Travel Insurance Nightmare........

[SCDreamWeaver]

My FaceBook Post -------------

 

Just a note - My Mom was to go on our Holiday Cruise with us - she got very ill and wasnt able to go - the Insurance company has now given her the RUN AROUND about doctors letters (which we did provide, twice) and she is so upset. She is 78 yrs old and has no energy for the calls. I am very upset with them, but I can do just so much. My advice to all...... DO NOT TAKE OUT THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE - YOUR EMPLOYEE INSURANCE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF ANY PROBLEM. Again, we are faithful Carnival Cruisers and will continue to be, but this has left a bad taste in my mouth..... also, I feel responsible because I hooked her up with Carnival. Thanks......... i just needed to VENT.

[FLCruiser001]

From what company did you purchase your cruise insurance?

[Ken076]

My FaceBook Post -------------

 

Just a note - My Mom was to go on our Holiday Cruise with us - she got very ill and wasnt able to go - the Insurance company has now given her the RUN AROUND about doctors letters (which we did provide, twice) and she is so upset. She is 78 yrs old and has no energy for the calls. I am very upset with them, but I can do just so much. My advice to all...... DO NOT TAKE OUT THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE - YOUR EMPLOYEE INSURANCE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF ANY PROBLEM. Again, we are faithful Carnival Cruisers and will continue to be, but this has left a bad taste in my mouth..... also, I feel responsible because I hooked her up with Carnival. Thanks......... i just needed to VENT.

 

Now that you've had a therapeutic "vent"......

 

I'm assuming that you bought Carnival's Berkely Trip Protection Plan (which was probably the right company to choose in view of your Mom's advanced age - a third party Policy would probably have been at least twice as much for age 78)?

 

I'm assuming you're making a claim regarding Cancellation coverage of her Cruise for medical reasons, so as to recover Mom's cruisefare (the Govt Fees & Taxes should be reimbursed by Carnival independent of the Insurance)?

 

Did your Mom actually Cancel in advance of the Cruise?

 

In advance of the cruise, did you Mom see a Doctor who advised her she could not Cruise due to Medical reasons? Did he specifically say, and document that she ould not cruise because of her Medical condition, or did she just decide she didn't want to go on the cruise?

 

For cruises after January 1st, your policy should have included "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage under which if you're denied you should at least get a 75% future cruise credit. If Mom was under your booking, you can file paperwork to get the credit transferred to you - firefly33 can help you with this, if necessary.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "your employee insurance should handle..." - normally your health insurance would not handle cruise cancellation coverage ???

 

Interestingly, most of the cruiselines use Berkely Insurance, so this problem could well have occurred whatever Cruiseline you had chosen!!!!

 

ken

[klfrodo]

My FaceBook Post -------------

 

Just a note - My Mom was to go on our Holiday Cruise with us - she got very ill and wasnt able to go - the Insurance company has now given her the RUN AROUND about doctors letters (which we did provide, twice) and she is so upset. She is 78 yrs old and has no energy for the calls. I am very upset with them, but I can do just so much. My advice to all...... DO NOT TAKE OUT THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE - YOUR EMPLOYEE INSURANCE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF ANY PROBLEM. Again, we are faithful Carnival Cruisers and will continue to be, but this has left a bad taste in my mouth..... also, I feel responsible because I hooked her up with Carnival. Thanks......... i just needed to VENT.

 

OP, please take the opportunity to allow Ken076 help in anyway he can. He and a couple of others lead the way thru the jungle which can be travel insurance.

Also be aware that he will tell the TRUTH, whether one wants to hear it or not. If Mom is in the right, he'll help guide you to a resolution. If the Insurance Company is right, he'll tell you that also.

[SCDreamWeaver]

Mom was in good health when she booked in Aug '10 - in the months following (Oct) she developed a crippling knee that was the size of a basketball - she went to the doc, he gave anti-inflame drugs, xrays, etc.......... after an MRI, she was placed on a cortizone shot regimine........ this did not relieve the pain at all........... then to top it off - she developed vertigo which was controlled with meds........... she was so scared to try to travel, esp on the seas......... the doc totally agreed with her -

 

The ins, Berkley, returned 1 fare and then asked for detailed notes from the doctor, which he has delivered. There has been no help.......... even our PVP has called and tried to remedy this issue to no avail............

 

She was playing 18 holes of golf when she booked the cruise....... she was NOT ill..........

[SCDreamWeaver]

she cancelled on or about Nov 1 - the cruise was on 12/17

 

 

 

Mom was in good health when she booked in Aug '10 - in the months following (Oct) she developed a crippling knee that was the size of a basketball - she went to the doc, he gave anti-inflame drugs, xrays, etc.......... after an MRI, she was placed on a cortizone shot regimine........ this did not relieve the pain at all........... then to top it off - she developed vertigo which was controlled with meds........... she was so scared to try to travel, esp on the seas......... the doc totally agreed with her -

 

The ins, Berkley, returned 1 fare and then asked for detailed notes from the doctor, which he has delivered. There has been no help.......... even our PVP has called and tried to remedy this issue to no avail............

 

She was playing 18 holes of golf when she booked the cruise....... she was NOT ill..........

[Ken076]

Mom was in good health when she booked in Aug '10 - in the months following (Oct) she developed a crippling knee that was the size of a basketball - she went to the doc, he gave anti-inflame drugs, xrays, etc.......... after an MRI, she was placed on a cortizone shot regimine........ this did not relieve the pain at all........... then to top it off - she developed vertigo which was controlled with meds........... she was so scared to try to travel, esp on the seas......... the doc totally agreed with her - (it's critical that he stated/documented that she could not travel - did he do so?)

 

The ins, Berkley, returned 1 fare and then asked for detailed notes from the doctor, which he has delivered. There has been no help.......... even our PVP has called and tried to remedy this issue to no avail............

 

She was playing 18 holes of golf when she booked the cruise....... she was NOT ill.......(but at this time or the 60 preceding calendar days was she under treatment for or had any occurrence or Rx change for the condition that later caused her to cancel????)...

 

 

OK -

 

So Mom met the requirement that she was physically fit at the time she booked, and the doctor submitted documentation indicating that he specifically recommended that she could not travel (correct?) that the Insurance initially accepted and subsequently reimbursed for her cruisefare (and for her Govt Fees and Taxes?) ???

 

If she's been reimbursed, what is Carnival/Berkely's issue? What remains to be resolved? or do they want ther $$$ back? Are they trying to claim that she was actually unable to travel at the time she booked (purchased Policy)? Regardless of whether she might have played golf that day, Does she have a medical record of related medical problems at that specific time or the 60 days preceding?

 

 

 

IMO -- It sounds to me like they've examined Mom's medical history looking for evidence of a Pre-Existing Condition related to the condition which caused her cancellation - if there's medical record of this she could have a problem as Berkely Insurance does not include "waiver of pre-existing conditions". If there's a future cruise for Mom, you may wanrt to look at one of several Third Party Policies that include "Waiver of Pre-Existing Conditions' - altho at her age this may be EXPENSIVE.

 

 

Worst case - if they legitimately deny Mom's claim as due to a Pre-Existing condition, she should be eligible under Cancel for Any Reason coverage for a 75% future cruise credit (which, if she can't use it, you can probably one way or another get transferred to your name, particularly if she was under your booking).

 

Did you (and husband) also cancel?

 

sorry to ramble!

 

ken

[happy cruzin]

Mom was in good health when she booked in Aug '10 - in the months following (Oct) she developed a crippling knee that was the size of a basketball - she went to the doc, he gave anti-inflame drugs, xrays, etc.......... after an MRI, she was placed on a cortizone shot regimine........ this did not relieve the pain at all........... then to top it off - she developed vertigo which was controlled with meds........... she was so scared to try to travel, esp on the seas......... the doc totally agreed with her -

 

The ins, Berkley, returned 1 fare and then asked for detailed notes from the doctor, which he has delivered. There has been no help.......... even our PVP has called and tried to remedy this issue to no avail............

 

She was playing 18 holes of golf when she booked the cruise....... she was NOT ill..........

 

In our experience Berkley operated slower than we would have liked. They did ask for alot of documentation - some of it multiple times. But in the end....they did come through and refund everything.

[zqvol]

Mom was in good health when she booked in Aug '10 - in the months following (Oct) she developed a crippling knee that was the size of a basketball - she went to the doc, he gave anti-inflame drugs, xrays, etc.......... after an MRI, she was placed on a cortizone shot regimine........ this did not relieve the pain at all........... then to top it off - she developed vertigo which was controlled with meds........... she was so scared to try to travel, esp on the seas......... the doc totally agreed with her -

 

The ins, Berkley, returned 1 fare and then asked for detailed notes from the doctor, which he has delivered. There has been no help.......... even our PVP has called and tried to remedy this issue to no avail............

 

She was playing 18 holes of golf when she booked the cruise....... she was NOT ill..........

 

I hope you are not asking for the fare for traveling companions to be returned too. If you are unless the doctor will say that someone HAD to stay with your mom you are going to be very disappointed.

[Ken076]

I hope you are not asking for the fare for traveling companions to be returned too. If you are unless the doctor will say that someone HAD to stay with your mom you are going to be very disappointed.

 

The Berkley plan has partcularly restrictive wording for this -

In the event You are prevented from taking Your Cruise Vacation because: (a) You, Your Traveling Companion, or an Immediate

Family member suffers a death or an Injury or Sickness which results in medically imposed restrictions, as certified by a Physician, at

the time of loss preventing Your continued participation in the covered Cruise Vacation.

The other issue looks to be that maybe the insurer has determined that the condition resulting in the cancellation was due to a Pre-Existing Condition.

ken

[iv18-Diane]

Mom was in good health when she booked in Aug '10 - in the months following (Oct) she developed a crippling knee that was the size of a basketball - she went to the doc, he gave anti-inflame drugs, xrays, etc.......... after an MRI, she was placed on a cortizone shot regimine........ this did not relieve the pain at all........... then to top it off - she developed vertigo which was controlled with meds........... she was so scared to try to travel, esp on the seas......... the doc totally agreed with her -

 

The ins, Berkley, returned 1 fare and then asked for detailed notes from the doctor, which he has delivered. There has been no help.......... even our PVP has called and tried to remedy this issue to no avail............

 

She was playing 18 holes of golf when she booked the cruise....... she was NOT ill..........

 

The problem is never book cruise line Berkly Insurance, its that bad. I use Travel guard because its first coverage. Also, your regular health insurance once you board a ship.

Of Course a cruise line will sell you theirs as they are only looking in their own interest.

Diane

[Ken076]

Looks like we lost SCDreamWeaver. I was interested in finding-out who the refunded fare was actually for and if Berkely was claiming Pre-Existing condition. ken

[msstarr22]

My FaceBook Post -------------

 

Just a note - My Mom was to go on our Holiday Cruise with us - she got very ill and wasnt able to go - the Insurance company has now given her the RUN AROUND about doctors letters (which we did provide, twice) and she is so upset. She is 78 yrs old and has no energy for the calls. I am very upset with them, but I can do just so much. My advice to all...... DO NOT TAKE OUT THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE - YOUR EMPLOYEE INSURANCE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF ANY PROBLEM. Again, we are faithful Carnival Cruisers and will continue to be, but this has left a bad taste in my mouth..... also, I feel responsible because I hooked her up with Carnival. Thanks......... i just needed to VENT.

 

If you booked with a travel agent take it to them. We always helped in situations like this. If you did not try it anyway. They may look at it as the potential to secure a new client. You can insinuate as much if you want to try it. Our office Always handled the insurance grief as the person who is sick is really a victim. hope this helps. good luck Retired TA

[Ken076]

If you booked with a travel agent take it to them. We always helped in situations like this. If you did not try it anyway. They may look at it as the potential to secure a new client. You can insinuate as much if you want to try it. Our office Always handled the insurance grief as the person who is sick is really a victim. hope this helps. good luck Retired TA

 

Looks like OP booked via Carnival PVP and has Berkely. I'm betting there's a "Pre-Existing Condition" issue, but even then they should get 75% future cruise credit under the 01 Jan 2011 "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage. ken