Trip Insurance

[TheBigErn]

With the newly instituted covid testing at the port, I thought about buying trip insurance for the first time in my life. Then it occurred to me, do I really need it? Our travel costs will be the cruise, airfare, one night lodging the night before the cruise, ground transportation (limo from MCO to hotel then to port then MCO) and parking at our home airport. DCL will refund the cost of the cruise, we will have used the one night at the hotel, ground transportation will be used, and at most, the positive person will rent a car and drive home whereas the rest will fly back. So at most, I'd lose less money than the cost of the insurance. Am I missing something here?

 

[Marrila]

 

[auntlynne]

 

[TheBigErn]

The ONLY reason that I'm considering insurance is the possible positive covid test at the port. None of the other reasons for buying insurance matter to me. To each his own.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

With the newly instituted covid testing at the port, I thought about buying trip insurance for the first time in my life. Then it occurred to me, do I really need it? Our travel costs will be the cruise, airfare, one night lodging the night before the cruise, ground transportation (limo from MCO to hotel then to port then MCO) and parking at our home airport. DCL will refund the cost of the cruise, we will have used the one night at the hotel, ground transportation will be used, and at most, the positive person will rent a car and drive home whereas the rest will fly back. So at most, I'd lose less money than the cost of the insurance. Am I missing something here?

We don't buy trip insurance for the possibility of losing what we've paid for a trip, if it's cancelled or we are denied boarding. We buy insurance for medical coverage/evacuation costs. Most health plans do not cover health care out of country (and, once you board the ship, you are "out of country").

 

[starry_solo]

We don't buy trip insurance for the possibility of losing what we've paid for a trip, if it's cancelled or we are denied boarding. We buy insurance for medical coverage/evacuation costs. Most health plans do not cover health care out of country (and, once you board the ship, you are "out of country").

Ditto.

 

[lanejudy]

So at most, I'd lose less money than the cost of the insurance. Am I missing something here?

Airline change fees
Hotel and meals if you can’t get a new flight home same day
Cost of the car rental, hotel(s) and meals enroute home

You would need to crunch some numbers to decide whether or not such items would cost more than insurance. As long as the budget will allow for those extra charges without insurance, sounds like you won’t need it.

I saw a post the other day from someone who was denied boarding, and they did not have insurance because the cost of insurance was more than their costs to get home early (I think it was a concierge fare).

 

[g_ppetto]

We buy it for the medical and evacuation coverage, the cost of which would make the cruise cost insignificant. If you are considering getting coverage, make sure it covers Covid related costs. A lot of policies do not.

 

[tvguy]

We don't buy trip insurance for the possibility of losing what we've paid for a trip, if it's cancelled or we are denied boarding. We buy insurance for medical coverage/evacuation costs. Most health plans do not cover health care out of country (and, once you board the ship, you are "out of country").

A point related to your concerns is to actually check what your medical coverage will pay for, and what if any medical coverage your credit card offers if you used it to pay your fare. I have never had group health insurance that didn't cover out of the country health care. I have seen that concern listed many times on the DIS and when we got the presentation from the insurance representative I asked about that. He said the reason is simple, medical care is cheaper in most other countries, so if you need care outside the U.S., they will pay less than if you got sick at home
As a U.S. citizen who has only cruised the Caribbean, Alaska and Hawaii, Medical Evacuation isn't a concern. The U.S. Coast Guard will do it for free, and many DCL guests have witnessed those evacuations over the years. A former co-worker has his appendix burst on a cruise from San Diego to Hawaii, 1,000 miles west of the California Coast. The Coast Guard sent two helicopters and a refueling plane to bring him back to San Francisco. All at no charge.
HOWEVER, that will change next year when I shift from Group Insurance to Medicare. I know Medicare won't cover me, but I live in an area where Medicare Advantage plans are offered, and in the coming months I will have to start looking into those. Medicare Advantage plans are where you sign over you health care to a private insurer, and to attract you they throw in Dental, Vision and charge $100 to $140 a month less than Medicare. I have to check whether to cover you outside the county.

 

[disneylove69]

With the newly instituted covid testing at the port, I thought about buying trip insurance for the first time in my life. Then it occurred to me, do I really need it? Our travel costs will be the cruise, airfare, one night lodging the night before the cruise, ground transportation (limo from MCO to hotel then to port then MCO) and parking at our home airport. DCL will refund the cost of the cruise, we will have used the one night at the hotel, ground transportation will be used, and at most, the positive person will rent a car and drive home whereas the rest will fly back. So at most, I'd lose less money than the cost of the insurance. Am I missing something here?

If one person is positive in your party you al quarantine which means your on your own. No flights back for anyone. You could get stuck in a hotel for 2 weeks you pay for. Better to get the i surface with the Covid coverage.

 

[Starwind]

Per the CDC's when to delay travel website ( https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/when-to-delay-travel.html ) if one of your travel companions tests positive, your entire party is supposed to self-quarantine (the positive person self-isolate) and postpone your travel home.

 

[TheBigErn]

If one person tests positive does DCL refund the cost of the cruise for all in the group or just the one person? We are a group of 5 and will all travel to Florida together, stay in a hotel together the night before then all travel together to the port. But we have 2 rooms under 2 different reservation numbers.

 

[lanejudy]

If one person tests positive does DCL refund the cost of the cruise for all in the group or just the one person? We are a group of 5 and will all travel to Florida together, stay in a hotel together the night before then all travel together to the port. But we have 2 rooms under 2 different reservation numbers.

I think since your party is linked and traveling together, DCL will consider you to be 1 party and all would be canceled/refunded, even if the individual who tests positive is booked into a different stateroom. But since you are asking about a larger party with multiple reservations -- I think your best answer will come from DCL. I haven't personally read any first-hand reports of that situation.

 

[DisneYE]

We don't buy trip insurance for the possibility of losing what we've paid for a trip, if it's cancelled or we are denied boarding. We buy insurance for medical coverage/evacuation costs. Most health plans do not cover health care out of country (and, once you board the ship, you are "out of country").

Do you buy DCL's insurance? Do you buy additional bc it only covers $10k pp for med emergencies?
$10k pp seems low but $30k pp medvac sounds ok
We buy DCL's protection plan and pay with a cc that has good med coverage (usually amex - which is amazing)
I'm just curious why do ppl buy additional insurance on top of DCL's & credit card insurance.

 

[MickeyMouse3!]

Whether to purchase or not depends on the policy. Read the full policy, especially the "what's not covered" part. Many companies will no longer pay for covid related claims. If you purchase TI thru an airline, the policy may only cover a claim that is associated with air travel, not the vacation part (cruise, hotels etc) itself. Does your policy covers ALL travel partners? Their quarantine could effect your vacation.

 

[Marrila]

Do you buy DCL's insurance? Do you buy additional bc it only covers $10k pp for med emergencies?
$10k pp seems low but $30k pp medvac sounds ok
We buy DCL's protection plan and pay with a cc that has good med coverage (usually amex - which is amazing)
I'm just curious why do ppl buy additional insurance on top of DCL's & credit card insurance.

I think people purchase what works best in their individual situation. There is a wide range of coverage available.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm just curious why do ppl buy additional insurance on top of DCL's & credit card insurance.

I'd be surprised if many -- or any -- double-up with both DCL coverage and another plan. More likely they simply purchase via a 3rd party and forgo the option available through DCL, which is what we typically do. DCL's coverage only applies to the portion of your vacation that you purchase through DCL. If someone books flights and pre/post-hotel separately, they may want full coverage for the whole vacation in one plan. Also, not everyone uses a credit card with "good" travel insurance ("good" being subjective), or they pay for all/part of the vacation with gift cards.

 

[cpep42]

I've seen people being airlifted off the ship with a possible heart attack, etc. etc. If they didn't have insurance, the cost is all on them. Might be worth it.

 

[Starwind]

Do you buy DCL's insurance? Do you buy additional bc it only covers $10k pp for med emergencies?
$10k pp seems low but $30k pp medvac sounds ok
We buy DCL's protection plan and pay with a cc that has good med coverage (usually amex - which is amazing)
I'm just curious why do ppl buy additional insurance on top of DCL's & credit card insurance.

Every year we buy an annual travel emergency medical insurance policy. It has CAD$10 million in coverage and a 7 day pre-existing condition stability clause for each trip. It allows trips upto 35 days in length. Any other travel insurance I have found, for the medical part, has at least a 60-90 day PEC stability clause, some even 180 days. DCL's is 60 days.

DCL's medical coverage is way too low for our comfort, but the cancelation and CFAR coverage for the DCL portion of the trip is useful. The credit card I use to pay for my trips has interruption and some medical coverage, but no cancelation; and again a lengthy PEC stability clause.

For future cruises we are undecided on whether we will get DCL's coverage or go with third party cancelation/interruption coverage. However, right now most Canadian insurers have stopped selling CFAR coverage.

SW

 

[DisneYE]

I'd be surprised if many -- or any -- double-up with both DCL coverage and another plan. More likely they simply purchase via a 3rd party and forgo the option available through DCL, which is what we typically do. DCL's coverage only applies to the portion of your vacation that you purchase through DCL. If someone books flights and pre/post-hotel separately, they may want full coverage for the whole vacation in one plan. Also, not everyone uses a credit card with "good" travel insurance ("good" being subjective), or they pay for all/part of the vacation with gift cards.

We always buy DCL coverage + pay with a cc which covers med emergencies and medvac for portions not covered by DCL (flights, hotels)
I was curious about what other folks do in the context of covid. Not sure if cc insurance would cover Covid-related expenses.