Insurance -yes or no

[tanny]

My ? is if you have to cancell you trip because of sickness, how much of your money do you get back, in other words if I dont buy their insurance I wont get any or my money back,its going to cost about 350.00 because of age.Please some input on this and thanks

Hi Tanny,

My husband is in the insurance business, and we actually read our travel insurance contracts, so I can tell you that they cover a lot and don't cover a lot. My best advice is to ask to read the contract prior to purchasing and then make a decision based on your own individual situation.

Please remember that insurance is marketed and that it may appear that you are covered for many incidents (trip interruption if you are unable to visit the ports that you booked) that are not covered due to some fine print. I had some friends recently who sailed and the itinerary was completely changed. They had some expenses associated with the changes and were unable to receive a refund because other ports were substituted. So they had to pay for some private tours that they had booked that they were unable to go on. There's always a risk that things will not go the way you planned on any trip, but it's regretable that some passengers think that they are covered for incidents of that nature when they aren't. In other words, they may not get the services that they thought they paid for.

In all of the Frommers travel books (probably Frommers Scandinavia or whatever for you), there is a list of all the travel insurance companies, and you can book this separately from your cruise. In other words, you don't have to buy what your travel agent is selling. But be careful because sometimes pre-existing conditions are not covered if you don't purchase at the time you purchase your cruise. If you don't have any pre-existing conditions, that may not be a concern, so just FYI.

Hope that helps,
Donna

[Donna]

Hi Tanny,
We always get the travel insurance. There are many benefits for having it, just wouldn't risk all that money when there are things that can go wrong. Another plus for having the insurance is if you should get sick and or injured and need to be air lifted, our regular insurance does not cover something like that and it could run into the thousands, the travel insurance will cover that. There is also missed/delayed flights, missing luggage, etc. Just a wise choice to have the insurance.

The web site www.insuremytrip.com makes it easy to compare multiple travel insurance companies.

[tanny]

Thanks guys, so if one of us gets sick i get my money back ? and if we dont buy the insurance i wont get any money back

[Karen16]

As mentioned- read each specific policy and purchase what is best for your needs. Travel guard gets high marks.

[Donna]

Tanny,
Yes, if you have to cancel because of illness and you have insurance, you won't loose the cost of the cruise.

I would say that it is GENERALLY true that you get your $$ back if you're ill and have to cancel, but if you have specific health concerns or issues, I'd sure check it out before you purchase. Since you have many alternatives, you should be able to find what works best for you. Good luck.

Donna

A word of advise bout canceling a cruise if you purchase travel insurance. The insurers generally all require that before you cancel as the result of an illness or accident prior to the day of embarkation that you see a doctor who recommends that you should not take the cruise and giving a reason.

There have been some disputes on this matter where the passenger who has booked a cruise becomes sick or injured and he or she notifies the travel agent, or the cruise line or the insurer to cancel their booking. Then going to a doctor. IT DOn"T WORK THAT WAY WITH THE INSURER and this scenario has been upheld by court decisions siding with the insurer. Also if you do go to a doctor, remember the insurer will require information from the doctor as well as you.

It is advisable to be sure you have the insurer provide cancellation waiver for pre-existing conditions. A husband and wife taking a cruise may not realize itbut some insurers deny a claim if a parent or other close relative had a pre-existing condition requiring the cruise be canceled. The insurance obtained through some cruise lines may not offer to waive pre-existing conditions.

Travel Insurance is a Caveat Emptor( Buyer Beware) coverage so ascertain what you are getting in the way of protection..

Another point to remember. There are some cruise lines that may not refund the Port Charges. Your TA should check into this and if the cruise line has this practice, be sure to add the cost of the Port Charges to the amount of insurance you purchase.iour TA