Insurance Company Recommendations?

[GMIAC]

2 minutes ago, Babr said:

Death of a family member is a covered reason. You’d have to check the language in the policy to be sure aunts and uncles are included in the definition of family members.  If that is the only reason you want CFAR, you may not need it.
 

That is why I recommend consulting with Steve or one of his associates at The Trip Insurance Store. They can address your concerns and find the appropriate coverage because they are professionals who deal with a limited number of reputable companies, and they are quite familiar with the policies they sell.

 

Thank you!

[-Lew-]

15 hours ago, Babr said:

Be very careful about relying on credit card coverage. While the dollar amount appears generous, there is an abbreviated list of covered reasons.

 

It's best to combine credit card coverage with commercial travel insurance for full coverage.  Chase Sapphire Reserve provides us with a total of $20,000 per trip.  We insure the balance of the total non-refundable trip cost with travel insurance for full coverage for whatever our credit card insurance does not cover.

[pappy1022]

I second what Babr is recommending. Steve and his team were very helpful for identifying what was best for my situation. They offer several options, all researched and approved by Steve. It can be a daunting task to figure out the differences in policies but they made it easy to pick after a brief conversation. I have some trip insurance included with my credit card. Steve was able to tell me about the gaps in that coverage and he came up with a plan to leverage that credit card coverage and fill in the gaps, such as emergency evacuation, so that I had the coverage I needed. I saved a lot of out of pocket cash for comprehensive travel insurance. Regent insurance was much more expensive than any comparative commercially available option.

[Babr]

1 hour ago, -Lew- said:

 

It's best to combine credit card coverage with commercial travel insurance for full coverage.  Chase Sapphire Reserve provides us with a total of $20,000 per trip.  We insure the balance of the total non-refundable trip cost with travel insurance for full coverage for whatever our credit card insurance does not cover.

My greatest concern is that most people do not have a clear understanding of the pre-existing conditions exclusion. There is no waiver so credit card insurance does not work for everyone. For example, something as simple as a prescription change in their medical history during the look-back period - or that of a non-traveling family member - could invalidate a claim.

 

Otherwise, as @pappy1022 says, it fills in the gaps except for cancellation if a pre-existing condition is involved.

[-Lew-]

58 minutes ago, Babr said:

My greatest concern is that most people do not have a clear understanding of the pre-existing conditions exclusion.

 

It's up to the travel insurance shopper to make himself aware of all terms including pre-existing conditions.  Companies differ in their policy terms...even within the same company.  We have been purchasing IMG policies through Steve and note the IMG SE and IMG LX policies treat pre-existing conditions differently.

[Babr]

11 minutes ago, -Lew- said:

 

It's up to the travel insurance shopper to make himself aware of all terms including pre-existing conditions.  Companies differ in their policy terms...even within the same company.  We have been purchasing IMG policies through Steve and note the IMG SE and IMG LX policies treat pre-existing conditions differently.

Yes, the IMG plans do not require you to insure the full amount in order to cover pre-existing conditions if purchased in a timely manner. The problem is that it covers up to the policy limit for cancellation, leaving the $20,000 covered by credit card insurance exposed to risk.

[-Lew-]

31 minutes ago, Babr said:

The problem is that it covers up to the policy limit for cancellation, leaving the $20,000 covered by credit card insurance exposed to risk.

 

I had to cancel travel a few years ago due to a health issue.  The combination of IMG and the insurance offered by Chase Sapphire Reserve covered all non-cancellable expenses.

[Babr]

21 minutes ago, -Lew- said:

 

I had to cancel travel a few years ago due to a health issue.  The combination of IMG and the insurance offered by Chase Sapphire Reserve covered all non-cancellable expenses.

I’m glad the combination worked for you. You did not say whether it was a pre-existing condition, and I don’t need to know personal details, but we are discussing a specific point of coverage here.

 

I’m just suggesting caution to anyone who wants to use credit card insurance when pre-existing conditions are a consideration for themselves or anyone in their traveling and/or family circle. In that case, the medical history of anyone connected to the claim must be clear for the 60-day look-back period prior to booking.

Edited August 13, 2023 by Babr

[pappy1022]

Fair enough Babr. I will say that Steve’s associate did discuss the pre existing conditions options and alerted me to the credit card limitations of coverage. 

[pappy1022]

This is the first time that I purchased travel insurance and I did so because the cruise I am on with Regent is very expensive. I shopped around and finally wound up with the combination of my credit card travel coverage and IMG through Steve’s company. Steve seems to cater to cruisers and he and his team are very knowledgeable and take the time to explain your options and recommend one based on the information you provide. I also checked the IMG website to compare what the cost was and it was the same so Steve wasn’t marking up the price.

[Babr]

46 minutes ago, pappy1022 said:

This is the first time that I purchased travel insurance and I did so because the cruise I am on with Regent is very expensive. I shopped around and finally wound up with the combination of my credit card travel coverage and IMG through Steve’s company. Steve seems to cater to cruisers and he and his team are very knowledgeable and take the time to explain your options and recommend one based on the information you provide. I also checked the IMG website to compare what the cost was and it was the same so Steve wasn’t marking up the price.

That is the beauty of getting professional advice to help avoid the pitfalls of buying something so complex. It does not cost any more because insurance is regulated by the states. What’s more is that Steve can also answer your questions if you have to file a claim. 

[pappy1022]

The real proof of a good policy and the company behind it, is when you have to make a claim. Fortunately I haven’t had to do that for travel insurance. I have put in claims for auto and home issues before and I have experienced both great service and poor service. Maybe some folks on this discussion board can chime in with their experiences both good and bad, and we can all learn from them.

[tripperva]

The claim results can depend who you get for an adjuster at the insurance company. We are in the middle of a claim where the adjuster is nit picking us for every conceivable receipt and document imaginable. We submitted their 13 page form, then 12 pages from our travel agent, then another 5 pages of Amex receipts. I am sure they are just being thorough and careful but this adjuster is really pushing it. So, be sure to keep every scrap of paper related to your trips.

[Woofbite]

If you do much travel at all, I'd suggest an annual policy wherever you purchase it.

For the price of a couple of short cruise policies all your travel a hundred miles from home may be covered. (At least it is with my Allianz policy does.)

[SUPREME CRUISER]

There are several good insurance comments and recommendations.  Many of the insurance companies are represented by brokers online so "Carpe Diem" its always advisable to work directly with the insurance company and their representatives on all questions.  Squaremouth is a broker that says it will 'assist' and want 'your full satisfaction', however they are 'in bed' with the companies they represent.  We had a policy with Seven Corners during COVID with both trip interruption and trip cancellation which we submitted a claim regarding that Argentina would not let our ship dock.  Both Seven Corners and Squaremouth after multiple submissions from the cruise company, all documentation, additional expenses for rebooked plane travel and hotels, etc. was denied.  They claimed that a cruise ship not finishing a cruise was not interruption or cancellation, even though the country of Argentina would not let us dock in Buenos Aires.  Over the last few decades of cruising, we have always taken travel insurance and rarely used it.  However our experiences with both Generali recently and several years ago with Tin Leg, before their association with Squaremouth have been positive---in other words its all in the small print!

[NYC-London]

Another vote for Steve at the TripInsurancestore - he and his crew are the absolute best. Within the past few years I have had to cancel two trips - and Steve was wonderful and I was fully reimbursed both times in less than six weeks. One of my travel companions has also purchased their insurance from Steve and were promptly reimbursed.

 

On the other hand, our other travel companions purchased their insurance elsewhere - one was reimbursed within four months after submitting reams of documentation, one thought they were covered by their credit card insurance (and were not because they failed to read the fine print) and the remaining two are still "working with the company", more than two years after the fact. The cost of my insurance was about 5% more than the policies my friends obtained.

 

Steve always directs me to the best policy for my specific trips and I would never consider purchasing trip insurance from anyone else.

[Georgia_Peaches]

On 8/4/2023 at 7:10 AM, bitob said:

The only way to go

Question...

 

Is it better to purchase insurance at the same time as the cruise booking or wait until closer to date of travel?  I ask because we have booked a cruise on the Grandeur for April, 2025.  The deposit is refundable until December, 2024 and then penalties begin afterward.  I've never insured a cruise this pricey before or this far out.  Seeking advice.. 

[bitob]

4 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Question...

 

Is it better to purchase insurance at the same time as the cruise booking or wait until closer to date of travel?  I ask because we have booked a cruise on the Grandeur for April, 2025.  The deposit is refundable until December, 2024 and then penalties begin afterward.  I've never insured a cruise this pricey before or this far out.  Seeking advice.. 

We do our insurance with our 2 Sapphire Reserve cards.  Gives us 40K total cancellation at no charge and triple points.  We only buy supplemental annual health insurance policy.  Although our cruises often exceed the 40K coverage, we are willing to "gamble" on not insuring the entire trip.

[pappy1022]

Briton, I looked at doing that but Sapphire only covers out of pocket cost for the trip itself. They do not cover emergency evacuation, out of the US hospital cost, etc. I did a combo of Sapphire and trip insurance from Steve. 

[-Lew-]

1 hour ago, bitob said:

We do our insurance with our 2 Sapphire Reserve cards.  Gives us 40K total cancellation at no charge and triple points.  We only buy supplemental annual health insurance policy.  Although our cruises often exceed the 40K coverage, we are willing to "gamble" on not insuring the entire trip.

 

I strongly suggest you contact Chase Card Benefits Services regarding the validity of double benefits.

Having two Chase Sapphire credit cards does not double the amount of travel insurance coverage.

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer identical insurance, including up to $10,000 per covered person with a maximum of $20,000 per trip and a maximum payout of $40,000 per 12-month period.

It's important to note that the coverage limits are per person, per trip, regardless of the number of credit cards you have.  Therefore, having two Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cards would not increase the coverage amount for travel insurance.

[bitob]

6 minutes ago, -Lew- said:

 

I strongly suggest you contact Chase Card Benefits Services regarding the validity of double benefits.

Having two Chase Sapphire credit cards does not double the amount of travel insurance coverage.

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer identical insurance, including up to $10,000 per covered person with a maximum of $20,000 per trip and a maximum payout of $40,000 per 12-month period.

It's important to note that the coverage limits are per person, per trip, regardless of the number of credit cards you have.  Therefore, having two Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cards would not increase the coverage amount for travel insurance.

You are not correct. You can’t double dip on 2 chase cards. Eg a United card and a sapphire card But when you each have a reserve card you are covered 10k for you and 10k for your travel partner. When each person of a couple has his own account you have 40 k coverage 

[bitob]

1 hour ago, pappy1022 said:

Briton, I looked at doing that but Sapphire only covers out of pocket cost for the trip itself. They do not cover emergency evacuation, out of the US hospital cost, etc. I did a combo of Sapphire and trip insurance from Steve. 

Evacuation covered by annual medical policy. Go to squaremouth.com

[papaflamingo]

On 8/22/2023 at 5:14 PM, Georgia_Peaches said:

Question...

 

Is it better to purchase insurance at the same time as the cruise booking or wait until closer to date of travel?  I ask because we have booked a cruise on the Grandeur for April, 2025.  The deposit is refundable until December, 2024 and then penalties begin afterward.  I've never insured a cruise this pricey before or this far out.  Seeking advice.. 

Depends.  Many policies wave "pre-existing conditions" if you buy within 14 days or so of booking.  So, you need to ask yourself if waiting until final payment will put you in a position of having a pre-existing condition or not.  You must also fully understand what a "pre-existing condition" is.  Generally the policy will have something like a 180 day look back period.  That means if you have a NEW medical problem, like...say.... a heart condition that arises 60 days prior to buying the policy, it will not be covered as it's preexisting.   BUT any condition you have, like heart issues, that are fully controlled with no change in medication or treatment, during the look back period,  are NOT preexisting and will be covered. You can read the definition on any of the insurance websites, and I highly recommend you do that to fully understand your coverage.  

So, I never buy insurance until I make my final payment, especially on very expensive cruises where the premium is so high and the date is so far away.  Once you buy the policy, you own the policy, even if you cancel the cruise.  For me, I figure if something bad enough happens before final payment and inside the lookback period,  I'll probably cancel the cruise anyway.  It's a "crapshoot" for sure, but one I'm willing to take since it leaves open the option to cancel the cruise, reschedule the cruise, or change the cruise.  But if you are POSITIVE that you will be cruising, then purchasing the policy as soon as you book is a good idea because it starts your coverage and offers some benefits.  

I should mention, that in my experience, I have been able to change the insurance dates and coverage prior to the cruise leaving with a cost difference.  Example... we were booked on Navigator this past March.  Four days before the cruise we were offered an opportunity to "push" it to Dec. with a change to Mariner, a significant refund, and an upgrade from a Deluxe Verandah to a Penthouse A.  GREAT DEAL for us as we were in the middle of major house repairs from a water leak at Christmas.  When I called my insurance company I was able to shift the policy to the new cruise with just a minor upcharge.  The upcharge was because we were extending the coverage time by 10 months.  

So, hope this helps answer your question.  Sorry it's so wordy.  😎

[Georgia_Peaches]

39 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

So, hope this helps answer your question.  Sorry it's so wordy.  😎

So very helpful!  Thank you for taking the time.  We will likely not purchase a policy until we make final payment.  I guess I didn't realize how much of the policy was related to the status of our health as I was more focused on unexpected delays, cancellations, etc... but that clearly makes sense.  Again, thank you!

 

PS...what a wonderful deal you were offered!  So glad you were able to take advantage of it.

[pappy1022]

Call Steve at tripinsurance store dot com. He will explain all to the options and help you make sense of things and let you know what he thinks would work best for your situation. There is no obligation and there is absolutely no pressure to buy their offerings. We bought our insurance when we made final payment so there was a look back period for the pre conditions. That may not be best for you for your circumstances. One call to Steve made everything make sense and I was able to zero in on the policy that worked best for me. There are a lot of variables including age, whether you want to be able to cancel for any reason, etc. and they all affect price. This was my first time buying travel insurance but I felt it was worth it because of the cost of the cruise and it included international travel. Good luck.