Travel Insurance-Don't leave home w/o it!

[SEPyle]

Here's a subject that always causes one to have to decide: Do I or don't I purchase it. It's also one that has hit very close to home because after months and months of planning and preperation, our 5/20 sailing of the Summit was cancelled by the cruise line due to mechanical problems. Thank goodness I purchased travel protection! I happen to be a TA, so I've had many clients who have either been very glad they had insurance and unfortunatley many who wished they had coverage when plans are changed by some unexpected event.

 

I've decided to start this thread because most of us on this board are here because we are cruising to Alaska and going the independent route for pre or post touring of the interior of Alaska. An independent land tour is a MAJOR reason for purchasing insurance because so many tour operaters require deposit or payment in full before departure.

 

Another important thing to remember is that travel insurance won't help if you've booked your insurance thru the cruise line because that insurance will only protect you for the cruise and IF you have purchased air and land package thru the cruise line as well. An advantage though of insurance thru the cruise line is that it is most always less expensive and not dependent on the age of the traveler. In my opinion it's only an option of if AIR and a Land Package is purchased thru the cruise line. Independent coverage includes air purchased on your own as well as any money you'll lose on the land tour if you have a covered reason for cancelling the trip.

 

In my case, since we had the insurance, The ONLY extra cost to me is the difference between what I paid originally for air, and the current price of a ticket. Since the cruise line is paying the ticket change fee it's not that bad. Celebrity has already refunded the cost of our cruise back to our credit card and we're getting the cruise in August at NO charge. Yes, that's the great part, but trust me re-booking everything and calling every tour operater has been a major challenge and verytime consuming. All in all, everything is falling into place, but I when I got word just a week and a half before our much anticipated cruise I was devistated!

 

One last thing...Even if you're leaving on your trip tomorrow, it's not too late to purchase independent insurance. As others have mentioned, a great site to compare coverage is: insuremytrip dot com. I will say though that compare those rates to the rates offered by the agency you used to purchase your cruise. In our case, coverage is less than what you pay on your own, because of negotiated rates between our agency and the travel insurance company.

 

So do your homework and compare coverage, rates and one last very important issue. Make sure your coverage begins not just when your cruise departs and returns, but for when you leave your house until you return home! If that's not the case, a simple call to the insurance company will be all that's needed!

 

I know this is a long post, but I feel an important issue!

[tapia]

Thanks for the information!!!

[NancyIL]

I'm sorry your cruise was cancelled at the last minute, but I'm glad you were able to reschedule!

 

How much extra insurance coverage did you purchase to cover independent tours?

[CStorm]

It's ironic to me that you posted this b/c just this morning I bought insurance through the website you suggested. It covers our cruise, our excursions (booked independently) and our hotels pre-cruise in 2 different cities along with travel delay, baggage delay, etc. The cost was a mere $150 for both DH and myself. A small price to pay for piece of my, JMHO.

[Cachecara]

SEPyle: thanks for the info! :)

[Lynda90]

I just went to the website but could not actually find what I was looking for. Can any of you make some recommendations of the actual company names that cover cost of cruise, airfare, hotel and tours as well as medical.

Thank you!

[SEPyle]

Several of the companies who offer independent coverage (which will cover your cruise; air; tour; & medical are CSA Travel Protection; Travel Guard; and Access America.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Sharon

[the cruise is on]

I second the motion to buy travel insurance. A couple years ago, we had several fall trips planned. In August of that year, my father was diagnosed with a inoperable brain tumor. There was a lot of paper work involved, but because I had purchased travel insurance for each trip, I recovered all of the money we had paid in advance including monies for unused airline tickets.

 

I would have lost every penny to see that we were with him for his last days. But, it was nice to have that insurance protection. After that experience, I would never take a trip without the insurance.

[Lynda90]

Several of the companies who offer independent coverage (which will cover your cruise; air; tour; & medical are CSA Travel Protection; Travel Guard; and Access America.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Sharon

Thank you, Sharon. This really helped. I think that CSA Travel Protection appears to have the coverage I am looking for. The price seems really good as well. I am still wavering about the Pricess Travel Care. Being Elite, I would get the "gold" package for the "standard" package cost. And it does cover cancellation for any reason.

[Sandy R]

Lynda... we are also Elite and therefore can buy the Princess Gold coverage at the standard coverage price. I had my DH compare Princess Gold and CSA Travel Protection, and CSA won by a mile. Also, we can't insure our independent air and other incidentals pre-purchased, with Princess Gold... an important factor. Whenever we cruise, we take CSA. Thanks goodness we've not had to use it but I've heard such good things about it, I have the peace of mind that if we do need it, it's there for us, covering our trip fully.

 

Sandy

[Lynda90]

Sandy, thanks for the endorsement. That pretty much did it for me and I have been swayed to CSA. I have independent airfare booked as well as hotels at both ends of cruise and tours. It is also cheaper since I think I can consider my b2b cruise as one travel package with CSA (I hope). With Princess, I would have to purchase a package for each cruise.

 

Do you usually purchase it at final payment or?

[Sandy R]

Well, usually I do purchase the insurance a few days before final cruise payment. But for our upcoming cruise in September, I purchased non-refundable air to Anchorage the beginning of the year, so I could upgrade to First Class with miles (only 4 seats in F class). Good move, too, cause the air really went up in price. Anyway, I called CSA and asked them if I could take insurance to cover our air and then at final payment of our cruise, add that amount to our policy. They told me yes and helped me set it up. And, if I decide at a later date, I can also cover non-refundable hotel and private guide costs, etc. as well.

 

Sandy

[Coral]

I am big into buying independent insurance (Access America is my choice). They paid a claim within 7-10 days for me once when I had to cancel. Since I (almost) always book air, hotel and excursions privately - private insurance is definitely the way to go for me.

[SEPyle]

Very interesting. I didn't want to say specificially which company I prefer, but it wasn't by chance what order I listed each company!;) The one you both have chosen has great coverage and in my experience when there's a loss, they offer great customer service! In my opinion, that's as important as coverage!

 

You can purchase the insurance any time up till you leave your house, however once you go into penalty phase, that's when you need coverage. Key is if something happens and then you decided to purchase...at that point it's too late!

[Lynda90]

Thanks again, Sandy. Good information. Both my airline tickets and hotel are non-refundable. I think I will purchase the insurance around final payment. I don't have any pre-existing conditions, so I'm not worried about that.

Theresa, thanks for the information from you, too. Are you home now? If so, welcome back! We missed you.

 

SEPyle, thanks for your info as well. Sound like I'm going in the right direction.

[#1survivorfan]

can you give the website you are talking about?

[Lynda90]

can you give the website you are talking about?

Here you go: http://www.insuremytrip.com

[greatam]

Well, usually I do purchase the insurance a few days before final cruise payment. But for our upcoming cruise in September, I purchased non-refundable air to Anchorage the beginning of the year, so I could upgrade to First Class with miles (only 4 seats in F class). Good move, too, cause the air really went up in price. Anyway, I called CSA and asked them if I could take insurance to cover our air and then at final payment of our cruise, add that amount to our policy. They told me yes and helped me set it up. And, if I decide at a later date, I can also cover non-refundable hotel and private guide costs, etc. as well.

 

Sandy

 

Three things-1. CSA is NOT primary coverage. IF you have baggage lost, you must turn it into your homeowner's or renter's insurance first. Same thing with medical-you MUST turn it into your primary health care insurer first, THEN CSA will pay anything left over.

 

Anytime you are looking at policies on insuremytrip.com, anything that is in yellow or peach is SECONDARY coverage. You will have to turn in the claim to your own insurance company first, THEN the travel insurance will pay off. Could raise your homeowner's if you turned in a claim for lost or damaged baggage OR a medical claim may make you ineligible if you change jobs or policies for medical or the claim may raise your premiums.

 

2. FF tickets, upgrades with miles, etc. are treated as "freebies" by travel insurance companies. There is NO reimbursement for any miles based ticket, other than the redeposit fee. They will cover the original ticket (if purchased), but any upgrades, NO.

 

3. Medical EVACUATION (included in medical in most policies) is probably the MOST important. Medicare does not cover medical evacuation, as well as a lot of company and private medical policies. We have a company policy with BC/BS. Medical evacuation adds almost $300.00 per year, per employee. Not worth it for most employees. But on a cruise, you may have to be evacuated to a hospital. Please check your own policy.

 

I personally have purchased 9 Travelex Lite policies since August 2005. I like the fact that they are primary coverage, I can add EXTRA med evac (I travel to some strange places for business) and there is a small death benefit. Not to be morbid, but if something happened while I was overseas, this small amount ($10,000) would guarantee my body would be flown back to the US with no extra charges for my heirs to pay.

[greatam]

Thanks again, Sandy. Good information. Both my airline tickets and hotel are non-refundable. I think I will purchase the insurance around final payment. I don't have any pre-existing conditions, so I'm not worried about that.

Theresa, thanks for the information from you, too. Are you home now? If so, welcome back! We missed you.

 

SEPyle, thanks for your info as well. Sound like I'm going in the right direction.

 

The pre existing conditions clause applies not only to you, but to your immediate family. Anyone have a heart condtion, diabetes, COPD, etc? All pre existing conditions.

[Lynda90]

The pre existing conditions clause applies not only to you, but to your immediate family. Anyone have a heart condtion, diabetes, COPD, etc? All pre existing conditions.

So, are you saying that if I have an immediate family member who has been diagnosed with cancer a year ago (not on cruise with me), dies while I am on a cruise or after final payment has been made, the insurance won't cover me terminating the cruise? If that's the case sounds like I'd be better off with Princess Gold where I can cancel for any reason.

[SEPyle]

The pre existing conditions clause applies not only to you, but to your immediate family. Anyone have a heart condtion, diabetes, COPD, etc? All pre existing conditions.

 

In most Travel Protection policies this is true. The exception is CSA. Since the last thing I want to do is give out wrong information, I made a call to comfirm this fact. The rep did say though that the condition of the non-traveling person has to be stable (ie, not termanal). What that means (as explained by the rep) is that if you purchase a policy and know the family member has a terminal diagnosis and that time frame is within the time you're away, you won't be covered. Actually it's the same case if a person buys a life insurance policy when they know their condition is terminal.

 

In addition, baggage coverage is secondary meaning existing a claim would have to first be submitted to homeowners, however the deductable would be covered by the Travel insurance.

 

Hope this helps.

[Lynda90]

In most Travel Protection policies this is true. The exception is CSA. Since the last thing I want to do is give out wrong information, I made a call to comfirm this fact. The rep did say though that the condition of the non-traveling person has to be stable (ie, not termanal). What that means (as explained by the rep) is that if you purchase a policy and know the family member has a terminal diagnosis and that time frame is within the time you're away, you won't be covered. Actually it's the same case if a person buys a life insurance policy when they know their condition is terminal.

 

In addition, baggage coverage is secondary meaning existing a claim would have to first be submitted to homeowners, however the deductable would be covered by the Travel insurance.

 

Hope this helps.

Thank you. That certainly clears things up. Family member's cancer is under control and is expected to lived for a number of years to come. Not too worried about the baggage protection. That's not all that important and I do believe my homeowner's policy will cover that. Nice to know the deductable is covered since I think it's $500. Thanks so much for checking.;)

[NancyIL]

I have also purchased Travelex Travel Lite for my cruises. My sister was supposed to cruise with me last April and had to cancel 4 days before when her husband required quadruple bypass surgery. Travelex reimbursed her completely, although they weren't particularly speedy about it (took about 6 weeks, methinks). I have always purchased the insurance within the 21-day window to have pre-existing conditions and financial default covered. If I were buying insurance beyond that window, I'd go with CSA - but you have to buy the insurance within 24 hours of making your final payment to have pre-existing conditions covered.

[SEPyle]

Actually Nancy, check with whoever booked your cruise. We're a large agency and have what they call a custom product. In our case, there's no extra charge for pre-existing coverage, only that it needs to be booked within 14 days of 1st deposit. Oh one other thing I just thougth of...in our case, It's only a pre-existing condition if a person has been to the Dr within 60 day prior to purchasing the policy for that condition. If there are long term conditions, and no change of meds within the prior 60 days, it's NOT pre-existing. In my case, I have arthritis and last fall had a flare-up. I didn't purchase travel insurance till March so my condition is not pre-existing. Hope that makes sense.

 

I'm saying all this to say: Read your policy and if you have questions call whatever company you purchased it thru and ask questions.

[tapia]

I have also purchased Travelex Travel Lite for my cruises.

 

Also, if you are calling insure my trip, make sure you talk to someone knowledgable. For instance, I asked about the above policy and was told that it doesn't cover separate excursions cancelled by weather-related problems.

 

Then I was told it did later by another person. I'm still 1/2 confused and will have to call again.

 

One more: Does anyone know if Access America is primary coverage?