HAL Platinum Insurance and Non Toll Free Number for HAL

[flowery]

Has anyone used Platinum in the past year to cancel at the last minute before boarding? I've been told that prior to boarding we can cancel for "any reason."

 

I just spoke to a HAL rep to see if they could email me the fine print  or provide an online link to the fine print and was told no, not available.

She suggested I phone the underwriter, AON Affinity at 1-800-453-4047.

 

Since 1-800 and 1-866 toll free numbers don't work in Europe, does anyone have a number to call HAL from within Europe? The rep couldn't provide a Seattle 206 phone number either. She also pointed out that since Seattle is 9 hrs behind, we would need to go to the pier to cancel (!)

[Duquesmom]

From HAL website:

Business Hours: 206-626-9000
After Hours & Holidays: 1-800-628-4771 or 1-206-286-3294

These phone #s were listed for emergencies.

 

Also, the Cancel for Any Reason  waiver is provided by HAL & not an insurance product.  I found that on my insurance papers from February, 2022.

Edited May 19, 2022 by Duquesmom
Added emergency info.

[flowery]

Thanks so much Duquesmom!

 Interesting about the Cancel for Any Reason provided by HAL- the rep didn't make that clear. I guess if you board and have a problem it converts to the AON plan?

[Babr]

https://affinitytravelcert.com/document/pdfs/HAL_LandingPage.html

 

Try this link. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the link to the Certificate of Insurance for your state.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Babr

[Babr]

All claims go through AON.  Insurance covers reasons defined in the policy. If the claim is denied, you can get CFAR.

 

If you are cancelling at the last minute because of a Covid positive test, that is a covered medical reason. With proper documentation, you can get full reimbursement.

[flowery]

Babr- thanks sooo much for the insurance link! I'm glad I could read the fine print.

 

I didn't realize that "you are not eligible to purchase coverage or receive benefits under this Certificate if You have other insurance coverage for the loss (es) for which this Certificate is intended to insurance against.  Multiple recovers for the same loss covered by other insurance coverage is not available under this Certificate."

 

I was also planning to purchase a BCBS Geo Plan. I thought one would be primary and the other secondary.

 

There's too much red tape with most travel insurance but I trust Blue Cross based on our experience using them for non travel issues.

 

One year I purchased expensive travel insurance  (online via Square M...) and decided to see if it would cover a tiny shipboard medical visit (under 200). The paper work required was ridiculous- starting with my proving that I had their insurance! I'd have to be making a very large claim to subject myself to the hassle of filing all that paperwork.

[flowery]

I just spoke to Deanna at the travelinsurancestore and she said BCBS would be primary and it would be up to us to file with HAL as a secondary. According to her, the HAL AON platinum plan can still be used as a secondary if the medical bills exceed what's allowed with BCBS. BCBS is only for medical claims.

The cancel for any reason is still with HAL AON.

[Babr]

GeoBlue provides excellent medical coverage; but, as you know, it leaves you exposed to travel risks such as cancellation and trip delay, which could be significant if you test positive prior to flying back to the US.

 

It may be that the HAL policy would still work because GeoBlue does not provide “coverage for which this Certificate is intended,” namely travel risks.  
 

Call for clarification. Failing that, consult a broker like Trip Insurance Store for advice. It does not cost more to buy from them, but their advice can be valuable.

 

Do not depend on your credit card coverage. It has little applicability here.

 

I see you just posted and have an answer. You are ahead of me.

[flowery]

Thanks again Babr. We will be spending a lot to insure this trip. We can handle delays and quarantine on land but I'm concerned about associated medical bills since the coverage under Platinum is minimal and won't cover most of our excursions since they weren't booked through HAL.

 

I wonder too about getting through to Seattle at 1 am on a Sunday morning if we want to cancel last minute. Glad to know we need to fax or email them to cancel- not phone. It was really helpful getting the link you provided.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, flowery said:

Thanks again Babr. We will be spending a lot to insure this trip. We can handle delays and quarantine on land but I'm concerned about associated medical bills since the coverage under Platinum is minimal and won't cover most of our excursions since they weren't booked through HAL.

 

I wonder too about getting through to Seattle at 1 am on a Sunday morning if we want to cancel last minute. Glad to know we need to fax or email them to cancel- not phone. It was really helpful getting the link you provided.

I always use hal platinum for cancellation only.  I would never use it for medical because it covers so little. I use a separate policy for medical.

[Tampa Girl]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I always use hal platinum for cancellation only.  I would never use it for medical because it covers so little. I use a separate policy for medical.

 

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I always use hal platinum for cancellation only.  I would never use it for medical because it covers so little. I use a separate policy for medical.

 

That is our procedure, as well.  Because we have BCBS, which covers us worldwide, we buy the Platinum (or the standard for cancellation purposes only) and a policy for med evac, such as MedJet.  I think that those should cover everything.  Am I missing anything?  I am not concerned about losing money for excursions or plane fares or hotels.  

[flowery]

Thanks for your replies. I need to decide if we will take out the "Standard" or the "Platinum."

I was told Standard would cover 80% and must be canceled at least 24 hours out whereas Platinum would cover 90% as we could cancel even more last minute. If we also have BCBS Geo for medical then we probably don't need the pricier Platinum? We have had MedJet plans in the past- pricey for sure but another layer of protection and peace of mind. We probably won't get it this time. I think the last time we had MedJet it was for a Cuba trip.

 

[Gilford57]

On 5/19/2022 at 7:26 PM, Babr said:

All claims go through AON.  Insurance covers reasons defined in the policy. If the claim is denied, you can get CFAR.

 

If you are cancelling at the last minute because of a Covid positive test, that is a covered medical reason. With proper documentation, you can get full reimbursement.

I stumbled upon this thread while trying to find an answer to a related question.

 

Trip cancellation for HAL's platinum plan is 90% cash back.  There are no "covered reasons" and all cancellation claims are treated as Cancel For Any Reason.  The good news is you get cash back, and as long as you cancel before you start your trip, you are covered.  The bad news is you will never get 100% back, no matter the reason.

[Babr]

4 minutes ago, Gilford57 said:

I stumbled upon this thread while trying to find an answer to a related question.

 

Trip cancellation for HAL's platinum plan is 90% cash back.  There are no "covered reasons" and all cancellation claims are treated as Cancel For Any Reason.  The good news is you get cash back, and as long as you cancel before you start your trip, you are covered.  The bad news is you will never get 100% back, no matter the reason.

Thanks for pointing that out. It is an interesting quirk in travel insurance, but it does solve some common problems with cancellation. 
 

I always thought it was a very generous CFAR policy without realizing that it does not allow for standard cancellation at 100% under covered reasons. That makes it less attractive to me since medical coverage is low, but I can see how some people might find such a policy useful.