Is there an advantage to buying travel insurance early?

[farjar]

Our final cruise payment is coming up.  We can buy travel insurance at that point or wait until up to 10 days before we sail.  Is there an advantage to buying it early?  I know there is a sliding scale for reimbursement from CCL if we cancel but does travel insurance cover anything prior to the "vacation dates" that are entered when you take the policy out?  Is the policy in effect as soon as you buy it or only when your actual travel begins?  If we buy the insurance now and then cancel the cruise prior to sailing is the insurance cost refundable?  Thanks.  

[sparks1093]

I would check out www.insuremytrip.com for insurance. You can usually get more robust insurance for less than what the cruise line charges. Insurance generally covers from when you leave home until you return home, but if you have to cancel for a covered reason it would pay anything that wasn't reimbursed. If you get your insurance from a third party you might be able to transfer the insurance to a different trip if you have to cancel, but reimbursement of the premium is unlikely to happen. I buy insurance as soon as we book a trip and that can save money over buying it just before the trip, but that is the only savings that I am aware of.

[LHARTWICK]

When you purchase your policy it will say when it goes into effect.  If you should have to cancel the cruise, in my experience, I've been able to move the policy to another cruise. 

[1025cruise]

I always buy third party insurance. I have to buy it after initial deposit since I want CFAR and pre-existing conditions covered.

[TrapperZimmy]

Policies typically cover cancellation for a pre-existing condition only if bought within a few days of the initial booking.  I believe this includes the situation where you have to cancel because a non-traveling parent is gravely ill due to a pre-existing condition.

[DrSea]

Great thread. I am trying to push my older guests into buy insurance.

 

-So if you cancel a cruise before the final payment is due but DON'T book another trip, then what happens if you buy 3rd party insurance?

-If you cancel a cruise before the final payment is due and DO book another trip, then what happens if you buy 3rd party insurance?

-If you CFAR after the final payment date, what happens?

 

Thanks

 

[DanvilleCruiser]

I always buy third party insurance as well since my traveling companion is elderly.  In the unlikely event something happens, I want the most robust coverage as well as pre existing conditions covered.  I think most insurance companies require that you purchase coverage within a set time (14 days?) to cover pre existing conditions.

[sparks1093]

43 minutes ago, DrSea said:

Great thread. I am trying to push my older guests into buy insurance.

 

-So if you cancel a cruise before the final payment is due but DON'T book another trip, then what happens if you buy 3rd party insurance?

-If you cancel a cruise before the final payment is due and DO book another trip, then what happens if you buy 3rd party insurance?

-If you CFAR after the final payment date, what happens?

 

Thanks

 

The answers are probably going to vary by company but I would think as a general rule the premium would not be refunded. Whether or not the fare paid will be transferred to another booking is also subject to each company's policies. If you cancel for any reason and all of your money isn't refunded by the cruise line you should be reimbursed to the maximum allowed under the policy. (All of these statements are general in nature and while I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once I am not an expert.)

[mdsgu]

If I bought Carnival's insurance, can I cancel and buy a more robust third-party plan?  

[sgttami]

If you travel a lot, you can buy an annual policy that covers all your trips, land and sea, and anything in between. Allianz had good deals.

[DanvilleCruiser]

1 hour ago, mdsgu said:

If I bought Carnival's insurance, can I cancel and buy a more robust third-party plan?  

You can only cancel Carnival’s insurance within 10 days of purchasing it according to Carnival’s website.

[ontheweb]

We had a cruise for 2020 that I cancelled before the cruise line (Princess) inevitably cancelled it. We not only got back our refundable deposit, but also the 3rd party insurance, but only because of a ruling by the NY State insurance commissioner. Our TA told me when I asked him that no other state has such a rule.

 

Another time, almost 20 years ago, a river cruise from Amsterdam was chartered out from under us after final payment. We decided to fly to Amsterdam and book a hotel instead. The insurance was transferred, and because the cost was now less (we went for less days and obviously meals were no longer included), they not only transferred the policy, but gave us a small refund (which I had not expected.)

[oyme]

If you plan to buy travel insurance, then why not buy it early? I second using insuremytrip, have had a positive experience, I even had to make a claim on one of my plans. Mind you I had picked the BEST plan I could afford every time, the most comprehensive plan I could afford, but they reimbursed very very well. My cruise was delayed embarkation and then the cruise continued to have issues with Norovirus. We submitted a claim and were very happy with how it paid out, it was more then fair! I don't have exact numbers or the name of the insurer (insuremytrip has a lot of plans from different carriers...) but it's great you get to really shop for what you want in your budget. We always pick one where we can cancel for any reason including our bosses changing their minds last-minute. So far that's never happened, but just in case!