Evacuation coverage question

[ChiTownZee]

Hi, I'm looking at insurance for a 5 night bahama cruise. How much in evacuation coverage do you think is necessary?

 

[kdogfister]

Cruising the Caribbean, as long as you are a US Citizen, $100,000 should be more than sufficient for most cases and probably overdone. A more remote location and you could easily see those charges escalate to $250,000 or more. Most comprehensive plans have at least $100K and any with a few bells and whistles will probably offer $250K at least.

Pay close attention to the language in any insurance policy's evacuation coverage regarding where they will transport in a medical emergency. Most basic plans will only transport to the closest "hospital of excellence" while some plans may allow for hospital of choice in medical evacuation. If, for example, you expect to be taken to a hospital near your home to make it easier on family, you'd want to be able to select the place your are evacuated too.

 

[TRTRguy]

As far as I'm aware if you are evacuated by the US Coast Guard there is no charge. Although this would not apply if you were evacuated from The Bahamas.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

As far as I'm aware if you are evacuated by the US Coast Guard there is no charge. Although this would not apply if you were evacuated from The Bahamas.

Evacuation coverage (medical evacuation insurance) applies to the costs involved getting you from a medical facility back to your home location. Not the actual evacuation from a ship to medical facility.

 

[luvincruising]

There is also non-medical evacuation coverage that a few carriers offer.

 

[MillauFr]

Or you can get free medical evacuation insurance if you book your cruise with certain credit cards. I use the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

 

[mmouse37]

Or you can get free medical evacuation insurance if you book your cruise with certain credit cards. I use the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

That's what I have...good to know!

MJ

 

[lanejudy]

Evacuation coverage (medical evacuation insurance) applies to the costs involved getting you from a medical facility back to your home location. Not the actual evacuation from a ship to medical facility.

Well, partially true. I suggest anyone purchasing "evacuation" coverage read the specifics of their policy. While it is true that you may not be billed if the Coast Guard airlifts you off the cruise ship to a land-based facility, the closest responder may not be the USCG and the patient may be billed for that initial transport off the ship or from point of rescue. "Evacuation" coverage has 2 components -- the first is transport from the site of injury/illness to a facility to be diagnosed and stabilized (this may be from the ship to a shore-based hospital, or it could be from an excursion location to a local hospital, etc.). The second component provides for transport from an initial treatment facility to one of your choice (might be home, might be a larger city in another country, etc.).

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[MillauFr]

I suggest anyone purchasing "evacuation" coverage read the specifics of their policy.

There is no way the average person can understand most of those policies. The #1 problem with travel insurance. Who is going to read a thirty page contract written by lawyers. You need to be a lawyer to understand them. Most people have no clue what they are buying or what they are insured for.

 

[lanejudy]

Agree, it can be a lot of fine print to wade through that's hard to understand and the first few times I bought insurance I never thought much about the specifics. But after reading various scenarios on here, I've learned to either read the policy or, better yet, ask specific questions before purchasing. If medical evacuation is truly a concern (maybe a member of the party has heart disease or history of heart attacks, etc.) then asking about the evacuation coverage would be key. Granted, anyone can end up with an unexpected broken leg on an excursion and not be familiar with their coverage, but if there is a known risk or concern it's worth asking about specifics up front.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[ChiTownZee]

Thanks everyone! We just booked a double Castaway Cay stop trip in July!

 

[KGmomoftwins]

I was feeling overwhelmed with all of this. Used a site that someone on here suggested and did the live chat feature they emailed me plans that included what I wanted such as hurricane coverage. We are going end of August so this was my main concern. I felt much better about it after talking and asking a lot of questions and only cost 212 dollars for 4 people. I feel like we got decent coverage for us. Good luck!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Evacuation coverage (medical evacuation insurance) applies to the costs involved getting you from a medical facility back to your home location. Not the actual evacuation from a ship to medical facility.

Ours covers transportation to the closest appropriate hospital or appropriate facility, make arrangements to transport you there and pay for that transport and will pay for a medical escort if they determine one is necessary.
It is evacuation as we thought, from the ship if that’s the case.

 

[kiford]

As far as I'm aware if you are evacuated by the US Coast Guard there is no charge.

As I understand it, that's only true if you are a US citizen. And, obviously, if it's the USCG who evacuates you which is unlikely once you leave US waters.

Most basic plans will only transport to the closest "hospital of excellence" while some plans may allow for hospital of choice in medical evacuation.

What some will do is evacuate you to the nearest hospital but then provide a certain amount of funds for a family member to come and stay with you (well - stay in a nearby hotel) for a period of time and/or until you're able to return home and may or may not then also pay to transport you home. You have to check the policy for what it does and doesn't do.

The #1 problem with travel insurance. Who is going to read a thirty page contract written by lawyers.

I always read my insurance coverage and I'm not a lawyer. If you are not comfortable with doing so, you should ask the agent to give you a rundown on the coverage before paying for it.

 

[tvguy]

Check whatever insurance you have to see what if any evacuation coverage you may already have. Also consider if you have coverage for family members transportation.
I work for a Corporation where employees may have to travel internationally, and our health insurance covers medical care anywhere in the world and evacuations.
When we switched insurance plans some workers asked about dropping that coverage in favor of coverage of something else that our plan doesn't cover. Insurance rep said they could in the future add the coverage but it would increase our premiums, and that there is not extra charge for the around the world medical coverage and evacuation coverage so they couldn't be swapped. As he put it, evacuations are rare, and often the cost of medical care outside the U.S. is less than the negotiated rates within the U.S. so needing care outside the U.S. may be cheaper for them.

 

[chrisnb]

unfortunately it happens, someone has a medical emergency last Thursday on the magic this happened about 11:30 at night on our way back to Miami. it took about 25 min and the pilot did some incredible flying while they lowered someone down on cable . I heard person was going to be OK.
Chris
[GALLERY=][/GALLERY]