"Trip Cost" & Name...

[bgyoshi]

I'm currently looking online for trip insurance for cruise in May 2013. When researching for quotes, the "trip cost"...prepaid and nonrefundable...does that include the entire cruise cost? We are flying out of CA to Barcelona for a Mediterranean cruise. Should we include cruise, airfare, and excursions for the "trip cost"?

 

Also...we have about 2 days left to make the purchase within 15 days of initial deposit...I'm not too worried about pre-existing condition as we're both young and healthy (for now). Should we purchase now or can we wait until closer? Because we just got married and I am in the process of changing my last name, so I don't know if I should buy with new name or current name..and if they'll allow me to change the name later on.

 

Thanks!

[cruiseco]

I'm currently looking online for trip insurance for cruise in May 2013. When researching for quotes, the "trip cost"...prepaid and nonrefundable...does that include the entire cruise cost? We are flying out of CA to Barcelona for a Mediterranean cruise. Should we include cruise, airfare, and excursions for the "trip cost"?

 

Also...we have about 2 days left to make the purchase within 15 days of initial deposit...I'm not too worried about pre-existing condition as we're both young and healthy (for now). Should we purchase now or can we wait until closer? Because we just got married and I am in the process of changing my last name, so I don't know if I should buy with new name or current name..and if they'll allow me to change the name later on.

 

Thanks!

 

What insurer/plan are you considering?

 

With some plans you can insure any amount you feel comfortable with. With others, you have to insure 100% of the pre-paid, non-refundable trip cost in order to be eligible for the pre-existing condition coverage and possibly other coverages. And with some plans the pre-ex exclusion also applies to non-traveling family members so if maybe your Grandparents are in fragile health you have to consider more than just your own pre-ex condition situation.

 

I would use the name on the policy to match the name on your cruise/air documents.

[sirwired]

If you are going to purchase trip insurance at all, you might as well do it now.

 

Trip Cost means Non-refundable, pre-paid costs, just like the policy says...

 

If your airfare is non-refundable, it's part of your trip cost. Same thing with your cruise fare, etc. If you don't have to pay until you get there, and there is no cancellation penalty, you don't have to include it. (For instance, some cruise lines don't bill you for excursions ahead of time; those wouldn't have to be included in trip cost. Other lines bill for excursions when you reserve them and are non-refundable; those would be included in trip cost.)

[Keith1010]

Insurance always comes down to risk versus cost to purchase the insurance.

 

If you are worried about covering the airfare should the trip have to be canceled then include the cost but otherwise don't.

 

I would speak with your insurance carrier that you are looking at with respect to the name on the policy.

 

Keith

[bgyoshi]

I'm looking at travel guard...so should I be including costs of cruise, airfare, excursions (the ones I'm looking at is only refundable within one week cancellation, otherwise they charge the full excursion)?

[cruiseco]

I'm looking at travel guard...so should I be including costs of cruise, airfare, excursions (the ones I'm looking at is only refundable within one week cancellation, otherwise they charge the full excursion)?

 

Yes, IF you need the plan's coverage for pre-existing medical coverage. This is from their plan wording:

 

"PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION EXCLUSION WAIVER

 

The Insurer will waive the pre-existing medical condition exclusion up to a maximum of the first $30,000 of Trip Cost per person if the following conditions are met:

1. This plan is purchased within 15 days of making the Initial Trip Payment;

2. The amount of coverage purchased equals all prepaid, non-refundable payments or deposits applicable to the Trip at the time of purchase, and the cost of any subsequent arrangement(s) added to the same Trip are insured within 15 days of the date of payment or deposit for any subsequent Trip arrangement(s);

3. All Insured’s are medically able to travel when plan cost is paid."

[chaucer642]

I'm also trying to figure out how much to insure my trip for. So maybe some of you can send your thoughts. I'll probably be buying Travel Guard which means I must insure for the entire amount of non-refundable expenses or the insurance won't cover me.

 

My trip is a ten day Eastern Mediterranean cruise on Celebrity. The cruise cost is about $3000. I have not bought airline tickets yet. but will be flying from JFK to Rome . So I'm figuring around 1K for the ticket. My question about the tickets are... do they count as non-refundable if you can't go, but get a credit you must use during the year? Bottom line, should I insure for that?

 

We plan to take tours, not private ones or cruise line ones. Are most of the tours prepaid/non-refundable? I know there is a big variable, but about how much should I budget for tours if I'm going to insure them?

 

One additional expense comes from the fact that we will be spending two nights in Rome. I doubt that my share of the hotel room would be any more than $300. Would I only insure for that portion that I'd lose if we'd cancel our reservations?

 

Since this is my first cruise in a long time and the first time I'm buying trip insurance, I'm hoping to get an idea, given the gross figures I've included, how much I should insure the trip for.

 

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[sirwired]

You can absolutely get coverage without insuring the full amount, what you give up if you don't insure the full trip cost is the "promotional" coverages listed in the policy, the pre-ex waiver being the most prominent (and valuable.)

 

You do not have to estimate the total trip cost at this time. The only requirement is that a payment be insured within 15 days of you making it. If you haven't reserved your plane tickets yet, don't worry about insuring them until you do. You simply call or e-mail the insurance company and request an addition to your policy; you can repeat this as many times as necessary.

 

If the plane tickets are non-refundable, then they must be insured for their whole non-refundable value, not just the amount of the change fee. Yes, this does drive up the cost of the insurance, which is where they get the money to pay for the promotional coverages.

 

Insurance companies with this requirement are VERY picky about this; if your plane tickets cost you $1002.73, and you insure them for $1000, it'll bite you in the tush...

[cruiseco]

I have not bought airline tickets yet. but will be flying from JFK to Rome . So I'm figuring around 1K for the ticket. My question about the tickets are... do they count as non-refundable if you can't go, but get a credit you must use during the year? Bottom line, should I insure for that?

 

 

If the airline will NOT give you your money back if you cancel the trip the ticket is non-refundable and has to be insured. Changeable? Doesn't matter. They'll give you a voucher? Doesn't matter. If they won't refund your money it's "non-refundable".

 

One additional expense comes from the fact that we will be spending two nights in Rome. I doubt that my share of the hotel room would be any more than $300. Would I only insure for that portion that I'd lose if we'd cancel our reservations?

 

Yes.

 

We plan to take tours, not private ones or cruise line ones. Are most of the tours prepaid/non-refundable? I know there is a big variable, but about how much should I budget for tours if I'm going to insure them?

 

You don't have to guestimate the cost of the tours. If you buy the policy before these arrangements have been made find out exactly what the tour company's cancellation policy is and if your tours are pre-paid and non-refundable just call Travel

Guard and have that cost added to your policy. You don't have to come up with an exact figure beforehand. Just be sure you do it within the time frame Travel Guard mandates:

 

"PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION EXCLUSION WAIVER

 

 

The Insurer will waive the pre-existing medical condition exclusion up to a maximum of the first $30,000 of Trip Cost per person if the following conditions are met:

1. This plan is purchased within 15 days of making the Initial Trip Payment;

2. The amount of coverage purchased equals all prepaid, non-refundable payments or deposits applicable to the Trip at the time of purchase, and the cost of any subsequent arrangement(s) added to the same Trip are insured within 15 days of the date of payment or deposit for any subsequent Trip arrangement(s);

3. All Insured’s are medically able to travel when plan cost is paid."

[chaucer642]

If the plane tickets are non-refundable, then they must be insured for their whole non-refundable value, not just the amount of the change fee. Yes, this does drive up the cost of the insurance, which is where they get the money to pay for the promotional coverages.

 

Insurance companies with this requirement are VERY picky about this; if your plane tickets cost you $1002.73, and you insure them for $1000, it'll bite you in the tush...

 

But as long as I insure beyond the amount, e.g. $1050 for the plane, then I'm fine. Correct?

[cruiseco]

 

But as long as I insure beyond the amount, e.g. $1050 for the plane, then I'm fine. Correct?

 

Yes, but why would you do that when you don't have to? There's a chance that rounding up will bump you into the next higher premium bracket and you've just wasted money.

[jaja]

What insurer/plan are you considering?

 

With some plans you can insure any amount you feel comfortable with. With others, you have to insure 100% of the pre-paid, non-refundable trip cost in order to be eligible for the pre-existing condition coverage and possibly other coverages. And with some plans the pre-ex exclusion also applies to non-traveling family members so if maybe your Grandparents are in fragile health you have to consider more than just your own pre-ex condition situation.

 

I would use the name on the policy to match the name on your cruise/air documents.

 

 

IF I may interject on this thread..

THanks for this info..I just read over the 3 policies I was considering..and see (if I am correct) that Global Alert (preferred)..has no wording about "full cost of trip"...only purchased within 15 days. for pre existing waiver !

I like the policy and am thinking of reducing insured amount by a bit..(not a financila problem for me to do)

[cruiseco]

IF I may interject on this thread..

THanks for this info..I just read over the 3 policies I was considering..and see (if I am correct) that Global Alert (preferred)..has no wording about "full cost of trip"...only purchased within 15 days. for pre existing waiver !

I like the policy and am thinking of reducing insured amount by a bit..(not a financila problem for me to do)

 

Yes, all they require is this:

 

"Waiver of the Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion

The exclusion for Pre-Existing Conditions will be waived if this plan is purchased within 15 days of the date Your initial Trip deposit is paid."

 

Note that their trip costs and premiums are in $500 increments. So if the total trip cost is $1005 you can round down to $1000 even and save paying ~$20 to insure that last $5 which is a total waste of money. But there's no reason to round $950 down to $800 as there's no savings and you're reducing your max coverage amount with no benefit.

 

Those insurers like Travel Guard that would force you to insure that last $5 are living the insurance company's dream scenario -- collecting $20 or more in premiums with a maximum of $5 loss exposure.

[jaja]

Yes, all they require is this:

 

"Waiver of the Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion

The exclusion for Pre-Existing Conditions will be waived if this plan is purchased within 15 days of the date Your initial Trip deposit is paid."

 

Note that their trip costs and premiums are in $500 increments. So if the total trip cost is $1005 you can round down to $1000 even and save paying ~$20 to insure that last $5 which is a total waste of money. But there's no reason to round $950 down to $800 as there's no savings and you're reducing your max coverage amount with no benefit.

 

Those insurers like Travel Guard that would force you to insure that last $5 are living the insurance company's dream scenario -- collecting $20 or more in premiums with a maximum of $5 loss exposure.

 

Thanks for the detailed info...:)

I am actually thinking of insuring trip for $500-1000 less...putting the premium more withing my trip budget...and still maintaining my pre existing waiver requirement..by paying within 15 days of deposit.

 

 

My main concerns are keeping waiver, & having adequate med.evac..

 

I will go and recalculate to see if savings are worth a coverage (total cost) reduction....

 

 

I will be purchasing this tomorrow....

[jaja]

update...I ordered my Global Alert policy this AM..only paid to cover deposit...will pay balance when I make final payment on cruise.

PS--I did ask about not covering entire trip cost..rep said I had to...(I did not see that in the policy as I did with the other companies I considered)

[cruiseco]

Just got off the phone with Global Alert and they originally told me the same thing -- you have to insure the full trip cost to get the pre-existing condition exclusion.

 

I then asked them to find in the fine print where it says that. They couldn't. Both the original rep and a supervisor eventually agreed that what's in the fine print (your actual legal contract with the company) would apply -- you do NOT have to insure 100% of your trip cost to get the pre-ex waiver.

 

The problem with Trip Mate (which administers hundreds of different plans) is that their customer service reps often don't take the time to actually read the plan wording before answering questions. It's easier (and I'm sure more profitable) for them to just tell you to insure the full amount. And with 99% of the plans they administer that's probably the correct answer. But not in this case.

[jaja]

Just got off the phone with Global Alert and they originally told me the same thing -- you have to insure the full trip cost to get the pre-existing condition exclusion.

 

I then asked them to find in the fine print where it says that. They couldn't. Both the original rep and a supervisor eventually agreed that what's in the fine print (your actual legal contract with the company) would apply -- you do NOT have to insure 100% of your trip cost to get the pre-ex waiver.

 

The problem with Trip Mate (which administers hundreds of different plans) is that their customer service reps often don't take the time to actually read the plan wording before answering questions. It's easier (and I'm sure more profitable) for them to just tell you to insure the full amount. And with 99% of the plans they administer that's probably the correct answer. But not in this case.

 

I agree!!!.. I could not find the wording in Global Alert(found in other plans) saying you needed to cover entire trip costs! Even though the reps at insuremy trip dot com..were very pleasant and helpful..it seems the automatic response is .."all costs must be covered"....

I appreciate the info you got from Global Alert......!