cstimmons Posted October 26, 2017 #1 Share Posted October 26, 2017 I know.... GET IT lol. My inquiry is as follows. I want to book a cruise (two cabins four people) but don't want to buy the insurance just yet. The cruise is next summer. I've usually gotten travel insurance through a TA or RCI directly but found out my bank has travel insurance through a third party. Not wanting to spend $400 now for a cruise that's ten months away, is there a disadvantage to buying third party insurance? Is there an advantage? Do you have a goto company you prefer? (If that's allowed here) Thanks in advance. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevea36 Posted October 26, 2017 #2 Share Posted October 26, 2017 I know.... GET IT lol. My inquiry is as follows. I want to book a cruise (two cabins four people) but don't want to buy the insurance just yet. The cruise is next summer. I've usually gotten travel insurance through a TA or RCI directly but found out my bank has travel insurance through a third party. Not wanting to spend $400 now for a cruise that's ten months away, is there a disadvantage to buying third party insurance? Is there an advantage? Do you have a goto company you prefer? (If that's allowed here) Thanks in advance. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk Buy the minimum amount of insurance required to get coverage on pre-existing conditions and then increase the amount of the policy once you are ready to make final payment. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey Tina Posted October 26, 2017 #3 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Buy the minimum amount of insurance required to get coverage on pre-existing conditions and then increase the amount of the policy once you are ready to make final payment. Steve If this is a viable option this could be a game changer. OP, to answer your question, I can't see any disadvantage (or advantage as it were) to buying third party insurance. It all depends on what coverage you want, the terms of the insurance, and the cost. Check out the review of the best travel insurance on wirecutter.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstimmons Posted October 26, 2017 Author #4 Share Posted October 26, 2017 If this is a viable option this could be a game changer. OP, to answer your question, I can't see any disadvantage (or advantage as it were) to buying third party insurance. It all depends on what coverage you want, the terms of the insurance, and the cost. Check out the review of the best travel insurance on wirecutter.com Thanks. I will check it out. I'm not so concerned about preexisting conditions as I am with booking the cruise to secure the rooms that I want. It's a late summer cruise and 12th deck balconies go quick. Id definitely secure insurance prior to final payment but until then, I just don't see the need. Anyone else feel this way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjrpar Posted October 27, 2017 #5 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Thanks. I will check it out. I'm not so concerned about preexisting conditions as I am with booking the cruise to secure the rooms that I want. It's a late summer cruise and 12th deck balconies go quick. Id definitely secure insurance prior to final payment but until then, I just don't see the need. Anyone else feel this way? We always buy it at final payment. Until then you can cancel for free. Insurance costs are never refundable Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted October 27, 2017 #6 Share Posted October 27, 2017 We always buy it at final payment. Until then you can cancel for free. Insurance costs are never refundable Sent from my iPhone using Forums That works if you don't have pre-existing medical conditions and no non-refundable expenses prior to cruise final payment like airfare or prepaid hotel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstimmons Posted October 27, 2017 Author #7 Share Posted October 27, 2017 That works if you don't have pre-existing medical conditions and no non-refundable expenses prior to cruise final payment like airfare or prepaid hotel.Fortunately we are driving to port and both young..ish/healthy. Using wirecutter.com, as recommended earlier (cool site btw) I found one that covers both teenage kids for free. Pre-cruise hotel can be canx up to 48 hours prior. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbjen Posted October 27, 2017 #8 Share Posted October 27, 2017 We use Nationwide, they pay out a nice sum if your ports are changed, and they are pretty comparable in price to everyone else for our needs. They also allowed us to move our coverage to another sailing when we had to rebook this summer to another week, without any issues. There are situations where it’s better to get the RCI insurance, but generally it’s better to take third party. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighairtexan Posted October 27, 2017 #9 Share Posted October 27, 2017 I do what Stevea said. I pay the minimum thru either travelinsurancestore.com or insuremytrip.com (this was something they actually SUGGESTED) so that pre-existing conditions don't require a "lookback period". And as I pay more (like add airfare or make payments on the cruise itself), I call them and add to the value of the insurance policy. I find them much more flexible than most TA's and certainly the cruise lines. AND they offer a whole bunch of reputable travel insurers like Travel Insured (several policies at several price point), Global Alert, Travelex, TravelGuard etc etc. They'll help pick the one that covers what you need at the best price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruisegirl6 Posted October 27, 2017 #10 Share Posted October 27, 2017 I always use GeoBlue, Voyager Plan...covers pre-existing conditions, is totally affordable, covers up to 1million, no out of pocket everything is included.....just a phone call or online very easy and totally reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrieAP Posted October 27, 2017 #11 Share Posted October 27, 2017 I always use GeoBlue, Voyager Plan...covers pre-existing conditions, is totally affordable, covers up to 1million, no out of pocket everything is included.....just a phone call or online very easy and totally reliable. I actually just looked at this policy today for our cruise next month. Already have cancellation and trip interruption coverage through our credit card (Sapphire Reserve- got it partially for this reason) so just looking to supplement the medical. Pleasantly surprised to see it covers pre-existing conditions for a reasonable price so good advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Steelers0854 Posted October 27, 2017 #12 Share Posted October 27, 2017 I second the Nationwide recommendation. I would go with the luxury cruise policy, which I find to have excellent coverage limits and cruise specific items such as missed ports etc. pre-existing conditions are covered as long as you purchase the policy before final payment. We had a good experience with them when we filed a claim on our January cruise when we missed a port due to weather, the policy cost us in total about $240 and we each received a check for $250. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
later Posted October 27, 2017 #13 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Fortunately we are driving to port and both young..ish/healthy. Using wirecutter.com, as recommended earlier (cool site btw) I found one that covers both teenage kids for free. Pre-cruise hotel can be canx up to 48 hours prior. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk Do your parents/grandparents have preexisting conditions? This may not be a concern to you but it is something you may have to address. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinfanatic Posted October 27, 2017 #14 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Do your parents/grandparents have preexisting conditions? This may not be a concern to you but it is something you may have to address. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Insurance covers the travelers, not everyone else related to them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rukkian Posted October 27, 2017 #15 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Insurance covers the travelers, not everyone else related to them Many (most?) policies have a clause where if an immediate family member gets sick or passes away shortly before cruise, you can cancel and get refunded all money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Oceansaway17 Posted October 27, 2017 #16 Share Posted October 27, 2017 I just chatted with an agent on this subject. It used to be several years ago one had to prepay and now you don't. I had insurance added to 2 of my reservations and you pay it or remove it at final payment time. sometimes a TA company will offer their own insurance too so check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
later Posted October 27, 2017 #17 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Insurance covers the travelers, not everyone else related to them Not totally true many cover immediate family members not cruising with you. This relates to having to cancel or shortening a cruise due to one of the above family members becoming major ill or a death occurs. Obviously this would be for the money lost due to cancelling a cruise not paying any medical losses. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuliaMS Posted October 28, 2017 #18 Share Posted October 28, 2017 I use a site called insure my trip dot com to compare plans. I get one of the Nationwide cruise specific plans. I add a pre existing condition waiver and buy the policy just before final payment is due. My main concern is medical evacuation coverage and the cruise line plan doesn't have much. I know two people who would have been bankrupted without the insurance for the medical flights home, one got sick and one from a car accident. I have filed claims twice for trip delay. Once because I was sick and quarantined and once because DFW closed on our flight back from San Juan causing a missed connection and overnight stay. Both claims were easy to file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelling2Some Posted October 28, 2017 #19 Share Posted October 28, 2017 We always buy it at final payment. Until then you can cancel for free. Insurance costs are never refundable Sent from my iPhone using Forums Exactly this. If the deposit is refundable there is no risk until you buy the airfare and/or make final payment on the cruise. Usually I do both around the same time when leaving from a U.S. port so I buy third party insurance at the 90 day mark. For our next cruise I bought the airfare about 4 months out and it was very pricey since we live in New York and are sailing from Australia. I bought insurance right after purchasing the plane tickets. I've always thought that the only reason to buy insurance right away is if you need to cover pre-existing conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinfanatic Posted October 28, 2017 #20 Share Posted October 28, 2017 Many (most?) policies have a clause where if an immediate family member gets sick or passes away shortly before cruise, you can cancel and get refunded all money. Not totally true many cover immediate family members not cruising with you. This relates to having to cancel or shortening a cruise due to one of the above family members becoming major ill or a death occurs. Obviously this would be for the money lost due to cancelling a cruise not paying any medical losses. Sent from my iPhone using Forums I'm not disagreeing. My quote was at someone that thinks the preexisting clause relates to relatives not traveling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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