services. I did an ocean kayaking adventure and wore myself out and got dehydrated. Later back on board, I started feeling off at dinner and ended up passing out. I didn't revive quickly and they transported me to the medical center. They put an IV in me for fluids, ran blood work, and did an EKG. I was in the medical center for a few hours and felt better after the IV fluids, everything else was normal. Immediately, I was dreading the cost and regretting not getting travel insurance. They wanted me to check in with the nurse the next day and I did and asked about the cost then. They said the doctor would have to fill out some info and they didn't have the cost yet. Next day was departure day... and I was never charged a penny. It was a huge blessing. So, that said, I'll always get insurance on a cruise from now on. I've been given grace by Disney Cruise Line already and don't want to push my luck again.

Wow this is amazing, they are def not this lenient when youre trying to get out of a port excursion for being sick, have to pay up to see the doc, which was more than the excursion in my cousin's scenario

Im glad everything worked out for you! Ive seen Disney do medical miracles! On one of our cruises an elderly man was choking and the head server performed cpr and saved him! Same thing at Beach club, cpr and life saved! I always say If I have a medical emergency, I hope im at Disney

 

[Girlstar30]

Still in my insurance rabbit hole. But wanted to share some of what I found out.

DVC insurance
If you do an exchange for your cruise with points your cruise is covered. They provide a much higher evacuation coverage amount than DCL insurance. So in the future when comparing booking a cruise cash/swap/exchange I will factor in DVC insurance cruise coverage as part of my dollar to dollar comparison for the cruise cost. $121 is much cheaper than any other insurance for a cruise I have found.

RE: The 3 day after paying dues and signing up for the insurance pre-existing condition waiver. If you pre pay your dues but sign up when dues are still "due" then you qualify for the waiver.

They cover boarding your pet as part of their travel delay benefits. This one is pretty rare and pretty cool. Especially since I pay $120 a day to board my dogs while we are gone. The benefit isnt enough to cover my dogs bougie penthouses but it would cover some of it which is nice.

Trips booked prior to signing up are still covered.

American Express Platinum insurance.
If you don't pay for the entire flight with the platinum they don't cover anything. They possibly wont even cover a 1 way flight (I didnt dig deeper into this)

They do provide medical evacuation if you pay part of your cruise with the card. One stipulation is you must use the Amex hotline to order your evacuation to be covered. I cant imagine in any scenario where we need medical evacuation that we are able to stop and be like "lets call Amex" So that is basically a non coverage for me.

Sorry i am blanking out, what is the name of the dvc insurance that covers the MF?

There is none that covers points and mf im assuming because I guess everyone values points differently

 

[PolyRob]

Sorry i am blanking out, what is the name of the dvc insurance that covers the MF?

There is none that covers points and mf im assuming because I guess everyone values points differently

The DVC insurance is provided via Travelex. It covers dues if you can't use the points. That's it.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Sorry i am blanking out, what is the name of the dvc insurance that covers the MF?

There is none that covers points and mf im assuming because I guess everyone values points differently

It’s on the DVC site under my vacation then travel insurance. I actually don’t think it’s all that bad. I will possibly get it. It’s unfortunate that it’s per UY.

 

[juliebee]

It’s on the DVC site under my vacation then travel insurance. I actually don’t think it’s all that bad. I will possibly get it. It’s unfortunate that it’s per UY.

that is a selling point to keeping one use year

 

[Sandisw]

that is a selling point to keeping one use year

You can have one membership…but it’s based on the points used.

So, if I have a trip with both 2025 and 2026 IY points. I have to pay for it for both my 2025 and 2026 UY.

Once you purchase, all trips with those points get used and so if you buy every year, then it ends up covering all trips.

But, those of us with more than one membership, will have to buy it for each one.

 

[VGCgroupie]

You can have one membership…but it’s based on the points used.

So, if I have a trip with both 2025 and 2026 IY points. I have to pay for it for both my 2025 and 2026 UY.

Once you purchase, all trips with those points get used and so if you buy every year, then it ends up covering all trips.

But, those of us with more than one membership, will have to buy it for each one.

That is a down side. So if you use banked, current and borrowed points you have to pay for the insurance for 3 years. But if you plan to continually buy it it’s not as big of a deal. I haven’t fully decided yet if I want it. If I had one membership it would be a no brainer for me since I have so many points.