travel insurance "misunderstanding"???

[medfordgirl]

When I booked my cruise with rccl a couple months ago, I asked for the travel insurance, knowing that you must get it within a certain amount of time in order to be covered for any pre-existing conditions. well a couple of weeks ago we transferred to a TA and asked her about our insurance because when we checked our credit card we were not charged yet for it. Well, when whe got back with us she told us that we do have insurance BUT they are not charging until final payment is due. AND she informed us that we are not covered for pre-existing because we didn't pay upfront. She said she has other couples that transferred their bookings that have also run into this problem. So word of caution, when booking directly with rccl MAKE SURE you tell them to CHARGE the travel insurance immediately. That was the first time I had booked with them directly, all the other times I booked with a TA and never had a problem. When I asked for the insurance I got it. Funny thing is, when I booked I specifically asked for the insurance and mentioned so we could be covered for pre-existing. hmm I wonder if that call was recorded? other wise I have no other proof. Next time I will check my Credit card immediately to make sure the charge is there. live and learn. :(

[Tyler80]

I guess I'm confused. If you're before when final payment is due, you can cancel and get your deposits back. So why would you need insurance coverage before then? Why would they need to charge you for insurance until you pay for your cruise in full?

[Familygoboston]

If you don't take the insurance within a certain short window of the initial booking, ( usually 2 weeks)the insurance company will not cover pre existing conditions. For instance you have to cancel because your relative dies of cancer that they have had since you booked - not covered. Your gout flares up- not covered ...etc.

So the insurance booked at final payment only covers new medical situations that cause you to have to cancel and trip interruption etc.

[shrimp0]

this can also be easily solved by purchasing your own insurance through the one on the internet that many people use ( dont think i can post the name here)... then you can pick the exact company/coverage/price that you like!!!!

[believer33323]

I booked my RCCL cruise back in August 2011 for a July 2012 cruise. I did NOT buy the insurance because I figured I could get a full refund anyway. Well I ended up in the hospital 2 weeks ago with a bowel obstruction caused by previous surgeries and now have adhesion's which could cause other obstructions. Now I have a pre-existing condition. The only way I would be covered was to book the cruise again and cancel the original one. Luckily the cruise price was the same. I now have a policy that covers pre-existing conditions.

I called my other online cruise TA about another cruise I have scheduled for November and was told that as long as I am symptom free for 60 days from the time I had my bowel obstruction and can at that time purchase the insurance and be covered for pre-existing conditions. (I HOPE) I wonder if I called again would I get the same answer?

[Marie51]

this can also be easily solved by purchasing your own insurance through the one on the internet that many people use ( dont think i can post the name here)... then you can pick the exact company/coverage/price that you like!!!!

 

It is http://www.insuremytrip.com

 

We are not allowed to name travel agents.

[torpeedo]

CSA travel insurance offers a policy that covers pre ex if you buy before or within 24 hrs of FINAL payment. We generally like to buy that policy and don't buy insurance until we make final payment because we often change cruises or could cancel..

[Never2Late2Cruise]

If you don't take the insurance within a certain short window of the initial booking, ( usually 2 weeks)the insurance company will not cover pre existing conditions. For instance you have to cancel because your relative dies of cancer that they have had since you booked - not covered. Your gout flares up- not covered ...etc.

So the insurance booked at final payment only covers new medical situations that cause you to have to cancel and trip interruption etc.

 

I believe if you buy fom an independant company, you must purchase it within a specified period after cruise deposit paid in order to get the pre-existing waiver. However if you cancel the cruise before the final date, you get all your money back on the cruise from the cruise line, but not the insurance premium from the insurance company.

 

If you purchase the cruise line (RCCL) insurance, pay for it IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIRED DEPOSIT you elimiate the pre existing problem for incidents that happen after booking. If you have to cancel before the final date, you get all your money back Cruise deposit and Insurance premium.

 

As other have stated Cruise Line Insurance coverage is less than what is available elsewhere.

[believer33323]

CSA travel insurance offers a policy that covers pre ex if you buy before or within 24 hrs of FINAL payment. We generally like to buy that policy and don't buy insurance until we make final payment because we often change cruises or could cancel..

 

WOW thanks, I just checked it out and YES it covers you for pre-existing if purchased 24 hours before final payment. I will definitely use them for my November trip.

I little more expensive than the one I have now (+$20.00) but no big deal. I researched them on insuremytrip and found a god review of them too. http://www.insuremytrip.com/plans/travelinsurancereviews.html?type=1&provider=9&productCode=&sort=newest&linkId=30848

[katiel53]

We don't EVER buy the cruiseline insurance. We either get it through insuremytrip.com or if we use a TA we get separate insurance. Now though, we usually buy insurance when we book a cruise as we book about a year in advance and who knows what can happen in that year that would make an existing condition when we have paid in full.

[msmayor]

I booked my RCCL cruise back in August 2011 for a July 2012 cruise. I did NOT buy the insurance because I figured I could get a full refund anyway. Well I ended up in the hospital 2 weeks ago with a bowel obstruction caused by previous surgeries and now have adhesion's which could cause other obstructions. Now I have a pre-existing condition. The only way I would be covered was to book the cruise again and cancel the original one. Luckily the cruise price was the same. I now have a policy that covers pre-existing conditions.

I called my other online cruise TA about another cruise I have scheduled for November and was told that as long as I am symptom free for 60 days from the time I had my bowel obstruction and can at that time purchase the insurance and be covered for pre-existing conditions. (I HOPE) I wonder if I called again would I get the same answer?

 

Are you sure about this?

 

Every travel insurance policy I have looked at since booking cruises requires you to purchase it within 2 weeks of the very FIRST deposit...canceling and re-booking the very same cruise vacation after the 2-week period passes doesn't count as a 'first' deposit. If that were allowed, a lot of people could take advantage of the loophole to now get coverage for a pre-existing condition.

 

I would comb the fine print of the policy you paid for to make certain re-booking the same trip is OK.

[Artemis]

Re: the CSA policy you can purchase within 24 hours of final payment and secure the benefit of pre-ex coverage (discussed in posts #7 and 9 above), I actually had to present a fairly large claim once (3 cabins during pricey Christmas week) because a non-traveling family member with cancer unexpectedly took a turn for the worse and died the day before we were scheduled to leave. CSA asked for reasonable and easy-to-supply paperwork and paid the claim in full very quickly. Obviously, I've been loyal to them ever since! And my claim is a great example of how you must consider all loved ones' conditions when you're thinking about the need for pre-ex coverage, not just those traveling with you.

[believer33323]

Are you sure about this?

 

Every travel insurance policy I have looked at since booking cruises requires you to purchase it within 2 weeks of the very FIRST deposit...canceling and re-booking the very same cruise vacation after the 2-week period passes doesn't count as a 'first' deposit. If that were allowed, a lot of people could take advantage of the loophole to now get coverage for a pre-existing condition.

 

I would comb the fine print of the policy you paid for to make certain re-booking the same trip is OK.

 

Not sure what you mean.

The first booking was cancelled and waiting on my deposit refund.

I booked the same cruise and the FIRST deposit was paid 3-19-2012

Second booking has a different booking I.D.

Insurance was paid on new booking in full on 3-21-2012

One booking has nothing to do with another. One a cancellation, the other an new booking with a new deposit.

[Familygoboston]

CSA travel insurance offers a policy that covers pre ex if you buy before or within 24 hrs of FINAL payment. We generally like to buy that policy and don't buy insurance until we make final payment because we often change cruises or could cancel..

Thanks I did not know this! We have a medical issue that cannot be ignored for insurance purposes, ( especially for medivac) but when I booked Allure I could not be sure we will definately go, so I hesitated getting insurance through insure my trip ( that would not be refundable) and didn't really want to get it through the cruise line. So this would be a great option for us...I will check it insure my trip . I can vouch for insure my trip...use it all the time, really easy to compare policies and read the fine print before purchasing!

Just looked this up ...so excited! Emailing myself a link to purchase the day before the final payment...thanks again!

 

I believe if you buy fom an independant company, you must purchase it within a specified period after cruise deposit paid in order to get the pre-existing waiver. However if you cancel the cruise before the final date, you get all your money back on the cruise from the cruise line, but not the insurance premium from the insurance company.

 

If you purchase the cruise line (RCCL) insurance, pay for it IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIRED DEPOSIT you elimiate the pre existing problem for incidents that happen after booking. If you have to cancel before the final date, you get all your money back Cruise deposit and Insurance premium.

 

As other have stated Cruise Line Insurance coverage is less than what is available elsewhere.

 

You are right that using insure my trip, one would be out of luck if one cancels the cruise. However, I have found them to be very flexible about date and itinerary changes; almost never get an additional charge unless it's a major change. So if it's not a complete cancellation, you could just change your dates on the insurance and not lose your money.

[msmayor]

Not sure what you mean.

The first booking was cancelled and waiting on my deposit refund.

I booked the same cruise and the FIRST deposit was paid 3-19-2012

Second booking has a different booking I.D.

Insurance was paid on new booking in full on 3-21-2012

One booking has nothing to do with another. One a cancellation, the other an new booking with a new deposit.

 

Except that not all travel insurers look at it this way...its not viewed as a cancellation because you have re-booked the identical trip. It doesn't matter that you are waiting on a refund of the 'first' deposit and paid a 'second' deposit. They will look at the fact that your very first booking of that specific trip occurred on the earlier date, and THAT is the date that will matter.

 

Offers PreExisting Condition Waiver

The Insurer will waive the pre-existing medical condition exclusion up to a maximum of the first $30,000 of Trip Cost per person if the following conditions are met:

1. This plan is purchased within 15 days of making the Initial Trip Payment;

2. The amount of coverage purchased equals all prepaid, non-refundable payments or deposits applicable to the Trip at the time of purchase, and the cost of any subsequent arrangement(s) added to the same Trip are insured within 15 days of the date of payment or deposit for any subsequent Trip arrangement(s);

3. All Insured's are medically able to travel when plan cost is paid.

 

This is from one of Travel Guard's policies. Notice that item one says "Initial Trip Payment"...they don't use the verbage "deposit". That's because they consider the very first time you lay out money on a specific trip/specific date/specific ship as your initial trip payment.

 

As I said, check the verbiage on your policy carefully and contact the insurer directly to make CERTAIN your pre-existing conditions are covered based on what you did with your reservation. If they aren't, you may want to consider using the CSA policy you can purchase at final payment.

[Pushka]

Obviously Travel insurance is much easier on pre-existing conditions in the USA. In Australia, it is very difficult to get cover for pre-existing conditions except for the usual ones like controlled hypertension and the like. Pre existing Cancer is never covered. Previous Spinal surgery is never covered if something should develop later on.

 

I would have thought that cancelling one cruise then immediately rebooking the same cruise might not be covered, if you had a claim and they did some research before paying out. Although maybe they wouldnt find out. Unless they asked the question on your claim form:confused:

[Ren1216]

I wish I had known about paying for the RCI insurance at time of making deposit. I asked the rep about pre-existing conditions when I made our bookings, she directed me to their insurance page which I read at that time. What I saw was that pre-existing conditions are not covered. Period. I saw NO mention of any waiver if you pay the premium when you pay your deposit. I went just now and read it again, I swear the wording has changed. I'm very careful about this sort of thing and I hope it doesn't come around to bite us. Some in my group added the RCI insurance to their reservation (the rest went the independent route), but didn't pay for it. Just wish we had known about this option, we certainly would have done it.

 

At least I'll know in the future and maybe CSA will be worth checking into for those in my group who opted for the RCI insurance.

 

About the "loophole" mentioned by another poster.... I can only speak in regards to the independent policies that I have personally purchased. Here is what my current policy says about it (Travel Insured is the carrier):

 

"The following exclusions apply: This policy does not cover Loss caused by or resulting from:

1) Pre-Existing Conditions, as defined in the Definitions section (except Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains), unless the policy is purchased within 21 days of the initial Trip deposit. The booking for the Trip must be the first and only booking for this travel period and destination."

[cruise pup]

WOW thanks, I just checked it out and YES it covers you for pre-existing if purchased 24 hours before final payment. I will definitely use them for my November trip.

I little more expensive than the one I have now (+$20.00) but no big deal. I researched them on insuremytrip and found a god review of them too. http://www.insuremytrip.com/plans/travelinsurancereviews.html?type=1&provider=9&productCode=&sort=newest&linkId=30848

 

Good to know. I booked a cruise a long time ago and wasn't sure if I was actually going on it or getting a refund before final payment. So now that I'm way beyond the pre-exist cond waiver period I figured that I'd wait. Good thing I did because now I'll get CSA. This, I believe is what my trip to China used and I had to cancel that trip and got a full refund.

[believer33323]

About the "loophole" mentioned by another poster.... I can only speak in regards to the independent policies that I have personally purchased. Here is what my current policy says about it (Travel Insured is the carrier):

 

"The following exclusions apply: This policy does not cover Loss caused by or resulting from:

1) Pre-Existing Conditions, as defined in the Definitions section (except Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains), unless the policy is purchased within 21 days of the initial Trip deposit. The booking for the Trip must be the first and only booking for this travel period and destination."

 

As per my contract:

Your plan includes this coverage. You, a traveling companion or family member can have an

existing medical condition and you will still be eligible for all coverage and assistance services,

as long as:

 

1 you purchased your plan within 14 days of making your first trip payment or first trip

deposit. (first trip payment means the first payment or deposit on the specified or insured trip, NOT your first vacation trip)

2 you purchased trip cancellation coverage that covers the full cost of all your nonrefundable

trip arrangements

3 you were a U.S. resident and medically able to travel on the day you purchased the

plan, and

4 the total cost of your trip is $50,000 per person or less.

 

I believe I met all my obligations. I purchased my insurance 2 days after first trip payment.

[msmayor]

As per my contract:

Your plan includes this coverage. You, a traveling companion or family member can have an

existing medical condition and you will still be eligible for all coverage and assistance services,

as long as:

 

1 you purchased your plan within 14 days of making your first trip payment or first trip

deposit. (first trip payment means the first payment or deposit on the specified or insured trip, NOT your first vacation trip)

2 you purchased trip cancellation coverage that covers the full cost of all your nonrefundable

trip arrangements

3 you were a U.S. resident and medically able to travel on the day you purchased the

plan, and

4 the total cost of your trip is $50,000 per person or less.

 

I believe I met all my obligations. I purchased my insurance 2 days after first trip payment.

 

A lawyer for the travel insurance company might argue otherwise.

 

I truly and sincerely hope that your policy covers you in the manner you want; if it does, that probably the exception rather than the rule. I only brought the 'first payment' information up because of my experience in researching policies a few years ago when we first cruised.

 

I had a lot of suggestions to actually call the companies and ask specific, direct questions instead of relying on my own interpretation of the policy...which I did. It was very helpful in understanding.

 

Trip insurance companies are not standing in the ready waiting to rain $$ on you if something goes wrong. Just like any other insurance company, they are going to look for any reason to deny a claim and keep the money on their side of the table.

 

You mentioned that you were only in the hospital two weeks ago, and one of the conditions you list is that you must be medically able to travel on the day you purchased the insurance. Would a doctor clear you for travel so quickly after this problem?

[galavant3]

Thanks to everyone providing information here! The information regarding pre-existing exclusions has been very clearly and thoughtfully explained. This has been so helpful! I do buy insurance for more expensive trips but am always concerned about relatives' pre-existing conditions. Now, I feel like I know exactly what to look for.

[chucknmarilyn]

There are several insurance companies that sell policies that cover pre-existing conditions when purchased at final payment as long as you are "fit to travel" at the time of purchase. The pre-existing waivers are generally for the insured only and do not pertain to family members. I know that the one we sell (Travelex) has to be purchased within 72 hours of final in order to cover pre-existing conditions.

[medfordgirl]

Well, DH and I aren't so concerned about ourselves, we don't have any pre-existing. I am more concerned about my elderly parents. I hope they don't consider old age pre-existing:cool: they are pretty healthy except for a few things that my dad has to control. I do have travel insurance with my TA already, if I hadn't then I would have purchased the insuremytrip. I will remember that for next time. Hope this thread helped some of you... oh by the way...I can't cancel and rebook because I don't want to lose my cabin (1400)

[39august]

The RCI travel insurance does NOT require purchase within 14 days of deposit on a cruise in order to cover pre-exsisting conditions. It DOES require that for 60 days prior to purchasing the travel insurance, the insured(s) preexsisting condition be stable...no changes in medication, no diagnostic procedures, etc. I have a copy of the policy, tho' I haven't purchased yet as waiting for a 60 day period of stability for my husbands afib problem. I called the Berkley Care number on the RCI website three different times and got the same answer about the 60 days prior to purchase. After the third call (because it was difficult for me to believe this) was when I asked to be mailed the actual policy. And other posters are correct. I have also used the CSA policy in the past. So, if I can't get a 60 day prior to purchase window, I will have to go with CSA again, tho' it is a little higher.

[Candleonwater]

I sail in a week... if I needed to cancel (I purchased Cruise Care when I booked)... what are my options? If I need to cruise due to illness, vs work issues that won't allow for travel right now?