Medical Insurance for Cruising

Status
Not open for further replies.
Jan 11, 2014
11,324
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
We're planning a trip later this year that will take through Canada for a few months and then down to the Bahamas. We're looking for supplemental medical insurance and including (especially) medical evacuation. We have Medicare and Medicare Advantage, so we're covered in the US.

Any suggestions?
 
May 27, 2004
1,964
Hunter 30_74-83 Ponce Inlet FL
Oh the things you learn on this Blog!
Things have probably changed over the years but...
40 years ago my wife had to have emergency surgery in Canada.
I can't begin to tell you how well we were treated by our northern cousins.
And we never got a bill!
I will always be grateful.
G.
 
Last edited:
Jan 8, 2020
48
brentswain 31 31 twin keeler Heriot Bay BC
Had a bad experince with Worldwide mediclam as did my brother. They have since changed their names several times, as their reputation kept catching up with them. Their last name was "To Go."
 

SFS

.
Aug 18, 2015
2,066
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Second the recommendation for DAN (Divers Alert Network). Inexpensive medical evacuation coverage, and their member reps are really easy to talk to. Ask about other coverages. Which reminds me, I need to renew....
 
Jun 11, 2004
1,621
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
Do you actually have medicare advantage or do you have medicare and a medicare supplemental plan.
 
Jun 11, 2004
1,621
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
Okay.

I have traditional medicare and a supplement. The supplement provides $50,000 international coverage and I have the evacuation plan through DAN. If necessary I hope to repatriate before getting to the $50,000 limit keeping in mind that medical costs in most places are less expensive than the US. Still a bit of a crap shoot I guess though.

When I checked a while back I saw that some medicare advantage plans did have some international coverage but I assume you have checked that.

I did once get a policy through GeoBlue | International Travel Health Insurance. The website had a lot of options to help get the coverage I wanted. I don't know if they are necessarily the best choice but it worked for me. Didn't make any claims though and I suppose that would be the true test.

Good luck.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,324
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Okay.

I have traditional medicare and a supplement. The supplement provides $50,000 international coverage and I have the evacuation plan through DAN. If necessary I hope to repatriate before getting to the $50,000 limit keeping in mind that medical costs in most places are less expensive than the US. Still a bit of a crap shoot I guess though.

When I checked a while back I saw that some medicare advantage plans did have some international coverage but I assume you have checked that.

I did once get a policy through GeoBlue | International Travel Health Insurance. The website had a lot of options to help get the coverage I wanted. I don't know if they are necessarily the best choice but it worked for me. Didn't make any claims though and I suppose that would be the true test.

Good luck.
@Richard19068 thank you for the comments. I have an employer sponsored plan that provides worldwide coverage, or so it says on their website. We just changed plans so I do need to give them a call to see how that works. When I started this thread I hadn't looked at the plan that closely. I will now.

I'm not too worried about anything on an outpatient basis, just the more expensive things, like broken bones, heart attacks, etc. and the repatriation costs. Just recently, 2 weeks ago, a guy in the Grenadines lost his thumb when it was caught in an electric winch for the mainsail. He ended up returning to Vancouver for surgery. That kind of accident could get expensive real fast!

We won't be traveling that far afield, the Canadian Maritimes and then to the Bahamas, so we won't be that far afield.
 
Jan 22, 2008
79
Gulf 29 Little Current, ON
I do international business travel and we spend a month cruising in Canada. I have GeoBlue Trekker Choice plan. We've only had one claim for an outpatient hospital visit in Canada, and they covered it.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,324
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
I do international business travel and we spend a month cruising in Canada. I have GeoBlue Trekker Choice plan. We've only had one claim for an outpatient hospital visit in Canada, and they covered it.
Thanks, I did check it out and the policy seems good as it covers unlimited trips, except the maximum stay for any trip is 70 days. We plan a longer stay in the Bahamas and with my luck, I'd need coverage on the 71st day.
 

CarlN

.
Jan 4, 2009
603
Ketch 55 Bristol, RI
Get Dan Boater - better repatriation benefits than regular DAN. $100 for family. Discounts for your first year through several organizations.

With Dan Boater you are evaluated to the nearest hospital to be stabilized - but then you can request to be repatriated to the hospital of your choice in your home country. As long as it medically safe to move you, the repatriation does not require a special medical approval or approval from your insurance company.

The other great benefit is their 800 number. When cruising, you don't have your doctor nearby. You can call DAN from a remote anchorage and let them decide what to do - they are far more familiar with the kind of things that happen cruising - such as a recluse spider bites I once got in the Bahamas - than most home doctors. They also have a database of all the good doctors, pharmacy's and hospitals nearby and how to call them.

And so there's no confusion - this is not medical insurance. You'll need to have other insurance for the doctors and hospitals.

DAN is especially important in the Bahamas because most islands don't have full medical facilities. An air ambulance will need $5k-$10K pre-paid to come get you. They don't take credit cards. Health Insurance companies are not very good at wiring money in the middle of the night. But DAN knows just how to do this.

 
Last edited:
Jan 11, 2014
11,324
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Thanks Carl.

We will be adding DAN Boating to our coverage. As it stands today, the Canadian portion of our trip is not looking positive, since the border is closed.

Our primary insurance has changed and as we learn about its coverage, we may have international coverage by way of "out of network providers." This is rising to the top of our to-do list.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,324
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Wonder if I can convince CBP that transiting the St Lawrence is the only way for us to reach Maine and points south. Maybe they haven't heard of the Erie Canal. ;)

More seriously, we're hearing that the peak is about 40 days away and another 40 days to diminish, puts the need for the an end to the travel ban about the time we plan to leave. Fingers crossed or it is Plan B.
 
  • Like
Likes: jssailem
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
The Erie Canal is not designed for Sail Boat. I thought I heard you have to "demast" in order to tranisit. That would be a barrier to access. Maybe you could claim a disability to using the canal...
 

PJL

.
Apr 22, 2014
47
Hunter 42 Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
When I checked with DAN about their 'extended' cruising plan they told me, over the phone, that coverage only applies to things that are diving related. Recently someone told me that they do provide for regular non diving medical needs, so the person I spoke with may not have been correct... In the meantime I signed up with SkyMed. They provide much more coverage, including getting you to the location of your choice rather than just the closest hospital. In addition they will also return you back to the starting point if desired. People & pets traveling with you are also included for the travel. Some of their options even include transportation by helicopter! They also cover getting your boat back home.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,324
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Thanks, SkyMed looks interesting. All these websites are a bit thin on the details. I'll be following up. Now that the Canadian border is closed, not sure if we will make it there this spring.
 

PJL

.
Apr 22, 2014
47
Hunter 42 Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
This list of services was extracted from the SkyMed booklet I just received. Had to use an attachment as there was no other way to format the information so that it would make sense...
 

Attachments

Status
Not open for further replies.