Trip Insurance vs. insurance @ work

[Samantha_Mommy]

I have been debating about trip insurance for the cruise, I know how important it is. My work provides insurance threw my work which I don't pay for....so it is necessary to really get the insurance with DCL? Also it looks like the coverage at work is higher...although they don't cover if the cruise gets cancelled or my baggage gets lost. What would you do? Am I missing something about the insurance that DCL offers?

 

[DVCconvert]

If you don't get specific trip insurance, you'd want to make certain that your work policy will cover you and family while outside the US, and that it would provide for emergency medical evacuation.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

Check to see if any of your credit cards offer trip / luggage coverage.

The first Disney cruise I purchased the insurance but now I've realized that my work insurance and my credit cards already offer all the coverage I need.

And since you can't double dip on insurance (only one company is going to pay), there is no reason to over buy.

 

[kcashner]

So what kind of insurance do you get thru work??? Health insurance? That's my guess. As above, look at YOUR policy, not just the company that your employer uses. Many health insurance policies do not provide coverage outside of the US.

Some credit cards provide travel insurance automatically if you used their card to book your trip--again, fine point.

Is it worthwhile to buy travel insurance? Well, statistically it's a bad gamble (if it weren't, the insurance companies wouldn't make money). However, look at the post from the woman who had a son evacuated from the ship last night--while health insurance may cover the cost of her son's surgery, it is her travel insurance that will pay for HER to remain with him and ultimately get them both back to the US when he is able to travel.

So...20+ cruises. We had one cruise affected by Hurricane Jeane--expenses were additional hotel rooms, meals for those days (DCL gave us a partial refund on the cruise). Was that more than the insurance cost--yes. One trip to medical center for DD--that time, the insurance reimbursement was about equal to the cost of the travel insurance. So yes, the insurance company comes out ahead in my case, but I'm OK with that.

Look at getting insurance privately, not thru DCL. It is usually a lot cheaper, covers more, and often provides a free child's policy with each adult policy!

 

[PrincessTrisha]

So what kind of insurance do you get thru work??? Health insurance? That's my guess. As above, look at YOUR policy, not just the company that your employer uses. Many health insurance policies do not provide coverage outside of the US.

Just to make one point. The OP is Canadian (as am I) and insurance policies are often very different up here.

My work insurance (much like my parents and many of my friends) offer extensive coverage outside of Canada. My parents offers $500,000 coverage and mine offers up to $1,000,000 coverage outside of Canada including being airlifted home and companion airfare for those travelling with me.

I do agree with the credit card issue (for me, at least a portion of my trip was be paid for by my VISA card for the insurance to kick in - but that's why I use that particular VISA card - or my American Express which automatically came with the travel coverage - for my trip expenses).

 

[Bethshaya]

If you are speaking of business travel insurance, if you are not on a business trip, it wont cover you.

If you are speaking of your health insurance, it may or may not cover, depending on your plan coverage.

Neither will cover the cost of the cruise or flights if cancelled, or lost baggage.

So basically, your work coverage wont cover you for most of the troubles that might happen.

 

[kcashner]

Just to make one point. The OP is Canadian (as am I) and insurance policies are often very different up here.

My work insurance (much like my parents and many of my friends) offer extensive coverage outside of Canada. My parents offers $500,000 coverage and mine offers up to $1,000,000 coverage outside of Canada including being airlifted home and companion airfare for those travelling with me.

I do agree with the credit card issue (for me, at least a portion of my trip was be paid for by my VISA card for the insurance to kick in - but that's why I use that particular VISA card - or my American Express which automatically came with the travel coverage - for my trip expenses).

I didn't notice that OP was from Canada. I know NOTHING about Canadian insurance policies--sorry!

 

[Bethshaya]

I guess the basic answer, no matter what country you are from is, you need to check your Summary Plan Description for your own health plan to see what it covers.

Every employer is different and every insurance policy that they buy can even be different from within the same company by business unit.

So you will need to contact your Benefits Service center for your company to find out what they cover while you are out of the country on vacation.

None of them will reimburse you for cancelled or delayed flights or lost baggage.

 

[Jaime]

The Travel Insurance you buy from a Travel agency is designed especially for travel and typically has many extra benifits and less conditions over Credit Card, Bank Insurance and Group Insurance through work. I recommend you speak to a local travel agent about what travel insurance would work best for your family. Even if you booked your trip yourself a travel agent can still help you. DCL insurance will only cover the cruise however if you buy a full travel insurance policy through a local travel agent you will get coverage from the moment you leave your house. Disney vacations are expensive and it is important to ensure your investment and families health is insured correctly.

 

[OurDogCisco]

I did not buy trip insurance for our last cruise because one we'd be in Orlando 7 days before we were set to sail. Two, I really thought nothing could happen. Seriously, I don't know what I was thinking. I've bought trip insurance before for our Baltics and Med cruises. I even used it on our Med cruise when the airline lost our bag of evening clothes. We were able to buy a few outfits for dinners. We broke even. But I figured on this last trip I didn't need it because it was in the U.S. Blah, blah.... So, what happened the day we were scheduled to fly out to Orlando I tripped and dislocated my elbow. I spent the day in the ER getting it fixed but it was a Saturday and I even waited a little bit in the ER to see a Orthopedic surgeon but he never made it down to see me. So, I called my doctor and he said that he said I must see a doctor before I leave. So, we ended up sending the family without me (they were sad and crying) and rescheduled my flight out for Wednesday. I was able to get an appt on Tuesday. Thankfully I did because the ER instructions on how to take care of my elbow were totally different from the doctor's instructions. We had to pay $500 to change my flight plus I ended up upgrading my seats to Economy Plus to have more room. I'm in a sling and splint and cannot carry much. It was very uncomfortable but I made it to Orlando. I was in pain most of the trip and would have loved to rescheduled but I couldn't because I didn't have trip insurance. The cruise was too expensive to cancel. So, I went. I had a good time but really would have loved to gone when I was feeling better. I really wish I had trip insurance. I know most of the time it seems like a waste of money since you never use it or you break even. But definitely check your current work policies.

 

[Gigi22]

I have been debating about trip insurance for the cruise, I know how important it is. My work provides insurance threw my work which I don't pay for....so it is necessary to really get the insurance with DCL? Also it looks like the coverage at work is higher...although they don't cover if the cruise gets cancelled or my baggage gets lost. What would you do? Am I missing something about the insurance that DCL offers?

OP, I suggest you check the fine print on your work insurance to find out if there is a cap on the value of your health insurance if you are travelling. DH and I had travel health insurance through work and there was a reasonably low limit on the dollar value of the insurance, especially when you took the relative value of the Canadian dollar into account (a few years ago). Also, your work travel insurance may not cover certain things, such as air evacuation. I read a govt. pamphlet last year that strongly recommended all travellers from Canada carry enough insurance to cover air evacuation to the value of $50,000 per person. As another poster mentioned, it is worth checking the terms of your credit cards to find out if there is automatic trip insurance if you pay for your vacation with the credit cards.

 

[tvguy]

8 cruises here, only 1, my Disney cruise, did I buy travel insurance.

My reasons for buying:

1) It was the most expensive cruise I have ever taken, by over double.
2) We were cruising New Years Week, a busy travel time.
3) We were cruising during New Years Week, a bad weather time.

Things that were not issues:
1) Medical coverage. We're covered anywhere in the world*.
2) Air Evacuation. In the Eastern Caribbean, the Coast Guard would handle any air evacuation for free.


*I am taking a chance, because in some countries, people are still expected to pay their medical bills, then submit a claim to their insurance. Some of us are old enough to remember that this used to be the norm here in the U.S. too. Hospitals never used to bill insurance companies direct.

 

[redheadtove]

I'm Canadian as well and I don't purchase the travel insurance through DCL. I alway get Cancelation insurance through my travel agent which is CAA ( AAA for the USA). If your work provides medical insurance then that should be more then enough. I get my medical insurance through RBC and it works great. Covers me for any country in the world.

 

[aberrydisneygirl]

I got travel insurance from DCL. I chose this route because if for some reason you have to cancel your cruise, even 5 days before your cruise, and the Insurance claim is denied, DCL will credit you whatever you lost towards another cruise. So even if you don't get the $$ back, you at least get to plan another cruise.

 

[Samantha_Mommy]

My work has out-of-country coverage that is 1 million and covers all my family members. Even if my daughter is sick...I am covered for transportation and hotels with my daughter and vice-versa (being they would pay for an adult to come get my daughter if need be). If there was a hurricane and the DCL cancelled or I lost my baggage my policy doesn't cover that...but I never thought of my Visa.... Just wondering what DCL insurance covered and it seems hign priced.

thanks

 

[Jennifer in MI]

I am the woman whose son was evacuated from the Wonder this past week. Definitely take a look at the fine print on your policy. Here are some things our insurance will cover that we would hVe had to cover on our own without insurance:

1. My entire family can stay here with my sick ds in a nice hotel.
2. Rides back and forth from the hospital to the hotel for everyone.
3. Meals for everyone here.
4. Flights for everyone from the city we left the cruise in.
5. Phone calls back home to family and to our insurance company.
6. The insurance company took care of all our return home arrangements. This was a huge stress relief for us! I could focus on our ds.
7. Rides to and from the airport.
8. All incidentals. They will cover a number of things on our shipboard account. Missed excursions (I need to see if Disney will refund this first) and a few costs we had in order to get visas for the family.

There is probably more that I am forgetting. But, make sure your policy covers your entire family to stay should you have an emergency. Having to leave a sick ds here in mexico would have been very hard!!!

 

[Samantha_Mommy]

I am the woman whose son was evacuated from the Wonder this past week. Definitely take a look at the fine print on your policy. Here are some things our insurance will cover that we would hVe had to cover on our own without insurance:

1. My entire family can stay here with my sick ds in a nice hotel.
2. Rides back and forth from the hospital to the hotel for everyone.
3. Meals for everyone here.
4. Flights for everyone from the city we left the cruise in.
5. Phone calls back home to family and to our insurance company.
6. The insurance company took care of all our return home arrangements. This was a huge stress relief for us! I could focus on our ds.
7. Rides to and from the airport.
8. All incidentals. They will cover a number of things on our shipboard account. Missed excursions (I need to see if Disney will refund this first) and a few costs we had in order to get visas for the family.

There is probably more that I am forgetting. But, make sure your policy covers your entire family to stay should you have an emergency. Having to leave a sick ds here in mexico would have been very hard!!!

Thank you very much... I will check into it. I am sorry about your son

 

[wifey1220]

I am the woman whose son was evacuated from the Wonder this past week. Definitely take a look at the fine print on your policy. Here are some things our insurance will cover that we would hVe had to cover on our own without insurance:

1. My entire family can stay here with my sick ds in a nice hotel.
2. Rides back and forth from the hospital to the hotel for everyone.
3. Meals for everyone here.
4. Flights for everyone from the city we left the cruise in.
5. Phone calls back home to family and to our insurance company.
6. The insurance company took care of all our return home arrangements. This was a huge stress relief for us! I could focus on our ds.
7. Rides to and from the airport.
8. All incidentals. They will cover a number of things on our shipboard account. Missed excursions (I need to see if Disney will refund this first) and a few costs we had in order to get visas for the family.

There is probably more that I am forgetting. But, make sure your policy covers your entire family to stay should you have an emergency. Having to leave a sick ds here in mexico would have been very hard!!!

Did you use dcl insurance or another company?