Trouble With Travel Protection!!

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

Has anyone else had any trouble with the purchase with the purchase of the Travel Protection like we are having? We purchased the Best Travel Protection Princess had to buy for our Panama Cruise for 02/05/10 Cruise & I had a Heart attack & had to have a Double Bypass Surgery on the 26th of January,2010. We had been traveling from the 30th of November until the 13th of January with no problems that I knew of except that I did not feel quite right so when we got home I went to have a check up with my Dr. & he ran some test & he said that I had had an Heart attack some time between the 24th of November & when I returned from Germany on the 13th of January. Well the trip including the travel protection was all paid for before this & I was fit to travel so???After a couple of months of waiting for our money to get to us we phoned & they said that they were looking into that I had a pre-existing condition so they could turn down my claim, using those words. My cardiologist had given me a clean bill of health on the 24th of November to travel after my yearly visit so I was good to go & had not had had a heart problem for 16 years. Now this Best Travel protection is suppose to be for anything, even for preexisting conditions if not within a certin period of time. So what's the problem here?

[sirwired]

When did you book and/or purchase the protection policy?

[Coral]

Princess's Travel Insurance does have a pre-existing clause - I believe it has a 60 day look back period. They do have an option that you can cancel for any reason "and receive a cruise credit towards a future cruise".

 

It sounds like your look back period was fine, so I am surprised you are having some issues.

 

If you bought the top level of insurance, you can receive 100% in future cruise credit. If you continue to have problems with the claim - you can go this route and cruise it the future (if you want that). If you don't - you need to have your cardiologist fill out a ton of paperwork claiming you were fine the 60 days before you bought insurance. One one of my cruises, we had to cancel as my mom needed bypass surgery - her doctors (several of them as we saw several) had to write many letters stating the date we saw them, that they advised against the cruise and then we ended up having surgery the week of the cruise. I turned in a ton of documentation. I would go back to those doctor's and have them write letters.

[crusinbanjo]

I think you have to remember that insurance companies are not in business to pay claims. They are in business to make money..... ....so, in this economic environment, they will look for ANY excuse to deny your claim. You might need to have an advocate to help to show them that paying the claim is in their best interest.

 

Maybe you'll get lucky and they will just pay as expected, let's hope so, but if they don't and you feel strongly that they should pay, find a "pitbull" to start talking to them and don't take no for an answer. Oh and I forgot to say, document everything.

[cherylandtk]

The insurance company will be looking closely at WHY you went to the doctor on Nov. 24and if you had any symptoms or signs at that time. Since you had a prior, but stable, heart condition they will look closely to see if this visit was a 'required treatment' or if the doctor noticed a change of condition at that time. If so, they will say that you should have cancelled the February cruise then, which was 72 days prior.

 

You will have to wait to see if they deny your claim, and the reasons for the denial, and then get your doctor to write a letter refuting the pre-existing condition exclusion. The key may be the phrasing of the policy, which includes specific points both on changes in prescriptions and requiring 'treatment by a physician'. If your Nov. 24 appointment was for follow-up care, then it may fall into the 'requiring treatment by a physician' exclusion.

[gooch47]

I'm confused. What kind of claim can you make? Your illness wasn't discovered until after you got home. What bills would the insurance pay?

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

We booked the Cruise 7 months in advance & took out the travel protection all at the same time. We paid the final payment on the Cruise when it was suppose to be paid & I did not have any problems with my Heart for 16 years prior to the Cruise & had my Cardiologist give me a clear bill of health on November 24th of 2010 to do all my traveling coming up. This all was put into the Dr's reports & we have not given up or given in to the Travel Protection Company we just wanted to ask other Cruisers this question & to let people know that they actually said that they said they were trying not to pay off on the cruise because of a preexisting condition. Also Princess would not let us book another future Cruise in Lu of this Cruise, they said that they could not do that. This would have been the easiest thing to do but they just said that was not possible.

[kruisey]

Has anyone else had any trouble with the purchase with the purchase of the Travel Protection like we are having? We purchased the Best Travel Protection Princess had to buy for our Panama Cruise for 02/05/10 Cruise & I had a Heart attack & had to have a Double Bypass Surgery on the 26th of January,2010. We had been traveling from the 30th of November until the 13th of January with no problems that I knew of except that I did not feel quite right so when we got home I went to have a check up with my Dr. & he ran some test & he said that I had had an Heart attack some time between the 24th of November & when I returned from Germany on the 13th of January. Well the trip including the travel protection was all paid for before this & I was fit to travel so???After a couple of months of waiting for our money to get to us we phoned & they said that they were looking into that I had a pre-existing condition so they could turn down my claim, using those words. My cardiologist had given me a clean bill of health on the 24th of November to travel after my yearly visit so I was good to go & had not had had a heart problem for 16 years. Now this Best Travel protection is suppose to be for anything, even for preexisting conditions if not within a certin period of time. So what's the problem here?

I presume you are not fit enough to travel on your May cruise due to a re occurrence of a pre existing condition?

If you cancel will in 60 days of this re occurrence there is no compesation for health reasons.

The only thing you can press for is cancellation for 'Any other reason'.You will

get 'A cruise Credit' for a future cruise but not cash.

Good Luck to you and wish you a speedy recovery:)

[sirwired]

If you bought the policy before you have any hint that things were wrong, and you had not had any medication updates in the two months prior to purchasing, then you should be covered.

 

It sounds to me like there are some errors in communication. It appears like your claim is stuck in processing, and the phase that it is stuck in is the part where they check for a pre-existing condition within the lookback period. (Checking for a pre-ex is something they are going to do with every medical claim.)

 

You can't appeal the verdict until the claim is formally denied, so instead of worrying about your pre-ex exclusion right now, instead push them to actually finish processing the claim. When/if they deny the claim, then you can counter with records and a statement from your doctor that you had no symptoms or heart medication adjustments in the 60 days prior to the purchase of the policy.

 

SirWired

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

First of all We were returning home from a trip to Germany to visit our Daughter not from the Cruise. Second the Cruise was to begin on the 5th of February of 2010 not in May. Third, my Dr's visit on the 24th of November was a yearly visit to my Cardiologist that I have seen since I had a Heart problem in 1994(16years ago) & he gave me a clean bill of health for all my future travels. I put the dates for my cruise in my OP & do not understand any confusion on anybodies part. The Travel Protection Company got all the info from the Dr's office & there should be no problem on this claim but there seems to be some foot dragging. As far as some people thinking the Cruise may be in May that's because they do the dating thing different than in the US. Now I hope this answers averybody's questions but I know I still don't know why I don't have a good reason I don't have my Money back.

[robgvic]

If this is a Princess Travel Travel Protection then You should continue your fight with Princess. Everything sounds above boards to me. Ihope you have resolution soon

[rdsqrl]

First of all We were returning home from a trip to Germany to visit our Daughter not from the Cruise. Second the Cruise was to begin on the 5th of February of 2010 not in May. Third, my Dr's visit on the 24th of November was a yearly visit to my Cardiologist that I have seen since I had a Heart problem in 1994(16years ago) & he gave me a clean bill of health for all my future travels. I put the dates for my cruise in my OP & do not understand any confusion on anybodies part. The Travel Protection Company got all the info from the Dr's office & there should be no problem on this claim but there seems to be some foot dragging. As far as some people thinking the Cruise may be in May that's because they do the dating thing different than in the US. Now I hope this answers averybody's questions but I know I still don't know why I don't have a good reason I don't have my Money back.

I understand your frustration, both with the insurance company and with people who don't take the time to read posts carefully before they respond, but none of us work for the insurance company and I don't understand what you expect from us. I imagine you don't have your money back because the insurance company is probably just a typical big soul-less corporation who isn't in any hurry to pay out any money. All you can do is keep bugging them to get your claim processed.

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

I don't expect anything from you the other posters unless you have had a problem with the travel protection which the posting question was about & was ask. In the next two postings I was just trying to explain when, where & what I was doing things for. I guess no one has had a problem with the Travel Protection so I will drop it & keep up my wait with the Travel Protection Company to see if they are going to pay off. Thanks for trying to read my posting & trying to answer it, I guess it was too hard to understand.

[kruisey]

I don't expect anything from you the other posters unless you have had a problem with the travel protection which the posting question was about & was ask. In the next two postings I was just trying to explain when, where & what I was doing things for. I guess no one has had a problem with the Travel Protection so I will drop it & keep up my wait with the Travel Protection Company to see if they are going to pay off. Thanks for trying to read my posting & trying to answer it, I guess it was too hard to understand.

.

Was only trying to help when I said 'Cancel for any reason then you will get a cruise credit. When you are feeling better you can take another cruise.

That is much better than getting your claim turned down due to pre existing conditions.

[cactusrose]

I think the confusion is the timeline. If you made final payment before November 24th and didn't have any issue in the 60 days prior to that then you should be fine. The Insurance company is just following their procedures of reviewing you medical records before paying. We had the same thing happen when my husband was taken off the ship with a heart problem. The insurance company didn't pay until they had all the relevant medical records from his doctor.

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

:rolleyes:When the Travel Protection Company takes over Princess says that they can not offer you a cruise credit or anything else. It is up to the Travel Protection Company to deal with us & they have had all the info from the all the Dr's for a couple of months now & then say they don't & then say they need it again. I just have been doing my walking & my other things to get me back into the best shape I can. right now the only way we can take another Cruise is to pay for it our self & to keep waiting for our refund. I appreciate all of the info from you all.

[messy]

I haven't had this issue relative to a trip insurance - but form an insurance standpoint a claim is a claim...

 

Here is what I have done in the past when dealing with insurance issues:

 

1. Make sure you have the claim handler's name. Always try and speak with that same person.

2. If your primary contact cannot provide you with enough information about the status of your claim ask to speak to their supervisor. Record the supervisor's name also. Once you have made contact witha supervisor make them your primary contact.

3. When sending documents to the insurance company do it using "return receipt" this will require a signature from the recipient - you then have their name when someone tells you they don't have the documents.

4. If the supervisor cannot answer your questions keep moving up the chain of command.

5. Keep a log of everyone you have spoken to, dates and times.

 

If necessary get the name of the president of the company and send them a letter including the log. This usually gets everyone's attention. When it comes to insurance claims - the squeaky wheel gets the oil!

 

Sorry you have to go through this after having had surgery. Keep in mind your recovery is your primary goal.

 

Take care - hope this response helps a little.

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

Thanks for the info & I have done all of the things that you have suggested but when the person that signed for the Dr's papers they signed it so badly that the name can not be read (who would have thought that) & also when I ask to talk to the same person I talk to the last time that person was not there that day & the supervisor is in conference, all who could have guessed all those things being all at the same time??? Well, I guess I should not go out & buy any Lotto tickets on that day either. I know this all sounds like a conspiracy thing but it is all happening but is not funny, well bye-bye.

[AWorldCruise4Me]

You might want to ask them how soon you can expect to hear from them. If they say it typically takes 2-3 months then you will have your expectations set and not have additional stress from worrying that they will deny you. From what you said it sound like you have a valid claim. If that is the case, eventually you will get paid but it does take some time for them to go through their processes and they recently had all the Chile earthquake claims come in so that was probably an unexpected add to their workload.

 

Best,

Michelle

[diane.in.ny]

From the Princess site

 

So, if you have no change in your health (even if you are on continuous unchanged medication) in the 60 days prior to purchasing Princess Vacation Protection, pre-existing conditions are not excluded.

 

Sounds to me like you should be covered

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

They say the Checks are in the Mail. The Travel Protection Company says that they mailed the checks to us on the 8th of April. I hope this is not like "The Check Is In The Mail" Story. We will see.

[Coral]

They say the Checks are in the Mail. The Travel Protection Company says that they mailed the checks to us on the 8th of April. I hope this is not like "The Check Is In The Mail" Story. We will see.

 

Yea!!!

 

Please post when you receive it!

[goose30]

I'm confused. What kind of claim can you make? Your illness wasn't discovered until after you got home. What bills would the insurance pay?

 

Above from post #6. What did the insurance pay for?

[R&MTHETRAVELERS]

We do not Know How much Money we are going to get back as yet. They would not tell us on the phone. The person that we talked to would only say that the two checks (one for each of us) had been mailed the day before & that we should get them in a few days. The whole thing has been handled very unprofessionally by them from the beginning. We wanted to from the beginning to just put the money towards another cruise but Princess said that was impossible & we had to be turned over to the Travel Protection Company & then we sent all the papers that was requested by them by signature required right away & got the signed receipts back & then they said they never got them & then they told me that I had a preexisting condition that would make ineligible for a refund over the phone in those exact words & then said that when I gave them the Dr's Fax # again that they never got the stuff again but the Dr's office had a confirmation # that they had & when they were confronted with this they said the checks were in the mail two days later??? Let's hope that they are & that the amounts add up to the right amount.

[Benita]

Sorry that you are having so much trouble. For the future, it is probably best to buy insurance from an independent insurance company - you can compare quotes on http://www.insuremytip.com If you purchase the insurance within 14 days of making your initial deposit almost each company will cover you for preexisting conditions (one or two companies will even cover you for this if you purchase the coverage within a day of your final payment). That way, they can't play games as to what is or is not preexisting.

Princess would not be able to have just given you a different cruise instead of having you deal with the insurance company, because then they would have been out the money for the cruise. You paid for the cruise and will pay them for another in the future, should you decide to sail with them again. If they just let you switch dates, they would not get that second payment. They contract out their insurance (often to one of the companies listed on insuremytrip.