cruise insurance question

[acetray]

We are flying out the night before our cruise and have a connection flight in houston, we are set to arive in FLL at 10am in the morning the day of the cruise. If there was a weather delay or a mechanical issue that caused us to miss our connection therefore either missing the cruise or having to book a new flight to the cruise. would travel insurance cover this cost of the whole cruise, or the cost of getting to a new port to catch the cruise?

[smeyer418]

We are flying out the night before our cruise and have a connection flight in houston, we are set to arive in FLL at 10am in the morning the day of the cruise. If there was a weather delay or a mechanical issue that caused us to miss our connection therefore either missing the cruise or having to book a new flight to the cruise. would travel insurance cover this cost of the whole cruise, or the cost of getting to a new port to catch the cruise?

 

it depends on the insurance, the cause of the delay and the length of the delay.

You need to read your policy. Various policies handle this differently and have limits in how much they will pay for a delay.

see http://www.insuremytip.com for some answers.

[acetray]

I guess that is kind of what I am asking. has anyone had this experiance and if so what happend. Also anyone have a recomendation of a company they have used that worked in this situation

[cruiseco]

would travel insurance cover this cost of the whole cruise, or the cost of getting to a new port to catch the cruise?

 

All of the major insurers will cover this situation in one way or another. Look for policies that have missed connection and/or trip interruption coverage that includes both weather-related delays and carrier-caused delays (mechanical problems). These benefits usually cover any additional transportation expenses needed to get to the next port of call plus reimburse you for the valus of any missed days of the cruise.

 

Will they cover the full cost of the cruise should you choose to not catch up with the ship? Usually no however some will if the delay eats up more than 50% of your total trip length. You can't just cancel without making a reasonable attempt to re-join the cruise.

 

I like TravelSafe for their missed connection coverage -- $2500 which is about the best around (some are as low as $500). If you miss one or two nights on the ship plus the cost of a last-minute, one-way air ticket from where ever you're stuck at to some Caribbean island $500 is not going to cut it.

[Arwenmark]

I guess that is kind of what I am asking. has anyone had this experiance and if so what happend. Also anyone have a recomendation of a company they have used that worked in this situation

 

Every policy is different and some may not cover this situation at all. the only answer here is to read your policy completely or if you have not gotten insurance yet compare them at insuremytrip.com or similiar site and click on the buttons that allow you to read all the fine print before you purchase a policy, make sure you are covering yourself for the things you care about.

[toberman]

A good "experienced" TA would also have the answer to this question (provided you're buying the insurance thru them, which we do). Plus, if they give bad advice, it's another option of who you can go after for compensation.

[acetray]

All of the major insurers will cover this situation in one way or another. Look for policies that have missed connection and/or trip interruption coverage that includes both weather-related delays and carrier-caused delays (mechanical problems). These benefits usually cover any additional transportation expenses needed to get to the next port of call plus reimburse you for the valus of any missed days of the cruise.

 

Will they cover the full cost of the cruise should you choose to not catch up with the ship? Usually no however some will if the delay eats up more than 50% of your total trip length. You can't just cancel without making a reasonable attempt to re-join the cruise.

 

I like TravelSafe for their missed connection coverage -- $2500 which is about the best around (some are as low as $500). If you miss one or two nights on the ship plus the cost of a last-minute, one-way air ticket from where ever you're stuck at to some Caribbean island $500 is not going to cut it.

Thank you so much, this is the exact info I wanted. I will check out travel safe to see what they have to offer

[Gonzo70]

Pay very close attention to the minimum time between connections that the policy requires. For example, many policies require a certain number of hours as a buffer between connections of flights. If your connection is less than that time, you would receive nothing from your travel insurance policy.

[klfrodo]

Thank you so much, this is the exact info I wanted. I will check out travel safe to see what they have to offer

 

;) Due Diligence

 

Not a bad thing at all.

[xxoocruiser]

We are flying out the night before our cruise and have a connection flight in houston, we are set to arive in FLL at 10am in the morning the day of the cruise. If there was a weather delay or a mechanical issue that caused us to miss our connection therefore either missing the cruise or having to book a new flight to the cruise. would travel insurance cover this cost of the whole cruise, or the cost of getting to a new port to catch the cruise?

 

Following is a good link to check and compare plans/rates for multiple travel insurance policies.

http://www.squaremouth.com/

[uppitycats]

We are flying out the night before our cruise and have a connection flight in houston, we are set to arive in FLL at 10am in the morning the day of the cruise. If there was a weather delay or a mechanical issue that caused us to miss our connection therefore either missing the cruise or having to book a new flight to the cruise. would travel insurance cover this cost of the whole cruise, or the cost of getting to a new port to catch the cruise?

 

Reading this thread so far, I'm not sure you're clear: We can't answer your specific question because each insurance policy is different. You have to read YOUR policy to see if this is covered. Some policies will only cover the flights, some will only cover the cruise, some will cover weather delays, others won't... So you have to read all that fine print, and ask questions, until you're sure it will cover the scenario you describe.

[jerseygirl3]

One other thing to read carefully in a policy is how long the delay must be before they will cover you. Typically, it requires a delay of at least 5 hours (some policies are longer). If your flight is simply delayed 3 hours and you miss your connection, you may not be covered. Be sure to read the policy carefully. Or better yet, is there a way you can book a nonstop flight or arrive a day earlier?

[cruiseco]

One other thing to read carefully in a policy is how long the delay must be before they will cover you. Typically, it requires a delay of at least 5 hours (some policies are longer). If your flight is simply delayed 3 hours and you miss your connection, you may not be covered. Be sure to read the policy carefully. Or better yet, is there a way you can book a nonstop flight or arrive a day earlier?

 

 

That was one reason why I think the TravelSafe plan has a better than average missed connection benefit. It has the nice high $2500 limit, covers weather-related delays along with mechanical problems, strikes, etc. and the travel delay time needed to invoke the benefit is only three hours.

 

They also don't include the following type of restriction (this is from Travelex):

 

"This benefit covers missed Cruise departures that result from cancellation or delay (for three (3) or more hours) of all regularly scheduled airline flights due to Inclement Weather . . ."

 

If my flight is delayed for weather I don't want to have to be concerned that, oops, airline XYZ managed to get a plane in the air during a break in the weather and killed my claim. I just want to have to worry about MY flight and its delay. On top of that this Travelex plan only has a $750 missed connection benefit -- not enough in my opinion.

 

 

Here's the full TravelSafe wording:

 

"Missed Connection: If You miss Your cruise or tour departure because Your arrival at Your Trip destination is delayed for 3 or more hours, benefits will be paid, on a one-time basis, up to the Maximum Benefit Amount, for a) the Additional Transportation Cost to join the Trip and b) the unused portion of the prepaid expenses for land or water Travel Arrangements, due to:

 

a) any delay of a Common Carrier (the delay must be certified by the Common Carrier);

 

b) a documented weather condition preventing You from getting to the point of departure;

 

c) quarantine, hijacking, Strike, natural disaster, terrorism or riot. Benefits will be paid, on a one-time basis, up to the Maximum Benefit Amount [$2500]."

[jerseygirl3]

That was one reason why I think the TravelSafe plan has a better than average missed connection benefit. It has the nice high $2500 limit, covers weather-related delays along with mechanical problems, strikes, etc. and the travel delay time needed to invoke the benefit is only three hours.

 

They also don't include the following type of restriction (this is from Travelex):

 

"This benefit covers missed Cruise departures that result from cancellation or delay (for three (3) or more hours) of all regularly scheduled airline flights due to Inclement Weather . . ."

 

If my flight is delayed for weather I don't want to have to be concerned that, oops, airline XYZ managed to get a plane in the air during a break in the weather and killed my claim. I just want to have to worry about MY flight and its delay. On top of that this Travelex plan only has a $750 missed connection benefit -- not enough in my opinion.

 

 

Here's the full TravelSafe wording:

 

"Missed Connection: If You miss Your cruise or tour departure because Your arrival at Your Trip destination is delayed for 3 or more hours, benefits will be paid, on a one-time basis, up to the Maximum Benefit Amount, for a) the Additional Transportation Cost to join the Trip and b) the unused portion of the prepaid expenses for land or water Travel Arrangements, due to:

 

a) any delay of a Common Carrier (the delay must be certified by the Common Carrier);

 

b) a documented weather condition preventing You from getting to the point of departure;

 

c) quarantine, hijacking, Strike, natural disaster, terrorism or riot. Benefits will be paid, on a one-time basis, up to the Maximum Benefit Amount [$2500]."

 

Which TravelSafe policy is this. I looked at insuremytrip. and both policies offered by Travelex say for travel delay it must be a delay of greater than 7 hours.

 

Is it offered at a different website?

 

Jo-Ann

[cruiseco]

Which TravelSafe policy is this. I looked at insuremytrip. and both policies offered by Travelex say for travel delay it must be a delay of greater than 7 hours.

 

Is it offered at a different website?

 

Jo-Ann

 

It's the regular Vacation plan. Go here:

 

http://www.insuremytrip.com/certificate/TSV/all.html

 

do a word search for "missed connection" or scroll down about 25% of the page.

 

For all of thed policies that have a separate Missed Connection benefit insuremytrip does not have a separate line on their summary/compare page that shows it. You have to go into the actual plan documentation to find it and know beforehand what you're looking for. Missed Connection coverage will normally have a fewer number of hours of delay time to invoke the benefit but not always.

[acetray]

;) Due Diligence

 

Not a bad thing at all.

LOL you know it, have to make sure nothing gets screwed up to bad.

[acetray]

Thank you everyone for you help. I really like the look of that travel safe plan.

[Jade13]

Thank you everyone for you help. I really like the look of that travel safe plan.

 

Have you already booked your cruise and will it cover pre-existing conditions (which can also include family members not traveling with you).

 

I realize your question had to do with weather delays.

[cruiseco]

Have you already booked your cruise and will it cover pre-existing conditions (which can also include family members not traveling with you).

 

I realize your question had to do with weather delays.

 

TravelSafe is one of those that does not apply the pre-existing medical condition exclusion to non-traveling family members:

 

""Pre-Existing Condition" means any injury, sickness or condition (including any condition from which death ensues) of You, or Your Traveling Companion, or Your and/or Your Traveling Companion's Family Member traveling with You . . . "

[jerseygirl3]

TravelSafe is one of those that does not apply the pre-existing medical condition exclusion to non-traveling family members:

 

""Pre-Existing Condition" means any injury, sickness or condition (including any condition from which death ensues) of You, or Your Traveling Companion, or Your and/or Your Traveling Companion's Family Member traveling with You . . . "

 

Oooh, now that's a problem. With elderly parents, I'd need something that would cover pre-existing conditions for my parents, even though they are not traveling with us.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Jo-Ann

[smeyer418]

Oooh, now that's a problem. With elderly parents, I'd need something that would cover pre-existing conditions for my parents, even though they are not traveling with us.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Jo-Ann

 

 

I think you misread that it only affects those who are traveling with you. One caveat to the above you need to read the entire policy and sometimes where you live(State or country) affects the language of the insurance contract)

[cruiseco]

Oooh, now that's a problem. With elderly parents, I'd need something that would cover pre-existing conditions for my parents, even though they are not traveling with us.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Jo-Ann

 

I think you're reading that backwards. If you have to cancel because of a medical emergency with a NON-traveling family member you're covered EVEN IF it's a pre-existing condition as the pre-existing condition exclusion (quoted above) only applies to family members that ARE traveling with you.

 

The new Travelex plans are the same -- they don't expect you to have to know the full health history of your family members when you book your trip.

[Cruisin_on_th_net]

Thanks for all the info - good to know in advance what to look for :)

[jerseygirl3]

I think you're reading that backwards. If you have to cancel because of a medical emergency with a NON-traveling family member you're covered EVEN IF it's a pre-existing condition as the pre-existing condition exclusion (quoted above) only applies to family members that ARE traveling with you.

 

The new Travelex plans are the same -- they don't expect you to have to know the full health history of your family members when you book your trip.

 

So let me see if I've got this right. If my elderly parents (both of whom have pre-existing conditions) were not cruising with us, and we had to cancel our cruise because one of them got sick, we'd be covered. However, if they were traveling WITH us, and prior to the sailing one of them got sick with a pre-existing condition that would necessitate their cancelling, we couldn't cancel and still be covered?

 

If the policy is purchased by me within a stipulated time frame from the date of deposit (some of 15 days), would we be covered in both scenarios?

 

JO-Ann

[cruiseco]

So let me see if I've got this right. If my elderly parents (both of whom have pre-existing conditions) were not cruising with us, and we had to cancel our cruise because one of them got sick, we'd be covered. However, if they were traveling WITH us, and prior to the sailing one of them got sick with a pre-existing condition that would necessitate their cancelling, we couldn't cancel and still be covered?

 

If the policy is purchased by me within a stipulated time frame from the date of deposit (some of 15 days), would we be covered in both scenarios?

 

JO-Ann

 

Correct. And with TravelSafe the time frame is within 15 days of the date you make the first payment on the trip:

 

"WAIVER OF THE PRE-EXISTING CONDITION EXCLUSION

 

The exclusion for Pre-Existing Conditions will be waived if this plan is purchased within 15 days of the date Your initial Trip deposit is paid."

 

By the way I spoke to Travelex when they first started doing this and there is a couple of exceptions to the rule. #1 if the non-traveling family member has been told by the doctor that he/she has only X number of days/weeks/months to live or is no longer receiving actual treatment fore the disease but is only receiving palliative care or hospice-type care then the death may not be covered. Their basic reasoning is that the death is no longer a possibility but a sure thing and they're not in the business of betting against a sure thing. So if that type of situation applies always call first for a further explanation.

 

They also said that the relative's condition as of the date the policy is purchased becomes the baseline condition against which any claims will be determined. For example, say the relative at the time the policy is purchased has a kidney problem and receives dialysis three times a week. You can't decide to cancel at a later date because the relative has a kidney problem and needs dialysis three times a week. You knew that when the policy was purchased and nothing has changed. But if the kidney problem worsens and requires hospitalization or your personal care you would be covered as it is a substantial change in the condition.

 

I would imagine that TravelSafe has the same kind of rules but have not verified this.

 

My advice is always that if you're going to buy a policy anyway do it in the time frame necessary to get the waiver of the pre-existing condition exclusion. If you've missed that time frame and have no worries about pre-ex conditions for yourself or any members of your traveling party, but may be worried about the situation with a non-traveling family member give the insurer a call to go over the situation -- you may still be OK.