Booked cruise more than two years out and insurance?

[LadyBerard]

We booked a cruise for August 2023.  I would need a policy that covers preexisting (so usually have to book it within a couple  weeks of deposit, which we deposited last week).  I'm finding that the travel insurance companies don't let you purchase that far out.  I'm looking for recommendations on what to do so we are covered.  

[Babr]

4 minutes ago, LadyBerard said:

We booked a cruise for August 2023.  I would need a policy that covers preexisting (so usually have to book it within a couple  weeks of deposit, which we deposited last week).  I'm finding that the travel insurance companies don't let you purchase that far out.  I'm looking for recommendations on what to do so we are covered.  

There are a number of policies that let you purchase at final payment and still cover pre-existing conditions. There are some restrictions, of course. I don’t remember all of them, but one is that you must be able to travel at the time of purchase.

 

An advantage of purchasing later is that the cost of the insurance is not at risk if you have to cancel before final payment. If you had found a company to sell you a policy now, the cost would likely not be refunded but perhaps applied to a different cruise. That may or may not work for you.

 

You can do some research at insuremytrip.com. Their search engine allows you to narrow the search to policies that cover pre-existing. Nationwide is one provider that comes to mind, but there are others.

[iamtrustworthy]

5 hours ago, LadyBerard said:

We booked a cruise for August 2023.  I would need a policy that covers preexisting (so usually have to book it within a couple  weeks of deposit, which we deposited last week).  I'm finding that the travel insurance companies don't let you purchase that far out.  I'm looking for recommendations on what to do so we are covered.  

Hi LadyBerard,

 

There are policies that you may buy now to cover trips up to 2.5 years in the future.

 

You can also insure just the deposit now and add to the coverage later and still have the pre-existing conditions coverage.

 

I'm doing a Q & A here on CruiseCritic that will help you better understand how travel insurance works. This re-opened yesterday and started in Dec 2020:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2500-qa-cruise-insurance-with-the-tripinsurancestorecom-june-2021/

 

Steve Dasseos

[LadyBerard]

13 hours ago, iamtrustworthy said:

Hi LadyBerard,

 

There are policies that you may buy now to cover trips up to 2.5 years in the future.

 

You can also insure just the deposit now and add to the coverage later and still have the pre-existing conditions coverage.

 

I'm doing a Q & A here on CruiseCritic that will help you better understand how travel insurance works. This re-opened yesterday and started in Dec 2020:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2500-qa-cruise-insurance-with-the-tripinsurancestorecom-june-2021/

 

Steve Dasseos

I am just interested in purchasing medical and evac insurance, as we will be driving to the pier in Boston and only cruising to Bermuda.

[Jersey42]

On 6/24/2021 at 7:44 AM, LadyBerard said:

I am just interested in purchasing medical and evac insurance, as we will be driving to the pier in Boston and only cruising to Bermuda.

Have you looked at the GeoBlue plans? Most cover pre-existing conditions and can be purchased as late as a day before your trip begins.  Depending on the length of your trip or if you plan multiple trips in a one year period, the annual plans (Trekker) sometimes make more sense than the single trip plans (Voyageur). These are emergency medical and medical evac plans only.  If evac is very important to you, make sure you read the terms and conditions to be sure you are comfortable with the limitations.

 

"If a Covered Person suffers a sudden accident or unforeseen illness, resulting in a life-threatening/limb-threatening medical condition, and We, or Our designee’s medical director, determines that adequate medical facilities are not available locally, We, or Our designee, will arrange for an emergency evacuation to the nearest or most appropriate provider capable of providing adequate care, without which there would be a significant risk of death or serious impairment."

[OceanPatter]

Sorry for duplicating this post on another thread. I was told that in order to get the pre-existing medical condition coverage, the policy must be purchased within a certain number of days from the cruise deposit. However, if the pre-existing medical condition is waived, there doesn't seem to be a time limit on when the insurance needs to be purchased.

 

Jersey42--I wasn't aware that the pre-existing condition coverage could be purchased as late as a day before the trip begins ... this is contrary to what two insurance agents have told me. Can you please confirm/clarify? Thanks.

[Suzanne123]

https://geobluetravelinsurance.com/products/multi-trip/trekker-5-overview.cfm

[Jersey42]

10 hours ago, OceanPatter said:

Jersey42--I wasn't aware that the pre-existing condition coverage could be purchased as late as a day before the trip begins ... this is contrary to what two insurance agents have told me. Can you please confirm/clarify? Thanks.

The GeoBlue plans are for emergency medical and medical evac only.  The single trip Voyageur Choice plan as well as the annual Trekker plans can be purchased up to one day before your departure date as per their FAQs.  These plans all require that you have a current primary US health insurance plan (such as employer coverage or Medicare). These GeoBlue plans cover pre-existing conditions.  The previous poster posted a link to the details. 

 

If you are interested in a comprehensive travel insurance plan, then most plans require you purchase the policy within x days of your initial payment in order to be covered for pre-existing conditions.  There are some exceptions such as the one @klfrodo mentioned in the other thread which lets you purchase up to final payment date.

Edited June 26, 2021 by Jersey42

[OceanPatter]

Thank you, Jersey42 and Suzanne123. Forgive me for my basic questions, as we've always waived travel insurance. Because of our ages and an upcoming Antarctica cruise, insurance now seems prudent.

 

Some of the GeoBlue plans seem to duplicate MedJet's coverage for evacuation. We're actually seeking broader coverage for the risk of a medical issue/accident that prevents us from going on the cruise (after final payment). The insurance would mitigate the loss of money spent on the cruise. I know that some credit cards will cover up to $20,000 of the trip cost (for two people), but we need to insure for more.

 

What have you done, or would advise? Thank you.

 

[Jersey42]

1 hour ago, OceanPatter said:

Thank you, Jersey42 and Suzanne123. Forgive me for my basic questions, as we've always waived travel insurance. Because of our ages and an upcoming Antarctica cruise, insurance now seems prudent.

 

Some of the GeoBlue plans seem to duplicate MedJet's coverage for evacuation. We're actually seeking broader coverage for the risk of a medical issue/accident that prevents us from going on the cruise (after final payment). The insurance would mitigate the loss of money spent on the cruise. I know that some credit cards will cover up to $20,000 of the trip cost (for two people), but we need to insure for more.

 

What have you done, or would advise? Thank you.

You will need to look at a comprehensive travel insurance plan in order to get the cancelation coverage you describe.  If you need to cover what the insurance companies define as "pre-existing conditions", and you are well past your initial cruise deposit, then you need to find a policy that lets you purchase up to final payment date.  One such policy was mentioned in the other thread.  If you are sure you have no pre-existing conditions (as defined by the insurance policy), then you have a lot more choices. 

 

I would call www.tripinsurancestore.com ( @iamtrustworthy) and talk with Steve Dasseos or one of his staff.  They will spend time with you and then recommend a plan that works best for you.  If you prefer to do your own research, there are some other sites that let you search among many policies.

 

When comparing identical policies, the cost will be the same no matter who you buy from.  The premium will be based on the cost of the trip and your ages. 

 

All of the plans will include medical evacuation coverage, but MedJet Assist will offer more liberal coverage than any of the comprehensive plans that I have seen.  (It is also better than GeoBlue's evacuation coverage.)

 

This is only a brief overview as there are so many variables.  A knowledgeable broker is invaluable.

Edited June 26, 2021 by Jersey42

[OceanPatter]

Thank you, Jersey42, for your informative reply.

[iamtrustworthy]

On 6/24/2021 at 6:44 AM, LadyBerard said:

I am just interested in purchasing medical and evac insurance, as we will be driving to the pier in Boston and only cruising to Bermuda.

Hi LadyBerard,

 

The Geo Blue plans are good, but you can't buy them until your trip's closer.

 

They cover pre-existing conditions so there's no good reason to buy them way in advance.

 

Steve Dasseos

Edited June 26, 2021 by iamtrustworthy
typo

[LadyBerard]

I ended up purchasing Travel Insured International through insuremytrip.com.  I also just put "0" as our trip cost, as we are just interested in getting medical coverage.

[iamtrustworthy]

3 hours ago, LadyBerard said:

I ended up purchasing Travel Insured International through insuremytrip.com.  I also just put "0" as our trip cost, as we are just interested in getting medical coverage.

Hi LadyBerard,

 

Did insuremytrip guarantee that you will be covered for pre-existing conditions? If not, contact them and have them put it in writing.

 

Steve Dasseos

[LadyBerard]

1 hour ago, iamtrustworthy said:

Hi LadyBerard,

 

Did insuremytrip guarantee that you will be covered for pre-existing conditions? If not, contact them and have them put it in writing.

 

Steve Dasseos

Before I purchased the plan, I clicked on "preexisting medical."  To make sure, I called Travel Insured International today, and was advised that we were covered for preexisting medical, as we purchased within 21 days of deposit, and that even though we put down "0" for the cost, we were covered for preexisting medical.  Just made the deadline.

[klfrodo]

38 minutes ago, LadyBerard said:

Before I purchased the plan, I clicked on "preexisting medical."  To make sure, I called Travel Insured International today, and was advised that we were covered for preexisting medical, as we purchased within 21 days of deposit, and that even though we put down "0" for the cost, we were covered for preexisting medical.  Just made the deadline.

Just for future reference, whether you put $0 trip cost or $500 trip cost, your price would have been the same. In most cases, the insurance cost changes at the $500 increment change. A trip cost of $501 would have increased the cost but remained the same up to $1000, and so on and so on.

 

I use the $500 trip cost because #1 the price is the same as if I put $0 and #2, if there is a slight problem during the trip and I run into an extra night of hotel or a plane ticket change fee, or some other incident,,,, I can recoup at least some of my loss.

[LadyBerard]

Thanks, I will keep that in mind.  Fortunately, for this trip, there will be no air and  no hotel.  45 min. drive to Boston to cruise to Bermuda.  🙂

[NW Pacific]

Trawick Ins. according to what I read and checked with inusuremytrip, will provide coverage for  preexisting conditions if purchased before final payment.?? do not have to purchase within a certain number of days of first deposit