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Itinerary Change benefit on cruise insurance policy


doctoranna
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We had purchased a travel insurance policy called Cruise Choice from Nationwide Insurance Company through insuremytrip.com.

Our cruise itinerary was completely revised from 6 ports to 5 completely different ports due to hurricanes Irma and Maria. I called Insure My Trip to notify them that our ports had changed and to make sure we were still covered, which they said was fine, but when our travel companions called them, the woman they spoke to informed them that there is a $750 Pre-departure Itinerary Change benefit on that policy. I had not even thought about that, but if you have trip insurance on an upcoming cruise with an altered itinerary due to the recent hurricanes, read the fine print on your policy. You might have money coming back. You have to actually take the revised cruise and submit the forms when you return. I have not filed this paperwork yet, as our cruise leaves Monday, but I certainly will when we get back.

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There was another thread I was following that included some posts from people who have gone through and collected on that benefit. I'll be interested to see another experience, as we have two upcoming cruises covered with that policy.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just recently (within the past 2 weeks) booked a cruise for this upcoming March and I've been researching trip insurance to see what's out there. We've always used Travelex in the past, but I just came across the Nationwide plans with the itinerary change benefit(s). The original itinerary has changed and is documented on the cruiseline's website but I'm wondering if I purchased this plan now if I would be able to collect?

 

Per the rules: "If the cruise line changes your itinerary prior to departure and you elect to embark on the voyage, this plan will provide a one time payment "

In the event a Cruise makes a Change in Your Trip Itinerary prior to Your actual departure date we will pay up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.

 

Change in Your Trip Itinerary shall mean the Cruise has a documented change of Port of Call from the scheduled itinerary.

 

Verification by the Cruise of the change in the scheduled Trip Itinerary will be necessary for claim payment.

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No, you can't purchase this plan now and collect. It's like trying to purchase an insurance policy on your house after it burned down. The port changes are a known event.

Note - this coverage is not available in every state. For example, because I live in WA state, it's not offered to me.

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The documentation that Nationwide requires includes proof of initial payment, original itinerary, and dated notice of itinerary change from the cruise line. If the itinerary changed before you bought the insurance, I think you are out of luck. I submitted the forms and documentation last week. I got a prompt email confirmation that it was received and that I should receive a response within 15 business days.

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We cruised Oct. 7-16th on a completely changed itinerary due to hurricane Maria. I had purchased the Nationwide Cruise choice insurance with the $750 itinerary change provision at final payment in July and the cruiseline changed the itinerary in Sept. I filed the claim about 2 weeks after we returned and received reimbursement for myself and my husband within about 2 weeks. My daughter purchased the higher priced policy that pays $1250 per person for her family of 4 and received $5000 back. When someone mentioned this policy here on CC I was skeptical but it definitely paid off for us.

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WooHoo! Got two checks in the mail for $750 each today, exactly 15 days (10 business days) after I filed. Thank you Nationwide. I think I'll go over to Insure My Trip and rate that policy (Cruise Choice) 5 stars.

 

We booked another cruise with Norwegian for mid-January on a cyber-weekend sale, but unfortunately, you can't get a pre-existing conditions waiver (which I always purchase because of my mom's uncertain health) on those policies unless you purchase on or before your final payment (which unfortunately was the same day as my down-payment, being a short notice cruise), and I did not start shopping for cruise insurance until the next day. So, FYI, if you book a cruise less than 90 days out, make sure you book your cruise insurance on the same day you pay for the cruise. I am used to having at least 10 days after I book the cruise to line up the insurance and get the pre-existing conditions waiver.

 

Anyway, the Pre-departure Itinerary Change benefit is a real thing. If you were on such a cruise and had a Nationwide cruise insurance policy, start digging up your paperwork.

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Whoo Hoo, Double Whoo Hoo. I too had Nationwide Choice and less than a week after filing paperwork I received two checks for $750 each. Many thanks to the posters on Cruise Critic that made me aware that the Nationwide Choice plan had the provision for changed ports. I purchased that particular plan because of the pre-existing condition waiver and would never have known that I had a valid claim due to the ports being changed because of the storms.

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We booked another cruise with Norwegian for mid-January on a cyber-weekend sale, but unfortunately, you can't get a pre-existing conditions waiver (which I always purchase because of my mom's uncertain health) on those policies unless you purchase on or before your final payment....

Are you traveling with your mother? If not and your concern is just having to cancel because of her health, I thought that the pre-existing condition only applied to the cruisers.

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Are you traveling with your mother? If not and your concern is just having to cancel because of her health, I thought that the pre-existing condition only applied to the cruisers.

No, it depends on the policy. It can apply, for example, to certain family members.

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Whoo Hoo, Double Whoo Hoo. I too had Nationwide Choice and less than a week after filing paperwork I received two checks for $750 each. Many thanks to the posters on Cruise Critic that made me aware that the Nationwide Choice plan had the provision for changed ports. I purchased that particular plan because of the pre-existing condition waiver and would never have known that I had a valid claim due to the ports being changed because of the storms.

Our ports were changed on our upcoming January cruise...we had nationwide on our last cruise that I had booked myself. This time I booked through AAA ... they use Allianz. Any one else get port change benefits from any insurance other than nationwide?

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Our ports were changed on our upcoming January cruise...we had nationwide on our last cruise that I had booked myself. This time I booked through AAA ... they use Allianz. Any one else get port change benefits from any insurance other than nationwide?
You'd have to check but I doubt it. Nationwide is the only company I've seen that offers that feature.

 

Next time buy the insurance yourself instead of AAA, even if you book with them.

 

Sent from my VS980 4G using Forums mobile app

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You don't have to buy insurance from whoever you book the cruise with. If they tell you you have to buy it right that minute or you won't be able to buy it later, or it won't cover pre-existing conditions if you don't, you can always buy it and then cancel within 10 days. Most travel insurance comes with a 10-day "free look" clause that allows you to cancel if you don't like the policy. I have purchased insurance and then cancelled it if I decided I didn't like the policy. Just ask if you can cancel within X number of days before you buy.

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  • 1 month later...

Just about to pull the trigger on a Nationwide Luxury policy and have fingers and toes crossed that we get an itinerary change before departure, especially an insignificant one, because that means we get a free cruise! Is that bad of me? Even a small change once we're under way would be a nice way to cover some of our on-board purchases. :D

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, good luck, but hurricane season is over for now, so less likely that there will be an itinerary change. The Nationwide cruise policies are a good choice even if you don't collect on the itinerary change benefit. Reasonably priced with good coverage of the things you need covered on a cruise.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Hello,

 

Going on a cruise in June 2018, looking at Nationwide insurance to cover itinerary changes. Nationwide only has two policies to choose from, has anyone purchased any of them recently.:)

 

1. Nationwide Universal

2. Nationwide Prime

 

You are looking for the cruise specific policies:

 

https://travel.nationwide.com/plans-cruise.html

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Hello,

 

Going on a cruise in June 2018, looking at Nationwide insurance to cover itinerary changes. Nationwide only has two policies to choose from, has anyone purchased any of them recently.:)

 

1. Nationwide Universal

2. Nationwide Prime

Make sure that you compare the features in those policies to other companies' offerings. The itinerary change benefit is nice, but it's my understanding that the Nationwide policies don't include coverage for flight delays, so it's not a good choice if you are flying in the same day as the cruise. I used it when I sailed out of a local port that I just drove to.

 

You might also want to get some advise from one of the travel insurance marketplaces like Tripinsurancestore.com or insuremytrip.com to see what best meets your needs.

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