time to buy insurance

[BlackSeaGuy]

Hello,

 

I've been reading this forum, and as far as I understand, you need to buy an insurance before making final payment. But what if I buy a cruise online and pay in full? Then what? I'm going to get a third-party insurance, so when should I get it?

 

thx!

[sirwired]

The insurance purchase time restrictions only apply if you want a pre-existing condition exclusion waiver. To obtain this, you generally have 15 days to purchase OR no later than the same day you make final payment. (This varies by provider.)

 

If you PIF the day of booking, you probably want to buy the policy the same day.

 

As long as you can accept not having the pre-ex waiver, you can buy insurance from 3rd-party providers any time before departure.

 

As a side note, I assume this is a last-minute cruise? I hope so, as a PIF booking for a cruise far in advance is often a red flag for the financial solvency of the agency and/or cruise line.

[BlackSeaGuy]

actually no, it's not last minute one, I'm thinking of sailing in September. And yes, I want the pre-existing condition coverage. So if I book the cruise today and pay for it in full, then what? Can I buy the insurance, let's say next week?

[SuzanneSLO]

actually no, it's not last minute one, I'm thinking of sailing in September. And yes, I want the pre-existing condition coverage. So if I book the cruise today and pay for it in full, then what? Can I buy the insurance, let's say next week?

 

The best practice would be to decide on the coverage and provider before booking the cruise. Then you will know exactly when you need to purchase, whether it's today or in the next week or so. It's likely to be today for most insurers unless your payment is still completely refundable. -- Suzanne

[cruiseco]

Here's more info:

 

http://www.travelinsurancebasics.com/whentobuy.php

[Keith1010]

I would contact the insurance company to talk this through.

 

Keith

[sirwired]

actually no, it's not last minute one, I'm thinking of sailing in September.

 

This is often a danger sign. There is simply no reason to pay your cruse fare for a September sailing in late June, unless that is the normal policy of the cruise line. Most lines have final payment take place 60 days prior to sailing. "Specials" that have you PIF before the normal time are often a gigantic red flag for financial trouble. What line are you thinking of sailing?

 

If you book with the cruise line directly, most, but not all, insurance plans will cover you for financial default. If you book through an agent, default coverage will cover you for cruise line default. If it's the agent itself that defaults, and they never remit your money to the cruise line, no insurance policy will cover you.

 

Examine your credit card statement carefully; if the charge comes from the agency instead of the cruise line, make sure you call the cruise line the day after their normal PIF deadline and verify that the booking is, in fact, PIF. If it isn't, file a credit card dispute immediately.

 

Given how high credit card fees are, the only reason for an agency to charge your card themselves, at great cost, (instead of passing your account info to the line) is because they need to "play the float" to keep the agency alive. More than one group of cruisers has been caught in an agency BK this way with no financial recourse.

 

An advance PIF caught me once with a struggling line (Windjammer Barefoot Cruises.) I got lucky; for whatever reason, my credit card bank refunded my money, even though I was well past the dispute deadline when the line went under. I'll never take advantage of a PIF advance special again without insurance I'm sure will cover it.

 

I'm not trying to panic you, but advance PIF specials are a fairly common part of an agency or line "death spiral" so it pays to be cautious.

[BlackSeaGuy]

Thanks for the info. I'm actually going to book a September cruise through CruisesOnly.com. I'm not sure if it's possible to pay just a pat of the cost now, and then pay the final payment later if you book through online 3rd party website. Is it? Also the cost of the cruise would not be that high, around $1,100 for two people, would they allow to pay part of the cost?

Thank you!

[BlackSeaGuy]

so here's the screenshot from CruisesOnly site, see they don't even allow to change the today's deposit amount, they just want payment in full.

[cruiseco]

so here's the screenshot from CruisesOnly site, see they don't even allow to change the today's deposit amount, they just want payment in full.

 

If you're sailing in September it's very possibly, even probable, that you're inside the cruise line's full/final payment due date in which case you would have to pay 100% of the full cruise cost right now.

 

What cruise line? What ship/sail date?

 

For example, with Princess most 7 day cruises require full payment 75 days prior to the sail date.

[BlackSeaGuy]

It's with Carnival, Bahama cruise from Baltimore

[cruiseco]

It's with Carnival, Bahama cruise from Baltimore

 

 

Same thing with Carnival 6+ day itineraries final payment due 75 days prior to sailing.

[BlackSeaGuy]

So if I book the cruise and pay it in full now, and then buy a 3rd party insurance within ~21 days or so, to have pre-existing condition waived, then it would be fine?

 

I'm asking because someone above scared me with this one:

This is often a danger sign. There is simply no reason to pay your cruse fare for a September sailing in late June, unless that is the normal policy of the cruise line.

[cruiseco]

So if I book the cruise and pay it in full now, and then buy a 3rd party insurance within ~21 days or so, to have pre-existing condition waived, then it would be fine?

 

As long as you meet ALL of the plan's requirements to get the pre-ex coverage you're fine. For example, for the Travelex Travel Select plan that means this:

 

"Waiver of the Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion

The Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion is waived

provided you meet all of the following requirements:

1. the payment for this plan and enrollment form is

received within 21 days of the initial Covered Trip

deposit/payment for your Covered Trip; and

2. you are not disabled from travel at the time you

makes your plan payment; and

3. you insure all prepaid Covered Trip costs that are

subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions;

and also insures within 21 days of the payment for

those arrangements the cost of any subsequent

arrangements added to the your Covered Trip."

 

Note that it's not just the 21 day requirement.

[BlackSeaGuy]

3. you insure all prepaid Covered Trip costs that are

subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions;

 

hmmmmm... and what exactly does all that mean?

[cruiseco]

hmmmmm... and what exactly does all that mean?

 

Just what it says. If your cruise costs you $1200 you can't decide to only insure $1000 to save a few bucks on the premium. If you have any questions about what needs to be insured in order to be eligible for the pre-existing condition coverage call the insurer. And before you do that find out how much of your full cruise cost is really non-refundable -- normally the taxes are refunded if you cancel but be sure to check.

[sirwired]

If it's within the normal policy of the line to require final payment as of now, then you are probably fine, solvency wise. What you want to avoid is some sort of deal that asks you to PIF earlier than normal in order to obtain some sort of special deal. Those are a bad idea...

[donaldsc]

I buy travel insurance once per year and it covers me for a full year so it makes no difference.

 

DON

[BlackSeaGuy]

ok, so basically I will insure the entire amount billed to my credit card, and I should be ok, right?

[cruiseco]

ok, so basically I will insure the entire amount billed to my credit card, and I should be ok, right?

 

Plus airfare if you're using a non-refundable ticket.

[BlackSeaGuy]

I see, thanks everyone!