Bought trip insurance and now MAY have a medical issue

[Harry Lake]

I hope I can explain this so it's understandable.

 

I booked our July '24 O cruise in late Sept. And bought trip insurance (through USAA if that matters) in early Oct. The final payment is due early Feb. '24. Through a medical exam that had nothing to do with this, a test was done to see if a particular 'disease' had one of its side effects of a nodule in the lung. This isn't a cancerous nodule. But then they decided to do a little more testing - due to my age and family history. Now they're going to remove the nodule just to be on the safer side. But due to backups in scheduling, it's unlikely that it will be wrapped up until some time in January...or even after the final payment is due.

 

So is my insurance already in effect or only after we fly out? If my doctors think I'll have to have chemo/radiaton/??? I'm guessing I either can't or wouldn't want to go on the trip. Where would I stand? Can I cancel the trip insurance (approx. $1700) and then 'eat' the cruise deposit of $1000? 

I will definitely be talking to the insurance company and Oceania but thought I'd pick the brains of you oh-so-smart-and-wise people. Does what I write even make sense? Ask for more info if you want. Of just tell me to contact the companies involved. I'll understand.

 

Thank you so very much.

[GeezerCouple]

43 minutes ago, Harry Lake said:

I hope I can explain this so it's understandable.

 

I booked our July '24 O cruise in late Sept. And bought trip insurance (through USAA if that matters) in early Oct. The final payment is due early Feb. '24. Through a medical exam that had nothing to do with this, a test was done to see if a particular 'disease' had one of its side effects of a nodule in the lung. This isn't a cancerous nodule. But then they decided to do a little more testing - due to my age and family history. Now they're going to remove the nodule just to be on the safer side. But due to backups in scheduling, it's unlikely that it will be wrapped up until some time in January...or even after the final payment is due.

 

So is my insurance already in effect or only after we fly out? If my doctors think I'll have to have chemo/radiaton/??? I'm guessing I either can't or wouldn't want to go on the trip. Where would I stand? Can I cancel the trip insurance (approx. $1700) and then 'eat' the cruise deposit of $1000? 

I will definitely be talking to the insurance company and Oceania but thought I'd pick the brains of you oh-so-smart-and-wise people. Does what I write even make sense? Ask for more info if you want. Of just tell me to contact the companies involved. I'll understand.

 

Thank you so very much.

 

If you purchased your travel insurance from an agent or broker, that is who you should ask.  They will be very familiar with the specific policy that you have.

 

My understanding of the 3rd party travel insurance we get (keep in mind, policies can differ among different states, so it's not necessarily anything generalizable) is that we must be "fit to travel" the day the insurance is started, and also - I think! - on the dates of other cruise and insurance payments.

And if it turns out that there is something during the "additional planning/payment" times that interferes, that can become a claim to get a refund of the trip costs that are non-refundable.

 

What we've done (slightly different situation, but similar need) was to have the physician write on letterhead that "Mr. Geezer is fit to travel today without restrictions..."  In that particular case, Mr. GC had recovered from a medical emergency that had required a claim for a complete cancellation of a $$$ trip less than 2 weeks before our planned departure.

It took a couple of months, but the day he got the OK, we went home, made a reservation, paid a deposit, and started the insurance!

All went well, and we had one of our best cruises. 🙂 

We did get the guidance of our travel insurance broker (Steve, of TripInsuranceStore, often mentioned here on CC, which is how we learned about him).

 

So first, are you "fit to travel" today, NOW?  (not counting what *might* be happening in the future)?

If you prefer to cancel, then ask the insurer/agent/broker about cancelling and also getting the travel money back.  If you are outside penalty, then you should be able to get your insurance money back (no loss at this time, etc.) and also your deposit.  Or... that's how *our* policy would work.

ETA:  Or maybe we'd get a credit for the premiums for another trip within a certain time period... not quite sure.

 

Contact the insurer if you have no agent/broker, and -->> get the name of the person you speak with and make a note of the number you called, the person(s) you spoke with, and the time.  Those calls are recorded, but if you want to rely upon what they told you, you'd want to help them locate the call(s).

[We also always ask for a pointer to the precise words in the policy T&C that apply, etc.]

 

Keep in mind that some people make reservations/deposits 2+ years in advance!  Obviously, all sorts of things could happen in the meantime that would not interfere with that far-off trip.  But maybe some/many/most of the events "might have interfered"... but didn't.

 

Get a note from your physician that you are fit to travel now IF that seems prudent (ask insurer/agent/etc. about this, too).  And perhaps that with what is known now, there wouldn't be a problem with the trip or such.

 

Good luck, especially with the medical concerns!

GC

Edited November 10, 2023 by GeezerCouple

[Harry Lake]

3 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

Good luck, especially with the medical concerns!

 

Just WOW!!! You gave me a ton of info and I appreciate it.

 

Let me tack on one more question not completely related. If I were to cancel outside that 181 day deadline we would get back $150 per person. Our deposit was $1000 for the two of us, so we'd get back $700? Also if we cancel the trip insurance do we get all of that back? And I understand that we have different insurers.... Any further info is great.

[klfrodo]

The cost for the insurance is gone. The best you could hope for would be a credit towards future travel.

[Smitheroo]

this is complicated and I'm sure the others here can offer much better advice. I just wanted to say that I was also diagnosed in a similar way with a "lung nodule" by having a test for a completely different reason.  Although it is not malignant (actually turned out to be one of many nodules that showed when a more appropriate test was done) it turned into one of my pre-existing conditions that I suppose could act up at any point in time. Right now they say treatment is not necessary.  Good luck with your situation!