When to contact insurance company?

[Grannycb]

I've always been under the impression one calls the travel insurance company directly and immediately if you can't catch your ship while traveling, you get left behind at a port or any other urgent situation occurs.

 

Recently, an acquaintance's flight was delayed and she missed the ship in FLL. She took a flight home thinking that was the end of her vacation. She contacted her insurance company from home. I haven't heard the outcome yet.

 

Here's the question: When do you contact the insurance company when things go wrong?

 

Thanks for your reply.

[AlanAllyn]

Call immediately, from FLL in your friend's case.

[eandj]

Don't wait till you get home. :eek: The insurance company could have reimbursed your friend for the costs to get to the first port. She might have problems getting the costs back if that was an option.

[Traveler353]

Hopefully never, but I would contact them as soon as possible if a problem came up. They may be able to help with the details of getting back home, medical care or what ever is needed.

[Grannycb]

Thanks for the replies. I wanted to post this so people in a pinch would know to call their insurance company right away. It must not have been an obvious thing to do in at least one case. I'd hate to see anyone else make the same mistake.

[cruiseco]

Thanks for the replies. I wanted to post this so people in a pinch would know to call their insurance company right away. It must not have been an obvious thing to do in at least one case. I'd hate to see anyone else make the same mistake.

 

Any time there is a possible claim against the policy you should call right away to find out your options and/or to find out what documentation you need. As a previous poster noted, canceling that cruise because of missing the departure may not have been an option if it was possible to instead catch up with the ship at the next port of call. It all depends on the coverage and the circumstances. But doing something like that without specific instructions from the insurer is risking voiding any coverage.

 

In the case of something more minor like a baggage delay you should call to find out what you need to do to document the claim. Very often if you leave the airport without the needed paperwork you'll find that it's almost impossible to round everything up at a later date once you get home. No paperwork, no reimbursement.

 

The insurer's 24-hour assistance desk is always just a toll-free or collect call so there's rarely a reason not to contact them.

[paul929207]

You should definitely contact them when there is more than one possible action. They may pay for one and not the other.

[KAYEF]

Call IMMEDIATELY..................and this is a good place to be reminded to TAKE THE INSURANCE INFORMATION and the Conf. number for your policy along as well.................or the whole policy.