WHEN do you buy insurance?

[Alter Ego]

Apologies if this has been asked multiple times!

 

When do you actually buy your cruise travel insurance? It looks like I have up until my final payment date?

 

Specifically, I reserved a cruise for January 2017. Since it was so far away (and frankly, it may be cancelled!), I didn't even consider insurance. But, as I just purchased insurance for my November land vacation (which seemed to require insurance as of 1st deposit date), it made me wonder. I did just look at a random insurance website (Nationwide Travel Insurance) and they asked for the final payment date. I'm guessing/hoping they are all like that.

 

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Keith1010]

If you obtain it from the cruise line you actually pay for it with your final payment.

 

If you book it on your own and you have a pre-existing condition most companies require that you purchase it within two to three weeks (it varies by insurer) of making your cruise line deposit. There is at least one insurer that doesn't provide that.

 

Technically you can book the insurance with most insurance companies anytime before the trip begins but the drawback is that if you had to cancel your cruise and you were within the penalty time and didn't have insurance you are not insured.

 

Keith

[msmayor]

I have always purchased it within 2 weeks of making my deposit. I want the waiver of pre-existing conditions.

 

Do I have any pre-existing conditions? Not that I am aware of....yet. My thinking is that if I am booking a year out and six months down the road a medical situation with me or a family member develops...BOOM! Potential pre-existing condition that may cause me to have to cancel the trip.

 

I know there are some companies that sell policies at time of final payment that exclude those pre-existing conditions, but I'm more comfortable with the company and policy I use regularly. I just consider it as part of the fare and pay it up front.

[Alter Ego]

Thanks for your replies. I usually get through the cruise line, but passed this time because I purchased as soon as it went on sale (almost two years before the cruise) and had no idea if I would even keep it. I also now know cruise insurance isn't the best, so I was going to look elsewhere. I had just noticed the deposit language with my other policies and wondered what others did. As I don't care if I need to cancel, sounds like I'm okay waiting until a little bit before final payment.

 

Thanks again!

[klfrodo]

5 minutes after making down payment on trip.

Doesn't matter whether it's a cruise, an AI, or a vacation within the US.

[donaldsc]

I buy it once a year as I carry a policy that covers all trips for medical and evacuation for a full year.

 

DON

[KirkNC]

I buy it once a year as I carry a policy that covers all trips for medical and evacuation for a full year.

 

DON

 

Same here

[cargo13]

1. Buy @ final deposit of your trip.

2. Buy from the travel insurance company directly.

3. Make sure you buy CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) which reimburses for your trip investment value (all or %) in the case of any cancellation/change of plans (like #Zika).

[klfrodo]

Why Zika?

Most airlines and cruise lines are allowing changes with no penalties

[iamtrustworthy]

1. Buy @ final deposit of your trip.

2. Buy from the travel insurance company directly.

3. Make sure you buy CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) which reimburses for your trip investment value (all or %) in the case of any cancellation/change of plans (like #Zika).

 

Hi cargo13,

 

If someone wants CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) then waiting until the Final Payment is a mistake. For example, on the two plans CSA offers CFAR, CSA requires the policy be purchased within 24 hours of the initial trip deposit date.

 

Every other trip insurance plan requires it be purchased within 14 - 30 days after the initila trip deposit date plus a few other requirements need to be fulfilled.

 

I hope this helps you.

 

Steve

[Nana57]

Do you pay the insurance company based on the whole trip cost or is it only to insure the deposit, then before final payment insure the rest of the trip? Not sure I will take my trip but left the deposit on it anyway.

[klfrodo]

Do you pay the insurance company based on the whole trip cost or is it only to insure the deposit, then before final payment insure the rest of the trip? Not sure I will take my trip but left the deposit on it anyway.

 

You only need to pay what you have invested up to this point. Then as you pay more or pay for airline tickets or set up hotels, then you call the insurance provider and up your coverage.

[lahlah57]

We put deposit down on a HAL cruise for oct 2016.

Final payment due Aug 2016......up until then we can cancel and get all monies back.

Most all high end cruises wanted all monies for up to the time you book so insurance was necessary.

That is why I liked HALs policy. I will not buy insurance until we are ready to pay balance in august. I will need a policy for cancel for any reason because I do have elderly parents and I have health issues.....better to be safe than sorry.

[diane.in.ny]

We buy within two weeks of deposit because of an existing condition.

 

That said, if we decide to cancel the cruise and book another, our insurance allows us to move the insurance once, so we don't lose our initial premium. The new insurance must be booked within (I think) 18 months of cancelling but that doesn't mean the new trip has to be within 18 months ... it can be 2 years out. We just have to make the insurance commitment within 18 months.

[bluejeanlady]

I buy it once a year as I carry a policy that covers all trips for medical and evacuation for a full year.

 

DON

 

Would you mind sharing what kind of insurance or company ?

We usually have 4 cruises a year and it would probably be better if we did that instead of always buying Travel Guard for each trip.

Thanks

[iamtrustworthy]

You only need to pay what you have invested up to this point. Then as you pay more or pay for airline tickets or set up hotels, then you call the insurance provider and up your coverage.

 

Hi klfrodo,

 

This works with many companies, but careful attention needs to be paid to the policy's wording if pre-existing conditions coverage is needed.

 

For example, some companies' wordings are written to prevent this by how they define the trip cost for the segments of the trip.

 

Other companies require subsequent increases be done within 24 hours of paying more money even though they had a longer deadline for the policy purchase.

 

And, if the pre-existing conditions coverage requires the full trip cost be insured, then failure to increase the coverage later forfeits all the pre-existing conditions coverage.

 

Steve Dasseos

[GUT2407]

Before the date I loose money by not having it.

[diane.in.ny]

Would you mind sharing what kind of insurance or company ?

We usually have 4 cruises a year and it would probably be better if we did that instead of always buying Travel Guard for each trip.

Thanks

 

Be aware that the medical and evacuation insurance covers just that. Does not cover having to cancel or trip interruption or any of the other items covered

[PartyAllDaTyme]

If someone wants CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) then waiting until the Final Payment is a mistake. For example, on the two plans CSA offers CFAR, CSA requires the policy be purchased within 24 hours of the initial trip deposit date.

 

Every other trip insurance plan requires it be purchased within 14 - 30 days after the initila trip deposit date plus a few other requirements need to be fulfilled.

 

I recently retired from Travel Guard. With the My Travel Guard plan, you generally have the option to get CFAR up until the final payment date. There are some states that do not offer the plan, and some states that don't allow you to wait until final payment, but for most states you can wait.

 

I generally recommended purchasing insurance as soon as a customer had money at risk. If all they've paid is a refundable deposit, no need to get the insurance yet. If they then have to cancel before the time comes they have money at risk, they're not out anything but are now stuck with a policy for no trip. Refunds for policies are generally not honored after the policy has been in effect for 15 days.

[zitsky]

My deposit date was maybe 3-4 weeks ago. I have a pre-existing condition. Am I out of luck for getting good insurance at this point? I am trying to read everything I can on this website, but I have never bought insurance before.

[iamtrustworthy]

My deposit date was maybe 3-4 weeks ago. I have a pre-existing condition. Am I out of luck for getting good insurance at this point? I am trying to read everything I can on this website, but I have never bought insurance before.

 

Hi zitsky,

 

There are likely plans you can get. May I get this info?

- Are you currently able to travel

- what was the exact date of your intial deposit?

- what's your age?

- what date is your final payment?

 

If you don't want to answer that's OK. However this is what's needed to tell you if you can get coverage.

 

Steve

[zitsky]

Hi zitsky,

 

There are likely plans you can get. May I get this info?

- Are you currently able to travel (YES)

- what was the exact date of your intial deposit? (Feb 3, 2016)

- what's your age? (49)

- what date is your final payment? (Mar 25, 2016)

 

If you don't want to answer that's OK. However this is what's needed to tell you if you can get coverage.

 

Steve

 

See answers above. And BTW, this is for two people both who have pre-existing conditions. But those aren't anything that we expect to impact our travel. It's nothing that will keep us from getting around. It just could be an issue if we end up in a hospital somewhere for treatment.

Edited March 7, 2016 by zitsky

[PartyAllDaTyme]

zitsky, if you had called Travel Guard and got me before I retired, I would have recommended the My Travel Guard plan (see my previous post). It must be purchased on or before 3/25, since that's your final payment date, you must select the Additional Unforeseen Events Upgrade, everyone on the policy must be healthy enough to travel when the plan is first purchased, and all prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs are fully insured (those already paid when you first purchase the policy, any subsequent trip costs added within 21 days of those payments). (Oh, and the total cost of the trip does not exceed $100,000 per person-- that is obviously seldom the case.) Meet all those conditions and you the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver (pre-ex waiver for short) applies.

 

MTG is a flexible plan, so it starts out at basic levels but individual benefits can be adjusted. For example, if your only concern is medical and medical evacuation, you can upgrade the medical benefit from the standard $10,000 per person ($50 deductible, secondary coverage) all the way up to $100,000 per person (no deductible, and you can choose to make it primary coverage.) The medevac can be increased from $100,000 per person to $1,000,000 and then it's also designated as "hospital of choice".

 

It's also a very factor-based plan, meaning things like the destination, departure date, length of the trip, and so on, go into determining the cost of the premium. Sometimes it's a fantastic bargain, sometimes it can be rather expensive. But if you are concerned with a hospital stay and you have a pre-existing condition, it is an option.

 

It's also possible that you don't actually have a pre-ex condition. The lookback period for most Travel Guard plans is 180 days, so if since (roughly) early September 2015 you (or your traveling companion) have not been diagnosed with something new, treated for something or declined recommended treatment (checkups are not treatment), no changes in a medication you take, no symptoms that would have prompted a reasonable person to go see a doctor, then you have no pre-ex condition to be concerned about.

 

There may be other plans out there that would meet your needs; I'm just familiar with what I used to sell. Read and understand the Description of Coverage before you purchase any travel insurance policy. I am no longer licensed to sell travel insurance; I do not warrant my answers to necessarily be correct. There. CYA.

[iamtrustworthy]

zitsky, if you had called Travel Guard and got me before I retired, I would have recommended the My Travel Guard plan (see my previous post). It must be purchased on or before 3/25, since that's your final payment date, you must select the Additional Unforeseen Events Upgrade, everyone on the policy must be healthy enough to travel when the plan is first purchased, and all prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs are fully insured (those already paid when you first purchase the policy, any subsequent trip costs added within 21 days of those payments). (Oh, and the total cost of the trip does not exceed $100,000 per person-- that is obviously seldom the case.) Meet all those conditions and you the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver (pre-ex waiver for short) applies.

 

MTG is a flexible plan, so it starts out at basic levels but individual benefits can be adjusted. For example, if your only concern is medical and medical evacuation, you can upgrade the medical benefit from the standard $10,000 per person ($50 deductible, secondary coverage) all the way up to $100,000 per person (no deductible, and you can choose to make it primary coverage.) The medevac can be increased from $100,000 per person to $1,000,000 and then it's also designated as "hospital of choice".

 

It's also a very factor-based plan, meaning things like the destination, departure date, length of the trip, and so on, go into determining the cost of the premium. Sometimes it's a fantastic bargain, sometimes it can be rather expensive. But if you are concerned with a hospital stay and you have a pre-existing condition, it is an option.

 

It's also possible that you don't actually have a pre-ex condition. The lookback period for most Travel Guard plans is 180 days, so if since (roughly) early September 2015 you (or your traveling companion) have not been diagnosed with something new, treated for something or declined recommended treatment (checkups are not treatment), no changes in a medication you take, no symptoms that would have prompted a reasonable person to go see a doctor, then you have no pre-ex condition to be concerned about.

 

There may be other plans out there that would meet your needs; I'm just familiar with what I used to sell. Read and understand the Description of Coverage before you purchase any travel insurance policy. I am no longer licensed to sell travel insurance; I do not warrant my answers to necessarily be correct. There. CYA.

 

Hi PartyAllDaTyme,

 

My Travel Guard was a good plan, but Travel Guard stopped selling it on Dec 31, 2015.

 

Steve

[iamtrustworthy]

- Are you currently able to travel (YES)

- what was the exact date of your intial deposit? (Feb 3, 2016)

- what's your age? (49)

- what date is your final payment? (Mar 25, 2016)

And BTW, this is for two people both who have pre-existing conditions. But those aren't anything that we expect to impact our travel. It's nothing that will keep us from getting around. It just could be an issue if we end up in a hospital somewhere for treatment.

 

Hi zitsky,

 

Since you want to be able to be treated for a pre-existing condition, then you do need to have the pre-existing conditions coverage as long as you insure insure your full prepaid trip cost including airfare. And, both of you will have to have a policy.

 

You can get one of these (look them up on Google): CSA Freestyle, CSA Freestyle Luxe or CSA Custom Luxe. It's likely the CSA Freestyle Luxe will be too expensive.

 

I hope this helps you.

 

Steve