Recommendation for Supplement To Citi Advantage AA

[ShipShapely]

We have a premium credit card with American Airlines. CitiBank Advantage. Before 2017 it gave $5,000 per insured of excellent trip insurance coverage. They still offer the same coverage but now it is only $5,000 per TRIP.  We recently went on a cruise and travel agent placed a policy with Allianz. They said they would not insure us unless we purchased coverage based upon the full value of the cruise. Is there a way to just purchase supplemental coverage. I do not feel as if I researched this adequately. Thank you.  

[LDVinNC]

I think you need to call an expert.  As others here often recommend, try tripinsurancestore.com or insuremy trip.com.  I wonder, though, if you might encounter a lot of hassles between the Citi insurer (we have made a claim with them and it worked out well but it was a small amount - $400) and the other insurer with co-ordination of benefits. And that is assuming you could find such a policy at all.

 

[ShipShapely]

Thanks so much for your response LDV.  I think you are correct.  I find that insuremytrip website borderline useless.  No real descriptions given. I may actually look into the Oceania policy.  They don’t make you pay for it until final payment. If it’s a couple hundred more or less than competitor may be worth it to just go with them. I like to save money as much as anyone else does, but at a certain point the hassle factor and value of my time just isn’t worth it.  

[klfrodo]

16 hours ago, ShipShapely said:

. They said they would not insure us unless we purchased coverage based upon the full value of the cruise. 

 

I would have to assume that is because you wanted to either waive pre-existing conditions, was looking for Cancel For Any Reason coverage, or both.

Most insurance companies require you to cover all non-refundable trip costs to add those coverages.

 

However, I was in the same boat as you. My websites that I use to compare companies and coverages did not show me a policy that covered what I wanted. I sent an e-mail to Steve at tripinsurancestore and he helped my find a policy that would waive pre-existing conditions but only based on a trip cost of $500 rather than the entire trip cost. (I really only wanted Medical and Evac) ((I can absorb possible cancellation)).    

The caveat is you residency. Each State has it's own insurance commission and regulates what can and what cannot be covered and/or sold.

[ShipShapely]

17 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

 

I would have to assume that is because you wanted to either waive pre-existing conditions, was looking for Cancel For Any Reason coverage, or both.

Most insurance companies require you to cover all non-refundable trip costs to add those coverages.

 

However, I was in the same boat as you. My websites that I use to compare companies and coverages did not show me a policy that covered what I wanted. I sent an e-mail to Steve at tripinsurancestore and he helped my find a policy that would waive pre-existing conditions but only based on a trip cost of $500 rather than the entire trip cost. (I really only wanted Medical and Evac) ((I can absorb possible cancellation)).    

The caveat is you residency. Each State has it's own insurance commission and regulates what can and what cannot be covered and/or sold.

 

Thank you KLFrodo. Our issue is that I have a 91 year old mother. While maybe we can absorb a 12 K loss on the cost of a cruise - I sure would not want to risk that much money. I looked at the policy onine in detail that Oceania has.... (Aon underwrites it) - it does not contain clear language that says you are covered for cancellation due to a family member who is not travelling with you - that is a glaring omission. I am not a lawyer but I can read. In contrast, the Alllianz policies clearly state in two separate paragraphs what is covered for both family members travelling with you and not travelling with you. We don't really have any pre-existing conditions right now = even my mother - that we need to be concerned about.  last cruise Atlas travel provided us with coverage via Allianz that was their own "custom blend" - it allowed pre-existing condition coverage however you did not have to pay for it until you paid the final deposit. If you purchase Allianz on your own - they will not cover you unless you pay for the policy in full within 10 days of initial deposit. That is too soon to cough up that much money imho.  Also, the Citi Advantage American Airline card has excellent medical and evac coverage on it.  This is way too complicated for me. I have a headache now (that may be a pre-existing condition -  😉  ) - thank you for that email - I have written it down for future reference. Take care. Happy sailing. 

[GeezerCouple]

5 hours ago, ShipShapely said:

 

Thank you KLFrodo. Our issue is that I have a 91 year old mother. While maybe we can absorb a 12 K loss on the cost of a cruise - I sure would not want to risk that much money. I looked at the policy onine in detail that Oceania has.... (Aon underwrites it) - it does not contain clear language that says you are covered for cancellation due to a family member who is not travelling with you - that is a glaring omission. I am not a lawyer but I can read. In contrast, the Alllianz policies clearly state in two separate paragraphs what is covered for both family members travelling with you and not travelling with you. We don't really have any pre-existing conditions right now = even my mother - that we need to be concerned about.  last cruise Atlas travel provided us with coverage via Allianz that was their own "custom blend" - it allowed pre-existing condition coverage however you did not have to pay for it until you paid the final deposit. If you purchase Allianz on your own - they will not cover you unless you pay for the policy in full within 10 days of initial deposit. That is too soon to cough up that much money imho.  Also, the Citi Advantage American Airline card has excellent medical and evac coverage on it.  This is way too complicated for me. I have a headache now (that may be a pre-existing condition -  😉  ) - thank you for that email - I have written it down for future reference. Take care. Happy sailing. 

 

If you CALL TripInsuranceStore, that's probably the easiest way. 

Looking at/reading online policy summaries is difficult, plus they don't list everything, no surprise.

 

If you discuss your concerns/issues (e.g., elderly family member not traveling), they can suggest suitable policies, without wasting your time on policies that would fit *your* needs.

 

We have been getting policies through TIS from the insurer Travel Insured, and all of our claims have been paid promptly, including two large ones.

 

And... we've had a concern about my very elderly MIL (approaching 100).  But our previous claims were for us!

... until now.

We are currently in the midst of filing a claim for a missed cruise and land trip, because MIL landed in the ER with heart trouble, shortly before our planned departure.  We were terribly disappointed, of course, but there was no choice given her advanced age and her symptoms/condition.  (She is now back at her assisted living facility, still undergoing testing, but seems more stable now.  Still... at that age...)

 

Also, our policies only require that we insure the amount of the initial payment/deposit.  Then we up the amount whenever necessary when we make another payment.  The biggest payment is at "full/final payment" for the trip, and likewise for the insurance.

 

Let someone like the reps at TIS help you avoid these headaches! 

 

RM