Which Cruise Line Provides BEST Cancel For Any Reason Insurance?

[pirokp]

Hi,

 

My husband and I want to go on a cruise for our 25th anniversary in October, but my Mother-In-Law has a terminal illness. She is doing good, and could be with us for many more years, we just don't' know.

 

We have called insuremytrip.com and it does not sound like they can offer us cancel for anytime insurance because my mother in law has a pre-existing condition, even though she is not traveling with us.

 

I have called the cruise lines, and it seems that their platinum/gold packages they offer (top one), does provide cancel for any reason, and it does not matter if she has a pre-existing condition since she is not the traveler. Some cruise lines said we could get off the ship and flights would be covered if she was very sick, others said we could only get off if she passed away.

 

It is all very confusing!! :confused::confused:

 

At this point we just want to book with the cruise line that will provide us the coverage we need to cancel anytime if she worsens, and to get off the ship (at a port of course!), if she was very ill and close to passing away.

 

Fellow cruisers, which line do you recommend for best insurance? Any advice? (help!)

[sirwired]

I think TravelEx does not include non-travelers in the pre-ex exclusion. But their Any Reason coverage will not be nearly as good as coverage with the cruise line.

 

Holland America offers 90% cash Any Reason coverage, which is probably around the best out there, but if something happens while you are on the trip, you'll get bit by pre-ex exclusions. (Cruise lines offer no waivers for those, unlike private insurance.)

[cruiseco]

Hi,

 

My husband and I want to go on a cruise for our 25th anniversary in October, but my Mother-In-Law has a terminal illness.

 

No cruise line plan that I'm aware of covers pre-existing medical conditions, either for the cruiser or for a non-traveling family member. If you have to cancel because of a pre-ex condition you have to base your claim on their "cancel for any reason" benefit which reimburses you with a credit for a future cruise usually equal to 75 - 90% of the penalties in effect at the time you cancel.

 

This is not an insurance benefit provided by the insurer (usually BerkleyCare). It's a waiver agreed to by the cruise line to waive their normal cancellation penalties and applies only to pre-departure cancellations. All post-departure coverages are provided by the insurer.

 

For the cruise line plans that do offer a "cancel for any reason" benefit the big gaping hole in the coverage of the plans is if you get a phone call while on the ship that your MIL has passed away. Assuming that death IS due to the pre-ex condition and not some new situation you're not going to get reimbursed for your flights home and the value of the days on the cruise that you're forfeiting.

 

I'd take a look at one of the insurers like Travelex that does not apply their pre-ex exclusion to NON-traveling family members.

 

You say that your MIL has a terminal illness but the insurer will want to know more about her situation. Even the insurers that don't apply the pre-ex exclusion to non-traveling family members won't cover you if the condition is indeed been determined to be terminal by the doctor. Generally that means that there is no hope for recovery, only hospice-type care is being given, and a certain time frame had been declared as far as life expectancy. Many people have a "terminal" illness (like Alzheimer's) but they're doing well and can be expected to live for years.

 

Travelex basically figures that your MIL's situation as of the date the policy is purchased is kind of the baseline for determining if a future claim will be paid. In other words, if your MIL is living with you and needs your daily care you can't cancel because she's living with you and needs your care -- that was the situation when you bought the policy. But if her situation significantly changes (goes into a hospital, goes into hospice, passes away) then you could cancel.

 

Call Travelex and go over the current situation and see what they say. None of the above requires that you buy the optional Cancel For Any Reason coverage -- it comes with the basic plan. And it also applies to the trip interruption coverage if you have to come home sooner than planned.

 

1-800-228-9792

(8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST, Monday – Friday)

[pirokp]

I talked to Holland America and they did refund 90% of the cruise, in cash. So you do lose 10%, and the cost of the insurance of course.

 

Princess said that you get a full 100% credit, not a cash refund. That sounds very appealing to me, because we will be cruising again for sure.

 

Does anyone have any experience with the Princess Platinum Protection, and the canceling for any reason?

[sirwired]

I don't have any personal experience with it, but I imagine it's pretty straightforward. You call them before the Any-Reason cancellation deadline, tell them you don't want to go, and you are done. You'll get your full payment (minus the insurance premium) refunded. I imagine it's little different from calling when all that's at stake is your deposit.

 

That doesn't help your flights or anything that might happen while you are on-board...

[happy cruzer]

Cruiseco's point about what happens during the cruise is very important. Based on wanting coverage during the cruise, it sounds like the cruise lines policies want fit your needs.

 

If you book a cruise that does not have huge expenses associated with getting home then the cruise line's policies might work. For example if you live in Florida and cruise to the more populated islands with larger airports, you could self insure for a flight home. Or you could self insure the cancellation up front. For example if you drive to a port, you could book a less expensive cabin/cruise and just forfeit that money if needed.

 

But if you put alot of money down upfront on air and cruise travel, sounds like to cover both up front cancellation and trip interruption, you will need a very good third party insurance as Cruiseco suggest.