Travel Insurance

[Flopthis25]

It saddens me to say that I found out today that I may have to cancel our cruise leaving March 11. We have been planning this cruise since Jan 5th of last year. <sigh>

 

We did take out travel insurance--my question is-- does anyone have experience cancelling after paid in full? I have to have surgery, and I am very doubtful that my surgeon will want to wait <sigh>

 

I did book through a TA and I have informed her.

I was hoping to either go on a cruise sooner, or wait until I recover (8-10 weeks). The prices are almost triple what we paid for last Jan!!!!

:(:(:(:(:(:(

[megr1125]

yes i have had to cancel a few after final payment..

 

i am sorry to hear about your surgery..after such a long wait i am sure you're disappointed...

 

not exactly sure what you're asking....you used a TA and if you got your insurance with them, i am sure she can assist you...

 

depending on what your insurance covers, and provided you meet all the preexisting condition requirements, (if applicable..) you'll fill out forms, have your doc fill out their part, submit them, and you should get a refund or credit depending on whose insurance you have..(i'd gotten a credit with cruise care, and a couple refunds...)

 

part of the fare will come back from Royal ...i think the taxes....i remember getting part back from them when i cancelled my mom off one cruise, and the rest came from the insurance...

 

your TA can probably assist you with rebooking...perhaps you can find a deal...or maybe even (horrors) another line?

 

best wishes...hope that info helped...

[Flopthis25]

That does help. I'm trying to stay rational in this very unknown time right now. I would have no problem rescheduling, it's that I've built this cruise up SOOOO much to my kids. Their disappointment is going to be the hardest. (7 and 9 yr olds)

I wish I could transfer to a different embarktion day without paying out the whazooo.

[vlrerko]

Yes, I had to cancel a cruise, and we got back all the money.

[Flopthis25]

and I can't get on their bleepty bleep website to price other cruise days.

[megr1125]

and I can't get on their bleepty bleep website to price other cruise days.

 

surprise surprise....:eek::D

 

try tomorrow...or see if maybe the TA can try for you...the website yakked last night...

[cccer]

We cancelled a cruise three years ago because my wife had the flu. We had to cancell the day before the cruise. I called the insurance company fist and they told me to cancel the cruise first. I did that and after we got dr note, we got check in about three weeks.

[CCJack]

Yes we had to cancel a cruise for health reasons. Good news is our insurance paid with no argument and paid quickly. Bad news is they wanted lots of documentation. Credit card statement showing each payment, copy of rccl cancellation policy, booking invoice, proof that insurance payment was within time period after first cruise payment (if this is a pre existing condition), proof that there was no treatment for this condition for 180 days prior (if this was not a pre existing condition), letter from doctor indicating you cannot travel, etc,etc.. I think I must have sent them 30 pages of stuff...but it worked out in the end. We got insurance money and re booked. Good luck to you.

[Marie51]

My sister and I had to cancel a cruise 4 weeks before departure. My niece was diagnosed with a brain tumor and needed immediate surgery. We had insurance with Access America, filed a claim and of course they required paperwork filled out by the doctor. We got a full refund, including cost of airfare, within 2 weeks.

 

I was pleased it happened so fast. Good luck to you.

[Flopthis25]

OK- next question- we have a room booked, and my MIL has a room booked. They are not going to want to go if we can't go- does the insurance cover them as well?

This is medical and cannot be postponed :(

[CCJack]

If everyone is on the same travel insurance policy, I think that would not be a problem. If you got insurance for your room only, and they did not get insurance, or got it through another company, then probably not. If it is RCCL insurance, I assume as long as the bookings were done together would not be a problem, but I don't know for sure. I do know that 3rd party travel insurance will allow everyone on the policy to cancel.

[cruiseco]

OK- next question- we have a room booked, and my MIL has a room booked. They are not going to want to go if we can't go- does the insurance cover them as well?

This is medical and cannot be postponed :(

 

With most plans, yes. And with most plans it wouldn't matter if the other couple/person has bought the same insurance, is on the same policy or bought any insurance or not.

 

For example, this is from TravelSafe:

 

"TRIP CANCELLATION, TRIP INTERRUPTION, MISSED CONNECTION AND TRAVEL DELAY

 

Trip Cancellation : Benefits will be paid, up to the Maximum Benefit Amount shown in the Schedule of Benefits, to cover You for the unused non-refundable prepaid expenses for Travel Arrangements, including up to $150 for the cost of airline-imposed fees to rebank frequent flyer miles for air flights to join Your Trip when You are prevented from taking Your Trip due to:

 

1. Death involving You or Your Traveling Companion or Your or Your Traveling Companion's Business Partner or Your Family Member;

 

2. A covered Sickness or Injury involving You, Your Traveling Companion or Business Partner, or Your Family Member which necessitates Medical Treatment at the time of cancellation and results in medically imposed restrictions, as certified by a Legally Qualified Physician, which prevents Your participation in the Trip; "

 

You'll notice that it doesn't require the ill person to be a co-insured, insured with the same insurer, or insured at all. How or if they recover their losses has no effect on your coverage.

 

Here's another example fromm Travelex:

 

"Trip Cancellation and Interruption Covered Reasons

 

Coverage is provided for the following unforeseeable events or their consequences which occur while coverage is in effect under this Policy if there is a change in plans by you, a Family Member traveling with you, or Traveling Companion:

 

Sickness, Injury or death of you, your Family Member, Traveling Companion, or Business Partner. The Sickness must commence while coverage is in effect, require the examination of a Physician, in person, at the time of Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption and, in the written option of the treating Physician, be so disabling as to prevent you from taking or continuing your Covered Trip."

 

There are exceptions so be sure to check with whatever insurer you're considering before you buy

[Flopthis25]

Thank you everyone for your help. We booked with a TA as a group and we all have the same travel insurance. Last thing I want to worry about is loosing $$$ when I'm this ill.

I'm hoping to be on the seas soon---but I have to be healthy enough to go!

[Marshal123]

I had an unexpected surgery come up last September, and had to cancel two staterooms, two weeks before departure. Booked through a TA and my insurance was through TravelGuard (TG). I had to incur penalty charges from Carnival for both staterooms--it was a family cruise and they didn't want to go either. Also had airline ticket insurance for everyone through TG. I'm still waiting for my refund from insurance company for airline ticket and cruise.

 

They did send me one check for stateroom. I called about other and they told me the first check was *paid in error* and they're still waiting for medical records from doctor's office. I sent them all the information in initial claim form. I have not sent back first check, as it was cashed in already.

[sirwired]

They did send me one check for stateroom. I called about other and they told me the first check was *paid in error* and they're still waiting for medical records from doctor's office. I sent them all the information in initial claim form. I have not sent back first check, as it was cashed in already.

 

Ask them specifically what they are waiting on and get it from the Doctor's office yourself and fax or e-mail it to them. (They probably want something beyond what you sent in, which is why they request that you sign a medical records release form.) Neither TG nor your doctor has any incentive to get this wrapped up without prodding.

[brettleon]

I had many problems claiming my travel insurance.Got it solved very easily with the help of claim adjusters.

 

Insurance Adjusters

[Marshal123]

Ask them specifically what they are waiting on and get it from the Doctor's office yourself and fax or e-mail it to them. (They probably want something beyond what you sent in, which is why they request that you sign a medical records release form.) Neither TG nor your doctor has any incentive to get this wrapped up without prodding.

 

Thanks for the information. I called last Friday to check status and they said some of the checks were in processing. I got my cruise staterooms money back, now just waiting for airline part to process. Took longer than what I thought it should of taken.