Pre-existing for non traveling family

[gaylemh]

I'm trying to decide which insurance to purchase. I have 2 family members in a nursing home. If something happens to them between now and the cruise, Sept 2012, would I be covered, without pre-existing coverage. I tried reading the different policies, but couldn't find anything. I was thinking about getting RCI insurance, it was cheaper than other plans for me, with the cancel for any reason coverage, but as far as I know it doesn't cover pre-existing for me, but not sure about non traveling family members. I have a few days before I need to decide for the pre-existing coverage from another insurer.

[cruiseco]

I'm trying to decide which insurance to purchase. I have 2 family members in a nursing home. If something happens to them between now and the cruise, Sept 2012, would I be covered, without pre-existing coverage. I tried reading the different policies, but couldn't find anything. I was thinking about getting RCI insurance, it was cheaper than other plans for me, with the cancel for any reason coverage, but as far as I know it doesn't cover pre-existing for me, but not sure about non traveling family members. I have a few days before I need to decide for the pre-existing coverage from another insurer.

 

You need to find the plan's definition of a "pre-existing condition" somewhere in the fine print. For example, this is from one Travelex plan:

 

"Pre-existing Condition means an illness, disease, or other condition during the 60 day period immediately prior to your effective date for which you or your Traveling Companion, Domestic Partner, Business Partner or Family Member scheduled or booked to travel with you:"

 

So with this plan, if the family member is NOT traveling with you the pre-existing condition exclusion generally will not apply.

 

Here's another one:

 

"36) "Pre-Existing Condition" means any Injury, Sickness or condition of You, a Traveling Companion or Your and/or Your Traveling Companion's Family Member for which medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment was recommended or received within the 180 day period ending on the Effective Date."

 

In this case, unless you get it in writing from the insurer to the contrary, you have to figure that it applies to all family members whether or not that person is traveling with you.

 

For those insurers that do not apply the pre-existing condition exclusion to non-traveling family members it's still best to call the insurer for a clarification if the family member has been determined by a doctor to be terminal or is just being given hospice-type care. The reason is that the insurance only covers unforeseeable events and once the doctor says that person only has 6 weeks or 6 months to live then a death is no longer unforeseeable.

 

For those plans like the Travelex plan quoted above the person's condition at the time the policy is purchased establishes sort of a baseline used to determine whether or not you can cancel and be covered. For example, say Grandma is in a nursing home when you buy the policy and needs your occasional assistance. You can't cancel because you need to assist her with something -- that was her situation at the time of purchase. But if her condition worsens below that base line situation that existed when you bought the policy you'd be OK.

[gaylemh]

Thanks for the reply. I found this on RCI's policy. I don't trust any of the travel policys. From reading some of the posts, it seems there are so many loopholes. RCI's policy at least has the 75% credit if you need to cancel for any reason up to departure.

 

My mom and aunt who are in the nursing home, really don't have any medical conditions. (unless old age would be considered a pre-existing :eek:) They are there for physical limitations.

 

I'm going to call Berkley Care tomorrow, to see if I can find out more. I also want to find out if I can pay for it now, so that anything that comes up in the future would be covered. Everyone has been healthy for the last 60 days.

 

“Pre-Existing Condition” means an illness, disease, or other condition during the 60-day period

immediately prior to your effective date for which you or your Traveling Companion, Business Partner or

Immediate Family Member who is scheduled or booked to travel with you:

1) received or received a recommendation for a diagnostic test, examination, or medical treatment; or

2) took or received a prescription for drugs or medicine.

Item 2) of this definition does not apply to a condition which is treated or controlled solely through the

taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled without any adjustment or

change in the required prescription throughout the 60-day period before coverage is effective under this

Policy.

If you have any questions concerning this exclusion, please call BerkelyCare at 1-800-453-4022

[room010]

If you are worried about your non-travelling mother/aunt becoming sick so you can't travel you need to choose a policy that covers cancellation for any reason. Such policies do exist but obviously, the more comprehensive the flexible the cover, the higher the premium. Read the small print carefully.

 

This is not the same as health insurance while travelling which obviously only covers people actually travelling so any relative's pre-existing condition is irrelevant.