90 year old Mom with pacemaker-help with travel insurance?

[zanydoc]

Hello fellow Royals! I booked a cruise 2 weeks ago inside the final payment window for Allure Oct 1st for my Mom’s 90th birthday cruise and my birthday, too-although not quite as exciting birthday number! I thought I would go ahead and get the travel insurance now, like I always do with my family, but I just didn’t even think about the pre-existing situation that I have now encountered with trying to get it with my Mom added on. She has had a pacemaker for years and takes heart medicine-the same ones for years. Does anyone have any advice or personal experience for what company may provide travel insurance under these circumstances for our cruise? Or are we just SOL? I have contacted my TA as well, but haven’t heard back from her yet, so I thought I’d put the question up to you all. Thanks in advance for any help! 

[ARandomTraveler]

Can you get independent travel insurance (meaning, not through Royal Caribbean) for everyone except your mom, and then get the royal Caribbean insurance for your mom only? I always buy independent insurance, but from what I hear, royal's insurance doesn't discriminate based on age like independent insurance does. 
 

 

Edited August 7, 2022 by ARandomTraveler

[Babr]

If you are beyond the final payment date, you have missed the last opportunity to get third-party insurance that will waive the pre-existing conditions exclusion; however, if her health has been stable during the look-back period, she may be covered. Discuss it with a broker to be sure.

 

 

[travelwide]

Ask Steve at tripinsurancestore.com

 

Also post under the insurance section of CC. I believe he checks in there.

[Babr]

Medicare does not cover the cost of care outside the US. Supplement plans have a lifetime limit of $50,000, which still may not be enough for a serious event. Medicare Advantage plans vary, but no healthcare plan will cover travel risks like cancellation or trip interruption.

 

These provisions are also governed by pre-existing conditions. A stable condition does not disqualify one from coverage, but any reported new symptom, treatment, test, diagnosis, or even a prescription change during the look-back period can be the basis for denial of a claim if it can be tied to the reason for cancellation or interruption.

[Luckynana]

2 hours ago, travelwide said:

Ask Steve at tripinsurancestore.com

 

Also post under the insurance section of CC. I believe he checks in there.

@zanydocI absolutely agree with travelwide!  Steve or Kim will be very happy to help you with all of your questions.  I've been getting our trip/medical insurance with tripinsurance for several years for all of our cruises.  Good luck, and God Bless your Mom! 

[soremekun]

90 years young!  I love it.  I wish her good health and many more years of joyful life.

[Coralc]

Is she in her own stateroom? Your mother and her travel partner will probably need to take cruise line travel insurance because it is not age related. I think you will find (as I did) that 3rd party travel insurance for older people is prohibitively expensive. When we took my mom and her companion to Alaska, we just all took the cruise line insurance for that trip. 

Edited August 8, 2022 by Coralc

[zanydoc]

16 hours ago, travelwide said:

Ask Steve at tripinsurancestore.com

 

Also post under the insurance section of CC. I believe he checks in there.

Thank you all for your responses and help...especially this! I will check with trip insurance store and post in the forum. And just to clarify since there seemed to be some confusion...I am not concerned about my Mom’s fitness to travel. She usually does quite well traveling, but she is after all turning 90 and does have some mobility issues as well as the pacemaker. I always buy trip insurance when we cruise, as well as when I cruise with my husband and son. This  is the first time I’ve booked a cruise within the 90 day final payment window, and didn’t realize I would run into problems getting insurance because of that pre-exsisting condition issue. I  just want to make sure we both are covered if something happens to either of us, especially my Mom. 

Edited August 8, 2022 by zanydoc

[GeezerCouple]

16 minutes ago, zanydoc said:

Thank you all for your responses and help...especially this! I will check with trip insurance store and post in the forum. And just to clarify since there seemed to be some confusion...I am not concerned about my Mom’s fitness to travel. She usually does quite well traveling, but she is after all turning 90 and does have some mobility issues as well as the pacemaker. I always buy trip insurance when we cruise, as well as when I cruise with my husband and son. This  is the first time I’ve booked a cruise within the 90 day final payment window, and didn’t realize I would run into problems getting insurance because of that pre-exsisting condition issue. I  just want to make sure we both are covered if something happens to either of us, especially my Mom. 

 

 

You should *really* browse (and post this) on the travel insurance sub-forum of CC:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/

 

More importantly, you should call Steve and colleagues at TIS as soon as possible!

 

There is a deadline for getting coverage that automatically does not exclude pre-existing conditions.  (That double negative-speak means that pre-existing conditions are included in the coverage.). The traveler must be fit to travel on the day the insurance is started.

 

The deadline (usually within 10-20 days of the FIRST payment, refundable or not) depends at least in part upon the state of residence.

 

If that deadline is missed, then as mentioned above, since you've already made final payment, the other possibility of "not excluding" pre-existing condtions is out for this trip. (Note:  That is a company that offers that coverage if purchased no later than within 24 hours of final payment, or something very similar to that rule.)

 

Good luck!

 

GC

[LGW59]

32 minutes ago, zanydoc said:

Thank you all for your responses and help...especially this! I will check with trip insurance store and post in the forum. And just to clarify since there seemed to be some confusion...I am not concerned about my Mom’s fitness to travel. She usually does quite well traveling, but she is after all turning 90 and does have some mobility issues as well as the pacemaker. I always buy trip insurance when we cruise, as well as when I cruise with my husband and son. This  is the first time I’ve booked a cruise within the 90 day final payment window, and didn’t realize I would run into problems getting insurance because of that pre-exsisting condition issue. I  just want to make sure we both are covered if something happens to either of us, especially my Mom. 

Just FYI, I got my policy thru AXA, Nationwide is the underwriter.  I opted for the pre-existing condition coverage and it did not add very $$ to the premium.  Overall, the insurance cost is about 9% of the total cost of the cruise.

[zanydoc]

On 8/7/2022 at 7:46 PM, Coralc said:

Is she in her own stateroom? Your mother and her travel partner will probably need to take cruise line travel insurance because it is not age related. I think you will find (as I did) that 3rd party travel insurance for older people is prohibitively expensive. When we took my mom and her companion to Alaska, we just all took the cruise line insurance for that trip. 

We are sharing a room. Oddly, I never really considered buying the Royal travel insurance and I don’t even know how to go about getting it. I never book my cruises directly through Royal and I always just buy the insurance on my own. Is that something my TA can do, or can I somehow do it on line through the Royal website? 

Edited August 9, 2022 by zanydoc

[LGW59]

39 minutes ago, zanydoc said:

We are sharing a room. Oddly, I never really considered buying the Royal travel insurance and I don’t even know how to go about getting it. I never book my cruises directly through Royal and I always just buy the insurance on my own. Is that something my TA can do, or can I somehow do it on line through the Royal website? 

Your TA can definitely assist getting it started but I’d suggest carefully reviewing it either way just like you’d do with any policy.  Even though I opted for my own insurance my TA was very helpful with a couple of recommendations for non cruise line carriers.  Good luck and I hope you and your mom have a fabulous 90th birthday cruise!!

[Hlitner]

First of all I would never rely on a travel/cruise agent for insurance advice.  They often will no less about insurance than you and it is likely that their agency only sells the policy of 1 company for which they earn a nice commission.   If you need professional advice you should call a travel insurance professional (Steve Dasseos has already been suggested and hHanke is an expert).  But we are talking about a 90 year old with some pre-exisiting conditions (I would venture that nearly every 90 year old has multiple pre existing conditions).  Many polices will not cover somebody of that age and if they do, the cost will reflect the age (Steve can certainly write a book about this topic).  At that age the best option may be buying the insurance offered by the cruise line since they do not age adjust the price.  I am not a fan of the policies sold by cruise lines (they generally do not have enough medical coverage for my taste) but at 90 this might be the way to go.

 

But since the cruise has already been purchased (and the insurance option not selected) I would vote to call Steve (tripinsurance.com) and seek his advice.

 

Hank

 

 

[Host Kat]

 

The OP has reposted on the correct forum, so this thread is locked. They have also emailed Steve at tripinsurancestore.com.