WARNING ! travel insurance thru your TA

[skidroe]

I purchased our TA's travel insurance for our May 2017 cruise. I had to pay the full cost of the insurance when the cruse was booked.

I DID NOT do enough research about the cancelation policy.

Several months later, we decided to cancel this cruise because of personal reasons. Then we found out that the insurance was NONFUNDABLE after 14 days from purchase, so we are out $1,000+!

ONLY buy the PCL cruise insurance.

I will not give out the insurance company's name for fear of ramifications to us.

DO YOUR REASEARCH, I did not, and paid the price

[CruiserBruce]

An insurance premium is refundable? Really?

 

If that is true- I am asking- I would be very grateful. My car, home and other insurance premiums aren't refundable.

[Sandy R]

I use a TA and always "add" the ship insurance when booking a cruise. TA never charges the insurance until final payment. We sail Princess so I don't know what other ship lines do.

[RocketMan275]

I purchased our TA's travel insurance for our May 2017 cruise. I had to pay the full cost of the insurance when the cruse was booked.

I DID NOT do enough research about the cancelation policy.

Several months later, we decided to cancel this cruise because of personal reasons. Then we found out that the insurance was NONFUNDABLE after 14 days from purchase, so we are out $1,000+!

ONLY buy the PCL cruise insurance.

I will not give out the insurance company's name for fear of ramifications to us.

DO YOUR REASEARCH, I did not, and paid the price

 

Exactly what did you expect? Why?

[FlorenceItaly]

Thanks for the warning. I am aware of this, but, some are not.

 

 

 

 

 

Marie

[candydane]

At least some travel insurances will transfer coverage to another cruise if you cancel your original cruise. I've been able to do this easily the few times i've needed.

 

Not really refundable but at least gives a chance to use the money paid on the policy.

 

Have you checked if you have this option?

 

Have you checked with your TA for assistance? It's unlikely you'll get a refund but hopefully you can use your policy for another cruise.

 

For the future, none of the policies I've purchased over the years have required full payment upfront. I've covered non-refundable costs as incurred, starting with paying for covering the deposit. Later I've paid more on the policy at final payment and more when I pay air fare or for hotel.

[1025cruise]

Just curious to how much your cruise was if your insurance premium was over $1000. But yes, if I cancel for a covered reason, I would not expect the insurance premium to be refundable. The one time I did have to cancel, I was lucky that the insurance provider agreed to let me move my premium when I rebooked and just had to pay the difference.

[MamaTene]

Have NEVER known the cost of travel insurance to be refunded for whatever reason a cruise is cancelled whether purchased directly from TA or insurance company. Had to be a VERY expensive cruise for the travel insurance to have been $1000 even with the highest level of coverage.

[Xport]

That I am unfamiliar with the trip insurance offerings available within the Carnival Corporation family of brands... That said--and I'm not suggesting it's true in this case--it is my observation that insurance obtained through a cruise line is often far more limited in coverage than one can purchase via the commercial trip insurance market...

• The original poster notes that premium payment in full was made within fourteen days of cruise reservation... That sort of provision is typical in order to secure comprehensive coverage for cancellations related to pre-existing medical conditions or for "cancel for any reason" coverage...
  
• Most often, coverage obtained through the commercial market offers far higher limits for that which could go wrong [ie, lost luggage, trip interruption, medical evacuation, etc]...
  
• Trip insurance purchased through a cruise line typically covers only those cost elements purchased through the cruise line.... Commercial coverage will also cover things like non-refundable airfare/transportation costs booked independently, prepaid hotels, and private excursions...
  
• Commercial insurance generally reimburses valid claims in full--subject to policy limits--and in cash.... I am aware of some cruise insurance--again, not necessarily true of the policies available through Carnival Corporation--that may reimburse at less than full value [varying with the timing of/reason for cancellation] and then issues reimbursement via credit against a future, time-sensitive cruise...
  

 

I am not a travel agent, I am not an insurance agent, and I don't claim to be an expert in the matter... But I have studied it carefully in the context of what is important to me... The differences in coverage can be significant and, most often [especially on long international trips], I find that my cost through a commercial carrier--for far more extensive/comprehensive coverage--can be equal to or less than is available through the cruise lines I've sailed...

 

One-size generalizations don't necessarily fit all... That said, I do think that the original poster's travel agent had an obligation to explain the differences between options, both positive and negative, before processing the enrollment and accepting premium payment...

 

Sometimes, commercial trip insurance carriers will issue a policy credit--if no claims have been made/paid--against insuring a future trip... Original poster, have you asked? Your travel agent should be advocating for you!

Edited August 25, 2016 by Xport

[Coral]

My warning to people is to not buy Princess's insurance - the coverage is really poor compared to 3rd party companies!

 

I buy a policy from my TA that I don't have to buy until final payment and covers pre-existing conditions (not Princess's policy). If I buy it sooner and cancel the cruise, I can transfer it to another cruise/trip.

[Coral]

One-size generalizations don't necessarily fit all... That said, I do think that the original poster's travel agent had an obligation to explain the differences between options, both positive and negative, before processing the enrollment and accepting premium payment...

 

Sometimes, commercial trip insurance carriers will issue a policy credit--if no claims have been made/paid--against insuring a future trip... Original poster, have you asked? Your travel agent should be advocating for you!

 

I sometimes wonder if people read what Travel Agents/Cruise lines send them. I have no doubt the person got a copy of the policy and ignored it.

[cruiseco]

I happened to get my hands on the TA Manual for one very good insurer -- TravelSafe. In it it says that the premium is non-refundable after 10 days BUT if the TA asks for a refund and is willing to give back the commission on the original sale, TravelSafe is willing to consider a refund of the premium if requested. This is basically a customer goodwill gesture to both the client and the agency so the agent doesn't have to look like the bad guy. I know that other insurers will do the same if asked. But, again, the TA has to be willing to give back the commission for the sale. It helps if the TA does a lot of business with the insurer.

[DaisyRose]

I always buy travel insurance, and after more than 25 cruises, I can honestly say that I still find travel insurance confusing. I read every thread I see on travel insurance, and usually learn a little something from each one.

 

I buy different policies for different types of trips. I like the Princess (platinum) insurance because it includes a cancel for any reason provision, and if I cancel the cruise before final payment, they refund the premium. However, as others have said, it has lower limits for medical and evacuation than most travel insurance companies. So, I only buy the Princess insurance for cruises where I will be in the US a good portion of the time (such as Alaska, California Coast, Canada/New England) so my own medical insurance will cover me when in US ports, and if I need to be evacuated, it probably won't cost as much because it probably won't be as great a distance. However, with the cruise line insurance policy, I don't think they have a pre existing condition waiver, so you must purchase the policy when you have not had any changes in your pre-exisiting conditions for several months (I'd have to check the exact amount of time- not sure right now). So, I think if your doctor ordered a test or changed a medication recently, you have to wait to purchase the cruise line insurance until the appropriate amount of time has passed to have pre-existing conditions covered. If in doubt, call the insurance company and ask.

 

I use two different travel agents, and one of them offers an insurance policy with a company that will "usually" apply the premium to a different cruise "once" if you cancel your cruise before final payment. Not a guarantee, but they will "usually" transfer the premium once.

 

For cruises that are further away and mostly international, I generally compare policies on InsureMyTrip.com. Most of them need to be purchased within 14 days of depositing your trip, and are non refundable. But if you purchase within the 14 day window, many will usually cover pre exisiting conditions as long as you are fit to travel on the day you purchase the insurance.

 

Then, there is the question of whether or not the pre existing conditions of family members who are not traveling with you are covered. This is of particular importance to me since I have a 97 year old mother with a number of conditions, and a change in her health would probably be the main reason I might some day have to cancel a cruise at the last minute.

 

When I am considering a policy, there are people at InsureMyTrip.com that can answer questions for you. They come online and ask if you need help or have any questions. They have given me good guidance. You can usually actually view the policy right online before you purchase it. I also sometimes call the insurance company I am considering before I purchase it if I still have questions so I can make sure it covers what I want covered for that particular trip. Yes, I can honestly say that after all these cruises I still find travel insurance very confusing, but I would not travel without it. Each trip is different, and my needs for each trip are different, so different policies work for different trips. The bottom line is that after you pay a sometimes significant amount of money for an insurance policy, you want to be sure it covers what you feel you need it to cover. So, ask questions and spend time investigating a policy before your purchase it.

[caribill]

I like the Princess (platinum) insurance because it includes a cancel for any reason provision, and if I cancel the cruise before final payment, they refund the premium.

 

You should never buy any trip insurance that charges you if you cancel a trip without any penalties from the trip provider.

 

After all, the insurance company is not paying out anything when you get all of your paid trip money refunded.

[Markanddonna]

I don't get the idea that a buyer thinks they can cancel for any reason on any policy. Some travel insurance companies give you the option to cancel fo rany reason but the premium is MUCH higher. So, if demands on your job prevent you from going, you can't cancel unless you have the "cancel for any reason" policy. If you have a heart attack, you can cancel the cruise but you still have to pay the premium.

[cruiseco]

I don't get the idea that a buyer thinks they can cancel for any reason on any policy. Some travel insurance companies give you the option to cancel fo rany reason but the premium is MUCH higher. So, if demands on your job prevent you from going, you can't cancel unless you have the "cancel for any reason" policy. If you have a heart attack, you can cancel the cruise but you still have to pay the premium.

 

Note that many insurers allow you to cancel for work-relater reasons (not so much for the self-employed). For example, this is from a TravelSafe plan's normal coverage so if this is what you're concerned about there's no need to buy a much more expensive Cancel For Any reason plan:

 

"q. You, Your Traveling Companion or a Family Member traveling with

You is required to work during Your Trip. A written statement by an

unrelated company official and/or the human resources department

demonstrating revocation of previously approved time off will be

required. You, Your Traveling Companion or Family Member cannot

be a company owner or partner;"

 

Many other insurers are similar.

[Markanddonna]

The issue is that your premium will be higher for policies that are "cancel for any reason" or cancel for "work related reason".