When to add trip insurance?

[JPG54]

First time cruiser here. We sail on July 26 on the Carnival Elation. :) I have paid our deposit as of March 3 and now I need advice on when should I purchase trip insurance. Right away or wait? :confused:

 

I plan on buying a plan through the trip insurance store or the like, not through Carnival.

 

Suggestions?

[KAYEF]

www.insuremytrip.com is one online one..................for some companies you must purchase within 24 hours to have "pre-existing conditions" covered and for some you get longer.

I'd be checking soon.................it takes a while to compare/choose.

YOU WILL LOVE CRUISING.:)

Welcome to CC.

[kitty9]

If you or any close relative has a pre-existing condition, you have to purchase the insurance between 10 to 14 days of booking the cruise. If not, and you have pre-existing, your choices for insurance will be very limited and you'll pay more.

[uppitycats]

We're talking "pre-existing health conditions" here -- anything that might cause you to have to cancel the cruise.

 

Things to think about as you shop:

Do you have any health issues? If so, you need to buy it NOW.

Is there someone in your immediate family who has health issues, and if they become ill, would cause you to cancel your cruise, or have to cut it short and return home?

How are you getting to the port? Airlines cancel or change routing all the time...insurance will cover at least some of that expense..

How is your job security? Any chance you won't be working between now and then? If so, shop for job protection coverage (and consider coverage that will pay for your cruise if your boss decides you can't take that vacation!)

 

Have a great cruise!

[paul929207]

For most travel insurance policies, if you don't purchase it within 14 days of booking, it will not cover pre-existing conditions. This could be for you or a traveling companion or a relaive at home. So if you grandfather has a heart problem and you buy the insurance in June, you would not be covered if you had to go home if he had a heart attack.

[Cuizer2]

First time cruiser here. We sail on July 26 on the Carnival Elation. :) I have paid our deposit as of March 3 and now I need advice on when should I purchase trip insurance. Right away or wait? :confused:

 

I plan on buying a plan through the trip insurance store or the like, not through Carnival.

 

Suggestions?

 

If you have a pre-existing condition, then you should purchase the insurance as soon as you make your deposit. If you don't have trip insurance, then you can wait until just before you make your final payment to purchase your trip insurance.

[Happy ks]

We don't have any pre-existing conditions, nor do we have any elderly parents (sadly), so we wait until after final payment is made. We also purchase the least expensive policy we can, if we are close enough to home, just making sure the policy covers the expense of getting us home.

 

Read the policies carefully before purchase, most of them are secondary coveragel.

[ChucktownSteve]

If you have a pre-existing condition, then you should purchase the insurance as soon as you make your deposit. If you don't have trip insurance, then you can wait until just before you make your final payment to purchase your trip insurance.

 

Generally that works. But what about if something unexpected happens between deposit and when you're PLANNING to buy trip insurance? Then you have a pre-existing condition and there's nothing you can do about it.

 

I'd recommend buying it within the required time limit of the insurance company your're selecting so they waive pre-existing conditions. Unless you have a crystal ball or know a great psychic. :rolleyes:

 

Remember, when the headlights are coming at you and cross the center line, it's too late to buy life insurance. ;)

[Cuizer2]

Generally that works. But what about if something unexpected happens between deposit and when you're PLANNING to buy trip insurance? Then you have a pre-existing condition and there's nothing you can do about it.

 

I'd recommend buying it within the required time limit of the insurance company your're selecting so they waive pre-existing conditions. Unless you have a crystal ball or know a great psychic. :rolleyes:

 

Remember, when the headlights are coming at you and cross the center line, it's too late to buy life insurance. ;)

 

If something happens before final payment is do, you can cancel without penalty. If you purchase insurance when you make your deposit, then cancel before final payment is due, the cruise line will give you 100% refund. The insurance company will not refund you anything. Each person has to evaluate their own situation and risks.

[ChucktownSteve]

If something happens before final payment is do, you can cancel without penalty. If you purchase insurance when you make your deposit, then cancel before final payment is due, the cruise line will give you 100% refund. The insurance company will not refund you anything. Each person has to evaluate their own situation and risks.

 

According to Carnival, his cancellation policy is as follows:

DAYS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE DATE:

Up to 61 days, No cancellation charge

60 to 30 days, Deposit

29 to 8 days, 50% of Total Fare

7 days or less, 100% of Total Fare

 

Therefore he can cancel until the last week in may and receive a full refund.

 

However have you considered that he develops a pre-existing condition (either known or unknown) before the cruise but it's not serious enough to cancel the cruise. Suppose it develops further while on the trip and he needs either medical attention or to be flown home. Good luck on trying to get paid for your expenses.

 

Why bother buying insurance anyway if you think nothing will happen to you? Besides what do you save on the premium by waiting until the last minute? Isn't the premium the same regardless of when you buy it? So you save less than 1/2% interest for a couple months in a savings account? In my opinion, the reward vs. the risk says buy insurance now so you don't have to fight the insurance company later when they look for ways to deny the claim.

[JPG54]

Wow! Some great tips and advice gang. Thanks alot! As always, pro and cons I guess.

 

Since I do not have a crystal ball, ;), I think I will purchase today. Besides, I have always subscribed to the old saying that if something can go wrong, it will.

 

Again thanks everybody for the help! :)

[NMLady]

... what do you save on the premium by waiting until the last minute? Isn't the premium the same regardless of when you buy it? ...

 

Even though the premium is the same regardless of when the insurance is purchased, a lot of people wait to buy it because if they cancel within the cruise line timeline they get 100% of their cruise deposit back but won't get their insurance premium returned so would be out that money.

 

Insurance company on cancelled cruises do not return the premium, but will credit it to another cruise if booked within a year.

 

Because hubby has pre-existing conditions, we always purchase insurance (from 3rd party, not from cruise line) and pay the premium at the time of booking. One time we lost that premium because before final payment we had to cancel the cruise (for financial reasons, not medical reasons). We got our cruise deposit back but not the insurance premium. And since we didn't book another cruise within 12 months, the insurance premium was completely lost.

 

That is why some people would rather wait until final payment.

Also, some people do not have the funds to pay for both the cruise deposit and the insurance premium at the time of booking so wait until later.

[Cuizer2]

According to Carnival, his cancellation policy is as follows:

DAYS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE DATE:

Up to 61 days, No cancellation charge

60 to 30 days, Deposit

29 to 8 days, 50% of Total Fare

7 days or less, 100% of Total Fare

 

Therefore he can cancel until the last week in may and receive a full refund.

 

However have you considered that he develops a pre-existing condition (either known or unknown) before the cruise but it's not serious enough to cancel the cruise. Suppose it develops further while on the trip and he needs either medical attention or to be flown home. Good luck on trying to get paid for your expenses.

 

Why bother buying insurance anyway if you think nothing will happen to you? Besides what do you save on the premium by waiting until the last minute? Isn't the premium the same regardless of when you buy it? So you save less than 1/2% interest for a couple months in a savings account? In my opinion, the reward vs. the risk says buy insurance now so you don't have to fight the insurance company later when they look for ways to deny the claim.

 

An unknown pre-existing condition is an oxymoron.

 

It is not the lost interest I am referring to. Since you can cancel and rebook, thus starting the clock again, and purchase insurance at that time. Once purchased you have a limited amount of time to cancel the insurance. After that the premium is fully earned. As far as I know, the premium is the same no matter when you purchase the insurance.

 

So if you have to cancel the cruise before final payment is due, you loose the premium you paid on the insurance.

 

As I said, each person has to evaluate their own situation and risk.

[ChucktownSteve]

Since you can cancel and rebook, thus starting the clock again, and purchase insurance at that time. So if you have to cancel the cruise before final payment is due, you loose the premium you paid on the insurance.

 

 

True you lose the premium in your scenario however the premium is based upon price paid for the vacation. So it's not that much lost for a 5 night compared to a 10 night.

 

Insurance isn't bought because you expect nothing to go wrong. It's bought in case something goes wrong. Why insure your house against fire? If it doesn't burn down, didn't you waste the premium?:p

 

Extrapolating your example, you cancel and get the full deposit returned. Then go re-book closer to the sail date. Sometimes the cruise price increases if it's a popular port or itinerary. On second thought, I suppose that won't matter because he's leaving out of AL. ;)

 

But if the re-booked cruise is more expensive, the premium may be as well.

[Cuizer2]

Insurance isn't bought because you expect nothing to go wrong. It's bought in case something goes wrong. Why insure your house against fire? If it doesn't burn down, didn't you waste the premium?:p

 

If I could get a full refund on my house, I wouldn't need the insurance. I also don't need travel insurance until I am at risk of losing something. That does not occur until I have to make my final payment.

[angyl]

I made final payment March 8th and called Travel Guard the next day. Got a fantastic policy (TG Gold) and the best part is it covers for "work reasons" so that is almost as good as cancel for any reason. I covered the 421.00 I paid for my flight on AA as well. I have used them several times before and researched insurance well. Their policies are great! I added this after it was paid in full and I paid a few dollars more for the preexisting clause. It is based on your age, city, etc but I paid only $125.00 for fantastic insurance.... Do it over the phone instead of online and they will be very reassuring and explain it all. The Travel Guard Gold is a great policy and covers everything!