Travel insurance timing

[Turtles06]

17 hours ago, alyssamma said:

I never purchase insurance until I make final payment. No need to as everything is refundable before that.

 

Apart from the fact that this is not necessarily true as to all trip costs a person may have incurred by then (airfare, for example), many policies will not cover pre-existing conditions is you purchase that late.

[Turtles06]

18 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Curious -   when they say your first payment date.   Is that the deposit or payment at 90 days prior to cruise.   I have an annual policy but considering booking by the cruise but haven't compared prices yet. 

 

 

Jim, if you don't mind saying -- what company is your annual policy with?   The ones I've seen have some limitations (e.g., length of each trip, or cost of each trip) that don't make them feasible for us, and I'm sure would not work for the kind of cruising you do, hence my question. 

 

As for the question you asked -- first payment date is typically the date you make your first payment toward your trip (e.g., the deposit on a cruise).   Some years ago, a supervisor at Travel Guard said to look at each payment made toward a trip this way:  if you had to cancel your trip on the day of departure, is that payment something that would be refunded to you?  If not, you need to insure it. 

[Babr]

19 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Apart from the fact that this is not necessarily true as to all trip costs a person may have incurred by then (airfare, for example), many policies will not cover pre-existing conditions is you purchase that late.

 

You are correct that most policies do not allow the pre-existing conditions waiver at final payment; nevertheless, there are a number that do. IMG LX is one. CSA offers another. A broker can recommend one or you can find them by using the filters in the search function.
 

Any prepaid nonrefundable costs included in the amount insured will be covered, but airfare presents a problem because the airline will issue a voucher if you cancel, and the insurance company will consider that you have been reimbursed. Including it becomes a factor when the policy requires you to include all nonrefundable costs to qualify for the pre-existing conditions waiver in addition to buying within the specified time and being able to travel on the day of purchase.  Be sure to ask how the policy treats airfare before you buy.

 

 

[Mr. Click]

1 hour ago, kearney said:

Squaremouth isn't an insurance company... they sell policies from a number of different companies...our last policy happened to be with John Hancock... while I haven't had a claim... I would have contacted the insurance company..not the company that brokered the deal..did you try the actual insurance company that issued the policy? 

I talked to both. Started with Squaremouth since that was the number on the policy packet to call for claims.  When there were "issues" I talked to both the squaremouth and the issuer and got no help until threats of legal action were put into writing.  "Oh we can't find those papers you sent in at our request a month ago" is not a reasonable excuse in my world.    

 

When I had some refund issues with Travel Guard on policies issued through the trip insurance store I emailed Steve and they got it resolved within a day.  I get that there is a broker and an insurer to deal with and that squaremouth is just a broker but once you take my money I do expect some service from you when I have a problem.... 

[Babr]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Click said:

I talked to both. Started with Squaremouth since that was the number on the policy packet to call for claims.  When there were "issues" I talked to both the squaremouth and the issuer and got no help until threats of legal action were put into writing.  "Oh we can't find those papers you sent in at our request a month ago" is not a reasonable excuse in my world.    

 

When I had some refund issues with Travel Guard on policies issued through the trip insurance store I emailed Steve and they got it resolved within a day.  I get that there is a broker and an insurer to deal with and that squaremouth is just a broker but once you take my money I do expect some service from you when I have a problem.... 

 

And that is one of the advantages of working with TIS. They are a small agency selling policies from a limited number of vetted companies with which they have an established relationship. They know their products, can recommend something for your needs, and can help service the policy if necessary.

[kearney]

1 hour ago, Mr. Click said:

I talked to both. Started with Squaremouth since that was the number on the policy packet to call for claims.  When there were "issues" I talked to both the squaremouth and the issuer and got no help until threats of legal action were put into writing.  "Oh we can't find those papers you sent in at our request a month ago" is not a reasonable excuse in my world.    

 

When I had some refund issues with Travel Guard on policies issued through the trip insurance store I emailed Steve and they got it resolved within a day.  I get that there is a broker and an insurer to deal with and that squaremouth is just a broker but once you take my money I do expect some service from you when I have a problem.... 

That is good to know... the only time I have had to make a claim was with Allianz and that was painless and quick.... thanks for the info

[Oklahoma Cruiser 2012]

22 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

Generally 14-21 days after deposit.

My travel agent said to purchase it before the 14 days after deposit for "best and full coverage". It's a few dollars more to cover airfare as well as cruise. With the world the way it is right now, even if we don't end up using it, the fact that it's there is comforting. I never would have even considered travel insurance a few years ago, I guess that industry is going to come roaring back. 

[Mr. Click]

5 hours ago, kearney said:

That is good to know... the only time I have had to make a claim was with Allianz and that was painless and quick.... thanks for the info

Glad to hear it.  It took me over 3 months to finally get paid and in the end they still refused to cover my $500 deposit because it was paid for with a gift card and I got for credit card points.   " sorry we only cover things paid by cash, check or credit card".... I fully understand their need to document everything but they were beyond common sense and when they "lost" half of my documentation that was the end for me.  I strongly suggested that they needed to confirm receipt when I re-sent it and then settle within the week or I would simply turn it all over to the state insurance commission and let them deal with it.  

[destar]

Can anyone recommend a company for annual travel insurance. Doing some research, Allianz offers a policy that covers all the trips within 365 days period including road trips 100+ miles from your residence. Medical coverage is ok, but for trip cancellations coverage is low. If you customize it for more coverage the price of policy triple.

[Babr]

4 hours ago, destar said:

Can anyone recommend a company for annual travel insurance. Doing some research, Allianz offers a policy that covers all the trips within 365 days period including road trips 100+ miles from your residence. Medical coverage is ok, but for trip cancellations coverage is low. If you customize it for more coverage the price of policy triple.

I think you’ll find that with all annual policies. They are primarily for medical coverage. Some don’t offer any travel benefits at all, but those that do max out at relatively low levels. Options to increase coverage always cost more.

[destar]

14 minutes ago, Babr said:

I think you’ll find that with all annual policies. They are primarily for medical coverage. Some don’t offer any travel benefits at all, but those that do max out at relatively low levels. Options to increase coverage always cost more.

Thank you Babr 

[lakegirl16]

Is it just that I am getting older?  (which I am ) or have insurance policies gotten more expensive since COVID?  I know everything has gotten more expensive, just was curious what everyone else thought.  

Also, thanks to all for the information on Steve.  I've used insuremytrip in the past.  

 

 

[Babr]

40 minutes ago, lakegirl16 said:

Is it just that I am getting older?  (which I am ) or have insurance policies gotten more expensive since COVID?  I know everything has gotten more expensive, just was curious what everyone else thought.  

Also, thanks to all for the information on Steve.  I've used insuremytrip in the past.  

 

 

Maybe - but one thing is for sure. They cost more as you get older because the premium is calculated on age, amount insured, and length of trip among other things - unless you are buying cruise line insurance. Cruise line branded insurance is not based on age, making it a cost-effective alternative for older cruisers.

 

The other thing we can expect to get more expensive since COVID is cruises themselves. Celebrity has been granting refunds and reimbursing COID expenses for a good while now - quite a cash drain to make up.

[mayleeman]

@stevetod I see you are on the Equinox on October 6. Join us on the Roll Call (and look for the link to sign up for the Cruise Critic get-together).

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2810382-october-6-2022-equinox-abc-cruise/

 

Hope you got the insurance sorted out!

[Mr. Click]

Policies definately do get more costly as we get older because the risks are higher for both medical issues and unplanned/forced cancelations.  I have not needed a policy in 3 years now because COVID has kept us close to home but I am sure with all of the risks created by COVID the cost of a policy has gone up too.  It is all about the risk.  When I first started buying travel insurance it was to help cover the cost of rushing home in trip to be with elderly parents. I guess I am now that elderly parent and need to think about the medical side for me and I sure was glad I could recover most of my trip costs when I had to cancel 4 days out.