Babr

You should be fine if you need only those benefits, but a lot of people depend on it for cancellation and trip interruption without fully understanding the limitations.

For others reading this, it is important to note that credit card insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions for the cardholder, traveling companions or even non-traveling family members. Be sure to understand what that means as defined in the Guide to Benefits before considering this strategy.

No, HAL is unique in its offering. All cancellations are treated the same with a cash reimbursement. Other cruise lines offer CFAR with FCC reimbursement when canceling for a non-covered reason.

Third-party policies use age, length of trip, and amount insured among factors determining cost of the premium so it gets more expensive as one ages unlike cruise line policies which are based on a percentage of fare.

The confusion lies in the definition of terms. Yes, US travel policies cover medical evacuation. That means hospital-to-hospital transfer if it is determined to be medically necessary. It does not mean air / sea rescue as explained by @chengkp75 in post #12. Nor does it mean repatriation. The patient is usually treated at the nearest appropriate facility until he is able to return home by commercial air. A medical escort is provided if necessary. The thing to know is that the doctors and the insurance company make the decisions. MedJet Assist allows you to have more control over the decision; but it, too, is for hospital-to-hospital transfer, and there are still some limitations.

If you choose to buy a comprehensive travel policy, insure anything pre-paid and non-refundable. You can exclude port fees and taxes because those are refundable. Be careful about insuring air fare because air lines typically issue a voucher for a cancellation. In that case, insurance will not reimburse. Hotels are usually cancelable, but if you prepay a non-refundable rate, include that in the amount insured. If you are buying in the time-sensitive window in order to get the pre-existing conditions waiver, check to see whether the policy requires you to insure all non-refundable expenses.

I’m not sure what the agent meant by saying you should be fine because you have insurance. Insurance covers lost or stolen documents, not the failure to provide required documents. It will not cover trip interruption if you are denied boarding under those circumstances, and it may be too late to invoke CFAR at that point. Better get clarification on that bit of advice.

Steve has answered a similar question. There are no stand-alone CFAR policies. Holland America comes as close as it gets. They have two policies. The standard plan is for cancellation only with no other coverage of any kind. All cancellations are treated the same with no questions asked. All cancellations are refunded in cash at 80%. I suppose that is how they get around the CFAR issue since it is available to everyone except UK citizens.

American Express does specifically state that the cardholder must charge the entire cost of the trip, but American Express is not often mentioned on this forum. Most people seem to use the Chase Sapphire card which simply states the cardholder must charge all or a portion of the trip cost.

NCL BookSafe does not cover pre-existing conditions nor does it grant a waiver as third-party policies do with timely purchase. As @Travelling2Some pointed out, you’d have to be willing to accept FCC if you cancel. Even if you don’t have to cancel before departure, you risk your medical or trip interruption claim being denied if it is caused by your pre-existing condition.

Late is late - not covered. No policy covers pier runners who can’t tell time. Trip Delay applies if you are on the way to your cruise but prevented from travel due to one of the hazards defined in the policy such as a flight cancellation. It pays for hotel and meals up to the policy limit until travel resumes. Trip Interruption applies if you are not able to complete the trip for a covered reason such as an accident or illness. It pays for the unused part of your trip and transportation home. Since you are new to trip insurance, I do not recommend the Do-It-Yourself method of buying a policy. Call The Trip Insurance Store to discuss the details of your trip and concerns you have to help them identify the best coverage for you. There are way too many pitfalls to go it alone.

If you are asking about not returning to the ship on time while in port, it depends on why you missed the ship. If you are simply late, no one will cover that. Ask your independent tour operator if they guarantee your timely return. Otherwise, trip interruption will apply for a covered reason as defined in the policy. And, yes, cruise line insurance includes it. FYI: Cancellation and CFAR provisions are pre-departure benefits, not applicable once travel has begun. Trip Delay is an en-route benefit.

But you are not fully covered by Chase if your cancellation is caused by a parent’s pre-existing condition. The 60-day look-back begins at initial deposit for credit card coverage. The insurance company will examine the medical records of anyone involved in the claim, and If it is determined to be based on a pre-existing condition, it will be denied.

Allianz requires you to purchase within 14 days of initial deposit if you want the pre-existing conditions waiver. Otherwise, coverage begins on the day after the premium is received. Nationwide does not offer a waiver neither does credit card coverage.

Only if cancellation by provider is a covered reason. I have not seen that, but there is a lot of variation among policies. It depends on whether it is listed as a covered reason under Trip Interruption. In that case, the benefit in standard travel insurance is capped at 100% to 150% of the trip cost depending on the policy. If indeed it is covered, that would be plenty since the cruise line is refunding the cost of the cruise. Credit card insurance covers only change fees, not the cost of a new ticket.

Insurance claims must be for a covered reason. Cancellation by the provider is likely not covered by either traditional insurance or credit card benefits. Check the defined list under Trip Interruption.

Yes, you can still get a waiver for pre-existing conditions because you just booked the cruise. You have 14-21 days depending on the policy. Call The Trip Insurance Store tomorrow morning. Let them help you find the right policy for your needs. It does not cost any more to get professional assistance.

Now that I think about it, even policies with a waiver at final payment will not cover a foreseen event so it very much depends on the circumstances at the time of purchase. The other choice is simply to cancel before final payment. Tough position to be in.

The pre-existing conditions waiver is a time-sensitive provision. The policy must be purchased within 14-21 days of booking in order to qualify for a waiver. Some policies allow a waiver if the policy is purchased within 24 hours of final payment. That may be an option for any of @BND’s remaining cruises that have not reached final payment. IMG, Generali, and CSA are companies to consider. Steve may offer additional choices.

Briefly, a pre-existing condition is one that requires treatment or prescription medication regardless of age; and, in the case of Allianz, manifested itself within 120 days prior to the effective date of the policy. Also, the fact that your father is in hospice implies a foreseen event. Allianz will make the determination if you file a claim. Just know that neither you, your traveling companions, nor family members have coverage for pre-existing conditions if the cruise was booked before you bought the policy. Only a cruise booked within 14 days of purchase or anytime after that is covered.

The timing of coverage is determined by booking date, not when he went into hospice. Did you have the annual policy when you booked the cruise?

The pre-existing conditions exclusion does extend to family members, but it is waived if you already had the policy when you booked the trip or purchased it within 14 days of booking.

Generally speaking, that is true; however, you won’t know for sure until you file the claim. Only the insurance company can see the associated medical records and documentation. After examining that, they will determine whether it is a pre-existing condition or whether it is fully covered under the terms of the policy. No insurance company will tell you over the phone that a claim will be paid without ever having seen it. If it is determined to be pre-existing, neither NCL nor American Express will pay. In any case, you still qualify for the FCC under the NCL policy. Best wishes for recovery and health.

You are too late to get a pre-existing conditions waiver. It is a time-sensitive provision that requires you to purchase the policy within 14-21 days of initial deposit. Some policies allow it if you purchase within 24 hours of final payment, but that opportunity has passed as well.

The pre-existing conditions exclusion does indeed extend to non-traveling family members in some comprehensive travel policies. That is true of all credit card insurance provided as a benefit with fee based cards. Claims for cancellation or trip interruption are denied if they are determined to be caused by a pre-existing condition of the policy holder, traveling companion, or non-traveling family member. That is why it is important to read the policy carefully. It does not necessarily mean death from a pre-existing condition isn’t covered unless it is stated in the policy, such as in the Aegis policy.