New ? about CAS booking and insurance

[buffkids]

What is your advice about whether to purchase the NCL/CAS offered insurance when you book at a discounted (or comped rate). If you've read any of my previous posts, you'll know I'm new to this whole business of cruising, but what I have gathered is that I can buy insurance at about 11.7% of the cost of my trip (which being comped, is just fees and upgraded stateroom charges). I am a reluctant believer in insurance, so I will buy a policy unless someone tells me not to - I just am not sure if I should just take the NCL offer, or try to find something on my own.

Thanks!

[jame_g]

Most people agree it's good to go out and shop for insurance on your own using a web site that lets you compare several 3rd party policies.

 

If you do decide to get the NCL/CAS insurance, you should make sure that you pay the premium in full at the time you make your deposit, or within a few days after. Otherwise the insurance is not in effect until after you make your final payment. (Making your deposit goes toward the cruise, the insurance premium typically isn't paid until final payment when you get cruise line insurance.)

 

If you do want pre-existing coverage, most third party policies require that you buy them within 7-21 days from the first payment you make on your vacation. (Cruise deposit, prepaid hotel, etc.) Some may charge an additional fee for this. They also require that you insure the entire cost of any prepaid expenses -- anything you will pay for prior to your actual departure. If you add something on before you leave that increases your vacation costs, you usually have a week or two to call them and upgrade your policy. If you don't do this within their time frame, you lose the pre-existing condition coverage.

[NMLady]

What is your advice about whether to purchase the NCL/CAS offered insurance when you book at a discounted (or comped rate). If you've read any of my previous posts, you'll know I'm new to this whole business of cruising, but what I have gathered is that I can buy insurance at about 11.7% of the cost of my trip (which being comped, is just fees and upgraded stateroom charges). I am a reluctant believer in insurance, so I will buy a policy unless someone tells me not to - I just am not sure if I should just take the NCL offer, or try to find something on my own.

Thanks!

 

I never buy insurance through any cruise line. I buy it from a third party and we buy it primarily for its medical coverage and evacuation coverage although we also include trip cancellation/interruption/delay etc

We use Access America which some cruisers also use but some use TravelX (I think that's the name) and some use others they've chosen from sites such as insuremytrip.com which offers lots of different companies.

[FLACRUISER99]

I never buy insurance through any cruise line. I buy it from a third party and we buy it primarily for its medical coverage and evacuation coverage although we also include trip cancellation/interruption/delay etc

We use Access America which some cruisers also use but some use TravelX (I think that's the name) and some use others they've chosen from sites such as insuremytrip.com which offers lots of different companies.

Why/Reason?

[sjbdtz]

I never buy insurance through any cruise line. I buy it from a third party and we buy it primarily for its medical coverage and evacuation coverage although we also include trip cancellation/interruption/delay etc

We use Access America which some cruisers also use but some use TravelX (I think that's the name) and some use others they've chosen from sites such as insuremytrip.com which offers lots of different companies.

 

Why/Reason?

 

 

See above....and below.

 

When you buy 3rd party, it can cover things like airfare / hotel before & after the cruise and basically covers you from the time you leave home until you return.

 

The cruiseline insurance covers the cruise only.

[garycarla]

The first, and more important question, is what are you attempting to insure against?

 

Missing boat

travel problems

not going and getting money back

other expenses

medical expenses

medical evacuation

 

Some or all of these can be insured. People often buy insurance with no idea of what they are buying or why.

 

Then, outside agencies will sell you a better package than the overly expensive and overly restrictive cruiseline policy.

[jcamille]

I went to Europe in June. I was going to the South of France, Italy and Paris. I had been planning the trip for seven months and had pre-paid for everything - air, hotels, tours, airport transfers - lots of money upfront.

 

I decided - because of the possibility of the volcano in Iceland erupting - to buy travel insurance. I researched my options. Access America is a BBB Accredited Business with an excellent rating. Although they have had over 400 complaints filed with the BBB, they have a history of addressing and resolving the complaints. Access America is also the preferred provider for USAir and AAA. I was sold. I bought coverage that included all the things I thought I would need - missed connection, trip interruption, travel delay, medical coverage, everything.

 

I was flying on frequent flyer miles to Paris and then purchased a roundtrip flight from Paris to Nice on Air France.

 

Then the travel nightmare began. I was on the outbound flight on a Thursday night and we were on the runway, next in line for takeoff for a transatlantic flight, when the plane suddenly lost hydraulic power.

 

After six hours of delays trying to fix the problem, USAIR cancelled the flight to Paris. This flight cancellation meant that I missed my Air France connection in Nice, which then set into motion me missing the entire first leg of my trip in the south of France and Italy.

 

Thus, I ended up just going to Paris. With 250 people to rebook, I got rebooked to go to Paris on Sunday and therefore missed half of my trip.

 

I spent Thursday night and all day Friday trying to cancel, rebook, get refunds and/or change all of these pre-paid expenses for the part of the trip I missed. I managed to get all of it refunded except the non-refundable Air France ticket which cost $395.12.

 

I contacted Access America after 3 hours on the delayed flight because I knew this trip was going bad fast. After many telephone calls and filing a claim, Access America has denied my claim.

 

Here are the reasons I have been told why they will not cover my loss of $395.12:

 

1) The missed connection coverage does not cover mechanical problems with the plane.

 

I was told that since missed connection coverage woud not apply that I should file a trip interruption claim which I did.

 

2) After they received my claim, I was told that the trip interruption coverage claim was denied because my trip was NOT interrupted. They said that since my outbound flight was cancelled, my trip had NOT started.

 

I believe my trip started 10 hours earlier when I left home, drove to the airport, checked my luggage, went through security, boarded the plane, and it taxied out on the runway. I was a full day into my trip when the flight was cancelled and my trip was interrupted.

 

Access America told me that my trip was not interrupted, it was delayed. Then, they told me that the trip delay coverage does not cover PRE-PAID expenses and the Air France ticket was pre-paid, so they denied my claim.

 

Each of these coverages are for "named perils" and they ony cover a very narrow list of "perils," but they do NOT cover common occurrences such as weather delays, mechanical problems, etc. And the medical coverage, which sounds like something you should buy, does NOT cover any medical expenses that arise due to pre-existing conditions.

 

Since Access America denied my claim, I filed a complaint against them with the Better Business Bureau. I'll let you know what happens.

 

I hope to be able to report that Access America paid my claim and resolved my complaint.

[Susie Cruise]

jcamille,

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. I was just going through my recently purchased Access America policy looking for the loopholes, and your experience hit it. It sounds like your policy is the same as what I'm looking at. The airline mechanical is covered under "Travel Delay" but the benefit is meals, accommodations, and reasonable additional transportation expenses. "Missed connection" covers prepaid expenses, but must be caused by a traffic accident or severe weather. "Trip Interruption" gets into the airline stopping all services for at least 24 consecutive hours.

 

You don't say how long a trip you planned, but there is a provision under "Trip Interruption" that covers a travel delay where you miss more than half of your planned trip that could apply.

 

I think you might have a better chance of success with a resolution if you file a complaint against Jefferson Insurance Company with your state Department of Insurance. The run around they have subjected you to, certainly warrants a complaint to the regulators.

[jcamille]

Access America told me that my trip was not interrupted, it was delayed. Then, they told me that the trip delay coverage does not cover PRE-PAID expenses and the Air France ticket was pre-paid, so they denied my claim.

 

Since Access America denied my claim, I filed a complaint against them with the Better Business Bureau. I'll let you know what happens.

 

I hope to be able to report that Access America paid my claim and resolved my complaint.

 

Access America has responded to my BBB complaint by denying it - stating that it was a 7 day trip and I did not miss at least half my trip.

 

I responded back that if you count the hours (and minutes) from my originally scheduled flight takeoff time to my oiginally scheduled return flight time, the total is 140 hours and 20 minutes. I told them that based on my rescheduled flight 3 days later, I missed the first 73 hours of my originally scheduled trip, so YES, I did miss more than half of my trip.

 

Stay tuned!

[Susie Cruise]

Access America has responded to my BBB complaint by denying it - stating that it was a 7 day trip and I did not miss at least half my trip.

 

I responded back that if you count the hours (and minutes) from my originally scheduled flight takeoff time to my oiginally scheduled return flight time, the total is 140 hours and 20 minutes. I told them that based on my rescheduled flight 3 days later, I missed the first 73 hours of my originally scheduled trip, so YES, I did miss more than half of my trip.

 

Stay tuned!

 

Thank you for your update. I, for one, am now following how this works out for you. With this additional information, I think you have it covered. It's also possible to argue your planned trip began when you left home within a reasonable time to make that first flight, but you have the "more than half trip missed" covered by scheduled flight times anyway.

 

If you don't get resolution with this last argument, file a complaint with the state insurance department. They have more clout with the insurer than the BBB.

[jcamille]

>>>>If you don't get resolution with this last argument, file a complaint with the state insurance department. They have more clout with the insurer than the BBB.<<<<

 

As a BBB Accredited Business, they are contractually required to make a good faith effort to resolve legitimate complaints. If the company and the complainant cannot resolve the complaint, the company is contractually bound to have the complaint heard and settled via binding arbitration. So, that's why I have started the process through the BBB. I would welcome an objective third party arbitrator making a decision. I would feel that it would be a fair process.

 

I'll keep you posted.

[jcamille]

Access America denied my claim that I missed more than half of my trip, although I replied that I missed 73 hours of my originally scheduled 140 hour trip.

 

This is their most recent response:

 

With all due respect, we have no evidence that would support the delay that Ms. (my last name removed) encountered would have caused her to miss more than 50% or more of her scheduled trip length of 7 days (June 10th through June 16th).

 

Again, if Ms. (my last name reoved) can supply a specific statement that no airline was able to get her to Paris until June 13th, we can reconsider this matter for her.

No other airline could get me to Paris before June 13th?

 

I had NO OTHER CHOICE, but USAIR because I was flying on frequent flyer miles, and I wasn't going to Paris - my ultimate destination was Nice, so when I missed my Air France connection, I had no way to get from Paris to Nice and could not fly any other airline! I also did not have hotel reservations in Paris until June 14.

 

I am planning to respond to their latest denial and then I am going to ask that the case go to arbitration.