Travel Ins - timing of purchase

[Packman1000]

I know that if you purchase travel insurance at the time of booking, many insurance companies waive the pre-existing condition look-back period. But, is there any other reason for purchasing TI prior to making the payment for the cruise? We booked our cruise about 5 months ago (using future cruise credit as our deposit), but are still about 45 days from having to make our full cruise payment. My DW wants me to buy the insurance now (which I assume is non-refundable). The pre-existing look back period on the insurance product we plan to buy is 60 days, if that makes any difference.

 

Thanks

[Pia1913]

I know that if you purchase travel insurance at the time of booking, many insurance companies waive the pre-existing condition look-back period. But, is there any other reason for purchasing TI prior to making the payment for the cruise? We booked our cruise about 5 months ago (using future cruise credit as our deposit), but are still about 45 days from having to make our full cruise payment. My DW wants me to buy the insurance now (which I assume is non-refundable). The pre-existing look back period on the insurance product we plan to buy is 60 days, if that makes any difference.

 

Thanks

 

While Princess insurance is easy to understand, the others could be different. Read them carefully. We use Princess exclusively because of the "cancel for any reason" clause.

[FLACRUISER99]

I know that if you purchase travel insurance at the time of booking, many insurance companies waive the pre-existing condition look-back period. But, is there any other reason for purchasing TI prior to making the payment for the cruise? We booked our cruise about 5 months ago (using future cruise credit as our deposit), but are still about 45 days from having to make our full cruise payment. My DW wants me to buy the insurance now (which I assume is non-refundable). The pre-existing look back period on the insurance product we plan to buy is 60 days, if that makes any difference.

 

Thanks

I would but it now if airfare is booked.

[AAAAmerican]

Dear Packman100,

 

Buying a Policy is important.

 

Depending on different factoring such as age, desires, thresholds, costs, deductables, etc.. make each policy different.

 

Primary Insurance is best. As they pay you not waiting as any secondary policy does for your other if any policies to pay first.

 

Make sure the firm which writes the policy is solvent and financially able in your State of residence. otherwise you may be S.O.L. ( Sorry Out of Luck, is the nicer term)

 

 

In knowledge of Insurance Products .. never buy from the Cruise Line.

 

The reason is simple. If it falters on payments ( defaults) you loose everything. Did you read about the one a few years ago which went ch 7 and sold Insurance Policies too?

 

The cruisers were left high and dry. At least they were in a Port of Call in the USA.

 

READ everything in your Policy. Compare what you have, what you want, what you desire and what your able to afford.

 

We just booked a policy from John Hancock which was the best for us later this week on the CB again.

 

____________________________

Choices..Choices..at least we can still choose.:cool:

 

 

 

 

I know that if you purchase travel insurance at the time of booking, many insurance companies waive the pre-existing condition look-back period. But, is there any other reason for purchasing TI prior to making the payment for the cruise? We booked our cruise about 5 months ago (using future cruise credit as our deposit), but are still about 45 days from having to make our full cruise payment. My DW wants me to buy the insurance now (which I assume is non-refundable). The pre-existing look back period on the insurance product we plan to buy is 60 days, if that makes any difference.

 

Thanks

[snowskier]

I just purchased trip insurance that covers pre-existing as long as you purchase at least 24 hours before final payment. The policy is primary coverage as well. Price was same as others.

 

As AAAAmerican stated research policies and select the one that meets your needs. Make sure everything is covered -- cruise and flight if you are doing both. Make sure the company underwriting the policy is reputable and solvent.

 

I almost bought John Hancock but went with a different underwriter because I wanted the pre-existing condition coverage and didn't purchase insurance in the allotted time frame for John Hancock.

 

At times I have done my comparisons using insuremytrip and when I figure out which policy I want, go to the actual company's website and the same policy has been cheaper -- not always but sometimes. It's worth a look.

[caribill]

Dear Packman100,

 

 

In knowledge of Insurance Products .. never buy from the Cruise Line.

 

 

 

 

Many buy the Princess insurance because it is not based on the age of the insured person as many other policies are. That can be a significant difference in price for someone old enough to be eligible for AARP membership.

[dread_pirate]

I just purchased trip insurance that covers pre-existing as long as you purchase at least 24 hours before final payment. The policy is primary coverage as well. Price was same as others.

Which insurance policy did you get?

[Packman1000]

Thanks for the responses. I don't usually buy insurance from the cruise line as it's double and triple the price of some others. I understand that it may have more benefits, but our main reason for purchase is health and family emergency situations that might cause cancellation. And we are still pretty young (mid 50's) so the age thing isn't an issue.

 

Regarding airfare, I don't include that cost when I purchase insurance. Even though the airfare is not refundable, it's changeable, so we could still use it. Am I missing something?

 

I still don't know of any advantage to buying a policy before our cruise payment date, but I guess I'll do it anyway - since it's only a month early. We plan to use Tru-Travel, a low cost policy, but it has the benefits we need.

[Jade13]

 

Primary Insurance is best. As they pay you not waiting as any secondary policy does for your other if any policies to pay first.

 

 

Not everyone agrees with that. We specifically want secondary insurance as it covers any deductable on our primary policy, which can have a benefit for the rest of the year and later on treatments not related to what manifested on the covered trip.

 

We recently had a $1,000.00 deductable covered on a primary policy.

[Jade13]

 

 

In knowledge of Insurance Products .. never buy from the Cruise Line.

 

 

We do not always agree with that either, but we do have medical coverage Out of Network.

 

HAL's platinum plan can be purchased at final and covers pre-existing conditions. It is also the only one with Cancel for Any Reason in cash/back on credit card (at 30 days or closer 90% refund). My stepdaughter canceled on us one year because she just did not want to go. Canceling at 31 days prior to the cruise we received a 95% cash refund on HAL's plan (It would also cover any airfare purchased through the cruise line).

[cruisin'mama]

Just curious about whether to book now ( past pre-existing condition deadline) or wait until final payment? Does insurance go up in price the closer you get to your trip?

[Pia1913]

Just curious about whether to book now ( past pre-existing condition deadline) or wait until final payment? Does insurance go up in price the closer you get to your trip?

 

 

Insurance is a percentage of your cost. It does not change.

[cruisin'mama]

Thank you for your quick response. So I should probably buy it after I buy my airfare but before final payment?

[Pia1913]

Thank you for your quick response. So I should probably buy it after I buy my airfare but before final payment?

 

Princess insurance will not cover your air. I always pay for insurance with final payment. Don't know about buying it afterwards.

[cruiseco]

Insurance is a percentage of your cost. It does not change.

 

For third-party plans the premium can indeed change over time. For example, the CSA Custom plans (but not their Freestyle plans) will become less expensive the closer you get to your departure date.

 

And since most third-party plans take the traveler's age into account, waiting can cost you more if the wait bumps you from one age bracket to another. For example, with the Travelex Travel Select plan a 69 year old traveler insuring a $2000 trip cost pays $149. If he waits to buy the policy and in the meantime turns 70 he now pays $217.

[Pia1913]

For third-party plans the premium can indeed change over time. For example, the CSA Custom plans (but not their Freestyle plans) will become less expensive the closer you get to your departure date.

 

And since most third-party plans take the traveler's age into account, waiting can cost you more if the wait bumps you from one age bracket to another. For example, with the Travelex Travel Select plan a 69 year old traveler insuring a $2000 trip cost pays $149. If he waits to buy the policy and in the meantime turns 70 he now pays $217.

 

 

Private insurance usually prices themselves out once the passenger reaches the "OLD AGE" of 65.

[cruisin'mama]

The plan I was looking at was a TravelEx Travel Select plan. We are not borderline for bumping up in the age bracket so it sounds like there is a chance that the cost will go down if I wait?

[Pia1913]

The plan I was looking at was a TravelEx Travel Select plan. We are not borderline for bumping up in the age bracket so it sounds like there is a chance that the cost will go down if I wait?

 

I just noticed that this thread has been switched from the Princess board and you will be on Celebrity. I think you need to compare Celebrity's insurance with TravelEx; apples to apples. I don't know why insurance would go down, because they are all based on price and age.