CSA Travel Insurance

[the plumbers wife]

I purchased CSA when we booked (there are ten of us). We leave in 5 days, I hope. My Dad is having a pain in his chest (new condition :(). He goes to see a heart specialist and then a test on Wednesday. When I called CSA they were wonderful, he said in the event my Dad can't travel we would all be covered? Needless to say we are in limbo but very thankful that we purchased insurance. We do not have "cancel for any reason"?? Has anyone else had this happen to them???

[sirwired]

I had to cancel (albeit with TravelGuard, not CSA) with a similar scenario. It's a 100% standard insurance claim that is exactly the sort of event you purchase insurance for. CSA is a reputable company; you shouldn't have any problems.

 

The best advice I have for you is to not be afraid to over-document. In my case, my Dad's doctor gave me a copy of his chart, including documentation of a failed stent insertion and the referral letter for an emergency triple-bypass.

 

So I sent all this in, with the juicy bits highlighted, along with the one-page medical documentation form. I had a check in three weeks.

 

One tip: If the doctor says you shouldn't go because of your dad, cancel whatever you can, as soon as you can. It's your duty as a policyholder to mitigate your losses, in addition to being the right thing to do.

[the plumbers wife]

Sirwired, thank you! You are right! I am hopeful that Wednesdays test will tell us eithier way. The Dr./staff that is working with us is wonderful!!!!

[cathysmom]

Hi...

Has anyone heard of CSA's "Sail Safe" plan? My TA signed me up for it but when I went to the CSA's website I found that I could have a better plan for less...The Freestyle plans (which is done with a TS's code) include pre-existing...but even the Custom Luxe that you add ""pre-existing" was less....

 

I've asked my TA to investigate as well as sent an inquiry on CSA's site.... I have a couple of days left so I'm hoping someone gets back to me soon!

 

Thanks!

[cruiseco]

Hi...

Has anyone heard of CSA's "Sail Safe" plan? My TA signed me up for it but when I went to the CSA's website I found that I could have a better plan for less...The Freestyle plans (which is done with a TS's code) include pre-existing...but even the Custom Luxe that you add ""pre-existing" was less....

 

I've asked my TA to investigate as well as sent an inquiry on CSA's site.... I have a couple of days left so I'm hoping someone gets back to me soon!

 

Thanks!

 

CSA, along with many other insurers, will design plans specifically for one large agency or an agency consortium for the sole use of their clients. One common feature is that the pricing may not take the traveler's age into account when figuring the premium (I know Traxelex's plan of this sort does not) and so those in upper age brackets might be getting a good deal but those in the lower age brackets might be paying too much compared to the insurer's standard plans.

 

Usually, if an agency agrees to offer these special plans they cannot offer the standard plans -- the insurer doesn't want the agent picking and choosing whichever plan is cheapest for each client.

 

Update: I found the pricing for this plan and compared it to the regular Freestyle plan. For a $2000 trip cost:

 

Safe Sail plan premium for all ages: $125

 

For the regular Freestyle plan:

If age 0-30: $76

If age 31 - 50: $91

If age 51 - 60: $108

If age 61 - 70: $133

If age 71 - 75: $172

If age 76 - 80: $223

If age 81 - 84: $281

If age 85+: $369

[cathysmom]

Thanks for the explanation!! Though my TA is a nice person she's really informative...I called CSA and they were wonderful & cancelled the "Sail Safe" and then signed me up for the "Freestyle"...We're the younger in the group so Freestyle was the less expensive. We are travelling with some older friends who may benefit from Sail Safe's policy. (Our Sail Safe amount would have been $308-Total Cost for two people was $4400...Freestyle for 49/51 yrs $4400 was $253)

[hal2008]

The pre-existing condition has to do with the traveller & not for those not travelling with you. To get this waiver, most plans I've seen require you to purchase the policy with your initial deposit. I don't like to pay for a travel policy before there are any penalties that could be charged. If at final payment there's a medical condition that might require such a waiver, then I'll buy the slightly more expensive CSA Pro policy through my TA. :)

 

 

is this true?

 

I though if trip is cancelled because of death/serious illness of FIL, PEC for FIL does come into play.

 

Any insight from the experts on this forum?

 

Thanks.

[cruiseco]

is this true?

 

I though if trip is cancelled because of death/serious illness of FIL, PEC for FIL does come into play.

 

Any insight from the experts on this forum?

 

Thanks.

 

It depends on the insurer. Some do include non-traveling family members in the pre-ex exclusion and some do not.

 

Start by checking the plan's definition of a pre-ex exclusion. Here's one example from TravelSafe:

 

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

 

So with them, if you have to cancel because of a medical emergency with a non-traveling family member the pre-ex exclusion DOES NOT come into play since the pre-ex definition limits itself to only those family members traveling with you.

 

Here's one from another insurer:

 

"PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION EXCLUSION:

The Insurer will not pay for any loss or expense incurred as the result of an Injury, Sickness or other condition of an Insured, Traveling Companion, Business Partner, or Family Member which . . . . "

 

That's not real clear so you now have to find the plan's definition of a "family member":

 

""Family Member" means any of the following: Your or Your Traveling Companion's: legal spouse (or common-law spouse where legal), legal guardian, son or daughter (adopted, foster, step or in-law), brother or sister (includes step or in-law), parent (includes step or in-law), grandparent (includes in-law), grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew, Domestic Partner, an employed caregiver who lives with You, or a person for whom You are the primary caregiver with whom You have lived for 12 continuous months prior to the effective date of Your Plan, whether or not they travel with You."

 

So with this insurer, if you have to cancel due to a medical emergency with a non-traveling family member the pre-ex exclusion WOULD come into play.

 

If there's any doubt about a plan you're considering be sure to contact the insurer directly for clarification.