cruise insurance question

[jerseygirl3]

Correct. And with TravelSafe the time frame is within 15 days of the date you make the first payment on the trip:

 

"WAIVER OF THE PRE-EXISTING CONDITION EXCLUSION

 

The exclusion for Pre-Existing Conditions will be waived if this plan is purchased within 15 days of the date Your initial Trip deposit is paid."

 

By the way I spoke to Travelex when they first started doing this and there is a couple of exceptions to the rule. #1 if the non-traveling family member has been told by the doctor that he/she has only X number of days/weeks/months to live or is no longer receiving actual treatment fore the disease but is only receiving palliative care or hospice-type care then the death may not be covered. Their basic reasoning is that the death is no longer a possibility but a sure thing and they're not in the business of betting against a sure thing. So if that type of situation applies always call first for a further explanation.

 

They also said that the relative's condition as of the date the policy is purchased becomes the baseline condition against which any claims will be determined. For example, say the relative at the time the policy is purchased has a kidney problem and receives dialysis three times a week. You can't decide to cancel at a later date because the relative has a kidney problem and needs dialysis three times a week. You knew that when the policy was purchased and nothing has changed. But if the kidney problem worsens and requires hospitalization or your personal care you would be covered as it is a substantial change in the condition.

 

I would imagine that TravelSafe has the same kind of rules but have not verified this.

 

My advice is always that if you're going to buy a policy anyway do it in the time frame necessary to get the waiver of the pre-existing condition exclusion. If you've missed that time frame and have no worries about pre-ex conditions for yourself or any members of your traveling party, but may be worried about the situation with a non-traveling family member give the insurer a call to go over the situation -- you may still be OK.

 

If I'm reading the following correctly (copied and pasted from Travel Safe's insurance info), it doesn't cover family members NOT traveling with you. Am I misunderstanding something? I thought that if you purchased the insurance within 15 days of deposit, they would be covered. According to this, they wouldn't:

 

Pre-Existing Condition" means any injury, sickness or condition (including any condition from which death ensues) of You, or Your Traveling Companion, or Your and/or Your Traveling Companion's Family Member traveling with You which within the 60 day period prior to the effective date of Your Trip Cancellation coverage under the Policy: (a) manifested itself, became acute or exhibited symptoms which would have caused one to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; (b) required taking prescribed drugs or medicine, unless the condition for which the prescribed drug or medicine is taken remains controlled without any change in the required prescription; or © required medical treatment or treatment was recommended by a Legally Qualified Physician.

[jerseygirl3]

Actually, I'm having trouble finding ANY policy that will waive pre-existing conditions for anybody NOT traveling with you (i.e., elderly parents who are not traveling with you). In the past, I've always purchased Travelex and they covered you, your traveling companion, business partner and/or family members whether or not they were traveling with you. Now all I can find are policies for the traveler and/or family members traveling WITH them.

 

I need to purchase insurance so pre-existing conditions will be covered (booked our trip 13 days ago, so time is of the essence). Anybody have any suggestions, since it seems coverage has changed significantly since the last time I purchased.

 

JO-Ann

[Arwenmark]

I think you misread that it only affects those who are traveling with you. One caveat to the above you need to read the entire policy and sometimes where you live(State or country) affects the language of the insurance contract)

 

No in fact is does not, in most cases, it applies to immediate family members at home that may have a heart attack for instance that have a history of heart disease, if they should die or whatever while you are on your cruise and you need to return, you will only be covered if you had the pre existing clause in your contract.

 

I just got off the phone with insuremytrip.com and while Travel X does specify traveling familly member as does True travel, Travel Guard, CSA, Access America all require you to have it if ANY family memeber traveling or not gets sick. Travel guard covers death with or without the waiver.

[cruiseco]

If I'm reading the following correctly (copied and pasted from Travel Safe's insurance info), it doesn't cover family members NOT traveling with you. Am I misunderstanding something? I thought that if you purchased the insurance within 15 days of deposit, they would be covered. According to this, they wouldn't:

 

Pre-Existing Condition" means any injury, sickness or condition (including any condition from which death ensues) of You, or Your Traveling Companion, or Your and/or Your Traveling Companion's Family Member traveling with You . . . . .

 

The highlighted section above is TravelDafe's definition of a pre-existing medical condition. According to their definition the only people that can have a pre-existing medical condition are:

You

Your Traveling Companion

Your Family Member traveling with you

Your Traveling Companion's Family Member traveling with you

 

No one else, including any family members who are not traveling with you, can possibly have a pre-existing medical condition. That's their definition and they have spelled out the only people anywhere who are subject to the pre-existing condition exclusion.

 

So, no, you cannot get coverage for a pre-existing medical condition of a non-traveling family member because non-traveling family members, by TravelSafe's own definition cannot possibly have a pre-existing medical condition.

 

Remember that your idea of what is or is not a pre-ex condition is immaterial. All that counts is what is spelled out in the plan documentation and it will often be different from what your common sense is telling. Your common sense is telling you that Grandma has a pre-ex condition. TravelSafe is saying she can't have a pre-existing as she does not fall into the specified group of people that CAN have a pre-ex condition.

[jerseygirl3]

The highlighted section above is TravelDafe's definition of a pre-existing medical condition. According to their definition the only people that can have a pre-existing medical condition are:

You

Your Traveling Companion

Your Family Member traveling with you

Your Traveling Companion's Family Member traveling with you

 

No one else, including any family members who are not traveling with you, can possibly have a pre-existing medical condition. That's their definition and they have spelled out the only people anywhere who are subject to the pre-existing condition exclusion.

 

So, no, you cannot get coverage for a pre-existing medical condition of a non-traveling family member because non-traveling family members, by TravelSafe's own definition cannot possibly have a pre-existing medical condition.

 

Remember that your idea of what is or is not a pre-ex condition is immaterial. All that counts is what is spelled out in the plan documentation and it will often be different from what your common sense is telling. Your common sense is telling you that Grandma has a pre-ex condition. TravelSafe is saying she can't have a pre-existing as she does not fall into the specified group of people that CAN have a pre-ex condition.

 

Okay, so given this information, is there a policy you know of that will cover family member's pre-existing condition if they are NOT traveling with you (assuming the policy is purchased within the timeframe that pre-existing conditions are covered). I've always bought Travelex Travel Lite, and it always used to cover family members not traveling with you, but now I see that is no longer included in the information when you read the policy's pre-existing condition waiver. My parents both have pre-existing conditions, so it is imperative that I have insurance if something were to happen to them that would cause us to cancel. Any suggestions?

 

Jo-Ann

[cherylandtk]

Jo-Ann, slow down and re-read what cruiseco posted, ;)

 

So, no, you cannot get coverage for a pre-existing medical condition of a non-traveling family member because non-traveling family members, by TravelSafe's own definition cannot possibly have a pre-existing medical condition.

 

In your example Grandma has an existing heart condition who is staying home. You plan a cruise with this insurance. Grandma takes ill due to the heart condition a week before your cruise and you have to cancel. You are covered because her existing heart condition is not considered pre-existing because she is a non-travelling family member and this policy defines pre-existing limitations ONLY for traveling people.

[klfrodo]

Cruiseco,

 

You're not going to like this but,,,,,,

 

You appear to be very knowledgable about trip/travel insurance. You have the ability to take contract leaglize and make it understandable to the rest of us.

Would it be possible for you to put together a "Stickey" of FAQ's that new and old cruisers would be able to understand like FlyerTalker and Greatam did in the "Cruise Air" forum when they discuss cruise air and lost luggage.

 

Many people would be eternally greatful for something like this. If so, great and many thanks. If not,,, I still thank you for sharing the information that you do have.

[G'ma]

I guess that is kind of what I am asking. has anyone had this experiance and if so what happend. Also anyone have a recomendation of a company they have used that worked in this situation

 

Most policies will cover your out of pocket expenses and any nonrefundable fees.

 

You'll need to read the policy to determine if it covers your needs.

 

Go here to do a little research:

 

www.insuremytrip.com

 

This will give you several policies from many companies and you can get price quotes....

[jerseygirl3]

Jo-Ann, slow down and re-read what cruiseco posted, ;)

 

 

 

In your example Grandma has an existing heart condition who is staying home. You plan a cruise with this insurance. Grandma takes ill due to the heart condition a week before your cruise and you have to cancel. You are covered because her existing heart condition is not considered pre-existing because she is a non-travelling family member and this policy defines pre-existing limitations ONLY for traveling people.

 

Oh, okay, now I think I get it. So the pre-existing condition (which is waived if purchased within a specified timeframe from time of deposit) is only applicable to myself or my traveling companion(s)? Anybody not traveling with us could have a pre-existing condition, but that wouldn't be held against us if we had to cancel due to their illness? We'd still be covered?

 

Have I got it right now?

 

Jo-Ann

[Arwenmark]

Oh, okay, now I think I get it. So the pre-existing condition (which is waived if purchased within a specified timeframe from time of deposit) is only applicable to myself or my traveling companion(s)? Anybody not traveling with us could have a pre-existing condition, but that wouldn't be held against us if we had to cancel due to their illness? We'd still be covered?

 

Have I got it right now?

 

Jo-Ann

 

You have it right for THAT PARTICULAR COMPANIES policy. Other companies DO include those not traveling with you for purposes of paying out if a non traveling family member has a problem that was from a pre existing condition, that causes YOU the covered person to have to cancel your trip.

 

So you need to read the fine print of the specific company AND policy which you are buying to see which of these rules apply.

[cherylandtk]

Have I got it right now?Jo-Ann

Yep! Arwenmark is correct that some policies may include non-travelling family members in their PEE (Pre-existing exclusion) so you really need to read each policy you are considering. FWIW, that includes some cruiseline policies, too. Princess and NCL would cover you, RCCL would not.