family member mental health issues - coverage?

[Mar56]

Our adult son has mental health issues. He has been stable for many years and has never required hospitalization. However, we, his parents, provide considerable emotional support for him - he calls us when he is stressing and at times, when his homelife has become a little much for him, we have gone and taken him out for a few hours just to relieve the pressure on him.

 

We have looked for "cancel for any reason" insurance but any that I have seen seem to NOT cover mental health issues, particularily of non travelling family members. I must admit that I do find reading all of these policies difficult (even though I'm a tax accountant and can read the Canadian Tax Act quite easily - go figure lol)

 

Do any of you know if there are any policies out there that would cover our cruise and airfare costs should we have to cancel a trip because he is having a particularily difficult time of it? We are not looking for medical coverage for ourselves as we have excellent out of country insurance via DH employer.

 

Our TA, while wonderful, does not seem to understand the details of the insurance policies, which is fine, as she is extremely helpful in all other areas concerning our cruises and trips.

 

Thanks in advance for any help that you might be able to give me.

[klfrodo]

Have you read thru this thread which is specifically for Canadians?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1390788

[Mar56]

no but I will now. Thanks.

[Mar56]

It's not medical insurance that we want as WE are covered under my husband's work plan. It's cancellation insurance that would cover us if we had to cancel due to our son's mental health issues. I am going to look through the Canadian related insurance agencies listed on that thread though - it's a great source of info.

 

Thanks.

[cruiseco]

 

We have looked for "cancel for any reason" insurance but any that I have seen seem to NOT cover mental health issues, particularily of non travelling family members. I must admit that I do find reading all of these policies difficult (even though I'm a tax accountant and can read the Canadian Tax Act quite easily - go figure lol)

 

 

I don't know what plans you've been looking at but "Cancel For Any Reason" means cancel for ANY reason. They can't say "any" and then mean "any, except . . . "

 

Take a look at the TravelSafe plans that are available to Canadians and backed by a Canadian underwriter:

 

http://www.travelsafe.com

[Mar56]

I don't know what plans you've been looking at but "Cancel For Any Reason" means cancel for ANY reason. They can't say "any" and then mean "any, except . . . "

 

Take a look at the TravelSafe plans that are available to Canadians and backed by a Canadian underwriter:

 

http://www.travelsafe.com

 

But they can!!! I checked out the policy you provided (and thanks so much for that - I truly appreciate it) but they have exactly the same restrictions: see

SECTION IV. General Limitations and Exclusions

Benefits are not payable for any loss due to, arising or

resulting from:

15. a mental or nervous condition, unless hospitalized

So in effect, rather than being able to be proactive as parents to head off a hospitalization, if we wanted to get a refund for our trip costs from this insurance (and all the others I've seen) we'd have to wait for his condition to be so serious that he'd be hospitalized. (other policies specifically exclude mental health altogether) - obviously, we wouldn't do this so in effect, we can't find coverage for this aspect that concerns us.

 

[6rugrats]

But they can!!! I checked out the policy you provided (and thanks so much for that - I truly appreciate it) but they have exactly the same restrictions: see

SECTION IV. General Limitations and Exclusions

Benefits are not payable for any loss due to, arising or

resulting from:

15. a mental or nervous condition, unless hospitalized

So in effect, rather than being able to be proactive as parents to head off a hospitalization, if we wanted to get a refund for our trip costs from this insurance (and all the others I've seen) we'd have to wait for his condition to be so serious that he'd be hospitalized. (other policies specifically exclude mental health altogether) - obviously, we wouldn't do this so in effect, we can't find coverage for this aspect that concerns us.

 

You are looking at the wrong section of the policy. This part you are quoting isn't discussing cancelling using your "cancel for any reason" coverage. As already stated, "cancel for any reason" means just that. You don't even have to give a reason. Details are on page ten for the Classic Plus policy for Canadians:

 

Cancel For Any Reason Benefit

If You cancel Your Trip for any reason not otherwise

covered by this policy, We will reimburse You for the

percentage of the unused non-refundable prepaid

expenses for Travel Arrangements You paid for Your Trip

as shown in the Cancellation Penalty Schedule shown

below, provided:

1) Your payment for this plan is received within 21 days

of Your initial deposit/payment for Your Trip;

2) You insure 100% of the cost of all Travel Arrangements

that are subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions

by the Travel Supplier; and

3) You cancel Your Trip two (2) days or more before

Your Scheduled Departure Date.

Cancellation Penalty Schedule

If Cancellation Penalty Percentage of Penalty

Amount Is: Amount Payable Is:

Up to 25% of Trip Cost..........100% of Penalty Amount

26% to 50% of Trip Cost.........85% of Penalty Amount

Over 50% of Trip Cost.............75% of Penalty Amount

 

And be advised that if it's been more than 21 days since you paid the inital deposit for the cruise you want to insure, you are out-of-luck. You cannot purchase "pre-existing condition" coverage for that cruise.

[Mar56]

I don't want you to perceive me as argumentative, as I'm just trying to clarify this info, given that I have received a different answer from another insurance company and it's important to us. We had what we thought was "cancel for any reason" insurance but when I called the insurance company to clarify the situation under which we might have to cancel they said it was excluded and directed me to an exclusion clause almost exactly the same as that I quoted in my answer above.

 

That's why I hesitate on this. And based on all the info that I've looked at over the last 24 hours, we are burnt anyways as we booked our cruise about 3 months ago and the TA said that we didn't need to get the insurance just yet, EVEN THOUGH she knows about the situation with our son. Live and learn.

 

This whole thread and the one on Canadian plans has been extremely helpful. We'll know next time, but I still wonder re our son.

[6rugrats]

I am not impressed with your TA and I don't perceive you as argumentative. I don't know anything about another plan, only the one being discussed. And, as stated, "Cancel for Any Reason" means the insurance company does not care why you are cancelling, and as long as you have met all the other purchase requirements, and cancel within the allowable time period, you may cancel for any reason. You simply call them and start your claim. There are no excluded reasons.

 

Hopefully, all will be well with your son and you'll have a great cruise. Is there someone else your son could turn to when you're gone?

[Mar56]

Yes, when we went on our cruise in February (first time - had an awesome time) we had friends keeping an eye out plus he has help available to him from our local CMHA office (Canadian Mental Health) - and he did fine. It's just a concern - you know?

 

re our TA - I like the fact that I can ask a million questions and she answers them for me (only with the insurance have I found her lacking and to be honest, she now gives me the web sites to review myself) - but we haven't received any perks from her - which is fine, I just wonder how others get them lol - and she is very tolerant of my somewhat obsessive search for information. So yes, I should have been more proactive but when we booked this upcoming cruise we hadn't yet gone on our first one, so I didn't know what I didn't know. ;)

 

Thanks for your help. She suggested we do the Carnival Insurance for the upcoming cruise but I'm going to request the RBC coverage like we had on our HAL cruise in Feb.

[cruiseco]

But they can!!! I checked out the policy you provided (and thanks so much for that - I truly appreciate it) but they have exactly the same restrictions: see

SECTION IV. General Limitations and Exclusions

Benefits are not payable for any loss due to, arising or

resulting from:

15. a mental or nervous condition, unless hospitalized

So in effect, rather than being able to be proactive as parents to head off a hospitalization, if we wanted to get a refund for our trip costs from this insurance (and all the others I've seen) we'd have to wait for his condition to be so serious that he'd be hospitalized. (other policies specifically exclude mental health altogether) - obviously, we wouldn't do this so in effect, we can't find coverage for this aspect that concerns us.

 

 

The TravelSafe plan with the "Cancel For Any Reason" benefit has two separate cancellation coverages:

 

#1 The normal cancellation terms which are spelled out in the plan documents -- both what's covered and the exclusions to this coverage. If you cancel for a covered reason you are reimbursed 100% for your loss. Yes, the COVERED reasons have an exclusion for mental problems.

 

You are quoting from the plan document that's referring to the NORMAL cancellation terms.

 

#2 However, if you have purchased a plan with the "Cancel For Any Reason" benefit and do cancel for a reason that's not otherwise covered (such as a mental condition involving a non-traveling family member) you now fall under this section of the coverage:

 

"If You cancel Your Trip for any reason not otherwise covered by this policy, We will reimburse You for the percentage of the unused non-refundable prepaid expenses for Travel Arrangements You paid for Your Trip as shown in the Cancellation Penalty Schedule shown below, provided:

 

1) Your payment for this plan is received within 21 days of Your initial deposit/payment for Your Trip;

2) You insure 100% of the cost of all Travel Arrangements that are subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions by the Travel Supplier; and

3) You cancel Your Trip two (2) days or more before Your Scheduled Departure Date."

 

The plan exclusions that apply to #1 DO NOT apply to #2.

 

#2 has it's own terms and conditions and in most cases does not reimburse you 100% of your loss -- it's a sliding scale and can be as low as 75% of your loss depending on where you stand with the cruise line's cancellation penalties.

 

So if you have to cancel your cruise for a covered reason such as breaking your leg just before you depart you have to make sure that you're not subject to any of the regular exclusions. For example, if the broken leg was the result of some high risk activity you probably won't be covered. You would instead have to file your claim under the Cancel For Any Reason benefit and be satisfied with a less than 100% payout.

 

That why, even if you bought a plan with the Cancel For Any Reason benefit all of those exclusions that normally apply have to be presented to you. In your case, say you hadn't check beforehand what's normally covered and not and a week before you leave for your trip your son's condition becomes enough of a concern that you have to cancel. Now you take a look at the plan wording to see what coverage you can file a claim for:

 

1) You read the plan's covered reasons for trip cancellation and discover that a medical condition with a non-traveling family member is covered.

 

2) You check the exclusions and discover that a mental situation is exclude. This means that your loss will not be covered 100%

 

3) You now check the "Cancel For Any Reason" coverage to verify that you have met all of the requirements for that coverage -- cancel at least 48 hours prior to departure, check. Insured ALL of your trip costs, check. Bought the policy with 21 days of the first payment on the trip, check.

 

4) You file your claim under the Cancel For Any Reason benefit and get reimbursed 75% of your loss.

 

So any Cancel For Any Reason plan MUST also always include the normal plan wording that applies to COVERED losses in order to determine if the insured will be able to file a claim for 100% of the loss or has to settle for a lesser amount.

[sirwired]

You don't have to give a reason when placing an "Any Reason" claim. You can just say "I changed my mind; due to family issues I can't go."

 

Yes, if you start relaying the specifics, then yes, it is possible wires will get crossed and they may start incorrectly processing it as a medical claim, which certainly WOULD be denied.

 

But since you don't have to give a reason with an Any Reason claim, the best strategy is to simply not do so.

[Mar56]

Thank you 100 times over. I am going to print out your response and keep it for the next time that we book a cruise. Unfortunately, I listened to our TA when we booked our Carnival cruise for Jan 2013 and did not buy the insurance at that time. Sigh. So too late unless I suppose I cancel and then rebook - the price has gone up but......

[SuzanneSLO]

Thank you 100 times over. I am going to print out your response and keep it for the next time that we book a cruise. Unfortunately, I listened to our TA when we booked our Carnival cruise for Jan 2013 and did not buy the insurance at that time. Sigh. So too late unless I suppose I cancel and then rebook - the price has gone up but......

 

For your 2013 cruise, it might be worth looking into the vacation protection provided by Carnival. I have no personal experience, but it looks like you can receive a credit (75%??) towards a future cruise if you cancel for a non-covered reason. -- Suzanne

[Mar56]

For your 2013 cruise, it might be worth looking into the vacation protection provided by Carnival. I have no personal experience, but it looks like you can receive a credit (75%??) towards a future cruise if you cancel for a non-covered reason. -- Suzanne

 

That's the one my agent suggested - I'm thinking it's probably worth it as at least part of the cost would be useable on another cruise.

[sail7seas]

Be careful about cancelling and rebooking. Insurance companies usually state something like purchasing within a certain number of days after placing your first deposit for a given trip. You have already once placed a deposit on that cruise. You probably are not eligible to get the features of the policy that require writing the insurance in the time span that has now passed.

 

[Mar56]

That's what I figured Sail. Sigh. I'll compare the Carnival policy to the Berkleys and RBC and figure out which will give me the best bang for the buck. And I have certainly learned a ton here today. Thanks everyone.