Travel Insurance

[Babr]

20 minutes ago, t18c97 said:

Please see the prior post. Thanks 

It is not just you. It applies to traveling partners and family members. Take some time to read the definition of Pre-Existing Condition on page 47.

[GeezerCouple]

7 hours ago, Big_G said:

 

We took that into consideration and having hit the 50 cruises milestone without personal incident or injury we decided if we had to take advantage of that benefit, we would just purchase additional insurance a la carte for the remaining cruises. Short answer, your thinking is not wrong.

 

We considered this, about "what if" we used up some/most/all of an annual policy before the year was up, and still had other trips planned.

It very likely would be too late for us to then first arrange to purchase the type of coverage we prefer.

 

Also, IIRC, the total amounts and the types of coverage with the annual policies just didn't work for the type of insurance we want.

 

We have had several claims, including a few large ones.

Fortunately, one of the first things we learned here on CC was about... travel insurance.

And one of our largest claims was for that very first cruise, when DH had a medical emergency just about 2 weeks before we were supposed to leave home.

 

Thanks *again* to those here on CC who helped us learn about this insurance!

 

GC

[Bo1953]

11 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

We considered this, about "what if" we used up some/most/all of an annual policy before the year was up, and still had other trips planned.

It very likely would be too late for us to then first arrange to purchase the type of coverage we prefer.

 

Also, IIRC, the total amounts and the types of coverage with the annual policies just didn't work for the type of insurance we want.

 

We have had several claims, including a few large ones.

Fortunately, one of the first things we learned here on CC was about... travel insurance.

And one of our largest claims was for that very first cruise, when DH had a medical emergency just about 2 weeks before we were supposed to leave home.

 

Thanks *again* to those here on CC who helped us learn about this insurance!

 

GC

Thank you gc for sharing your experience(s) with CC members about travel insurance and its' importance.

 

bon voyage

[PennStateMom]

I have a Chase Sapphire Preferred - just as a point of information, pre-existing condition does have a definition in the full benefits description (see below).  So my interpretation is as long as you haven't seen a physician for 60 days prior to booking or had active treatment for the condition, the policy still covers.  Example: if you take medication for heart disease and take medication for such, as long as you have not had treatment for 60 days prior to booking, you would still be covered.  Am I reading this correctly?

 

Pre–existing Condition – illness, disease or accidental injury

of You or Your Traveling Companion, Your Immediate Family Member or the Immediate Family Member of Your Traveling Companion, for which medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment was recommended or received within the sixty (60) day period immediately prior to the initial deposit or booking date (whichever occurs first) of a Trip; the taking of prescription drugs or medication for a controlled condition throughout this sixty (60) day period

will not be considered to be a treatment of illness or disease; additionally, regular antenatal care, through twenty–six (26) weeks gestation, provided it is a single, uncomplicated pregnancy which does not arise from services or treatment associated with an assisted reproductive program, including but not limited to in vitro fertilization, is not considered to be a treatment of illness or disease

[Babr]

As long as the condition is stable, it is not considered in the pre-existing exclusion.

Any other test, treatment, symptom, or diagnosis in that window can be considered if it can be related to your reason for cancellation/interruption.

 

Also check on all those other people listed in that provision to be sure they have not had any events during the sixty-day look back, especially if you have elderly or ill family members.

[GeezerCouple]

Just be *very* careful with ALL of the fine print.

 

In some travel insurance, the pre-existing condition statement about something like "taking of prescription drugs or medication for a controlled condition" may also include something like no change in the recommended dosage, too.

That means that the X days before starting insurance is NOT a good time to go for a check-up if there is a chance that the physician might do some tests and then recommend something like, "let's just up that thyroid medication by..." <10%> or something relatively minor.

 

That probably indicates nothing of importance about one's physical condition for travel, or even for anything, but... IF there is a claim, and IF the insurer can find grounds to deny the claim, chances are very good they will do so.

 

This is also a reason why having no exclusion for pre-existing conditions can speed up the claims process for something based upon a medical reason.  There would be no reason to request medical records to check for any such "changes within the past X days".  None of that would be relevant, if pre-existing conditions aren't relevant.

 

Don't forget, one needs to be "fit for travel" on the day the travel insurance is started.  That's another reason not to wait to start the coverage.  Yes, some policies may allow starting coverage within, say, 24 hours of final payment.  But IF one is sick then and one has already incurred some non-refundable expenses......

 

We always start the insurance as soon as we make the deposit.  Only the deposit amount needs to be insured, and one can up the coverage as non-refundable costs are added.

 

GC

[SuziQ1]

On 1/17/2023 at 8:31 PM, VernRDH said:

Since we are now cruising/travelling multiple times per year, we opted for a yearly plan through Allianz. I hope we never have to use it, but we do feel better knowing we have it.

We usually use Travel Insured and after many trips we needed to make a claim.  They made us jump through many hoops and after many months finally paid just a small amount.  With them, we had to insure everything so each time we added hotels, airfare, excursions etc, had to increase amounts insured.  I guess my question is how does Allianz yearly coverage work?  Is there a set limit for the year?  We just booked today and TI usually requires us to book  within 14 days to cover any pre existing conditions.  TIA

[klfrodo]

42 minutes ago, SuziQ1 said:

We usually use Travel Insured and after many trips we needed to make a claim.  They made us jump through many hoops and after many months finally paid just a small amount.  With them, we had to insure everything so each time we added hotels, airfare, excursions etc, had to increase amounts insured.  I guess my question is how does Allianz yearly coverage work?  Is there a set limit for the year?  We just booked today and TI usually requires us to book  within 14 days to cover any pre existing conditions.  TIA

Many of these requirements are regulated by the State of your residency not necessarily by the Insurance company you use. My state doesn't require these stipulations when purchasing a policy that waives pre-existing conditions.

[Jersey42]

57 minutes ago, SuziQ1 said:

my question is how does Allianz yearly coverage work?  Is there a set limit for the year?  We just booked today and TI usually requires us to book  within 14 days to cover any pre existing conditions.  TIA

Allianz offers four different annual plans.  Here are some of the highlights for the most expensive one (All Trips Premier with the maximum cancellation/interruption available).

• Max trip length - 90 days
• Max trip cancelation and interruption benefit - $15K per year
• Medical - $50K per trip
• Emergency Medical Transportation - $500K per trip
• Preexisting condition lookback - 120 days
• Preexisting condition waiver if you purchase within 14 days of the first trip deposit (annual renewals are also covered)

 

For me, the $50K medical is not enough.  It may be fine for those with other good foreign emergency medical coverage or a higher risk tolerance.  The $15K cancelation coverage is not enough for some.  It all depends on the quantity of trips, the cost of the trips and your risk tolerance.

 

These are the terms for most states. As @klfrodo just posted, always look at the policy for your state or any variances to the general policy for your state. 

 

Also, if you have any Future Cruise Credits, be sure to understand how they are handled if you book a trip with the FCCs.  I don't know for the Allianz annual policies.

Edited January 24, 2023 by Jersey42

[SuziQ1]

31 minutes ago, Jersey42 said:

Allianz offers four different annual plans.  Here are some of the highlights for the most expensive one (All Trips Premier with the maximum cancellation/interruption available).

• Max trip length - 90 days
• Max trip cancelation and interruption benefit - $15K per year
• Medical - $50K per trip
• Emergency Medical Transportation - $500K per trip
• Preexisting condition lookback - 120 days
• Preexisting condition waiver if you purchase within 14 days of the first trip deposit (annual renewals are also covered)

 

For me, the $50K medical is not enough.  It may be fine for those with other good foreign emergency medical coverage or a higher risk tolerance.  The $15K cancelation coverage is not enough for some.  It all depends on the quantity of trips, the cost of the trips and your risk tolerance.

 

These are the terms for most states. As @klfrodo just posted, always look at the policy for your state or any variances to the general policy for your state. 

 

Also, if you have any Future Cruise Credits, be sure to understand how they are handled if you book a trip with the FCCs.  I don't know for the Allianz annual policies.

Thanks so much Jersey42!  I agree about the 50k.  We have never needed it but just want the peace They are all good until you file a claim

[skoeper]

On 1/18/2023 at 1:31 PM, dada2199cc said:

I invest the insurance policy value for every cruise and flight I take, and now I'm at a point where the investment could start paying for my cruises and flights if it was in a dividend ETF.

 

14 years of socking away that $80 here, $230 there, and it's become a sizeable investment.

 

Insurance is gambling for those who are bad at math but Trust The Experts™.  Even as I get older, it still makes no sense to me.  Maybe if I traveled only once a year?  

What scares me is the emergency evacuation from the ship.  and then being in a foreign hospital that might not have the latest medical knowledge.   I know of one case where someone had to be airlifted to a nearby port and that cost alone was over $100,000.   Ya just never know.....

Edited January 28, 2023 by skoeper