How important is the Cruise Insurance? [discussion and resources]
 

For my Royal Caribbean cruise for 6 night later in the Dec, my cruise agent is offering a Standard Insurance for $59/persone -- https://cruises.united.com/images/EI...lCompanion.pdf

I have Carefirst PPO plan for health insurance with my company. If I don't care about the Trip Cancellation, do you guys still recommend the Travel Insurance?

Please help me understand the need!

Nobody thinks they need travel insurance until they actually do so it's fairly important IMHO.

Trip delays with out of pocket meal & accomm. expenses can cost as much or more than the cruise and should you be forced to abandon the sailing due to a family crisis, for example, trip interruption covers that. Run the numbers and project what some scenarios could wind up costing you and decide whether you're okay with possibly paying those amounts if the worst happens. The chance of them happening is low but not zero so decide how much risk you're ready to accept and make decisions on that basis.

Also see if you may have some of the coverages included on a credit card, such as lost luggage or trip delay as that could impact your decision.

I usually look at www.insuremytrip.com and see how much their policies are.

Why insurance?

the plane is delayed and you miss you boat.

You break your leg two days before the trip and can't go.

The cruise line cancels the cruise and your airfare is non-refundable and you pre-paid hotels.

You lose your job and can no longer afford to go.

ect,ect,ect

IMHO comprehensive all-risk travel insurance is essential for land-based and water-based itineraries

Finding affordable plans are YMMV.

Thanks all for your responses. Can one of you check https://cruises.united.com/images/EI...lCompanion.pdf and see whether there is any catch I need to be aware of? Sorry, this is the first time I am taking a travel insurance explicitly. Thanks!

I've never had to use insurance for a cruise, but based on my experiences, I still continue to get it. You never know what's going to happen, and whether that would cause you to need it or not.

Case A: I was on the Crown Princess tilt cruise. We ended up not needing insurance for that (cruise line covered everything, and quite frankly did a surprisingly decent job with that), but it certainly hammered home the idea that crap can happen that you don't expect (especially when it's the first cruise you've ever been on).

Case B: I was one of the last 4 people to board a cruise in galveston, about 15 minutes before sailing (this was prior to them cracking down on when the manifest had to be sent in). I'd been scheduled to fly in the day before, but flights ended up being delayed, traffic from the airport to the pier was brutal, and we just barely made it (quite frankly, I'd go so far as to say that what made the difference in the end was a rental car shuttle driver that made one last run for us even though he was officially off duty, and yes, we tipped well for that). (The other couple boarding at the same time as us, they had a flight the day before that had windshield problems as I recall, which was what put them behind).

I've also been on a ship that turned around to go back into port to evacuate someone that had a stroke. So these types of things happen.

Us it is wise to have the coverage. If you get sick or hurt outside USA the PPO may cover medical but won't fly you home on a private air ambulance which could set you back tens of thousands of dollars.

Buy a third part plan where possible instead of one thru the cruise line as the protection is far better.

I am going to dissent with the crowd here. We never purchase travel insurance. If it is a once in lifetime trip and you would not be able to afford a replacement vacation, then I guess it makes sense.

If you travel regularly, vacationing several times a year, then buying travel insurance will cost you far more over time that you will ever likely collect on it. This is, of course, the intrinsic nature of the product: insurance works by dividing the cost of the few insurable events over all the travelers and then adding a profit for the insurance seller. Travel insurance, like appliance extended warranties, is a very high profit insurance product. Less than half the money collected for travel insurance is paid in claims (compared to medical insurance where the rate is well over 90%).

We travel multiple times per year and have for the last 20 years. If I had purchased a 7% policy each time (average cost of a decent policy) I would have had to cut at least two full vacations to operate within the same budget. So, if my next vacation it a total loss-- say, my plane is hugely delayed, we miss the ship, can't catch up to it at the next port. I am still way ahead.

Here is another train of thought - this is really for the FT community as a whole. How about an annual travel insurance policy? I have one and I think it works well for those of us that travel more than the average bear.

THIS !!!!^

linkage to thread or info would be good. i would like to read more about this annual travel insurance. TIA

I buy third party, because I need a policy with cancel for work. I can usually get a good policy for about $250 to $300 for four with up to $10k in coverage. Don't over buy -- if airfare is purchased with miles, you won't be covered though might get mileage redeposit reimbusement.

Look at the terms really carefully. Secondary coverage on many items is a pain in the neck. For example, I only buy policies with primary coverage for baggage delay. One important matter to consider is that pre-existing coverage usually requires you to purchase the polcy a short time after you make your initial deposit.

For cruise related provisions, read very carefully the cruise-catchup terms and conditions, including the timing. For example, if you buy a ticket to arrive in the cruise city at 11:30 for a ship that departs at 5:00 p.m., and your policy requires a 6 hour or more delay for cruise catch-up coverage, you might not be covered if your plane lands at 4:30 and you miss your cruise.

Mine is issued through IATA, so I can't really post the details here. However, I know that both Allianz and Travel Guard offer an annual policy as well.

I don't usually buy travel insurance, except for expensive cruises, the cost of which is truly non-refundable and a total loss if you have to cancel at the last minute, if you are not insured.

Airfares - you pay the change fee, hotels maybe you pay for a night or two if you no show. I can manage that, or a new plane ticket if an emergency requires me to return home early.

Depending on your health insurance, you may not have coverage in a foreign country. And medical evacuation back home in the event of serious illness or injury can be very expensive. I usually purchase that coverage when traveling overseas.

Secondary vs primary coverage is important with medical/evacuation coverage also.

I don't buy trip insurance. I've found it to be very expensive. I've also heard horror tales of people who couldn't get the insurance to cover the loss.

My health coverage uses SOS which provides service overseas. I also have DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance. IIRC, a membership provides evacuation coverage for any foreign travel.

I've saved enough by not buying insurance to cover losses that I might have.