Wear the PimpMyCruise logo proudly! It is an invitation that can be directed at anyone... crew, staff, fellow cruisers... even a travel agent... to pimp your cruise in any way consistent with their position.
To buy or not to buy -
Buying insurance is like betting against yourself - not always the most satisfying
thing to do - but almost always worth the peace of mind, not to mention the
protection afforded.
Several factors need to be assessed to determine if travel
insurance is a good idea - and it almost always is - as well as how much coverage
you really need. Buying too much or too little coverage can be almost as bad
having none at all.
In order to make an informed decision - be aware of these facts:
- Almost all cruise deposits are fully refundable
- Nothing is at risk until under full payment which is usually required 70 to 75 days prior to departure.
- The real financial risk comes in the month prior to departure, should you have to cancel.
The penalty scale varies from one cruise line to another but as a rule of thumb,
the closer to sailing the less the refund. For example, if you cancel 60 days
prior to departure you might be eligible for an 80% refund, but within 30 days
it could be 50% or less. Cancel within two weeks of departure you will probably
lose 100% of your cruise fare.
(We know what you are thinking. It doesn't matter whether they sell your cabin
to someone else or not. They will...and still keep as much of your money as
the fine print and the letter of the law will allow. To quote Tony Soprano
- "It's
just business, nothing personal.")
Cruise line insurance -
The best we can say about the coverage offered by cruise lines is that it is
convenient. It is a high profit up-sell for the cruise line and they will slip
it in as a line item when totaling up your final cost if you don't specifically
request that it be deleted. Unless you need the coverage and simply do not
have the time to shop elsewhere, have them remove the fee and recalculate the
total.
Cancellation insurance offered by the cruise line is a "one-size-fits-all" product.
No customization is possible. Additionally, it only covers your cruise investment
and not any other add-ons that you may have arranged on your own - such as
non-refundable air tickets, cancellation fees associated with a hotel, car
rentals, etc.
Third party insurance -
Highly recommended due to customization possibilities - third party insurance
often provides better coverage for the same or less money. Premiums are flexible
depending on:
A. The dollar amount to be covered
B. Extent of reasons for cancellation
that you might need covered (from personal illness or injury to just changing
your mind)
C. Ages of the travelers
Steps to purchasing third party insurance
Determine the amount of money that you would need to recoup in an emergency or last minute cancellation.
Next, realistically assess possible reasons that could cause you to cancel. Questions
to ask:
1. Do you have any non-traveling family members or relatives at risk because
of disease or age where a change in condition might cause you to have to cancel?
2. Might a business reason
require cancellation - change of employment status - loss of job, etc.? If
self-employed or a business owner - could an unforeseen circumstance such as
the departure of a key employee, etc. require you to stay home?
3. Does any
member of the traveling party have a condition that could require medical evacuation
or premature departure from the cruise?
4. Is anyone in your traveling party
a "high risk" individual - one with a propensity for skateboarding
down steep mountain roads in a thunderstorm at night?
Armed with answers to the above questions - visit a travel insurance website
- such as Travelguard.com - and use the online comparison tools to determine
which policy best suits your needs.
If the idea of doing research online does not appeal to you - ask your travel
agent if they are licensed to sell third party travel insurance. If the answer
is yes, provide them with the answers to items above and request suggestions
accordingly.
Pimp Tip - Many third party insurers - such as Travelguard.com - offer
enhanced coverage at no additional cost if the insurance is purchased within
15 days of the initial deposit to the cruise line. This "free" expanded coverage
can often double the medical emergency and repatriation allowance; as well
as provide coverage for "just changing your mind". (To date, we know of
no one who has tested this last reason, so read the find print carefully.)
Processing a claim -
An unfortunate reality of the insurance industry is that initial denial of claims
is too often standard operating procedure. The best way to assure that your
claim is valid and payable in the eyes of the insurance company is to document,
document, document. Obtain corroborating documentation for everything. Take
photos, if possible. Get a picture of that Orangutan that bit you. Get a cell
phone camera shot of the Rickshaw that ran over Aunt Martha.
Rest assured there will be at least one doctor, several nurses and state-of-the-art
medical facilities onboard the ship- as required by law. However, if you seek
treatment from the onboard medical staff you will be billed. Big Time!
If you expect reimbursement from the insurance provider, get the full name
and title of the ship's Albanian Dr. Kildare - even though it may be unpronounceable
and look more like an eye chart than a proper surname. Be forewarned; however,
the Good Doctor may shamelessly flirt throughout the examination - even if
you are female. And, again, we know what you are thinking. Just because you
agree to go to his cabin for a private viewing of his fossilized Platypus Egg
collection, doesn't mean you won't see a line item on your end-of-cruise statement
for medical services rendered.
Mega-ships are likely to have more than one doctor. Your health & well-being
could depend on from whom you seek treatment. To sharpen your
skills for making such a crucial decision - see if you tell
which of the three above is -
1. Not a real doctor but plays one on TV
2. Dr. Lothario, the Romanian "Doctor of Love"
3. Dr. Mobutombi, Chief of Internal Medicine - Mayo Clinic (answers will appear in tiny, upside down type on the inside
cover of the dust jacket of next year's edition)
Be sure to hang on to any invoices or receipts resulting from onboard
medical treatment - plus any other written materials, labels of medications
dispensed, etc. Make sure they are marked "paid".
This will help immensely in securing prompt reimbursement from the insurance
company.
Read insurance
brochures carefully -
especially the fine
print - making sure
all Acts of Godzilla are covered - such as fire, flood,
earthquake, volcanic eruption, nuclear radiation mutation, etc.
Plan
for the unexpected. Always
be sure that Medical Evacuation coverage is in effect for
everyone in your party.
Many
third party policies cover
cancellation due to work
related issues - loss of
job - loss of a key employee
if you are a business owner,
etc.
And
what about the hurricane
that came through Miami
- crushing
the rent-a-car you left parked at the pier?
Make sure that is covered
as well.
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Mega-ships are likely to have more than one doctor. Your health & well-being
could depend on from whom you seek treatment. To sharpen your
skills for making such a crucial decision - see if you tell
which of the three above is -
Plan
for the unexpected. Always
be sure that Medical Evacuation coverage is in effect for
everyone in your party.
Many
third party policies cover
cancellation due to work
related issues - loss of
job - loss of a key employee
if you are a business owner,
etc. 
And
what about the hurricane
that came through Miami
- crushing
the rent-a-car you left parked at the pier?
Make sure that is covered
as well. 
