OK, Insurance Strategy?

[KCpumkin]

To any insurance guru that has an opinion!

 

The scenario is that you have Travel Insurance (not a Carnival Policy but a decent one) and the cruise company has canceled/interrupted your cruise. You have "cancel for any reason" and "trip interruption" coverage. What would be the best strategy to maximize your policy. Do you take the refund from the cruise or do you cancel through the policy holder and so on. Yes, many variables are into play; but those whom have had travel insurance know the basics of the majority of policies available... Put your thinking caps on ?

Edited October 6, 2016 by KCpumkin

[stargate fan]

If the cruise line cancels your cruise, you should receive a full refund. Same for cruise interruption.

 

Hopefully you're not talking about getting a refund from the cruise line and the insurance company. I believe they call that insurance fraud. :eek:

[KCpumkin]

If the cruise line cancels your cruise, you should receive a full refund. Same for cruise interruption.

 

Hopefully you're not talking about getting a refund from the cruise line and the insurance company. I believe they call that insurance fraud. :eek:

 

No, not double dipping... A policy is more complex than that :rolleyes:

[attilamom1217]

"Cancel for any reason" is only for you to cancel the cruise for any reason. Has nothing to do with the cruise line canceling.

 

You cannot make a claim with the insurance company without proving first that the cruise line did not reimburse you for the interruption and/or cancellation due to their issues.

 

If you are not reimbursed at 100%, then you can file a claim with the insurance company. You will have to show the proof of denial to the insurance company for them to pay the claim.

 

If you need to cancel or interrupt your trip due to an issue that is not the cruise line's fault, you will still need to work with the insurance company and find out what paperwork you need to produce in order to get paid for the claim.

[Retired_to_Cruise]

If the cruise company cancels the cruise, they will refund all of your money and insurance does not come into play.

 

If they give you an option to cancel (when they have changed an itinerary or reduced the number of days) and you take it you get your money back, and sometimes a percentage off your next cruise, therefore, no insurance issues.

 

If you decide to accept the changes and go on the changed cruise, you accept the financial changes that they have offered. That is usually returning you money for the reduced days, canceled excursions, and port taxes where a port is missed. In all of these situation, it is not an insurance issue since you have been compensated based on what you accepted.

[2wheelin]

Take whatever cruise line offers and use insurance for other covered expenses such as air.

[klfrodo]

There is no strategy at play..

 

As others have stated, the cruise line is making you whole.

Nothing to claim via insurance unless you had non refundable air travel, hotel, or rental car.

 

Even if you file a claim for these non refundable items, be prepared to prove you weren't offered the opportunity to just change travel dates.

[Karnyval]

Maximizing could led to a felony conviction.

[sparks1093]

Most cancel for any reason policies require you to cancel 48 hours (there may well be exceptions but every one that I have read has that requirement) before your trip, any cancellations within that window would need to be for a covered reason.

[msmayor]

There's no real 'strategy'...if the cruise line cancelled the cruise, you get your refund from them. The insurance company isn't going to pay out because they know that the refund is offered to you. When insurance is involved, you have an obligation to minimize your losses BEFORE the insurance kicks in.

[rjrpar]

To any insurance guru that has an opinion!

 

The scenario is that you have Travel Insurance (not a Carnival Policy but a decent one) and the cruise company has canceled/interrupted your cruise. You have "cancel for any reason" and "trip interruption" coverage. What would be the best strategy to maximize your policy. Do you take the refund from the cruise or do you cancel through the policy holder and so on. Yes, many variables are into play; but those whom have had travel insurance know the basics of the majority of policies available... Put your thinking caps on ?

 

 

Some are always looking for ways to beat the system. Just do the right thing, it really is pretty simple

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Retired_to_Cruise]

If the cruise line cancels your cruise you will get all of your money back. It is not an insurance issue.

 

I am not sure what you mean by "interrupt" your cruise. If you mean that they eliminate ports after the cruise has started, then they return what ever money you have paid for port taxes and excursions for those ports eliminated. Not an insurance issue.

 

If you mean they shortened the cruise after it has started due to weather concerns or mechanical problems, then you get your money back for the days missed, and usually get some reduction in your next cruise.Not an insurance issue.

 

If you mean that prior to the cruise there are changes made to the itinerary or length, then the cruise line usually offers some compensation or gives you the option to cancel with full return of money. If you cancel, your money is returned and it is not an insurance issue. If you chose to go on the cruise you have accepted their offer of compensation. Neither of these are insurance issues.

 

Or are you really asking how you can best game the system?

[KCpumkin]

Leave it to someone to turn an innocent insurance question negative. You PAY for a travel insurance policy. A situation arises that ALLOWS you to use the policy and you should feel guilty using it? A cruise line is giving you different OPTIONS and you must compare those OPTIONS with what your policy PROVIDES. So lighten up :rolleyes:

[peppergal]

The policy only ALLOWS you to cover your out of pocket expenses that are not reimbursed by the cruise line. There is nothing to maximize.

 

The only thing to really look at is if you are offered something like a shortened cruise, you may be able (depending on your policy) to recoup any expenses that you incur in changing flights/hotels that Carnival does not offer to cover. You may come out slightly ahead if Carnival is also offering you a future discount in exchange for taking the cruise. You have to choose between that and just cancelling everything and letting the policy cover whatever Carnival doesn't cover.

 

In general, travel insurance policies are essentially secondary policies, they only cover what the original vendor does not offer to reimburse. You typically can't decline the vendor's refund and expect the policy to cover it instead.

[Towel Critter]

The policy only ALLOWS you to cover your out of pocket expenses that are not reimbursed by the cruise line. There is nothing to maximize.

 

The only thing to really look at is if you are offered something like a shortened cruise, you may be able (depending on your policy) to recoup any expenses that you incur in changing flights/hotels that Carnival does not offer to cover. You may come out slightly ahead if Carnival is also offering you a future discount in exchange for taking the cruise. You have to choose between that and just cancelling everything and letting the policy cover whatever Carnival doesn't cover.

 

In general, travel insurance policies are essentially secondary policies, they only cover what the original vendor does not offer to reimburse. You typically can't decline the vendor's refund and expect the policy to cover it instead.

I can tell you from experience that you are 100% correct. Travel insurance will only refund what the cruise line does not refund. Not only that, they require documents showing what the cruise line has and has not refunded. I've had to cancel cruises three times - fully insured - and was fortunate to get my cruise fare back in all three cases, but there was zero opportunity for "maximizing."

[sparks1093]

"Leave it to someone to turn an innocent insurance question negative. You PAY for a travel insurance policy. A situation arises that ALLOWS you to use the policy and you should feel guilty using it? A cruise line is giving you different OPTIONS and you must compare those OPTIONS with what your policy PROVIDES."

 

Yes, but as others have pointed out insurance only covers your actual loss, whatever it is, there really is no maximizing anything.

[winddawn]

To any insurance guru that has an opinion!

 

The scenario is that you have Travel Insurance (not a Carnival Policy but a decent one) and the cruise company has canceled/interrupted your cruise. You have "cancel for any reason" and "trip interruption" coverage. What would be the best strategy to maximize your policy. Do you take the refund from the cruise or do you cancel through the policy holder and so on. Yes, many variables are into play; but those whom have had travel insurance know the basics of the majority of policies available... Put your thinking caps on ?

Insurance typically only covers your unreimbursed expenses/costs. If the cruise company fully refunds you what you paid, you don't have an insurance claim since you didn't experience a loss.

[Babr]

Whatever the options are that the cruise line offers, the combination of cruise refunds and insurance reimbursements will never be more than 100%.

 

Maybe the question should be how to make the right choice among the things the cruise line is offering to create the best value for you. If they offer you a refund for the current cruise and a discount on the next one, you would come out ahead after the insurance reimburses air or other non-refundable costs.

 

The problem seems to come from a faulty understanding of insurance terms and how insurance policies work. Happens to lots of people. That is why you ask. The definitions can be found in the certificate of coverage - just takes a little effort if you are really interested.

 

As others have stated, cancel for any reason doesn't come into play here. You would have to cancel by the required deadline and even then most policies pay only 75-90% of the original cost.

 

Trip interruption happens if you have some kind of emergency that requires you to leave the cruise before the end. It does not mean a change in itinerary.

 

Best wishes for finding a satisfactory resolution.

[MadManOfBethesda]

Leave it to someone to turn an innocent insurance question negative. You PAY for a travel insurance policy. A situation arises that ALLOWS you to use the policy and you should feel guilty using it?

 

What situation are you talking about that allows you to file a claim with your insurance company? When you file a claim with them, you have to show proof of any losses. If Carnival is offering to refund your money, your insurance company isn't going to pay you a penny.

 

Would you care to elaborate on what you're trying to accomplish or what you think your options are?

[thinfool]

To any insurance guru that has an opinion!

 

The scenario is that you have Travel Insurance (not a Carnival Policy but a decent one) and the cruise company has canceled/interrupted your cruise. You have "cancel for any reason" and "trip interruption" coverage. What would be the best strategy to maximize your policy. Do you take the refund from the cruise or do you cancel through the policy holder and so on. Yes, many variables are into play; but those whom have had travel insurance know the basics of the majority of policies available... Put your thinking caps on ?

 

My scenario is this...Call my insurance company, explain the situation, and then act on their recommendation.