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Canceling cruise last minute....is this pre existing?


sazzifrazz
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I booked cruise over a year ago. Last august i herniated a disc and had back surgery. I did Pt off and on to strengthen my back and work on core strength. I bought trip insurance at time of final payment in April. I bought the Worldwide Trip Protector through Travel Insured International. It does not cover pre existing conditions.

In december I had an updated MRI that showed everything was looking good. The only medical claims I had during the 60 days prior to purchasing the policy was a few PT sessions.

Last week I hurt my back, and I believe I may have herniated a disc. It could be the same disc, or a new disc...I won't know until I can get an MRI. I have appointment with my neurosurgeon on Tuesday. We are supposed to drive down Wednesday for our Thursday cruise.

 

I linked the policy wording about pre existing.

1) . Would this be pre existing? It is a new injury.

2) . It says to notify them within 72 hours of event-I hurt it Friday but no doctor has diagnosed the issue or said not to travel. we need to wait for MRI results for that. Hopefully that will happen over the weekend.

The Company will not pay for any expense as a result of any illness, disease, or other condition

during the 60 day period immediately prior to the date Your coverage is effective for which You or

Your Traveling Companion, Business Partner or Family Member: 1) received or received a

recommendation for a test, examination, or medical treatment for a condition which first manifested

itself, worsened or became acute or had symptoms which would have prompted a reasonable

person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; or 2) took or received a prescription for drugs or

medicine. Item (2) of this Exclusion does not apply to a condition which is treated or controlled

solely through the taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled

without any adjustment or change in the required prescription throughout the 60 day period before

coverage is effective under this Policy

 

 

The Company will not pay for any expense as a result of any illness, disease, or other condition

during the 60 day period immediately prior to the date Your coverage is effective for which You or

Your Traveling Companion, Business Partner or Family Member: 1) received or received a

recommendation for a test, examination, or medical treatment for a condition which first manifested

itself, worsened or became acute or had symptoms which would have prompted a reasonable

person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; or 2) took or received a prescription for drugs or

medicine. Item (2) of this Exclusion does not apply to a condition which is treated or controlled

solely through the taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled

without any adjustment or change in the required prescription throughout the 60 day period before

coverage is effective under this Policy.

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I booked cruise over a year ago. Last august i herniated a disc and had back surgery. I did Pt off and on to strengthen my back and work on core strength. I bought trip insurance at time of final payment in April. I bought the Worldwide Trip Protector through Travel Insured International. It does not cover pre existing conditions.

In december I had an updated MRI that showed everything was looking good. The only medical claims I had during the 60 days prior to purchasing the policy was a few PT sessions.

Last week I hurt my back, and I believe I may have herniated a disc. It could be the same disc, or a new disc...I won't know until I can get an MRI. I have appointment with my neurosurgeon on Tuesday. We are supposed to drive down Wednesday for our Thursday cruise.

 

I linked the policy wording about pre existing.

1) . Would this be pre existing? It is a new injury.

2) . It says to notify them within 72 hours of event-I hurt it Friday but no doctor has diagnosed the issue or said not to travel. we need to wait for MRI results for that. Hopefully that will happen over the weekend.

The Company will not pay for any expense as a result of any illness, disease, or other condition

during the 60 day period immediately prior to the date Your coverage is effective for which You or

Your Traveling Companion, Business Partner or Family Member: 1) received or received a

recommendation for a test, examination, or medical treatment for a condition which first manifested

itself, worsened or became acute or had symptoms which would have prompted a reasonable

person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; or 2) took or received a prescription for drugs or

medicine. Item (2) of this Exclusion does not apply to a condition which is treated or controlled

solely through the taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled

without any adjustment or change in the required prescription throughout the 60 day period before

coverage is effective under this Policy

 

 

The Company will not pay for any expense as a result of any illness, disease, or other condition

during the 60 day period immediately prior to the date Your coverage is effective for which You or

Your Traveling Companion, Business Partner or Family Member: 1) received or received a

recommendation for a test, examination, or medical treatment for a condition which first manifested

itself, worsened or became acute or had symptoms which would have prompted a reasonable

person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; or 2) took or received a prescription for drugs or

medicine. Item (2) of this Exclusion does not apply to a condition which is treated or controlled

solely through the taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled

without any adjustment or change in the required prescription throughout the 60 day period before

coverage is effective under this Policy.

 

Only Travel Insured can definitively answer this.

 

It would have been wise to ask them about your actual situation at the time you were getting the coverage, as *that* would have been the time to know whether anything related to those PT sessions would be covered or not, etc.

 

Better yet - in the future - to get the coverage started at the initial deposit/payment, because then it just doesn't matter -->> as long as you are "fit to travel" on that day (and also don't *know* of any reason why you wouldn't be able to travel).

 

We've had a few claims with Travel Insured, including two large claims. In both cases, it's possible they would have questioned a pre-existing condition; we just don't know, because it wasn't relevant. We purchased the coverage at initial deposit time, so there were no exclusions due to pre-existing conditions.

(We don't think any pre-existing conditions were involved, but we could understand why someone might want to check medical records. But none of that was necessary, including no need to wait while medical records were requested and then subjected to review.)

 

But call them in the morning so you *know* the situation, or whether it's a "maybe" until they see the records.

 

Is it still possible that you'll be able to travel?

 

Good luck!

 

GC

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There is a slight chance. If it is not a herniation and just muscle pull I will be going!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Keeping fingers crossed for you! :)

 

I took a cruise shortly after being diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff. It was *horribly* painful, and DH had to help me with just about everything.

I could easily have gotten a medical letter and gotten all of our money back, but I wanted to go on the CRUISE :D

 

(My physicians all said it was "okay, but take it easy", and I did. I had no choice but to "take it easy", unfortunately.)

 

And we had a great time!

 

GC

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Talk about cutting it close. I have an MRI Monday evening, appointment with neurosurgeon Tuesday afternoon, supposed to drive down to NJ from Boston Wednesday morning, and get on the ship Thursday! I can't make a decision until I see what the surgeon has to say Tuesday. Yikes! We are going to pack just incase. This has been a nightmare. I have been looking forward to this trip all year. Its honestly been great therapy for me planning it all.

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I wish you good luck in making your cruise. And, if you don't, with your insurance claim.

 

No insurance agent am I, but it is my understanding that for pre-existing conditions to be covered, the policy must be purchased within a certain number of days after making the initial deposit for the trip.

 

Best wishes and it would be informative for all of us if you return to this thread and report the outcome of your experience.

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I wish you good luck in making your cruise. And, if you don't, with your insurance claim.

 

No insurance agent am I, but it is my understanding that for pre-existing conditions to be covered, the policy must be purchased within a certain number of days after making the initial deposit for the trip.

 

Best wishes and it would be informative for all of us if you return to this thread and report the outcome of your experience.

 

There are many different insurers, and each (or most of them?) has quite a variety of policies and conditions.

 

There is at least one policy type that allows automatic coverage of pre-existing conditions if the policy is started within 24 hours of *final* payment (defined narrowly, obviously).

This can be as long as a year or two after the initial deposit/payment.

 

At least for the one policy like that we know about, the coverage isn't quite as good as what we can get from Travel Insured if we start the coverage within 20 days [state specific!] of that first payment/deposit. Additionally, the CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) coverage is much more expensive, for those who would want to include that.

 

To OP: Did you speak with the insurer today? Does it depend upon whether it's the same "disc", or does the PT matter-or-not-matter?

 

Good luck!

And don't risk more damage lifting heavy suitcases while you get ready in case you are cleared to go!

 

GC

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I have not spoken to the insurance co yet. I have an appointment with surgeon Tuesday and will see what he says. If He says not to go I will then call them. i have spent all week battling doctors and jumping through hoops to get an MRI before the trip. We started packing....and believe me I am not lifting a thing!

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I have not spoken to the insurance co yet. I have an appointment with surgeon Tuesday and will see what he says. If He says not to go I will then call them. i have spent all week battling doctors and jumping through hoops to get an MRI before the trip. We started packing....and believe me I am not lifting a thing!

 

Good luck!

You certainly have my sympathy.

We were SO glad we were in fact able to take that cruise despite my bad shoulder injury. Relaxing on the balcony, with warm ocean breezes... so much better than the same physical condition stuck at home!

 

One suggestion: IF the physician says it is okay for you to go (and assuming the insurer also says it's not pre-existing, or even if otherwise and you decide to risk it on your own)...

Consider getting a LETTER signed by your physician that you are "okay to travel on <date>".

 

No point having everything else okay (hopefully!) and then later, IF there's a problem, ending up with the *only* problem being that the insurer tries to claim that you shouldn't have traveled in the first place.

 

(We had a medical situation a few years ago where DH had to cancel a trip at the last minute for a medical emergency, and insurance paid in full. But when he finally could travel again, we made sure that we had such a letter "just in case". Fortunately, we had a great trip, and the letter was never needed. It was just a simple note that "<DH> is okay to travel internationally starting today", signed and dated by physician.)

 

GC

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How do we know. We aren't insurance agents and we have not written your policy. Only the company that wrote your insurance can answer your question. Lots of luck but I would not be optimistic. Keep us posted.

 

DON

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Just wanted to come back here and say I did go on my cruise. I had my MRI on that Monday night, Saw my surgeon on Tuesday afternoon. I did not reherniate...I just pulled my back out. He suggested I go on my trip. I left the next day. I had a great time, my back behaved itself. Thanks for all of your input. I now know to book travel insurance right after deposit, and make sure it has cancel for any reason. I already booked my next cruise and I am buying insurance now!

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Just wanted to come back here and say I did go on my cruise. I had my MRI on that Monday night, Saw my surgeon on Tuesday afternoon. I did not reherniate...I just pulled my back out. He suggested I go on my trip. I left the next day. I had a great time, my back behaved itself. Thanks for all of your input. I now know to book travel insurance right after deposit, and make sure it has cancel for any reason. I already booked my next cruise and I am buying insurance now!

 

Wonderful!

 

As you could read, we were wondering about you.

 

Good to know you were able to go.

And good to know you "learned" about travel insurance (and pre-existing conditions, etc.) without losing out entirely!

 

Hope your back continues to "behave"!

 

GC

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Just wanted to come back here and say I did go on my cruise. I had my MRI on that Monday night, Saw my surgeon on Tuesday afternoon. I did not reherniate...I just pulled my back out. He suggested I go on my trip. I left the next day. I had a great time, my back behaved itself. Thanks for all of your input. I now know to book travel insurance right after deposit, and make sure it has cancel for any reason. I already booked my next cruise and I am buying insurance now!

 

Thanks for returning to your post and providing the good news that you were able to sail without issues!

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