Seniors Need Cruise Ins. Advice

[shoesonfire]

We're trying to troubleshoot ahead of time -- anyone offer simple explanation and travel insurance advice? We are seniors (70's) who booked cruise leaving on 10/06/12 from Barcelona. We live in TX. We deposited on 1/27 and looking at transfering our cruiseline reservation to a travel agent. #1 travel agent has Travel Insured coverage that if we purchase before 2/17 we have pre-exist. cond. coverage but is non refundable and if we wait until final payment then no PEC waiver and look back is 6 mos. #2 TA has Travel Guard, similar cost, but has PEC waiver if purchased within 24 hrs. of final payment (look back is 60 days). I prefer not to buy ins. that is non-refundable, but concerned and I admit confused about PEC coverage and the look back. My husband had bypass heart surgery several years ago, he sees his Cardio MD every 4 mos and can have medication changes, we both take BP meds and Cholesterol meds. I know that if and when you have a problem, that's unfortunately when you find out how good your ins. coverage really is. What's the most economical and reasonable way to cover a cruise? What's the most important benefit?

[cruiseco]

We're trying to troubleshoot ahead of time -- anyone offer simple explanation and travel insurance advice? We are seniors (70's) who booked cruise leaving on 10/06/12 from Barcelona. We live in TX. We deposited on 1/27 and looking at transfering our cruiseline reservation to a travel agent. #1 travel agent has Travel Insured coverage that if we purchase before 2/17 we have pre-exist. cond. coverage but is non refundable and if we wait until final payment then no PEC waiver and look back is 6 mos. #2 TA has Travel Guard, similar cost, but has PEC waiver if purchased within 24 hrs. of final payment (look back is 60 days). I prefer not to buy ins. that is non-refundable, but concerned and I admit confused about PEC coverage and the look back. My husband had bypass heart surgery several years ago, he sees his Cardio MD every 4 mos and can have medication changes, we both take BP meds and Cholesterol meds. I know that if and when you have a problem, that's unfortunately when you find out how good your ins. coverage really is. What's the most economical and reasonable way to cover a cruise? What's the most important benefit?

 

#1 If you qualify for any insurer's pre-existing condition waiver then the whole concept of a "look back period" has absolutely no bearing on your coverage. It's only if you DO NOT have a pre-ex waiver that the look back period could be important. So choose one or the other policy, get covered for pre-existing medical conditions and forget about any look back period questions.

 

#2 I think you'll find that with the Travel Insured plan that even if you do cancel this cruise before the final payment date the insurer will move your premium payment to a replacement cruise. The premium would be non-refundable, but changeable. Call Travel Insured directly to find out how they handle this.

[shoesonfire]

Thank you so much, your reply was so much easier to understand than anything I read thus far. Your advice put my mind at ease, and I will be sure to include the PEC waiver when making a travel ins. purchase.

[jhenry1]

If you go to the CSA Travel Insurance site and say that you have no travel agent the prices are great and can purchase up until your final payment and the custom Lux covers pre existing. The prices drop if you wait until about 2 or 3 days until your final payment is due.

 

We are seniors also and it is the best I have found.

 

Kandy

[cruiseco]

If you go to the CSA Travel Insurance site and say that you have no travel agent the prices are great and can purchase up until your final payment and the custom Lux covers pre existing. The prices drop if you wait until about 2 or 3 days until your final payment is due.

 

We are seniors also and it is the best I have found.

 

Kandy

 

Try http://www.travelinsurancestore.com They have CSA's Freestyle plans which are almost identical in coverage to the Custom plans you probably found.

 

The biggest difference is that with the Freestyle plans you don't have to step up to the Luxe version in order to get the pre-existing condition coverage. This alone can mean a big savings (but not always) over buying the Custom Luxe plan.

[shoesonfire]

Thank you CruiseCo and jhenry1, good advice well taken!!