Should the cruise lines require travel insurance to sail with them?

[71 Truck]

This is a follow up to a post I did back in February 2020 titled:

( Could the cruise industry make travel insurance mandatory?)
https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...mandatory-up-date-page-two-8-10-2020.3790928/

This was what I posted at the time.

"In light of what is happening around the world with the Coronavirus and other illnesses (flu, Norovirus, etc) that people may contract prior to going on a cruise vacation, could the cruise industry make travel insurance mandatory?

The cruise industry could mandate insurance either through them or from a third party with proof at time of on line check in prior to boarding. With people spending thousands of dollars on their cruise they may not be as forthcoming with information of an illness prior to boarding the ships due to the fact they do not want to lose their money invested in their vacation. Families may spend years saving and I am sure many if not most can't afford to just walk away from that kind of investment; and some may not even realize the importantance of the insurance if this is their first trip or just don't want to spend the extra on the coverage (i.e. "we'll take a chance").

Over the last 19 years of going on cruises my wife and I have always purchased travel insurance mostly for the medical/medical evacuation portion of the policy. We live and cruise out of central Florida so even though the policy offers other benefits, the above mentioned is the most important to us.

Do you think this could happen?"

So this is my question now:
Over the last four years since I posted this question I have seen on the news and read more and more stories of how people are either stranded in a foreign country needing medical care and not being able to leave the hospital till payment is made in full, or needing a very expensive a medical evacuation home, or not being able to disembark a cruise ship till the medical center bill is paid in full.

Then you read or see on the news about how the family's with the help of others either max out credit cards or start a on line funding campaign to raise money to pay the bill.

My wife and I always purchase travel insurance with the coverage we feel is best for our needs. Even though the coverage covers non medical related issues that can develop before or during a trip the biggest thing we want covered are for medical related issues including medical evacuation.

So my question would still be should cruise lines require people sailing with them to purchase travel insurance either through them or through a third party and if through a third party provide proof of minimum medical coverage before boarding the ship?

 

[lanejudy]

I’m not seeing much incentive for the cruiselines to want to enforce something like mandatory insurance. Except for onboard medical, which typically must be paid in full and later reimbursed by insurance, none of your scenarios directly impact the cruiseline. Passengers stranded, big hospital bills, expensive evacuations — why should a cruiseline get involved?

Maybe they could do more to educate passengers, but I don’t necessarily see that as the cruiseline’s responsibility.

 

[Travel60]

Requiring insurance would be very "nanny state" and we are not there yet. Inform, educate, encourage, offer policies. Ultimately people have to live with their decisions.

 

[71 Truck]

I’m not seeing much incentive for the cruiselines to want to enforce something like mandatory insurance. Except for onboard medical, which typically must be paid in full and later reimbursed by insurance, none of your scenarios directly impact the cruiseline. Passengers stranded, big hospital bills, expensive evacuations — why should a cruiseline get involved?

Maybe they could do more to educate passengers, but I don’t necessarily see that as the cruiseline’s responsibility.

I think maybe for the PR aspect of it.
Every time I see or read a story It usually starts with "XXXXX cruise line" making it seam like to a non cruise person that the cruise line is some how kind of at fault even though they are not.

This also reminds me of when people take non sponsored excursions or go off on there own and are left behind by the ship when they don't return in time for sailing, then blame the cruise line for not waiting for them.

 

[71 Truck]

Requiring insurance would be very "nanny state" and we are not there yet. Inform, educate, encourage, offer policies. Ultimately people have to live with their decisions.

This is very true however we do have certain circumstances where if you want to own or do something insurance is required.

Education is also be a very big part it. Making people understand the possible issues that can be avoided by having insurance is important.

With that said it is still always "XXXXX cruise line" when I see or read the stories on the news.

 

[Girl of the South]

DCL offers insurance. I think that’s enough on their part. I haven’t read the multi page Contract of Carriage but I’m sure it says that you are responsible for you. If DCL required it, they could build the cost into the fare.

I am looking at renting a car to drive around Iceland next year, and the rental price includes insurance.

 

[tvguy]

Short answer, no. Simply because many people either have other insurance that covers them, or they have the financial resources to cover expenses themselves. Check you group health insurance, and ALSO check if your credit card offers this coverage for free, it you pay for the entire trip with that card. So it should remain optional. If you want it or need it, buy it. If you don't, then don't buy it.
My situation has changed since I went on Medicare. My primary insurance (Medicare) does not cover ANYTHING outside the U.S. However, my Medicare supplemental insurance covers 80% of expenses outside the U.S. Prior to that my group insurance going back as far as I can remember covered me everywhere in the world including medical evacuation. At one of our group insurance briefings after my employer changed insurance companies, the insurance rep was asked why we had travel coverage. He said it was because employees from our corporation sometimes traveled internationally, and because , to be totally honest, since medical care is generally much cheaper outside the U.S., the insurance company SAVES money if you need care outside the U.S. And he pointed out, the need for medical evacuation is so rare, they still pay less.

And the most important to remember, depending on the travel insurance you buy, you will still be expected to pay for all medical services out of pocket even with all insurance. You file a claim when you get home to be reimbursed. Some medical facilities around the world will not accept assurances from an insurance company that the costs will be paid they want the money up front.

 

[Marthasor]

Why would they? Nothing you mention is the responsibility of the cruise lines. If people aren't onboard on time or have a medical emergency that is beyond the scope of service they provide onboard, that's on the passenger. It is precisely why they refuse passage to pregnant women in their 24th week and beyond.

 

[kiford]

Why? It's not the cruise line's problem (unless they were at fault) so they're not paying for the costs if you get "stranded". It's not up to the cruise line to ensure that you have sufficient funds to pay for additional travel or medical costs if you can't make it back to the ship on time or if you get sick. While I have coverage at work for out-of-country travel medical, I can easily afford the costs of emergency transportation and medical costs (aka I am self-insured) so I wouldn't necessarily even need to buy insurance. So would I have to verify to the cruise line that I am financially secure and that's absolutely none of their business.

As for negative PR, I have yet to see one of the sob stories where I don't blame the ones who got left behind - either they were at fault for not making it back, didn't have insurance, don't have any access to sufficient funds (I can't personally conceive of spending money on a vacation without first having a decent sized nest egg behind me), or didn't have a contingency plan. Such stories usually make me think that they're trying to blackmail the cruise line into giving them money when they have no obligation to do so or trying to get sympathy funds from other people. I feel bad for people when this happens, sure, but I don't blame the cruise line.

This is very true however we do have certain circumstances where if you want to own or do something insurance is required.

This is often because there is either a mortgage on it (house for example) or additional liability to another individual or organization (an exhibitor venue for example) if there is no insurance. Generally, if it's just you who would be impacted, usually it's on you.

 

[71 Truck]

Thanks everyone some great answers.

As I have said My wife and I always get travel insurance.

Maybe me paying attention more, I have notice more stories about people on cruises that get sick or injured, and or get stuck in a foreign country need medical attention/ evacuation home then only to hear they did not have travel insurance.

 

[DCLMP]

Insurance companies would love that. They would certainly raise prices,

 

[tvguy]

Insurance companies would love that. They would certainly raise prices,

They already have. Covid saw to that with increased claims in a type of insurance that used to generate few claims.

 

[Cheburashka]

No. Insurance rates would go through the roof if it were mandatory.

It also wouldn't make people more forthcoming. There are other incentives to cruise while mildly ill that go beyond cruise fare.

1. Nonrefundable airline tickets and lodging (you'd never be able to mandate coverage on all associated travel outside of the cruise).

2. Time arranged off work that can't be rescheduled.

3. Extended family arrangements that would be too hard to reschedule for everyone, and likely not covered for everyone to reschedule.

4. Disappointment (especially to the kids) of a postponed trip.

 

[tvguy]

No. Insurance rates would go through the roof if it were mandatory.

Why? Mandatory insurance means a whole lot more money paid in premiums to cover the same number of claims. Rates should drop by a lot.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Thanks everyone some great answers.

As I have said My wife and I always get travel insurance.

Maybe me paying attention more, I have notice more stories about people on cruises that get sick or injured, and or get stuck in a foreign country need medical attention/ evacuation home then only to hear they did not have travel insurance.

So that’s on them for not having it no one should force anyone to do anything.

 

[pearljammer]

This is a follow up to a post I did back in February 2020 titled:

( Could the cruise industry make travel insurance mandatory?)
https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...mandatory-up-date-page-two-8-10-2020.3790928/

This was what I posted at the time.

"In light of what is happening around the world with the Coronavirus and other illnesses (flu, Norovirus, etc) that people may contract prior to going on a cruise vacation, could the cruise industry make travel insurance mandatory?

The cruise industry could mandate insurance either through them or from a third party with proof at time of on line check in prior to boarding. With people spending thousands of dollars on their cruise they may not be as forthcoming with information of an illness prior to boarding the ships due to the fact they do not want to lose their money invested in their vacation. Families may spend years saving and I am sure many if not most can't afford to just walk away from that kind of investment; and some may not even realize the importantance of the insurance if this is their first trip or just don't want to spend the extra on the coverage (i.e. "we'll take a chance").

Over the last 19 years of going on cruises my wife and I have always purchased travel insurance mostly for the medical/medical evacuation portion of the policy. We live and cruise out of central Florida so even though the policy offers other benefits, the above mentioned is the most important to us.

Do you think this could happen?"

So this is my question now:
Over the last four years since I posted this question I have seen on the news and read more and more stories of how people are either stranded in a foreign country needing medical care and not being able to leave the hospital till payment is made in full, or needing a very expensive a medical evacuation home, or not being able to disembark a cruise ship till the medical center bill is paid in full.

Then you read or see on the news about how the family's with the help of others either max out credit cards or start a on line funding campaign to raise money to pay the bill.

My wife and I always purchase travel insurance with the coverage we feel is best for our needs. Even though the coverage covers non medical related issues that can develop before or during a trip the biggest thing we want covered are for medical related issues including medical evacuation.

So my question would still be should cruise lines require people sailing with them to purchase travel insurance either through them or through a third party and if through a third party provide proof of minimum medical coverage before boarding the ship?

Simply put. NO. We shouldn’t be REQUIRED. If you choose to, so be it. Don’t put that on those who choose not to.

 

[Travel60]

This is very true however we do have certain circumstances where if you want to own or do something insurance is required.

Education is also be a very big part it. Making people understand the possible issues that can be avoided by having insurance is important.

With that said it is still always "XXXXX cruise line" when I see or read the stories on the news.

If your home is mortgaged, lender probably requires insurance - that's to protect them, not you.
If you decide to sky dive or other adventurous activity, you might be required to show proof of insurance - again, protects the company.
State requires you to have certain car insurance - to protect persons/ things you might injure/ destroy.
No one makes you have life insurance or theft insurance. That's on you.

 

[OKW Lover]

So my question would still be should cruise lines require people sailing with them to purchase travel insurance either through them or through a third party and if through a third party provide proof of minimum medical coverage before boarding the ship?

No. People should make their own decisions about what level of financial risk they will tolerate. It's not up to the cruise line to decide that.

 

[Cheburashka]

Why? Mandatory insurance means a whole lot more money paid in premiums to cover the same number of claims. Rates should drop by a lot.

Because they will be able to charge more, because everyone will have to get a policy. Higher demand leads to higher prices.

They certainly won't give away money by dropping rates. They're in business to increase their profits, not give them away.

 

[mmouse37]

I think maybe for the PR aspect of it.
Every time I see or read a story It usually starts with "XXXXX cruise line" making it seam like to a non cruise person that the cruise line is some how kind of at fault even though they are not.

This also reminds me of when people take non sponsored excursions or go off on there own and are left behind by the ship when they don't return in time for sailing, then blame the cruise line for not waiting for them.

I think the PR would be worst is they forced insurance. Some people like to gamble or risk it or can't afford the extra few hundred for whatever reason. I could just see people bashing cruising lines "forcing" them to make another expense.

MJ