Future Cruise Deposits and Medical Insurance....

[localady]

I think I can answer a bit about this, the problem with using a Future Cruise Deposit really depends more on the cruise line rather than the Insurance (although it really is just Travel Guard that is in question)...Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are really the only problem in this situation. When you purchase their Future Cruise Deposit they issue a reservation number at that time and state that is when the cruise is booked. The cruise purchased date will always be the date you purchased the Future Cruise deposit no matter how often you change to a different voyage. RCI and Celebrity basically lock it in that if you want cruise insurance you will need to either book their cruise insurance by final and or immediately purchase insurance such as Travel Guard. It is true of the major travel insurance companies Travel Guard is pretty much the only one that has the pre-existing clause that insurance be purchased within 15 days of the deposit. Now in the case of HAL and NCL and Princesses those future cruise deposits are just monies/credit sitting on your past passenger number with no reservation so when you actually make your reservation and purchase Travel Guard then it must be purchased within 15 days. It actually shows on the reservation the date that deposit was applied so does not hurt you in anyway like RCI and Celebrity. There are also travel insurance companies like like Allianz that cover pre-existing as long as you purchase prior to final payment.

For Holland America, Travel Guard when filing a claim goes by the date cruise was booked and the date it shows the Future Cruise Deposit was applied. Which is the date the cruise was actually purchased.

 

Thanks very much for the clarification! :D

[sail7seas]

I think I can answer a bit about this, the problem with using a Future Cruise Deposit really depends more on the cruise line rather than the Insurance (although it really is just Travel Guard that is in question)...Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are really the only problem in this situation. When you purchase their Future Cruise Deposit they issue a reservation number at that time and state that is when the cruise is booked. The cruise purchased date will always be the date you purchased the Future Cruise deposit no matter how often you change to a different voyage. RCI and Celebrity basically lock it in that if you want cruise insurance you will need to either book their cruise insurance by final and or immediately purchase insurance such as Travel Guard. It is true of the major travel insurance companies Travel Guard is pretty much the only one that has the pre-existing clause that insurance be purchased within 15 days of the deposit. Now in the case of HAL and NCL and Princesses those future cruise deposits are just monies/credit sitting on your past passenger number with no reservation so when you actually make your reservation and purchase Travel Guard then it must be purchased within 15 days. It actually shows on the reservation the date that deposit was applied so does not hurt you in anyway like RCI and Celebrity. There are also travel insurance companies like like Allianz that cover pre-existing as long as you purchase prior to final payment.

For Holland America, Travel Guard when filing a claim goes by the date cruise was booked and the date it shows the Future Cruise Deposit was applied. Which is the date the cruise was actually purchased.

 

Very helpful post, Lisa. Thank you.

 

I still think I will verify with my third party insurer next time I use a FCC.... I'd rather know in advance when I can do something about it than to have a very unpleasant surprise should I need to make a claim.

 

 

[PetNanny]

I think I can answer a bit about this, the problem with using a Future Cruise Deposit really depends more on the cruise line rather than the Insurance (although it really is just Travel Guard that is in question)...Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are really the only problem in this situation. When you purchase their Future Cruise Deposit they issue a reservation number at that time and state that is when the cruise is booked. The cruise purchased date will always be the date you purchased the Future Cruise deposit no matter how often you change to a different voyage. RCI and Celebrity basically lock it in that if you want cruise insurance you will need to either book their cruise insurance by final and or immediately purchase insurance such as Travel Guard. It is true of the major travel insurance companies Travel Guard is pretty much the only one that has the pre-existing clause that insurance be purchased within 15 days of the deposit. Now in the case of HAL and NCL and Princesses those future cruise deposits are just monies/credit sitting on your past passenger number with no reservation so when you actually make your reservation and purchase Travel Guard then it must be purchased within 15 days. It actually shows on the reservation the date that deposit was applied so does not hurt you in anyway like RCI and Celebrity. There are also travel insurance companies like like Allianz that cover pre-existing as long as you purchase prior to final payment.

For Holland America, Travel Guard when filing a claim goes by the date cruise was booked and the date it shows the Future Cruise Deposit was applied. Which is the date the cruise was actually purchased.

 

Lisa, I would like to ask a question about the amount of travel insurance to purchase. One website states: "If you under-insure your trip costs you will end up getting less than you expected when you have a claim. Plus, you will probably unintentionally void your Pre-Existing Medical Coverage and Cancel for Any Reason." They recommend rounding up to avoid this. Thanks for any info you can provide.

[SeaSharp]

I think I can answer a bit about this, the problem with using a Future Cruise Deposit really depends more on the cruise line rather than the Insurance (although it really is just Travel Guard that is in question)...Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are really the only problem in this situation. When you purchase their Future Cruise Deposit they issue a reservation number at that time and state that is when the cruise is booked. The cruise purchased date will always be the date you purchased the Future Cruise deposit no matter how often you change to a different voyage. RCI and Celebrity basically lock it in that if you want cruise insurance you will need to either book their cruise insurance by final and or immediately purchase insurance such as Travel Guard. It is true of the major travel insurance companies Travel Guard is pretty much the only one that has the pre-existing clause that insurance be purchased within 15 days of the deposit. Now in the case of HAL and NCL and Princesses those future cruise deposits are just monies/credit sitting on your past passenger number with no reservation so when you actually make your reservation and purchase Travel Guard then it must be purchased within 15 days. It actually shows on the reservation the date that deposit was applied so does not hurt you in anyway like RCI and Celebrity. There are also travel insurance companies like like Allianz that cover pre-existing as long as you purchase prior to final payment.

For Holland America, Travel Guard when filing a claim goes by the date cruise was booked and the date it shows the Future Cruise Deposit was applied. Which is the date the cruise was actually purchased.

 

Thanks Lisa!! You helped clear it all up for me. I was going NUTS trying to figure out which insurance to buy. As of today, I'm a little wiser, thanks to you!! On my last three cruises, I ended up just buying HAL's because it was easier - not cheaper - easier. And yes, I was worried, because I didn't think there was enough medical coverage in the event DH or I got sick on the cruise and had to be medically evacuated. With two very dear but elderly parents in their mid-eighties and mid-nineties, and my DH's 88 year old step-father-in-law, a good cruise insurance policy is critical; not only for medical reasons, but to be able to cancel at the very last minute, should something unforeseen happen.

Edited May 25, 2014 by SeaSharp

[sail7seas]

Thanks Lisa!! You helped clear it all up for me. I was going NUTS trying to figure out which insurance to buy. As of today, I'm a little wiser, thanks to you!! On my last three cruises, I ended up just buying HAL's because it was easier - not cheaper - easier. And yes, I was worried, because I didn't think there was enough medical coverage in the event DH or I got sick on the cruise and had to be medically evacuated. With two very dear but elderly parents in their mid-eighties and mid-nineties, and my DH's 88 year old step-father-in-law, a good cruise insurance policy is critical; not only for medical reasons, but to be able to cancel at the very last minute, should something unforeseen happen.

 

 

Seeing you mentioned the low level of medical coverage the HAL CPP offers, I just want to mention that if you have Medicare, they will not pay outside U.S.. A Part B policy might but you'd have to verify.

 

If you do not have medical insurance that does pay outside U.S. you are taking a much larger risk by not insuring for medical than you would be to not insure for cancellation.

 

DH and I never insured for cancellation for our last 60+ cruises or more but we always made sure we had adequate medical coverage. We could afford the cost of the cruise if we had to cancel but we would not want to pay for medical evacuation or large medical bills if we became seriously ill or injured.

 

HAL's policies are trip cancellation coverage. The $10,000 medical coverage for their best policy is a pittance toward the sort of medical bills one could incur.

 

[boze9999]

Seeing you mentioned the low level of medical coverage the HAL CPP offers, I just want to mention that if you have Medicare, they will not pay outside U.S.. A Part B policy might but you'd have to verify.

 

If you do not have medical insurance that does pay outside U.S. you are taking a much larger risk by not insuring for medical than you would be to not insure for cancellation.

 

DH and I never insured for cancellation for our last 60+ cruises or more but we always made sure we had adequate medical coverage. We could afford the cost of the cruise if we had to cancel but we would not want to pay for medical evacuation or large medical bills if we became seriously ill or injured.

 

HAL's policies are trip cancellation coverage. The $10,000 medical coverage for their best policy is a pittance toward the sort of medical bills one could incur.

 

 

 

The MOST important paragraph not only in Medicare but also in the new healthcare policies is out of country medical coverage. Most policies DON'T cover it-everyone should very carefully check their current policies!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Lisa, I would like to ask a question about the amount of travel insurance to purchase. One website states: "If you under-insure your trip costs you will end up getting less than you expected when you have a claim. Plus, you will probably unintentionally void your Pre-Existing Medical Coverage and Cancel for Any Reason." They recommend rounding up to avoid this. Thanks for any info you can provide.

The amount you want to insure would be the full price of the cruise minus the taxes because those are refundable from the cruise line. Although many travel agencies do cover you for the full dollar amount including the taxes which is not always bad either because there could be fees involved with air such as luggage fees that can be included in this amount. Also it makes it easier when turning in the claim showing the amount you paid versus the full cost. But it is not necessary to insurance the taxes. Some insurance companies the cost is based on the exact amount to the penny while others have a Plan Cost that is like $1001.00 - $1500.00 and if your trip cost falls into that amount you have a set amount. But I have seen more and more going to the exact amount that say your trip cost is $2750.80 and your age falls into the 9% bracket then you will be charged $247.57. It is true there are several travel insurance companies such as Allianz that unless you cover the full cost they will not cover pre-existing so it is good to ask these questions up front. But Travel Guard is one that actually sells a policy that basically only covers you for medical and emergency medical while traveling so the dollar amount is minimal. It really depends on what is the most important covering if you may need to cancel prior to travel or medical while traveling or both.

[sail7seas]

For those who do not wish to insure their entire trip, some companies sell medical and evacuation coverage which is very low premium but reasonable amount of coverage. When DH and I computed the amount of savings we had in premiums we did not pay to insure for cancellation, the total was huge. It was in the tens of thousands as we always sailed in "S"/"SA" suites and had a great many cruises. We were fortunate that we did not ever cancel during penalty phase and never lost by not insuring for cancellation. However, the first 5 or 6 cruises we were only insured for medical and evacuation, we were at risk. Then we just about reached the 'break even point'.

 

[PetNanny]

The amount you want to insure would be the full price of the cruise minus the taxes because those are refundable from the cruise line. Although many travel agencies do cover you for the full dollar amount including the taxes which is not always bad either because there could be fees involved with air such as luggage fees that can be included in this amount. Also it makes it easier when turning in the claim showing the amount you paid versus the full cost. But it is not necessary to insurance the taxes. Some insurance companies the cost is based on the exact amount to the penny while others have a Plan Cost that is like $1001.00 - $1500.00 and if your trip cost falls into that amount you have a set amount. But I have seen more and more going to the exact amount that say your trip cost is $2750.80 and your age falls into the 9% bracket then you will be charged $247.57. It is true there are several travel insurance companies such as Allianz that unless you cover the full cost they will not cover pre-existing so it is good to ask these questions up front. But Travel Guard is one that actually sells a policy that basically only covers you for medical and emergency medical while traveling so the dollar amount is minimal. It really depends on what is the most important covering if you may need to cancel prior to travel or medical while traveling or both.

 

Thank you so much! Really appreciate your help.

[sppunk]

For those who do not wish to insure their entire trip, some companies sell medical and evacuation coverage which is very low premium but reasonable amount of coverage. When DH and I computed the amount of savings we had in premiums we did not pay to insure for cancellation, the total was huge. It was in the tens of thousands as we always sailed in "S"/"SA" suites and had a great many cruises. We were fortunate that we did not ever cancel during penalty phase and never lost by not insuring for cancellation. However, the first 5 or 6 cruises we were only insured for medical and evacuation, we were at risk. Then we just about reached the 'break even point'.

 

This is us, we have far outsaved the cost of a lost cruise should that arrive, but always purchase evac insurance.

 

Not exactly on topic, Sail I just want to say personally how happy I am it appears you still will be (or at least can still entertain the thought of) sailing. ;)

[sail7seas]

This is us, we have far outsaved the cost of a lost cruise should that arrive, but always purchase evac insurance.

 

Not exactly on topic, Sail I just want to say personally how happy I am it appears you still will be (or at least can still entertain the thought of) sailing. ;)

 

 

Thank you, sspunk.

At the moment, CC is a wonderful escape for me. When I am here, I can think happy thoughts. It is a relief from my new realities. It's too soon for me to think about actually sailing but time will tell. My friends are encouraging me to sail with one of them. I might.

 

[sppunk]

Thank you, sspunk.

At the moment, CC is a wonderful escape for me. When I am here, I can think happy thoughts. It is a relief from my new realities. It's too soon for me to think about actually sailing but time will tell. My friends are encouraging me to sail with one of them. I might.

 

 

Cheers! If fate ever puts us on the same ship we'll happily buy you a glass of the finest not-snuck-onboard wine. ;)

[SeaSharp]

Seeing you mentioned the low level of medical coverage the HAL CPP offers, I just want to mention that if you have Medicare, they will not pay outside U.S.. A Part B policy might but you'd have to verify.

 

If you do not have medical insurance that does pay outside U.S. you are taking a much larger risk by not insuring for medical than you would be to not insure for cancellation.

 

DH and I never insured for cancellation for our last 60+ cruises or more but we always made sure we had adequate medical coverage. We could afford the cost of the cruise if we had to cancel but we would not want to pay for medical evacuation or large medical bills if we became seriously ill or injured.

 

HAL's policies are trip cancellation coverage. The $10,000 medical coverage for their best policy is a pittance toward the sort of medical bills one could incur.

 

 

Thanks Sail!! You bring up some very valid points to consider. I will look into a policy strictly for medical purposes, and consider being "self insured" for cancellation. I'm just a couple of years away from Medicare, which is solely why I haven't retired yet, but DH will be eligible in about a year. I'm one of the rare ones with fairly decent world wide health benefits from my employer, and the policy includes DH. But I worry most with medical evacuation, which can be extremely costly. I've seen too many of those "at sea" emergency evacuations over my 40 plus years of cruising, and it's a little frightening. Cruise insurance has kicked in for me in the past, about 15 years ago, when we had an expensive Alaskan cruise booked. Unfortunately, my father, who was going to be traveling with us, suffered a major heart attack a week prior to departure. We were relieved that my dad didn't have his heart attack while on the cruise. The insurance quickly paid for the trip, and we all had our refunds within a couple of weeks. All we were out of pocket was the price of the insurance, and a little paperwork on my part. Interestingly enough, it was the first time I ever felt the need to buy travel insurance. To me, buying insurance is just part of the price of the cruise, and I won't go without it. Thanks for giving me a little food for thought!!!