Testing positive with insurance before cruise

[mvh]

I know if I test positive before I fly to the port NCL will give me a FCC.  What happens if I have insurance through NCL and I test positive 96 hour prior? Will I get my money back or still a FCC?  

[Keene33]

Hello, I have read up on this to make sure I understand the process.

 

Trip Cancellation
Up to 100% of your trip cost reimbursement for unused prepaid expenses if you cancel your trip due to COVID-19 diagnosis or if you are required to Quarantine by a Treating Physician or Government Agency.

[mvh]

46 minutes ago, Thain said:

Hello, I have read up on this to make sure I understand the process.

 

Trip Cancellation
Up to 100% of your trip cost reimbursement for unused prepaid expenses if you cancel your trip due to COVID-19 diagnosis or if you are required to Quarantine by a Treating Physician or Government Agency.

Ok, so what does this mean?  Do you get both or do you get to choose?  Has anyone actually been in this predicament that can confirm you get your money back with NCL's insurance or just a FCC. 

[Cruise Gopher]

Yeah I'd like to know what it means too, I've been trying to research the insurance details but cannot find any specifics like how many days before the cruise if you test positive, etc.

 

I know if says "If you are required to Quarantine", but like how long do they consider the quarantine period for example.

[Keene33]

My understanding is if you have to cancel for a covered reason, such as testing positive, you get your money back not a FCC.

 

Here's what it states.

 

If something comes up and you can’t go, due to one of the covered reasons listed in the plan, you get your money back. If it’s not a covered reason and your cancellation claim is denied, you get a Norwegian Cruise Line future cruise credit certificate that you can apply toward a new booking. It’s that simple.

 

[Cruise Gopher]

Right but t

Just now, Thain said:

My understanding is if you have to cancel for a covered reason, such as testing positive, you get your money back not a FCC.

 

Here's what it states.

 

If something comes up and you can’t go, due to one of the covered reasons listed in the plan, you get your money back. If it’s not a covered reason and your cancellation claim is denied, you get a Norwegian Cruise Line future cruise credit certificate that you can apply toward a new booking. It’s that simple.

 

Right, but testing positive how many days before the cruise?  1? 14?

[Keene33]

I agree with all of your concerns.  When you pull up the policy it can get a little more complicated due to all the language utilized.

 

Here's what the policy states:

 

The Company will reimburse You, up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage, if You are prevented from taking Your Trip for any of the following reasons that are Unforeseen and takes place after the Effective Date: Your Sickness, Accidental Injury or death that results in medically imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician at the time of Loss preventing Your participation in the Trip. A Physician must advise to cancel the Trip on or before the Scheduled Departure Date; Sickness, Accidental Injury or death of a Family Member or Traveling Companion, booked to travel with You, that results in medically imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician preventing that person’s participation in the Trip;

[Keene33]

You or a Traveling Companion being hijacked, Quarantined, required to serve on a jury, subpoenaed, the victim of felonious assault within ten (10) days of departure; having Your principal place of residence made Uninhabitable by fire, flood, volcano, earthquake, hurricane or other natural disaster;

[Keene33]

Effective Date means 12:01 A.M. local time, at Your location, on the day after the required premium for such coverage is received by the Company or its authorized representative.

[Cruise Gopher]

Ok so it sounds like in theory if your doctor provides a letter advising you to cancel the trip due to your illness then that would qualify.  

[Keene33]

Correct.  Since it mentions the word "quarantine" all you would have to show is a positive test done by a third party.

 

 

[Babr]

Remember that the insurance sold by the cruise line is underwritten by an insurance company. NCL gets a commission for selling it but does not have anything to do with claims. If you file a claim for a covered reason, you will be reimbursed in cash. 
 

In the case of COVID, you have to test positive by a verified test, and your doctor has to confirm the diagnosis. In addition, he must order you not to travel. You’ll have to submit documentation of this with the claim. Don’t cancel until you have it.

 

There is no time limit for this except that it interferes with your travel plans. 

[Babr]

11 minutes ago, Thain said:

Effective Date means 12:01 A.M. local time, at Your location, on the day after the required premium for such coverage is received by the Company or its authorized representative.

This is the effective date of the policy. It means your coverage begins the day after the company gets your money.

 

It has nothing to do with when you test positive.

[Babr]

40 minutes ago, Cruise Gopher said:

Right but t

Right, but testing positive how many days before the cruise?  1? 14?

There is no time limit as long as your doctor declares that you are unable to travel.

[mvh]

Are you saying that even though the Cruise line won't let you on the ship with a 3rd party positive covid test, you still need a doctor's note as well?  

[Babr]

10 minutes ago, mvh said:

Are you saying that even though the Cruise line won't let you on the ship with a 3rd party positive covid test, you still need a doctor's note as well?  

Yes, if you intend to file an insurance claim because you test positive prior to beginning travel. Be sure the doctor confirms the diagnosis and provides orders not to travel as required to document the insurance claim. Do it before you cancel.

 

If you are talking about testing positive at the pier, the NCL assistance plan is supposed to provide FCC and assistance with expenses not covered by insurance.

[nicoleinwi]

So what about instances where we have the cruise booked with FCC?

 

I just got an email from NCL to buy insurance before our trip.  I am looking into it.  Called NCL as our May cruise is booked with FCC.  I asked the NCL agent if we were positive and had to cancel if the money would go back to FCC or be able to actual cash back through insurance.  They put me on hold and came back about 20 minutes later.  They said they spoke with a supervisor and they do not know the answer to that question and that I needed to call AON and ask.  

 

I'm not going to bother.  I read through the insurance documents and don't see an answer there.  I'm not confident I would trust someone on the phone to tell me the right answer I'd want it in writing.  

 

So just something for those to think about before buying insurance if you are cruising with FCC.  

[Babr]

Just now, nicoleinwi said:

So what about instances where we have the cruise booked with FCC?

 

I just got an email from NCL to buy insurance before our trip.  I am looking into it.  Called NCL as our May cruise is booked with FCC.  I asked the NCL agent if we were positive and had to cancel if the money would go back to FCC or be able to actual cash back through insurance.  They put me on hold and came back about 20 minutes later.  They said they spoke with a supervisor and they do not know the answer to that question and that I needed to call AON and ask.  

 

I'm not going to bother.  I read through the insurance documents and don't see an answer there.  I'm not confident I would trust someone on the phone to tell me the right answer I'd want it in writing.  

 

So just something for those to think about before buying insurance if you are cruising with FCC.  

 

Typically, insurance does not cover losses booked with credits, vouchers, or points. They do not consider them to be acceptable forms of payment because they do not have cash value even though you paid cash for the original cruise or to earn the points.

 

That may have changed or it may be that some exceptions were made when cruising shut down a couple of years ago. You have to look at the policy for language about “Forms of Payment” in the definition section or call the insurance company to be sure. And, yes, ask them to identify where it is in the policy in writing; otherwise, it isn’t covered.

[Cruise Gopher]

If you cancel due to Covid Positive in advance of the cruise and you get reimbursed from insurance how does NCL know that they don't need to issue you a FCC?  Is it just an honor system thing that you won't use that FCC?

[nicoleinwi]

7 minutes ago, Babr said:

 

Typically, insurance does not cover losses booked with credits, vouchers, or points. They do not consider them to be acceptable forms of payment because they do not have cash value even though you paid cash for the original cruise or to earn the points.

 

That may have changed or it may be that some exceptions were made when cruising shut down a couple of years ago. You have to look at the policy for language about “Forms of Payment” in the definition section or call the insurance company to be sure. And, yes, ask them to identify where it is in the policy in writing; otherwise, it isn’t covered.

 

Thank you for your insight.  Did a search on the wording for NCL's insurance.  And, yep, you're right.  States (not sure why I can't copy from their PDF)

"Payments made in the form of a certificate, voucher not purchased by cash, grant, or discount are not Payments or Deposits as defined herein". 

 

I know the CruiseCritic folks would be more helpful then NCL or figuring out how to get ahold of someone at AON.  

[kylenyc]

5 hours ago, mvh said:

I know if I test positive before I fly to the port NCL will give me a FCC.  What happens if I have insurance through NCL and I test positive 96 hour prior? Will I get my money back or still a FCC?  

Your insurance "through NCL" depends on which plan you purchase (Essentials, Standard, or Platinum) and your state of residence.

• Carefully read the policy documents on the NCL Booksafe page. Essentials Travel Protection does not include trip interruption or trip cancellation benefits. Standard and Platinum do  https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/booksafe Click the links to the corresponding plan for the plan details
• If you test positive at the embarkation port where testing is being administered by NCL's test partner like Eurofins, NCL's Refund and Cancellation Policy does provide a refund or future cruise credit for your cruise fare. https://www.ncl.com/refund-and-cancellation-policy-covid-19 However, NCL "will assist with expenses related to any mandatory quarantine that are not covered by their travel insurance only if the guest provides proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 96-hours of their travel date".

In other words, NCL will provide refund or credit for your cruise fare if NCL tests you at the pier and you are positive. NCL will only assist you with quarantine related expenses not covered by your travel insurance if you took your own Covid test and tested negative 96 hours before arriving at the pier. If you don't take your own test, then any quarantine related expenses depends on your travel insurance or lack thereof.

 

Many on CC recommend purchasing good travel insurance that includes not only trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits but also medical coverage and other benefits during your trip.

 

Edited January 7, 2022 by kylenyc

[craig01020]

5 hours ago, Thain said:

Hello, I have read up on this to make sure I understand the process.

 

Trip Cancellation
Up to 100% of your trip cost reimbursement for unused prepaid expenses if you cancel your trip due to COVID-19 diagnosis or if you are required to Quarantine by a Treating Physician or Government Agency.

The key wording here is "up to 100%". That's clear as mud.

[Babr]

1 hour ago, craig01020 said:

The key wording here is "up to 100%". That's clear as mud.

It just means it will pay up to that amount for pre-paid unused travel. If you don’t board the ship, you have not used any of your trip so you get 100%.

 

NCL does not cover your costs for travel to the port unless you book air and hotel with them. If you book the entire trip through NCL and fly to the port then test positive, you’d get reimbursement for the cruise fare but not air fare or hotel because you used it, thus less than 100% reimbursement for trip cost. You may have other benefits under trip delay or trip interruption at that point.

[Babr]

3 hours ago, Cruise Gopher said:

If you cancel due to Covid Positive in advance of the cruise and you get reimbursed from insurance how does NCL know that they don't need to issue you a FCC?  Is it just an honor system thing that you won't use that FCC?

If you bought NCL insurance, it will be listed on your booking. The agent can see that when you call to cancel. You may have a choice at that time to file with insurance or to accept FCC.

 

If you bought insurance elsewhere but are not forthcoming, it would be considered fraud because you are not entitled to both. You’ll be asked about credits or vouchers as part of the claims process

[BirdTravels]

11 hours ago, Thain said:

Hello, I have read up on this to make sure I understand the process.

 

Trip Cancellation
Up to 100% of your trip cost reimbursement for unused prepaid expenses if you cancel your trip due to COVID-19 diagnosis or if you are required to Quarantine by a Treating Physician or Government Agency.

 

NCL does not insure you. NCL buys a policy from a commercial carrier. You must read the actual policy that you purchase, not the marketing information on the website. Failure to get the requisite information will cause the denial of your claim. The policy states: 

 

The Company will reimburse You, up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Schedule of Benefits subject to any applicable sub-limits, if You cancel Your Trip for any of the following reasons that are Unforeseen and takes place after Your Effective Date: 

 

1. Your Sickness, Accidental Injury or death, that results in medically imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician at the time of Loss preventing Your participation in the Trip. A Physician must advise to cancel the Trip on or before the Scheduled Departure Date.