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Well, the bolded statement above is my rule of thumb for going to a casino. I don't gamble more than I can be comfortable losing. But a cruise is not supposed to be a gamble. It's a service for a fee, and one in which the seller holds all the cards. Not buying trip insurance, when you're usually booking a cruise 6 to 18 months beforehand, is just foolhardy in my humble opinion. And there is NO TIME when I'm going to be COMFORTABLE "losing" $6k-$10k and getting nothing in return for some unforeseen reason which is probably not my fault.
Now you might say that I'm paying the cost of the insurance and getting nothing in return if I don't have to cancel, or don't get sick on my trip, but what I AM receiving is peace of mind, and that's worth the money to me. It's called "hedging your bet".
So you think you can mitigate every possible loss.
I put my trips on the credit card that offers trip insurance.
Have you read what it covers and are you sure that's all you need? Most include the cheaper coverages such as lost luggage, trip interruption, etc. but when it comes to medical or evacuation expenses there may be little or no coverage. You should also look at the reasons you can cancel and get reimbursement from them.
Here's the link to the article the OP cites. Really scary.
The insurer (Excellus) isn't one I've heard of. I buy coverage through insuremytrip.com and they have the usual "mainstream" companies such as AIG, which I trust more. It sounds like the "air ambulance" thing is a real racket. Wonder what the hospital gets for referring patients to them.
The insurer (Excellus) isn't one I've heard of. I buy coverage through insuremytrip.com and they have the usual "mainstream" companies such as AIG, which I trust more. It sounds like the "air ambulance" thing is a real racket. Wonder what the hospital gets for referring patients to them.
As I mentioned in my earlier response to you, the individual did not have any trip insurance, he was simply relying on his regular Blue Cross health insurance to cover it. "Excellus" is simply his local BCBS affiliate.
As I mentioned in my earlier response to you, the individual did not have any trip insurance, he was simply relying on his regular Blue Cross health insurance to cover it. "Excellus" is simply his local BCBS affiliate.
Ah- thanks. Yes, that was a big risk not to buy separate travel coverage, especially when you're going to areas where the local care may not be the best. Still, that air ambulance bill for over half a million $$ is outright extortion. I'm guessing that if your buy coverage through AIG, Allianz, etc. and call them in an emergency, they'll have their own contacts with such providers at far more reasonable cost.
Does someone have a link? This concerns me because I DO buy trip insurance.
I've had to make several trip-insurance medical claims (once on my own behalf, tree times on my parents'). My experience is that IF you notify the company as soon as you know you're going to need to file a claim, follow their instructions, and get documentation for everything you'll need to support the claim (like copies of medical records), they will pay up promptly.
There is a certain percentage of people who like to cheap out when taking a cruise. They don't get insurance and in other cases, they don't have a passport because it costs $110. The latter situation is where they can use a birth certificate proving US citizenship on closed loop cruises. Unfortunately, sometimes a medical issue happens or they missed the ship. Then they are stuck mainly in the Caribbean for several days until the US Embassy can provide the needed flight documentation.
As for insurance, some feel nothing can happen to them. On many of my previous cruises, people have been evacuated by helicopter or boat to the nearest hospital/port for emergency treatment. The ship doesn't anchor and wait for them. They have to get back home on their own.
Like another poster indicated, I always get my cruise insurance through insuremytrip.com, never through the cruise line. Emergency Medical Evacuation is my primary item when selecting comprehensive cruise insurance.
A recent article about a couple (82 & 79) cruising with no insurance. The wife was sick with a bleeding ulcer. They got off lucky that time with the costs to get back home.
Have you read what it covers and are you sure that's all you need? Most include the cheaper coverages such as lost luggage, trip interruption, etc. but when it comes to medical or evacuation expenses there may be little or no coverage. You should also look at the reasons you can cancel and get reimbursement from them.
Here's the link to the article the OP cites. Really scary.
The insurer (Excellus) isn't one I've heard of. I buy coverage through insuremytrip.com and they have the usual "mainstream" companies such as AIG, which I trust more. It sounds like the "air ambulance" thing is a real racket. Wonder what the hospital gets for referring patients to them.
My BCBS insurance covers overseas, plus my husband can use the NHS in the UK. I think my card pays $5000 in trip insurance. I have never done Cruise, mostly I won’t either, but not 100% sure. That’s good enough for me.
MMoB: I provided the shortened version of the link. syracuse.com
The story is on the front page now, which is why syracuse.com works, but it won’t be there long. The idea behind posting a full link is that future readers of this thread will be able to find it, instead of getting whatever is on the front page then.
Just cut and paste from the URL bar at the top of your browser window.
Indeed. As of 6:00 p.m. PDT, the article is NOT on the front page of syracuse.com and I could not find it in ten minutes of hunting. As long as it is not a competitor web site to City-Data, it is acceptable to post the full uniform resource locator.
I'll be interested in your opinion on this after you turn 60 and take a cruise.
What does 60 have to do with it? I am 63, and went to Greece for 10 days last year. Hiked miles and miles every day. A cruise would be a piece of cake.
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