Vacation Protection Not Available to NY residents?

[DaisyRose]

Hello,

Does anyone know why Princess Vacation Protection is not available to NY residents?  When doing an online booking, it says not available to NY residents.  Celebrity also says not available to NY residents during the booking process.  I don't usually buy Princess insurance because of low medical and evacuation coverage, but for short nearby cruises I sometimes do.  I wonder why this is not available for NY residents?  Any thoughts?

[Babr]

New York insurance regulations do not allow Cancel for Any Reason. It is not considered insurance because it does not protect against unforeseen risks, merely the choice of the policyholder.

[Jersey42]

31 minutes ago, DaisyRose said:

Hello,

Does anyone know why Princess Vacation Protection is not available to NY residents?  When doing an online booking, it says not available to NY residents.  Celebrity also says not available to NY residents during the booking process.  I don't usually buy Princess insurance because of low medical and evacuation coverage, but for short nearby cruises I sometimes do.  I wonder why this is not available for NY residents?  Any thoughts?

It includes a Cancel For Any Reason benefit which is not permitted in New York.  Under New York law, CFAR benefits in the travel context do not technically qualify as insurance because the cancellation of a trip “for any reason” does not depend on the occurrence of fortuitous event.   

 

If you read the plan document for New York it says:  Notice to New York residents: The Princess Cancel For Any Reason Travel Credit Feature may be purchased separately from the Princess Travel Insurance Program. Contact 1-888-722-2195 for details.  This is the way they can legally sell the plan in NY.  I have seen posts in the past when someone has tried to do this.  I can't remember any post where someone was successful.

 

I would never recommend considering either of the Princess plans to anyone unless they already had good foreign emergency medical coverage.  As you also said, the evacuation coverage is low.  But the Platinum coverage of $75K is probably adequate for most trips. It depends on location.  Also remember in the rare case of an evacuation from ship to shore, you probably will not pay anything.  The insurance covers your evacuation from where you are injured on land, or where the ship-to-shore transportation brings you, to a hospital that can adequately treat you if necessary.  It then covers your trip back home.

 

Sorry about some duplication of @Babr's post.  We were responding at the same time.

Edited August 17, 2023 by Jersey42

[DaisyRose]

Thank you both for the responses.  It seems kind of strange, it appears that NY is the only state that does not allow the Cancel For Any Reason.  This also explains why when I go to an independent insurance web site to purchase travel insurance cancel for any reason is never available.

[Babr]

@Jersey42

 

Not a problem. Your responses always contain a complete explanation with valuable details that everyone appreciates, including me.

Edited August 17, 2023 by Babr

[robbinsca]

I used to wrk for a life insurance company, and my wife for an auto insurance company. Both of them incorporated completely separate companies for NY due to the regulators in that state. NY required that all policies in all states issued by a company followed NY rules, which were rather cumbersome.

 

Not surprised Princess (or its vendor) has to deal with the same situation.

[lx200gps]

1 hour ago, DaisyRose said:

Thank you both for the responses.  It seems kind of strange, it appears that NY is the only state that does not allow the Cancel For Any Reason.  This also explains why when I go to an independent insurance web site to purchase travel insurance cancel for any reason is never available.

FWIW, you are not alone in North America. We used to buy the Princess coverage solely for the excellent 100% CFAR coverage, but a few years ago it became unavailable to us here in the province of Quebec, which has long had some bizarre insurance rules and restrictions. The Princess coverage is still available to anyone else in Canada, just not this province.

[DJ Cruisers]

We used to be able to buy the cancel for any reason insurance with Princess but that changed when Covid hit under Cuomo.  Could no longer buy it in NY.  Funny how every other state is OK with it but NY changed the rules.

[Samkitty1]

I retired from the insurance business. Regulations change constantly and vary from state to state. 

 

For cruises close to  home I like the convenience of the Princess Vacation Protection with insurance benefits  written through Nationwide. The  CAF and improved medivac coverage to 75K meets my needs.

The description on the website does specify that the CAF is a non insurance feature

 

Cancel for any Reason¹

Cancellation Fee Waiver¹ (Non-insurance features provided by Princess Cruises)

 

we offer Princess Vacation Protection (PVP), which provides a cancellation fee waiver¹plus travel insurance benefits² and 24-hour worldwide CareFree™ Travel Assistance³. H

 

When I cruise overseas far from home,  I prefer coverage with  first party medical and medivac and  higher medical limits, so I shop for the best deal I can get through an interenet agency 

 

I always download a copy of the certificate of insurance and review the coverages and effective dates prior to sailing, and save a pdf copy to my phone, just in case I need it. 

Insurance is the only product that people buy that they hope they don't need to use!