Cruise cancelled 9 weeks prior due to cancer diagnosis - No Refund

[hallux]

2 hours ago, cmh said:

My Mom and Dad canceled a cruise when she needed surgery for cancer, and she received a total refund from the insurance plan that she purchased.

While that's wonderful to hear (that she was reimbursed fully, not that she needed surgery, but I hope the surgery was successful), not all insurance plans are the same, and we all need to be mindful of the international nature of these forums (the OP is from Australia where regulations can differ from the US).

[Turtles06]

5 hours ago, Suzzanne said:

I have never heard of that 10 day offer happening here but that's only because I haven't investigated, I will have a look and see what date I bought that and if it's possible. Thanks for that advice!

 

It's not necessarily ten days.  It depends on the company and the policy.  The company we usually buy our travel insurance from, Travel Guard, waives the exclusion for pre-existing conditions if you buy the policy within 15 day of the initial trip deposit, and insure all additional non-refundable pre-payments within 15 days of those being made.

 

As others have advised, you need to read the policy that you have carefully regarding its definition of pre-existing conditions.    (Also, I'm in the U.S., as are many folks who have posted above.  You may have different policies and insurance regulations in Australia.)

 

I hope your partner is okay, that's the most important thing.

[cheeseclan]

OP you could also contact Elliott.org and see if he and his team can help in any way.  They are ombudsman’s and do a great job for people.  They will want to hear what is going on, what you have done already and all your paperwork.  They are big in having you do everything via email!!!

 

I have used their site to contact 2 companies I had issues with.  Both were resolved satisfactorily.  They walk you thru how to contact the company and whom to contact etc.

 

It is worth a shot.

[bmwman]

With respect what you write is  wrong - its called compassion - and social responsibility for an SEC firm. You are a cheerleader for NCL and fail to see when they get it wrong. If I recall you were quite vociferous when either you or someone you had empathy was wronged on the launch of the Bliss. Duel standards.

 

OP ignore his comments and write by e mail to the CEO or anyone at board level. I would aver that that given what they have done is contradictory to the social responsibility

 

The business model does include compassion it has to for the regulators under social responsibility. 

 

I can assure you that we know of people that have changed cruises for illness with NCL.

 

They are also very sensitive to reputational risk and taking a hard line is not good for that. 

 

What I would say is if you do get them to change the decision DO NOT publicise it especially on a site like this.  I think that our insurance in the UK at the high end would cover this situation as unless it is the same C it is not a pre existing condition under a lot of policies - just checked with our insurers and they can confirm if remission is diagnosed no longer pre existing 

Edited September 5, 2019 by bmwman

[SWHLBLBY]

11 hours ago, cmh said:

My Mom and Dad canceled a cruise when she needed surgery for cancer, and she received a total refund from the insurance plan that she purchased.

That great news - must have been a big relief at that stressful time.

[SWHLBLBY]

7 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

It's not necessarily ten days.  It depends on the company and the policy.  The company we usually buy our travel insurance from, Travel Guard, waives the exclusion for pre-existing conditions if you buy the policy within 15 day of the initial trip deposit, and insure all additional non-refundable pre-payments within 15 days of those being made.

 

As others have advised, you need to read the policy that you have carefully regarding its definition of pre-existing conditions.    (Also, I'm in the U.S., as are many folks who have posted above.  You may have different policies and insurance regulations in Australia.)

 

I hope your partner is okay, that's the most important thing.

Thank you - yes you're right, getting the treatment and getting through it is more important than the cost.

[SWHLBLBY]

4 hours ago, cheeseclan said:

OP you could also contact Elliott.org and see if he and his team can help in any way.  They are ombudsman’s and do a great job for people.  They will want to hear what is going on, what you have done already and all your paperwork.  They are big in having you do everything via email!!!

 

I have used their site to contact 2 companies I had issues with.  Both were resolved satisfactorily.  They walk you thru how to contact the company and whom to contact etc.

 

It is worth a shot.

Thanks so much, I have been on, had a read and followed their advice - thanks for the tip.

[SWHLBLBY]

2 hours ago, bmwman said:

With respect what you write is  wrong - its called compassion - and social responsibility for an SEC firm. You are a cheerleader for NCL and fail to see when they get it wrong. If I recall you were quite vociferous when either you or someone you had empathy was wronged on the launch of the Bliss. Duel standards.

 

OP ignore his comments and write by e mail to the CEO or anyone at board level. I would aver that that given what they have done is contradictory to the social responsibility

 

The business model does include compassion it has to for the regulators under social responsibility. 

 

I can assure you that we know of people that have changed cruises for illness with NCL.

 

They are also very sensitive to reputational risk and taking a hard line is not good for that. 

 

What I would say is if you do get them to change the decision DO NOT publicise it especially on a site like this.  I think that our insurance in the UK at the high end would cover this situation as unless it is the same C it is not a pre existing condition under a lot of policies - just checked with our insurers and they can confirm if remission is diagnosed no longer pre existing 

Thank you so much, I appreciate this and I think your advice is very wise - I will definitely follow it.  All the best, Suzzanne

[david_sobe]

This thread is missing key information to actually comment.  The OP books a cruise and takes out 2 insurance policies but does not name the companies and why the companies are denying the claim to cancel.  There is an immediate pivot to NCL's cancel policy which was beyond the 100% refund phase.

Travel insurance usually does allow cancellation for medical reasons with documentation.   Can you cut and paste what the insurance company told you or why they are denying the claim?  Rehashing NCL's cancel policy has nothing to do with why the OP's claim is being denied.  We never know exactly why?   

For example.  "I booked a NCL cruise and took out 2 insurance polices with _______________ and ______________.  I submitted the claim due to _______________.  The claim was denied because of  _________________________."

 

Without knowing these facts its really impossible to comment further.

 

Edit:  I just went back and re-read all posts from the OP.  Nothing about WHY claim was denied from the insurance company.  Its all about NCL and their cancellation policy.  OP has not provided any information about the insurance policy so I am suspect they exist.  Every time someone asks the OP about the policy, she does not know anything about the policy or even when they were purchased which makes no sense.  Also as someone pointed out, the TA would be able to advise you about the policy they sold you.  Would it not be their job to inform you or work with the insurance company about the cancellation.  None of this makes sense to me.

Edited September 5, 2019 by david_sobe

[thistimeplease]

19 hours ago, Homosassa said:

If I had a dollar for every thread started by a poster on Cruise Critic who is upset that their very special circumstances (death, illness, pregnancy, work requirements, military deployment, etc.) should be given a pass on (name the cruise line) cancellation policies or the terms of the insurance policy, I could pay for a cruise.

What a horrible and unnecessary comment. 

[hallux]

54 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

Edit:  I just went back and re-read all posts from the OP.  Nothing about WHY claim was denied from the insurance company.

If I read correctly - the claim was denied because of the previous cancer diagnosis and subsequent remission.  The OP was unable to get certain plans that would have covered a cancellation for medical reasons because of that previous diagnosis (citing it was a pre-existing condition - see post 11, the same reason the claim was denied).

 

3 hours ago, bmwman said:

changed cruises

This is a "stretch" of the policy I am behind, and even suggested it in a previous reply.  Allowing people to cancel cruises and get around the cancellation policy by simply writing a letter asking for empathy (and a full refund) would render cancellation policies relatively moot.  Don't understand my post as me not being compassionate toward the situation, but the OP did have SOME understanding of the risk, even noted such in post 11.

 

6 hours ago, cheeseclan said:

Elliott.org

If one of the companies involved has actually done something wrong or outside policy - sure.  I seem to recall a couple situations where, when everything was evaluated, the company was found to have followed policy and they were unable to get a resolution favorable to the customer.  The OP could try contacting them but I wouldn't expect favorable results.

[david_sobe]

45 minutes ago, hallux said:

If I read correctly - the claim was denied because of the previous cancer diagnosis and subsequent remission.  The OP was unable to get certain plans that would have covered a cancellation for medical reasons because of that previous diagnosis (citing it was a pre-existing condition - see post 11, the same reason the claim was denied).

 

This is a "stretch" of the policy I am behind, and even suggested it in a previous reply.  Allowing people to cancel cruises and get around the cancellation policy by simply writing a letter asking for empathy (and a full refund) would render cancellation policies relatively moot.  Don't understand my post as me not being compassionate toward the situation, but the OP did have SOME understanding of the risk, even noted such in post 11.

 

If one of the companies involved has actually done something wrong or outside policy - sure.  I seem to recall a couple situations where, when everything was evaluated, the company was found to have followed policy and they were unable to get a resolution favorable to the customer.  The OP could try contacting them but I wouldn't expect favorable results.

That actually makes it more confusing.  Post 11 states the OP researched policies and could not find one that covered pre-existing conditions.  If you researched policies, why would you buy one that would not cover you?  Also, why take another policy for overseas medical treatment.  There are travel insurance policies that would cover both.  If you take the OP's word in post 11, she researched policies yet is unable to explain what the plan covers and other details about the policy. 

Not trying to inflame the situation but after 3 pages I still have way too many questions.  I wish her and her partner the best.

If anything this makes me appreciate NCL's cancel for any reason policy.  At least you would have 75%-90% credit for a future cruise after the medical treatment.  

[SWHLBLBY]

1 hour ago, david_sobe said:

That actually makes it more confusing.  Post 11 states the OP researched policies and could not find one that covered pre-existing conditions.  If you researched policies, why would you buy one that would not cover you?  Also, why take another policy for overseas medical treatment.  There are travel insurance policies that would cover both.  If you take the OP's word in post 11, she researched policies yet is unable to explain what the plan covers and other details about the policy. 

Not trying to inflame the situation but after 3 pages I still have way too many questions.  I wish her and her partner the best.

If anything this makes me appreciate NCL's cancel for any reason policy.  At least you would have 75%-90% credit for a future cruise after the medical treatment.  

Thank you for your post – I haven’t elaborated as these policies are Australian and I’ve realized most posters are American travelers and your policies all seem so different.  

 

Both policies were organised on 7 May 2019.  My travel agent didn’t organise the insurance for me because the cruise was a smaller part of an extended holiday we compiled ourselves. Of all our travel arrangements, the agent only booked the cruise. My cruising experience is one Princess cruise. At the time of booking, I wasn’t aware NCL had their own insurance – If they have a cancel for any reason option, I certainly would have purchased it.

The first insurance was compliment travel insurance through our NAB credit card underwritten by QBE.   My partner had been through treatment two years early, had constant scans and there was no sign of cancer for 18 or 19 months. We believed he had beaten it and that was backed up by the Doctors up until early June.  But to answer your question, I still took this cover as I wanted the policy to cover me as well, I have no pre-existing conditions.  And it covered him for everything else – and all other scenarios that might occur with possible illness in our family and other unforeseen circumstances.

 

The second cover was through 1Cover who did allow pre-existing conditions. We advised his full medical history and it was all done online.  1Cover accepted the policy and approved medical cover.  When I called them about claiming they explained that this only covers him if he gets sick overseas, not if he gets sick beforehand.  So I wrote to them to ask if it was possible to refund the insurance as we could not travel.  It seems I am not the only one confused by the wording on this policy - their answer was “As this new condition was unforeseen at the time you took out your policy, you would have provisions to claim for any cancellation fees and lost deposits, as we start covering you for that from the moment you take out your policy.” We then lodged a claim that they declined based on the for-mentioned conditions. 

 

If you check my replies you will see that I know the responsibility lies with me.  I am not saying the insurance companies are wrong or NCL is wrong - but I am saying NCL has an inflexible cancellation policy and no compassionate procedure that they could advise me of.  NCL was the only one of the many travel providers I dealt with in cancelling my trip that was not prepared to compromise or negotiate some solution.  We would have been happy with a change of date or a credit note.  I also stated NCL were not responding to any form of contact, except through my travel agent to advise there would be no further refund.  That said, as of a few hours ago, I did receive an acknowledgement email from NCL Australia that I will follow up tomorrow.

[FLAHAM]

7 hours ago, thistimeplease said:

What a horrible and unnecessary comment. 

i agree with the comment in its entirety.

[BirdTravels]

11 hours ago, bmwman said:

With respect what you write is  wrong - its called compassion - and social responsibility for an SEC firm.

The OP has a tragic situation for which we are truly sorry. As an SEC firm, NCL has a fiduciary responsibility to its shareholders to uniformly and consistently apply published policies. And their fiduciary responsibility is to NOT deviate from those policies for everyone who requests an exception.