Personal Insurance Blog

It’s finally here!  The day you’ve been waiting and saving for!  You’re finally taking that long-awaited trip to the Caribbean. You’ve flown from Boston to Miami, boarded your ship and are on your way. The ship has cleared port and you are looking forward to a leisurely week of sun and relaxation.  However….for some reason, the butterflies you attributed to anticipation haven’t subsided and you’re beginning to worry. Once out on the open sea, it becomes apparent that something ‘isn’t quite right’.  A trip to the medical office confirms it – you’re having a heart attack! At sea! Since the ship has cleared port there is no turning back!  What to do now?  Arrangements are made for you to be put on a med-flight back to Miami where you spend the next two weeks in the hospital before being flown back to Boston.

Could this happen?  Absolutely– this blog is based on an actual situation. In addition to the trauma of having a heart attack at sea and spending time in the hospital, what other difficulties arise from this type of situation and what could be done to alleviate them? 

For instance: you’ve paid a hefty price for your trip which lasted only a few hours. Will you recoup your expense? The med-flight is expensive– will you be responsible for the bill? You were given medical attention on the ship– who pays that bill? What about your hospital stay? The special medical flight back to Boston– will you have to pay for it? Your baggage was ultimately returned to you, but there were additional costs there– is that another fee for you? These are just some of the problems that can face you– in addition to dealing with the heart attack that caused the problem in the first place.

Did you purchase Travel Insurance?  Most, if not all of these expenses could be alleviated if you did. While there are some restrictions (i.e. you must purchase the insurance within 21 days of booking your trip, for one) coverage is quote broad. The cost is reasonable, but not inexpensive; however when weighing the cost versus the coverage, it is well worth the expense.

Below is an example of the general overview of the coverage provided by the John Hancock Insurance Agency:

John Hancock Insurance Agency, underwritten by the Old Republic Insurance Company, is just one company that deals with travel insurance. If you've saved up your money to go on this fantastic trip, make sure you save a little more in case something goes wrong. It happens more often than you would think.

If you have any other questions about any type of insurance, feel free to contact us by clicking the button below. Learn more about personal insurance here.