Is this booking agent being fair

[digitcallous]

I currently have a deposit on a cruise and the final payment date is not due for another 2 weeks. Due to unforeseen circumstances I have to cancel the cruise, which in itself should not be a problem. When I first booked the cruise I also signed up for cruise insurance. When I asked about cancellation I'm told that although my final payment date is not yet due, the insurance that I was charged will not be refundable at all because it is handled by a different company.

 

Does this sound fair to you?

[T_Bird]

It sounds "kind of" fair. If you were to cancel now, you lose your deposit so far, right? And if you do, then your insurance will cover your deposit, won't it?

 

As I understand travel insurance, you purchase it with your ticket in case if something unforseen happens like the situation you are in.

[Sheffie]

I currently have a deposit on a cruise and the final payment date is not due for another 2 weeks. Due to unforeseen circumstances I have to cancel the cruise, which in itself should not be a problem. When I first booked the cruise I also signed up for cruise insurance. When I asked about cancellation I'm told that although my final payment date is not yet due, the insurance that I was charged will not be refundable at all because it is handled by a different company.

 

Does this sound fair to you?

 

We take out our travel insurance through an independent company and it is not refundable if we cancal our cruise.

 

Fair or not, that is what they told us and we bought knowing that.

 

Michelle

[cali-croozer]

My experience is like that of the previous poster. The insurance isn't refundable. BUT, my TA told me that sometimes, the insurance company will transfer the policy to another cruise/vacation, if we had to change the date.

[gizmo]

As the others stated, insurance is not refundable.

[bUU]

Anything that is part of the terms and conditions when the purchase is made is "fair." It's always best to understand and be able to accept all the terms and conditions for anything you purchase, before you purchase it, so you're not surprised later.

[ajpack]

We cancelled a Bermuda cruise months before the final payment was due and the insurance company gave us a credit for the amount that we had paid. It had to be used within one year from the date that we had purchased it.

 

I don't think you don't lose your deposit if you cancel before the final payment is due.

[CaptData]

Here is the way I look at it. I bought the insurance IN CASE I needed it. You buy house insurance and car insurance for the same reasons. Do you get your money back from house and car insurance if you do not use it, no. You will not get the cruise insurance back either.

 

 

You bought it assumming you might need it. You do not because you are cancelling before final payment is due. As above some companies will transfer it to another date if possible but they do not refund money. Most people do not use the insurance they have bought for any reason but sometimes it will save you $$$$$$. In my 16 years of driving (before I lost my licence) I had one minor accident that I caused. I, therefore, only used insurance once and the rest of the time I did not use it and it was never refunded.

 

I buy cruise insurance a full year in advance or more when I book becuase I need it for pre-existing conditions (or they won't cover them at the last moment). If I have to cancel way out for any reason I know I will not get the insurance back. I write it off as the cost of begin able to cruise most time. It also gives my kids piecef of mind as they know I have the insurance and who to contact if something goes wrong. They can get the money (with proof).

 

My house burnt to the ground in 2003, thank the stars that I had house insurance. My husband died 8 days before our first cruise from cancer which was diagnoised after we had bought the insurance. I cancel one cruise five months out (full refund time no insurance required), but if it had happened four months later the insurance would have covered any losses.

 

Here is a question for you have you booked any flight or hotels that must be cancelled now. Do you lose any money here, if so insurance will cover this with proff of payment. Ie if you use Priceline, they will not refund you your money and you pre-paid it.

[WeBeGone]

While insurance is not refundable, sometimes the company will give you credit if you take another cruise within a year-depends on the company but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

[doone]

I agree with the other posters here, insurance is not refundable. I look at it like this, car or house insurance isn't refundable if you don't use it, neither is this. I know how your looking at it, maybe next time you would be better off to get your travel insurance 2 weeks before you make your final payment. That's an option as well. Sorry you have to cancel your cruise.

[Lois R]

Hi:) am I misunderstanding?

 

I booked a cruise and decided to cancel it long before the final payment was due....My TA credited back my deposit and my insurance as well. Did I miss something?

[sultan_sfo]

The Insurance Premium is non-refundable. Recall that if one buys the insurance at the time one pays the deposit the coverage is different from what one gets if one buys later on, particulary with regard to pre-existing medical condition coverage. Also, as someone has pointed out that if one books one's own Air, then that is not covered unless the event that causes a cancellation occurs AFTER one buys the insurance and is not due to pre-existing conditions. We usually buy insurance about a week before final payment. One of the TA's we used had actually sent a form for us to sign that stated the premium was not refundable even though the entire trip was booked through the cruise line. In fact, to my knowledge, the premium paid is NEVER returned even if trip cancellation occurs. The premium is gone -- paid for the insurer to assume the risk. /Sultan

[greatam]

Hi:) am I misunderstanding?

 

I booked a cruise and decided to cancel it long before the final payment was due....My TA credited back my deposit and my insurance as well. Did I miss something?

 

Lois,

 

You either have a very good TA (most likely) or you got lucky. Sometimes cruise line insurance is packaged with the cruise and that is often refundable. But private policy (not associated IN ANY WAY with the cruise line) is generally NON refundable. Congrats

[Lois R]

Hi:) yes, I do have a very good TA, that is for sure and thanks for the congrats!

[Fayecruises]

I never take out travel insurance until final payment is due and to not recommend clients to do this either (unless they have a pre existing condition that they are worried about). Since the deposit is refunded 100% before final payment is due, there is no reason to take out insurance earlier.

[tinsel57]

It could have been the other way around. I know a couple who booked Alaska and refused the insurance. They are elderly with medical issues.

 

He had a heart attack after the final was due. No insurance, Trip Cancelled, Not a penny returned that I am aware of.

 

 

Chalk it up to experience and get the fine print in writing next time and be sure to read it before you commit.