Keep reminding people: Don't rent scooters and don't dive without DAN accident insurance!

[cvchief]

If you ever do hear anything about GeoBlue Trekker please post it. On paper it looks good for someone like me , but I have never known anyone that has had to file a claim.

Will do, though we will try to avoid it..

 

[DandyDon]

If you ever do hear anything about GeoBlue Trekker please post it. On paper it looks good for someone like me , but I have never known anyone that has had to file a claim.

Anecdotal sharings are interesting even tho not a comprehensive study. If you google geoblue trekker complaints, you'll see a few interesting hits. The BBB link has a few complaints and replies: https://www.bbb.org/us/pa/king-of-prussia/profile/health-insurance/geoblue-0241-236004367/complaints Limitations and exclusions seem to vary with plans. Their single trip $100K medical plan is certainly overpriced.

Excerpting from GeoBlue Travel Insurance Review --- Is It Worth It? which reads like a sales pitch to me.

GeoBlue, a licensee of Blue Cross Blue Shield, is an established travel medical insurance company that has been offering international health insurance since 1997.

 

[Kimela]

100% not correct and is just as bad as them saying “I had to lay her down”

My point was that at least when on a Harley there is an audible warning that the bike is coming down the road (as annoying as it is when you're not the one ON the bike). Those little scooters sounds all run together and you may not hear it coming - or others may not hear you coming. I wouldn't rent a scooter in Cozumel or recommend anyone else to do so. Scary.

I don't know the "I had to lay her down" reference ... on a bike, going too fast into a turn?

 

[cozcharlie]

Anecdotal sharings are interesting even tho not a comprehensive study. If you google geoblue trekker complaints, you'll see a few interesting hits. The BBB link has a few complaints and replies: https://www.bbb.org/us/pa/king-of-prussia/profile/health-insurance/geoblue-0241-236004367/complaints Limitations and exclusions seem to vary with plans. Their single trip $100K medical plan is certainly overpriced.

Excerpting from GeoBlue Travel Insurance Review --- Is It Worth It? which reads like a sales pitch to me.

The Trekker plan is an annual plan for people that take multiple trips in a year. I think it allows for individual stays of up to 60 days. Kind of perfect for someone like me who makes many trips in a year. I don’t care about trip insurance as far as reimbursing travel cancellation costs etc (especially given I have my own condo )—I just want medical. In theory my base health plan in the US might even cover out of the country , but I don’t want to argue about it while I am bleeding after a car accident or I am unconscious for whatever reason. Just want something that clearly covers me so CMC Costamed will give me the best treatment they have available ASAP.

 

[DandyDon]

I just want medical.

I agree with your feeling. The most important aspect of any trip insurance is medical coverage if your home insurance will not cover you well outside of the US as is common, along with repatriation coverage, but you have the latter with your DAN membership I suppose.

In theory my base health plan in the US might even cover out of the country

I suggest determining whether or not it would. Some do, some don't Only you can determine.

but I don’t want to argue about it while I am bleeding after a car accident or I am unconscious for whatever reason. Just want something that clearly covers me so CMC Costamed will give me the best treatment they have available ASAP.

That brings up another risk. How would they know? I give my dive op information on my dive and trip insurance both, but if I have an incident and arrive unconscious, how would they know. My daughter's phone number is on my dog tag, I hope that they'd call her, and she'd remember where she put the email I sent her describing my coverage. I guess I should carry my trip insurance card in my billfold as I'm sure that they are going to search that. Anyone got better ideas?

 

[Kimela]

I agree with your feeling. The most important aspect of any trip insurance is medical coverage if your home insurance will not cover you well outside of the US as is common, along with repatriation coverage, but you have the latter with your DAN membership I suppose.

I suggest determining whether or not it would. Some do, some don't Only you can determine.

That brings up another risk. How would they know? I give my dive op information on my dive and trip insurance both, but if I have an incident and arrive unconscious, how would they know. My daughter's phone number is on my dog tag, I hope that they'd call her, and she'd remember where she put the email I sent her describing my coverage. I guess I should carry my trip insurance card in my billfold as I'm sure that they are going to search that. Anyone got better ideas?

I have a bunch of emergency info on my phone. EMS folks know to swipe it and look for the emergency info - medical conditions, allergies, and contacts. Most of us will have our phone on our near us, even in an accident. Other than that, tattoo your info on your forehead? I don't know!! Bracelets and dog tags can break off during an accident. At some point we just have to hope and pray they take care of us 'as if' they believe we can pay for good medical care.

 

[mediumone]

I agree with your feeling. The most important aspect of any trip insurance is medical coverage if your home insurance will not cover you well outside of the US as is common, along with repatriation coverage, but you have the latter with your DAN membership I suppose.

I suggest determining whether or not it would. Some do, some don't Only you can determine.

That brings up another risk. How would they know? I give my dive op information on my dive and trip insurance both, but if I have an incident and arrive unconscious, how would they know. My daughter's phone number is on my dog tag, I hope that they'd call her, and she'd remember where she put the email I sent her describing my coverage. I guess I should carry my trip insurance card in my billfold as I'm sure that they are going to search that. Anyone got better ideas?

I make a copy of the front and back of my Blue Cross card, (I am covered world-wide), and a copy of the trip insurance policy cover page and the page or two of the medical benefits of that policy and leave those with our dive op.

Of course have all of the same in our condo.

Edit to add: I see DandyDon that you do the same thing. Only other thing that I can think of would be a note at the front desk or equivalent with your dive op info.

 

[Russjstewart]

My point was that at least when on a Harley there is an audible warning that the bike is coming down the road (as annoying as it is when you're not the one ON the bike). Those little scooters sounds all run together and you may not hear it coming - or others may not hear you coming. I wouldn't rent a scooter in Cozumel or recommend anyone else to do so. Scary.

I don't know the "I had to lay her down" reference ... on a bike, going too fast into a turn?

Laying her down usually means putting the bike on is side while moving, I had to lay her down usually means the rider had a choice of hitting something at speed or putting the bike on its side so it is sliding down the road and decided that was the safer option

 

[Cacie B]

I dunno... my buddy and I rented a couple scooters on our last trip to Cozumel on a day when the harbour was closed so there was no diving. I'd never been on one before in my life, nor have I ever been on a motorcycle.

We drove the road all around the entire island, stopping for food or to take pictures at some of the souvenir stops/outcroppings on the east side of the island. I was actually surprised at the speed you could achieve on these things on an open road. I never felt unsafe or in danger; the only time I really had any uncertainty with the machine was when I tried to park it amidst the line of other scooters on a downtown side street.

Then again, I'm a relatively responsible 54- year-old man who can make his own risk-assessments and life choices.

Good advice anytime you’re combining motorcycles or scooters with scuba diving. Check out motodivers.org.

 

[ggunn]

I never felt unsafe or in danger; the only time I really had any uncertainty with the machine was when I tried to park it amidst the line of other scooters on a downtown side street.

But that's what makes them so dangerous; they "feel" so safe when you are barreling along at a high rate of speed where if/when something goes wrong you have zero time to react. I watched it happen to my brother from the vantage point of another scooter behind him; he and I were on the old road (there was no new road at the time) south of Chankanaab riding in from an around the island excursion when he hit a patch of sand on the road in the middle of a curve. The scooter went flying into the jungle and he was dumped onto the shoulder right in front of me; I very nearly ran over him. Things went from a lovely afternoon drive to near disaster in a fraction of a second. Luckily, he was mostly OK after a trip to the emergency room and a few stitches, but he was sore and hobbling for the rest of our vacation.

Experienced moto drivers handle these devices differently than do the neophytes who make up most of the people who rent them on vacation. I am happy to hear that your experience went well but that doesn't mean that you were never at risk.