Need your help with Insurance Stategy

[luvocean9]

I am booked for a cruise Dec 1. We have prepaid airfare; not refundable. I have not bought insurance yet. We are booked through a travel agent.

 

Now I am diagnosed with cancer. However, I might still be able to make my cruise as it falls after treatment and surgery. But there is a chance that complications arise and then I can't make it.

 

Can you guys help me figure out a way to get insurance such that if I pay the full fare on Sept 1 and then cannot make the cruise I could get my cruise money back? How can I get around pre-existing conditions?

 

Thanks.

[hdawson]

I'm afraid you would be out of luck. Don't expect the doctor to risk his license to practice by lying on a claim form for your failure to insure against such risks.

[GoinCruisin]

Most pre existing policies out there require you to purchase the policy within 2 weeks of booking your cruise... so I think you are out of luck :( Good luck with your surgery and treatment!!

[bubbles1209]

When did you make the initial payment? That's where the answer is gonna be at. Insure my trip dot com. Go there. Different policies give different time limits. For instance, if you made your initial payment, and plan a says you have to take out the insurance within 21 days of your initial payment, then if you put down your initial payment on the 1st, you could purchase insurance from them on the 22nd or before, and be covered for pre-existing conditions. Check it out, it's worth a try. We got our trip insurance through them when we went on our June cruise. Good luck:)

[Cuizer2]

I am booked for a cruise Dec 1. We have prepaid airfare; not refundable. I have not bought insurance yet. We are booked through a travel agent.

 

Now I am diagnosed with cancer. However, I might still be able to make my cruise as it falls after treatment and surgery. But there is a chance that complications arise and then I can't make it.

 

Can you guys help me figure out a way to get insurance such that if I pay the full fare on Sept 1 and then cannot make the cruise I could get my cruise money back? How can I get around pre-existing conditions?

 

Thanks.

 

Given what you say, if you were an underwriter for an insurance company, would you be willing to insure you?

[TBR]

I am booked for a cruise Dec 1. We have prepaid airfare; not refundable. I have not bought insurance yet. We are booked through a travel agent.

 

Now I am diagnosed with cancer. However, I might still be able to make my cruise as it falls after treatment and surgery. But there is a chance that complications arise and then I can't make it.

 

Can you guys help me figure out a way to get insurance such that if I pay the full fare on Sept 1 and then cannot make the cruise I could get my cruise money back? How can I get around pre-existing conditions?

 

Thanks.

What you are trying to do is called Fraud,you had the chance to buy insurance,but now that you know you have cancer,you want to buy it now so you don't lose.

[superbonnie]

Hi Sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with cancer. I can understand where you are as DH has been through it three times. We just had to cancel our August trip because he cut off two fingers last week. Could you cancel and rebook. You should not lose much since you are so far out. We have a trip planned in Nov and still plan on going. Good luck with your treatment.

[patrickmoran]

Not all insurance companies require that you buy the insurance at time of initial payment to waive pre-existing conditions. I bought a policy for my last cruise (Jan. '06) that waived pre-existing conditions when bought within 24 hours of making FINAL payment. I don't remember the company. Search these boards for travel insurance. You will find recommendations to a web site that searches all insurance providers and gives you choices of providers. Search the summaries and you will find the company that will waive your pre-existing condition, assuming they still offer the policy.

[Cuizer2]

What you are trying to do is called Fraud,you had the chance to buy insurance,but now that you know you have cancer,you want to buy it now so you don't lose.

 

That is not true. It is only fraud if the pre-existing condition is not mentioned. If the pre-existing condition is disclosed, then there is no fraud. There are policies that reimburse you 75% if you cancel for any reason, but I don't know what if there is a pre-existing exception or not.

[bubbles1209]

What you are trying to do is called Fraud,you had the chance to buy insurance,but now that you know you have cancer,you want to buy it now so you don't lose.

It's only fraud if they don't mention the fact of the pre-existing condition, saying there isn't any when indeed there is. That's not the case. The op was only asking for advice on what to do, and if there was anything they could do... not to be flamed or accused of fraud when they have not done anything fraudulent. We're here to help one another, not put one another down.

[hdawson]

I don't know of any insurance that accepts the risk if the risk is already known. Don't call you insurance agent if your kitchen is already on fire. Don't call him after you have an accident for coverage. There have probably been thousands of threads on Cruise Critic on the advisability of purchasing travel insurance. In all the times I've purchase travel insurance, I can't remember ever being asked if I had a pre-existing condition.(and I do)

[janetz]

Under insuremytrip, HTH trip protector preferred, states that pre exsisitng conditions are waived if purchased within 24 hour of final payment. Hope this helps. :o

[bubbles1209]

I don't know of any insurance that accepts the risk if the risk is already known. Don't call you insurance agent if your kitchen is already on fire. Don't call him after you have an accident for coverage. There have probably been thousands of threads on Cruise Critic on the advisability of purchasing travel insurance. In all the times I've purchase travel insurance, I can't remember ever being asked if I had a pre-existing condition.(and I do)

At insure my trip, they define a pre-existing condition as: injury, disease, or illness to you, a traveling companion,family member, or business partner occuring prior to and including the effective date of your insurance. Maybe you should check them out next time.:)

[Cuizer2]

I don't know of any insurance that accepts the risk if the risk is already known. Don't call you insurance agent if your kitchen is already on fire. Don't call him after you have an accident for coverage. There have probably been thousands of threads on Cruise Critic on the advisability of purchasing travel insurance. In all the times I've purchase travel insurance, I can't remember ever being asked if I had a pre-existing condition.(and I do)

 

Perhaps you did not hear about the MGM in Las Vegas buying fire insurance after the fire. That underwriter was later fired. But the MGM got its insurance, and the fire was well known to the insurance company.

[jerseygirl3]

Hi Sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with cancer. I can understand where you are as DH has been through it three times. We just had to cancel our August trip because he cut off two fingers last week. Could you cancel and rebook. You should not lose much since you are so far out. We have a trip planned in Nov and still plan on going. Good luck with your treatment.

 

I don't think cancelling and rebooking would be an option. Most policies, in order for pre-existing conditions to be covered, state that it has to be the first booking for that particular travel.

 

CSA has a plan (I think it's called the Comfort Plan) that allows for pre-existing conditions to be covered as long as the policy is purchased within 24 hours prior to making final payment. Check it out. The premium may be higher, but it would certainly be worth the peace of mind.

 

I hope all goes well with your cancer treatments and your cruise goes on as planned. Good luck.

[luvocean9]

What you are trying to do is called Fraud,you had the chance to buy insurance,but now that you know you have cancer,you want to buy it now so you don't lose.

 

Your mind is in the gutter. I NEVER said anything that might be fraud; and I RESENT your accusation. I'm sure you will be happy to know that one loses A LOT when they have cancer. I was only hoping that I could find insurance before final payment that would allow me to look forward to this vacation!!!!!!! After 4 months of chemo followed by surgery, I was hoping I could have a vacation before beginning the radiation treatments. This is NOT about fraud, it is about HOPE.

[luvocean9]

I'm afraid you would be out of luck. Don't expect the doctor to risk his license to practice by lying on a claim form for your failure to insure against such risks.

 

Congratulations. You are the first to make it to my ignore list and I hope that I make it to yours!

I NEVER said anything that might be fraud or about lying to doctors or to cruise lines; and I RESENT your accusation. I was only hoping that I could find insurance before final payment that would allow me to look forward to this vacation!!!!!!! After 4 months of chemo followed by surgery, I was hoping I could have a vacation before beginning the radiation treatments. This is NOT about fraud, it is about HOPE.

[billsrobb]

Perhaps you did not hear about the MGM in Las Vegas buying fire insurance after the fire. That underwriter was later fired. But the MGM got its insurance, and the fire was well known to the insurance company.

 

I remember that fire. Did not know that MGM did that. Interesting to say the least.

 

Robb

[luvocean9]

It's only fraud if they don't mention the fact of the pre-existing condition, saying there isn't any when indeed there is. That's not the case. The op was only asking for advice on what to do, and if there was anything they could do... not to be flamed or accused of fraud when they have not done anything fraudulent. We're here to help one another, not put one another down.

 

Thank you very much for your comments and the advice. I will check out the web site you mentioned. We have looked forward to this cruise for so long. I am hoping that we can still make it. If not, then all we have lost is the airfare and maybe next year we can make it.

[cruising3times]

You probably won't lose your airfare, have you called your airlines. Most airlines will let you change your flights for a nominal fee. It doesn't hurt to ask.

[luvocean9]

Thanks so much to all of you (except those who called me fraudulent) for your advice, well wishes, and comments.

[GoinCruisin]

Congratulations. You are the first to make it to my ignore list and I hope that I make it to yours!

I NEVER said anything that might be fraud or about lying to doctors or to cruise lines; and I RESENT your accusation. I was only hoping that I could find insurance before final payment that would allow me to look forward to this vacation!!!!!!! After 4 months of chemo followed by surgery, I was hoping I could have a vacation before beginning the radiation treatments. This is NOT about fraud, it is about HOPE.

 

To be fair, it was difficult reading your initial post to figure out exactly what you were wanting to do... when you say "How can I get around pre-existing conditions?", some people may indeed take that as you were trying to get around things... perhaps if you could explain it better next time, as you did above, perhaps people would understand better. Just my thoughts.

[cruising3times]

We have prepaid airfare; not refundable

 

 

 

 

You should definitely call your airline, my husband had a non refundable ticket when he was commuting between cities, one weekend we were going to go visit him but our dog had to have minor surgery and we didn't want to leave him. My husband called the airline , told them the story, and they gladly changed his airfare so he could come home that weekend. There was no charge for the change.

[dan40]

There are plans that only require purchase by final pmt. to cover pre-ex.

CSA Comfort is one and not expensive.

 

Re: fraud, There is a clause in every policy called the 2 year look back. Means they can go back to see if there was anything they should have been told or is in the medical or other records for up to 2 years after the policy was issued. Makes me doubt the MGM story. Even if they have paid a claim, they can demand the money back, legally.

 

Dan

[Cuizer2]

Re: fraud, There is a clause in every policy called the 2 year look back. Means they can go back to see if there was anything they should have been told or is in the medical or other records for up to 2 years after the policy was issued. Makes me doubt the MGM story. Even if they have paid a claim, they can demand the money back, legally.

 

Dan

 

No, they cannot. The underwriter who wrote the MGM was well aware of the fire when they wrote the policy. The underwriter was counting on the delay between payment of the premium and payment of the claim to earn interest. Apparently the underwriter had not heard of "bad faith." The claims department however was all to aware of bad faith and promptly paid the claims. The insurance company lost money and the underwriting manager was fired.

 

Take a look at this link for more info on "retroactive fire insurance" ...

 

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9406E4DD1639F931A25751C0A967948260