Anyone ever have to use cruise insurance?

[JWMid1]

I have an upcoming Alaska cruise and it looks like there is a decent chance I won't be able to make the trip due to unforeseen personal life circumstances. I did the purchase the lower insurance plan which I believe is supposed to provide 75% of the cruise faire back.

 

Has anyone ever had to use the insurance? Can you provide any information on what the process is for making a claim?

 

Thanks in advance to all.  

[voljeep]

twice

 

CFAR is 'paid out' as future credit

 

Medical is paid out in a check or direct deposit

[JWMid1]

4 minutes ago, voljeep said:

twice

 

CFAR is 'paid out' as future credit

 

Medical is paid out in a check or direct deposit

CFAR?

[arizonaperson]

CFAR- cancel for any reason.
You would have to look at your insurance documents to see the parameters. or if you used a travel agent ask them the ins and outs of your particular circumstances or if you booked through princess online or directly on the phone ,call them.

 

from Princess.com

Cancel for any Reason¹

Cancellation Fee Waiver¹ (Non-insurance features provided by Princess Cruises)
Life is unpredictable… but you can rely on Princess Vacation Protection. If you need to cancel for specified reasons outlined in the Cancellation Fee Waiver section of the plan, you’ll receive a refund of your cancellation fees. If you need to cancel for any reason not listed in the plan, under the “Any Reason” Cancellation Enhancement feature, you’ll receive 75% of the cancellation fee amount in the form of future cruise credits under our Standard plan and 100% under the Platinum plan.

 

Princess Vacation Protection – Standard Plan

You never know what might put your vacation investment at risk. The last thing you want to think about is “what if” when you’re planning your vacation. Princess Vacation Protection can help protect your travel investment against the unexpected from the time you leave until you return home. Here’s how...

Cancellation Fee Waiver Program - non-insurance services provided by Princess Cruises

Any Reason Cruise Credits

Reimbursement provided in the form of future travel credits if cancellation reason doesn’t qualify for a cash refund

75% of
cruise retained cancellation fee

Cancellation Fee Waiver

Reimbursement if you need to cancel your trip for illness, injury, death and more

Cash refund up to total
cruise vacation cost

For Washington residents, Trip Cancellation benefits are underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies, Columbus, Ohio (NAIC #23787).

 

Need to file a claim?

www.aontravelclaim.com

Edited September 12 by arizonaperson

[WisCruiser2]

Yes, we cancelled a cruise last fall with the Princess insurance. DH had a medical procedure scheduled for a couple weeks after we were to get back and we were not comfortable with the possibility of Covid postponing it (if it weren't for the procedure, we would have gone). Because it didn't really fit under the criteria of a medical reason, the amount that was not refunded became an FCC (we had Platinum insurance). I think our TA emailed me the form or the link to AON, and it was very easy to complete it. Got both the refund and FCC within a week or so, IIRC.

[JWMid1]

1 hour ago, WisCruiser2 said:

Yes, we cancelled a cruise last fall with the Princess insurance. DH had a medical procedure scheduled for a couple weeks after we were to get back and we were not comfortable with the possibility of Covid postponing it (if it weren't for the procedure, we would have gone). Because it didn't really fit under the criteria of a medical reason, the amount that was not refunded became an FCC (we had Platinum insurance). I think our TA emailed me the form or the link to AON, and it was very easy to complete it. Got both the refund and FCC within a week or so, IIRC.

 

FCC being some sort of future credit?

[Cajuntraveler]

33 minutes ago, JWMid1 said:

FCC being some sort of future credit?

FCC Future Cruise Credit.  It can be used for payment on a future cruise.  The FCC usually has to be used within a certain time frame - ie: 1 or 2 years.  Not sure the time frame in your case.

[latebloomer56]

We needed to cancel our European cruise a few years back. I was hospitalized for a month then rehab. My husband notified the TA she cancelled everything and sent him the contact information and a form. He took the form to my Doctor which was signed of course. He faxed everything to Anon and within a month we had a check The paid all but the insurance fee we paid when we booked. He said they we're very easy to deal with.

 

[startedwithamouse]

You'll get credit for a future cruise.

 

No money back if you didn't select a cancel for any reason policy. 

[sanger727]

As people give their experiences, keep in mind that canceling for a covered reason (medical issue, doctor ordered) is completely different than cancelling for changing personal circumstances.  cancelling for personal circumstances is "cancelling for any reason" which will be less than if you cancelled due to a covered reason like an illness.

[voljeep]

20 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

As people give their experiences, keep in mind that canceling for a covered reason (medical issue, doctor ordered) is completely different than cancelling for changing personal circumstances.  cancelling for personal circumstances is "cancelling for any reason" which will be less than if you cancelled due to a covered reason like an illness.

not from AON as far as cruise fare is concerned.  see above posts for method of reimbursement

 

[WisCruiser2]

15 hours ago, latebloomer56 said:

We needed to cancel our European cruise a few years back. I was hospitalized for a month then rehab. My husband notified the TA she cancelled everything and sent him the contact information and a form. He took the form to my Doctor which was signed of course. He faxed everything to Anon and within a month we had a check The paid all but the insurance fee we paid when we booked. He said they we're very easy to deal with.

 

Yes, folks also need to be aware that your insurance fee will NOT be refunded, just the cruise fare costs.

[JWMid1]

I have the Princess Vacation Protection - Standard Plan. Can anyone help me understand what I'm entitled to under a medical reason for cancelling?

[t&atravel]

5 minutes ago, JWMid1 said:

I have the Princess Vacation Protection - Standard Plan. Can anyone help me understand what I'm entitled to under a medical reason for cancelling?

@JWMid1 Did you download a copy of your complete policy from the website (there will be a drop down for your state)?  You can give it a read then maybe narrow your question.

[WisCruiser2]

It's a bit cumbersome but if you go to the Princess website and log in, then under My Account, click on Manage my Booking for your cruise. Click Luggage Tag and Travel Summary at the top, scroll down to Additional Forms and Documents to click on Princess Vacation Plan Description. That will open a new tab, scroll down and you can download your plan, which should give you the info you need. There is also a link on that tab to directly file a claim.

 

[arizonaperson]

1 hour ago, JWMid1 said:

I have the Princess Vacation Protection - Standard Plan. Can anyone help me understand what I'm entitled to under a medical reason for cancelling?

Just my opinion only, but I don’t think you should be asking for information to submit a claim on a public forum. In an earlier post ( #4) I provided the information and advised you to call Princess or your travel advisor if you had one. I even gave a link to file a claim.
Yes, plenty of people have had to cancel their cruise and use whatever form of travel insurance that they had. 
When you need to cancel a cruise or trip ,you cancel it with the cruise line/ vacation operator etc.and then after the fact, you file a claim with the insurance company. They will ask for certain paperwork to be sent or uploaded to their site. They will determine at that time if your medical Reason is valid at that time .

As far as you asking what you’re entitled to …. Most on CC can not advise you on what is covered for your specific reason for canceling ,that’s up to the insurance company. We do not have your specific insurance information that you took out,nor do we want it. Only the insurance company is authorized to tell you what is covered for you. You should have that information and look at the fine print.

Call Princess since you took out their insurance through Anon.

Edited September 13 by arizonaperson

[sanger727]

2 hours ago, voljeep said:

not from AON as far as cruise fare is concerned.  see above posts for method of reimbursement

 

 

 

How do you figure that?

 

Any Reason Cruise Credits

Reimbursement provided in the form of future travel credits if cancellation reason doesn’t qualify for a cash refund

75% of
cruise retained cancellation fee

Cancellation Fee Waiver

Reimbursement if you need to cancel your trip for illness, injury, death and more

Cash refund up to total
cruise vacation cost

[Rick&Jeannie]

@JWMid1...I see that you are a fairly new member here on Cruise Critic.  Welcome!  Yes, many of us have had to make insurance claims.  AON is very easy to work with.  A couple of years ago we missed a connecting flight in Atlanta to get to Fort Lauderdale.  (Due to this incident we've learned our lesson about trying to fly in on the day of the cruise!  We just will not do it again!)  Anyway, this was going to be a transatlantic sailing to Southampton, England.  I turned in a claim and received full FCC credit for our outlay (we are Platinum level so we get the Platinum level insurance for the "standard" price.)

The procedure *may* have changed since our incident.  I immediately got on the phone with Princess and cancelled (even though it was same day.) They respond with a new travel confirmation showing that the cruise has been cancelled.  Then you find the link on the Princess website that let's you start a claim.  (I won't try to tell you where it was for us...the website has changed so much over the past couple of years.)  Once you reach AON, all we needed was our booking number and I *think* just our name.  AON already had all of the info it needed from the booking number lookup.  It took maybe a week and a half to 2 weeks, but we had our account updated with the FCC amount directly into our account.  There are *some* scenarios where you can get a cash refund...but if I remember correctly these are based on medical issues.  We knew we would be sailing/booking with Princess in short order for another cruise so FCC was just fine with us.

 

Hopefully this and the comments of others will put your mind at rest.  Again, welcome to Cruise Critic!

[Knickearth]

We always take out insurance.  In april we were on the emerald and both took ill.  It was covered.  More importantly due to bad weather we were stuck for two nights in Dallas and got a hotel, had no luggage or change of clothes.  We managed to purchase toiletries but never got clean clothes.  At home sent in all receipts for hotel, toiletries, meals etc.  completely reimbursed.  Definitely worth having paid for insrance.

[JordanF]

I will second what ArizonaPerson said about specific advice from here--not because it is bad advice (it is not), but because the ultimate answer will be very specific to you and your policy.  You mention you are cancelling due to "unforeseen personal life circumstances."  I am certainly not asking you to explain.  Just this: your "circumstance" may or may not be covered under your policy.  I recommend you download the policies and read them, with an eye towards whether you circumstance is covered.  After that, proceed with your claim if applicable.

 

To answer your original question, we had booked a trip to Vietnam a few years ago.  After we had paid some of the money (not refundable), we realized my wife could not go due to her needing a hip replacement.  We did have to get forms signed by her doctor, but the insurance then paid in full.  One surgery and a pandemic later, we rebooked and took the trip.

[rj59]

I used it on a Europe cruise where my cat burned his paw badly on the stove. I had their Premium, so I got the 100% fare back. The problem I had is that they only gave me 1 year to use it, and it was the year where fares skyrocketed and most cruises to Mexico, my preferred cruise, were sold out. There were cruises I wanted, but they were past the 12 month mark for FCC expiration, so I ended up going on a last-minute cruise I didn't like, just Seattle-Vancouver for 2 nights, just to use the FCC. So while it can be beneficial, it's not without issues. They did give the FCC without going through the process of getting denied by AON, the insurance provider, whereas lines like NCL that have cancel for any reason make you get denied by insurance before giving a FCC through them. 

[suzyed]

On 9/13/2024 at 11:00 AM, JWMid1 said:

I have the Princess Vacation Protection - Standard Plan. Can anyone help me understand what I'm entitled to under a medical reason for cancelling?

It would depend on the time frame of the cancellation.

[suzyed]

I had a cruise booked with my adult daughter.  I had Princess Platinum Insurance and she had a policy purchased from Insure my trip. She had a gallbladder issue and her doc said she couldn't sail.  She ended up with surgery on the day we were to sail.  We were both covered and booked another cruise when she was well enough to sail. Of course our insurance fee was not returned.

[DANCING GRANDMOMMY]

I had the Platinum plan and they paid for all of my medical and out of pocket expenses. The only reason my air fare home from the port I was medically discharged from wasn't covered was I paid for it with points. I will know next time. You do have to file with your own medical insurance first, before they will pay on the medical. They paid the difference to the penny.