Travel Insurance Does Not Cover Amounts Paid With Gift Cards

[Two Rileys]

I purchased insurance through Trawick International (underwritten by Nationwide) to cover an upcoming cruise.  I read on a FB post that a cruiser had to cancel her cruise prior to sailing for a covered reason and her travel insurance (I have no idea what company it was) would not cover the amounts she paid toward her cruise with gift cards.  As we purchase gift cards through AARP to pay for our cruises (which saves us 8-10 percent), I reached out to Trawick International.  I was told that my policy covers payments made by cash, check or credit card.  Not gift cards.  I was also told that, if I could prove the purchase of the gift card, I might be able to submit that for consideration, but gift cards do not fall under accepted forms of payment.

 

This is more of a PSA, but if any of you have had any experiences with submitting claims for amounts paid for by gift cards, I would be interested.  I would also be interested in knowing if any of you purchase insurance through a company that will accept gift cards as a form of reimburseable payment and what company that is.

 

I hope I don't have to cancel my cruise prior to sailing (but beyond the refund rules of the cruise line) because I will be out a chunk of money.

[CDNPolar]

This probably also ties into Cruise issued Vouchers.  Many insurance companies do not cover cruises purchased with Vouchers.

 

You might also shop around to see if there is an insurance company that will cover gift cards and as long as you have not started the travel, you may be able to cancel Trawick and move to another company.

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, Two Rileys said:

This is more of a PSA, but if any of you have had any experiences with submitting claims for amounts paid for by gift cards, I would be interested. 

I was told by a vice-president of my branch, that AARP card amount will not be covered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve protection. Others (on Cruise Critic) say that the fine print states that if even $1 is paid by the card, all is covered. 

 

I trust the vice-president. 

 

I now only pick up a few AARP cards for on board spending.

[-Lew-]

On 7/2/2024 at 3:31 PM, crystalspin said:

I was told by a vice-president of my branch, that AARP card amount will not be covered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve protection.

 

You might want to confirm that with Chase.  In the Chase Sapphire Guide to Benefits there is no mention of payments using gift cards, or any other form of payment, being excluded.  Their phone number from the US is 1-888-675-1461.