Yet another insurance question....

[Lilybear]

I'm still trying to decide what to do. Here's our situation...I have family health/medical insurance through my work. Hubby also has health for himself through his work. We're paying for everything with VISA, which also has medical/Heath for the family. So, I'm not concerned about the medical/health insurance.

What I am somewhat concerned about is trip cancellation/interruption. We will have some through VISA. $1000/person for cancellation and $5000/person for interruption. We are travelling from Canada, and staying at the beach the week prior to cruise. This trip will cost us about $8000 total. I checked about getting additional trip cancellation/interruption and it's going to be over $500 for the 3 of us (for the entire trip). Seems like a lot to me. What would you guys do?

Also, re: evacuation from ship. (This is what I'm most concerned about, to be honest). I know my medical insurance will cover that cost if needed for medical reasons, but what if we have to evacuate for some other crazy reason that's not medical-related? Like what if Disney makes us for some reason? Will they cover that expense? (I know it's probably never happened...)

Thanks for your help

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm still trying to decide what to do. Here's our situation...I have family health/medical insurance through my work. Hubby also has health for himself through his work. We're paying for everything with VISA, which also has medical/Heath for the family. So, I'm not concerned about the medical/health insurance.

What I am somewhat concerned about is trip cancellation/interruption. We will have some through VISA. $1000/person for cancellation and $5000/person for interruption. We are travelling from Canada, and staying at the beach the week prior to cruise. This trip will cost us about $8000 total. I checked about getting additional trip cancellation/interruption and it's going to be over $500 for the 3 of us (for the entire trip). Seems like a lot to me. What would you guys do?

Also, re: evacuation from ship. (This is what I'm most concerned about, to be honest). I know my medical insurance will cover that cost if needed for medical reasons, but what if we have to evacuate for some other crazy reason that's not medical-related? Like what if Disney makes us for some reason? Will they cover that expense? (I know it's probably never happened...)

Thanks for your help

Typically you will get travel insurance to cover any non-refundable monies you would lose if XXX happens. You need to figure out what that number is.

Many people don't get trip cancellation/interruption coverage, choosing to self-insure (that is they are willing to forfeit the cost of the trip itself). Others only cover airfare (in most cases that's non-refundable). And others cover everything. Only you can decided what you can, or cannot, afford to lose.

"Evacuation" coverage is evacuation back to your home location for medical reasons. If you are put off the ship for doing something you shouldn't, then insurance won't cover that, I believe.

 

[bumbershoot]

$500 seems like a lot to me, too. Get more quotes.

Are you 100% sure your insurance would cover a medi-vac flight?

Are there expenses that you are including that actually don't need to be in the quote? Anything that could actually be refunded and you don't need insurance on?

 

[tltay2005]

I would go to Insuremytrip.com and get more quotes. This site allows you to compare multiple carriers and policies.

 

[Lilybear]

Typically you will get travel insurance to cover any non-refundable monies you would lose if XXX happens. You need to figure out what that number is.

Many people don't get trip cancellation/interruption coverage, choosing to self-insure (that is they are willing to forfeit the cost of the trip itself). Others only cover airfare (in most cases that's non-refundable). And others cover everything. Only you can decided what you can, or cannot, afford to lose.

"Evacuation" coverage is evacuation back to your home location for medical reasons. If you are put off the ship for doing something you shouldn't, then insurance won't cover that, I believe.

Thanks PrincessShmoo,
I guess that's what I wanted to know...what "evacuation" meant - which I now know is medical only. What I was wondering was that if Disney made EVERYONE evacuate for some reason (e.g. due to some mechanical issue, or some other reason that is not our fault) would Disney cover those costs. (I don't plan on doing anything to get me or my family kicked off the ship Thanks again.

 

[Lilybear]

I would go to Insuremytrip.com and get more quotes. This site allows you to compare multiple carriers and policies.

I did that and it was similar in price

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks PrincessShmoo,
I guess that's what I wanted to know...what "evacuation" meant - which I now know is medical only. What I was wondering was that if Disney made EVERYONE evacuate for some reason (e.g. due to some mechanical issue, or some other reason that is not our fault) would Disney cover those costs. (I don't plan on doing anything to get me or my family kicked off the ship Thanks again.

My guess is, if there were a mechanical problem and the ship couldn't continue, that would fall under Trip Interruption coverage. You need to read the specifics as to what the different terms mean in whatever policies you are considering.

 

[Lilybear]

$500 seems like a lot to me, too. Get more quotes.

Are you 100% sure your insurance would cover a medi-vac flight?

Are there expenses that you are including that actually don't need to be in the quote? Anything that could actually be refunded and you don't need insurance on?

Thanks for your reply
I have checked around. Most are similar and some won't even sell me cancellation/interruption only insurance. I have to buy medical with it. Which I don't need (already have it) and so don't want to pay for additional coverage.

I'll call again to make 100% sure of the medi-vac issue.

I think the flights could be delayed for up to a year - we'd have to pay some fee to do so though...may a couple of hundred dollars per ticket.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks for your reply
I have checked around. Most are similar and some won't even sell me cancellation/interruption only insurance. I have to buy medical with it. Which I don't need (already have it) and so don't want to pay for additional coverage.

I'll call again to make 100% sure of the medi-vac issue.

I think the flights could be delayed for up to a year - we'd have to pay some fee to do so though...may a couple of hundred dollars per ticket.

You need to keep looking, if the company you're looking at won't give you a policy for the coverages you want.

Using insure my trip as well as several other comparison sites, you put in the parameters of what you want cover and how much. They then show you several different companies policies for you to look over.

 

[Lilybear]

You need to keep looking, if the company you're looking at won't give you a policy for the coverages you want.

Using insure my trip as well as several other comparison sites, you put in the parameters of what you want cover and how much. They then show you several different companies policies for you to look over.

Thanks.
I do have some quotes, (I've been looking at this for days but they're over $500 for the cancellation/interruption insurance only. I think I'm just going to stick with the VISA insurance, it provides up to $5000 each for interruption and $1000 for cancellation.

I think i was most concerned about the "evacuation" issue. I called again and my own health insurance does cover medical evacuations, so that eases my mind. And like you said, if we had to be evauated for some other reason, it would most likely fall under "interruption".

Thanks everyone

 

[Disneyteachers]

Piggybacking in to this, if you are booking shore excursions outside of disney and for some reason the ship couldn't sail into a port (hadn't thought about that until I read the hurricane thread) could you add that to your trip insurance? I'm guessing the price would outweigh the $ benefit of booking outside of disney.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Piggybacking in to this, if you are booking shore excursions outside of disney and for some reason the ship couldn't sail into a port (hadn't thought about that until I read the hurricane thread) could you add that to your trip insurance? I'm guessing the price would outweigh the $ benefit of booking outside of disney.

I believe so. Be sure to check with your independent tour operator for cancellation policies. Many of they do refund if the ship isn't able to port.

 

[bumbershoot]

What I was wondering was that if Disney made EVERYONE evacuate for some reason (e.g. due to some mechanical issue, or some other reason that is not our fault) would Disney cover those costs.

When Carnival had some issues, they did, or were going to, evacuate everyone. I'm sure Disney would pay for it if that happened.

I think the flights could be delayed for up to a year - we'd have to pay some fee to do so though...may a couple of hundred dollars per ticket.

And the fee would be covered under the insurance.

So don't insure the cost *of the flights*, insure the cost of the FEES.

When we got insurance on a trip that MIL was supposed to go on, we used miles. The fee for cancelling and getting the miles back into the account was $100 so that is the cost we insured.

I think I'm just going to stick with the VISA insurance, it provides up to $5000 each for interruption and $1000 for cancellation.

Be sure to pay for EVERYTHING trip-related with that card. Do NOT pay for something with a different card. Deposit and future payments, hotels, flights, etc. If you pay with a different card you have just forfeited it.

Is the insurance you're looking at one of those (that some non-Americans have) insurance products that's for a year of trips?

 

[Lilybear]

When Carnival had some issues, they did, or were going to, evacuate everyone. I'm sure Disney would pay for it if that happened.

That's what I thinking/hoping too!

Is the insurance you're looking at one of those (that some non-Americans have) insurance products that's for a year of trips?

No, it was just a quote for the one trip.