Tragedy exposes hard truth about high-seas health coverage
DEAR BRUCE: My husband and I recently went on a cruise. During the cruise, my husband had a heart attack and died. When I returned home, I found out that the medical services onboard the ship were not covered by my health insurer and now I have to pay them $10,000 out of pocket. I don’t understand why this has happened. Is there anything I can do? — R.Y. South Carolina
DEAR R.Y.: I’m sorry that your cruise ended in such a tragic way. Check with your insurance carrier and see if there is some kind of appellate claims process of this kind. Frequently, some type of accommodation can be reached. I recently went to Asia on a cruise and, before I left, I checked with my insurance carrier to see what was covered and what wasn’t. On the high seas, not many carriers will pay for emergencies. There are several travel insurance companies that will. Unfortunately, it seems you didn’t check into this before you left. People that are traveling abroad should, before they leave, determine what the provisions are of their health-insurance policy us when traveling.
DEAR BRUCE: I think my husband has gone crazy. We retired earlier than most (in our late 50s) and are very well off. He has gotten it into his head that he wants to sell our house, buy an RV and travel the country. While I don’t mind traveling, I don’t see me living my retired years in a home on wheels. What can I say to this man to bring him to his senses? — Reader in Utah
DEAR READER: I also find the idea of living in a motor home on a full-time basis terrifying. On the other hand, I have a close friend whose wife would like nothing better than to sell their home and live in a camper. Maybe there is some room for compromise. Why not rent instead of committing tens of thousands of dollars to an experiment. Take a ride around the country. Go to areas that you both would like to visit and see how that lifestyle suits you. You may find that it’s more pleasant than you think, and he may find that it is more confining. Before you make any serious decisions, I would invest the money to rent one that you would consider buying and see how it fits.
DEAR BRUCE: What do you think of collectibles as investments? I spend a lot of time at garage sales, estate sales, auctions, etc., buying items that I think have value. I have been able to sell many of these for a profit. I have found some of these have increased in value. I am seriously considering taking some of my savings and doing this on a regular basis (with profit in mind). Do you think I’m crazy or should I continue doing this? — Reader, via e-mail
DEAR READER: You are going into an area where there is a great deal of competition. I know that there is a show on television that has become quite popular over the years. It shows people bringing in their belongings for an appraisal. Many of these items, despite their appearance, are worth a lot of money. If you are going into this for an eye for real profit, then you might be wise to consider some type of niche investing. In other words, don’t just go out with the idea that you are going to buy “stuff.” Get knowledgeable about the narrow area you’re looking into. Good Luck!
Send your questions to: Smart Money, P.O. Box 2095, Elfers, FL 34680. E-mail to: bruce@brucewilliams.com. Questions of general interest will be answered in future columns. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.
