When to buy trip insurance?

[fiftyguy]

can I wait to buy insurance for a trip I just booked today for October 2018? Or do I have to purchase it now? I'm going to purchase from non- NCL source.

Thanks for any info.

[triptolemus]

Read the terms for the specific policy you are considering for details on purchase deadlines. For instance, depending on the policy, they may require purchasing within 7 days after booking if you want pre-existing conditions to be covered.

 

There is no right answer for every policy and consumer. That's why it is vital for folks to carefully research trip insurance (any insurance, really) and select a policy that covers their potential exposures adequately.

[phoenix1181]

We're both seniors so we purchase immediately after booking so we're covered for any pre-existing conditions. Right now we're both healthy but who know how long that's going to last? Better safe than sorry..................

[garycarla]

Other than pre-existing... you can wait.

[triptolemus]

Other than pre-existing... you can wait.

 

This is poor advice.

 

The only correct answer was given above. The OP should read and understand the purchase terms of the policy in question.

[Takinoff]

We don't have any pre existing conditions at this time so I buy insurance just before cancellation penalties kick in.

 

Sent from my SM-T550 using Forums mobile app

[fiftyguy]

Read the terms for the specific policy you are considering for details on purchase deadlines. For instance, depending on the policy, they may require purchasing within 7 days after booking if you want pre-existing conditions to be covered.

 

There is no right answer for every policy and consumer. That's why it is vital for folks to carefully research trip insurance (any insurance, really) and select a policy that covers their potential exposures adequately.

 

Thank you. I appreciate the advice.

[uneamie]

I am buying ours a few weeks before final payment. We only have a $50 deposit infested so far so if we had to cancel that's all we'd lose. If I bought the insurance now and had to cancel we'd lose the $50 plus what we paid for the insurance. So we wait. We do not have any pre-existing conditions.

[broberts]

I am buying ours a few weeks before final payment. We only have a $50 deposit infested so far so if we had to cancel that's all we'd lose. If I bought the insurance now and had to cancel we'd lose the $50 plus what we paid for the insurance. So we wait. We do not have any pre-existing conditions.

 

Check whatever policy you decide on. Some have a waiting period if the purchase is made some time after the travel was bought.

[uneamie]

Check whatever policy you decide on. Some have a waiting period if the purchase is made some time after the travel was bought.

I will check on that...thanks. However, a waiting period for what exactly?

[fredflint]

There are several web sites where you can compare different offering do a search on cruise insurance and I am sure they will come up. Also check your homeowners or auto insurance companies to see if they offer trip insurance. We have USAA and they have been pretty competitive a few times.

[littlelulu01]

I purchase trip insurance at the time of deposit. The travel guard gold plan kicks in some additional coverage along with the pre existing condition waiver. Pre existing conditions aren't just for elderly or those in poor health. Best not to have to prove there was no preexisting condition. Should something go terribly wrong on vacation the last thing I'd want to hassle with is insurance company trying to deny a claim and having the right to do so based on my burden of proof and their interpretation of my medical records.

 

the last cruise I insured I ended up canceling prior to purchase of anything non refundable. Travel guard gave me a credit to use on a future vacation Which was easily applied on my subsequent cruise.

[fshagan]

can I wait to buy insurance for a trip I just booked today for October 2018? Or do I have to purchase it now? I'm going to purchase from non- NCL source.

Thanks for any info.

 

You can not only buy it now, but for many policies you can buy a little bit of insurance to lock in the early purchase benefits and increase the coverage later. Pricing for the extra is locked in when you book, so you don't have to worry about them jacking up the price on you. This FAQ from Trip Insurance Store has some pretty good information and pros and cons of doing that: https://tripinsurancestore.com/travel-insurance-frequently-asked-questions/

 

We always buy within the number of days the policy requires to lock in the pre-existing condition waiver for medical, because that's a concern of ours. And we always insure the full amount of any out of pocket expense because some "packaged" policies with both trip cancellation and medical will disallow pre-existing medical coverage if you have under-insured the trip cancellation portion.

 

Many policies let you transfer the policy one time to another trip if you aren't making a claim against it (like if you simply cancel and get your deposit back).

 

Everyone has to decide what is best for them. You can buy insurance the day before the trip if you like. Or you can buy it the same day you book the first covered expense of the trip.

[broberts]

I will check on that...thanks. However, a waiting period for what exactly?

 

A period from date of purchase in which a cancellation will not be reimbursed.

[littlemeagain]

The pre-existing part of the insurance is not necessarily the travelers health. It would include the immediate family members of the traveler. My daughter was booked on a flight to Paris while in college to visit a friend. Her dad had been diagnosed with stage IV cancer two years before. As her trip got closer, his condition became terminal and we cancelled her flight. He passed away one week later. We were refunded the entire cost of the trip.

 

I am sailing to Alaska next week. My Mom just had an angioplasty today. It could have turned into a complete bypass surgery. Thankfully, everything went well and she will be discharged tomorrow. You just never know what the future holds. Just my .02

 

Liz

[casofilia]

As we travel for between 6 and 10 weeks twice a year we run Travel Insurance on an annual basis so we are covered continuously.

[pe4all]

I purchase trip insurance at the time of deposit. The travel guard gold plan kicks in some additional coverage along with the pre existing condition waiver. Pre existing conditions aren't just for elderly or those in poor health. Best not to have to prove there was no preexisting condition. Should something go terribly wrong on vacation the last thing I'd want to hassle with is insurance company trying to deny a claim and having the right to do so based on my burden of proof and their interpretation of my medical records.

We do the same exact thing, with the same exact company!! We have (unfortunately) had to make claims with our Travelguard gold policy 2x, and both were handled quickly and efficiently - one before we cruised, and one when dd had a medical emergency on the cruise. After we put a deposit down, my next phone call is to travelguard.

[garycarla]

This is poor advice.

 

The only correct answer was given above. The OP should read and understand the purchase terms of the policy in question.

 

Please help me understand what was wrong so I know better. We have purchased insurance long after booking. As mentioned, if you have a pre-existing condition, it may not be covered depending on the policy you book. We usually only buy medical and evacuation type insurance so cancel for any reason/pre-existing does not come into play.

 

Again, help me clarify.

 

Thanks

[triptolemus]

Please help me understand what was wrong so I know better. We have purchased insurance long after booking. As mentioned, if you have a pre-existing condition, it may not be covered depending on the policy you book. We usually only buy medical and evacuation type insurance so cancel for any reason/pre-existing does not come into play.

 

Again, help me clarify.

 

Thanks

 

It was poor advice because it was a one-line quip about pre-existing conditions and offered no advice about researching the policy. Policies come in all shapes and sizes and you know as well as I do that the best advice for folks asking about trip insurance is to tell them to research the matter carefully. Otherwise they can end up with coverage that doesn't meet their needs, or doesn't cover what they expect.

 

The paragraph you wrote above in this post is far more helpful than "Other than pre-existing... you can wait." Pre-existing what, exactly? Could you not be bothered to type out "conditions" so your response was clear?

 

There are many other considerations with trip insurance aside from pre-existing conditions. I'm not even sure where you got on that bit since OP never mentioned it.

 

Clear enough for you?

[garycarla]

It was poor advice because it was a one-line quip about pre-existing conditions and offered no advice about researching the policy. Policies come in all shapes and sizes and you know as well as I do that the best advice for folks asking about trip insurance is to tell them to research the matter carefully. Otherwise they can end up with coverage that doesn't meet their needs, or doesn't cover what they expect.

 

The paragraph you wrote above in this post is far more helpful than "Other than pre-existing... you can wait." Pre-existing what, exactly? Could you not be bothered to type out "conditions" so your response was clear?

 

There are many other considerations with trip insurance aside from pre-existing conditions. I'm not even sure where you got on that bit since OP never mentioned it.

 

Clear enough for you?

 

Well said. Agree with your comments.

 

 

Thank You

[luckyinpa]

can I wait to buy insurance for a trip I just booked today for October 2018? Or do I have to purchase it now? I'm going to purchase from non- NCL source.

Thanks for any info.

 

this is my experience:

 

i bought from steve at tripinsuance store 2x already and the global alert policy must be bought in X days from booking to cover preexisting conditions

 

1st trip i had changes in passengers and cost at least twice. it was handled with a few emails. you do have to keep on them. sometimes they take time to reply

 

2nd trip i had to change my trip twice to 2 different iterinaries including a name change and again this was handled pretty efficiently.

 

so i recommend them and that you do it before the expiration of any preexisting clauses you may run into.

 

i also found out you cant change your itinerary more than 2x but i doubt people do that regularly,