Travel Insurance

[carruthers]

I am about to pay the deposit on a 46 day cruise on the Sun Princess which departs on May 2 2009. My usual Travel Insurer states that they will not provide cover for a cruise that is 16 months ahead. I too am not keen on paying a deposit on a cruise so far ahead but it is a case of pay up or miss out.

[Coral]

Have you looked at other companies? I usually use one particular company but when they wouldn't cover the cruise line I was going on for financial default, I used a different company. Both companies are thought of very highly. There are a lot of choices for insurance - this is a good website to compare policies:

 

http://insuremytrip.com/

[blindrid]

Since it is only a deposit that is refundable, why the hurry for insurance? Majority of insurances will accept application for coverage with waiver of conditions shortly after final payment is made.

[cherylandtk]

Try here: tripinsurancestore.com These folks will tell you which companies are reliable and which will cover your trip this far out. Is pre-existing condition coverage an issue?

[BJS]

I am about to pay the deposit on a 46 day cruise on the Sun Princess which departs on May 2 2009. My usual Travel Insurer states that they will not provide cover for a cruise that is 16 months ahead. I too am not keen on paying a deposit on a cruise so far ahead but it is a case of pay up or miss out.

 

Is the reason that you need to purchase the insurance now because of pre-existing conditions where the insurance needs to be taken out within a certain number of days after booking and making the deposit?

 

Have you looked into Princess Travel Care insurance? For seniors, especially, it can be much cheaper than other insurance because it is based on the cruise fare, Princess air included, and not on age. If you have a pre-existing condition, or a family member does, you are covered as long as there has been no changes in the 60 days preceeding paying for the insurance. You can pay for the insurance anytime from making the cruise deposit to final payment so you are not paying months ahead unless you want to. We always pay at the time of final payment. We have had to use the insurance twice for trip cancellations due to medical reasons and received the money within a week of mailing in the forms.

 

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[carruthers]

Thank you all for your advice.

I will try the various companies suggested, although the princess insurance sounds attractive.:)

[Coral]

Thank you all for your advice.

I will try the various companies suggested, although the princess insurance sounds attractive.:)

 

The one main negative about Princess insurance is airfare if you purchase that seperately. Princess insurance only covers air purchased through Princess.

[phillipahain]

Princess Insurance also has totally inadequate Medical coverage

[joanne1]

Since it is only a deposit that is refundable, why the hurry for insurance? Majority of insurances will accept application for coverage with waiver of conditions shortly after final payment is made.

 

Have to agree . . . unless there is something I don't know about, you don't have to get insurance until final payment.

[Coral]

Have to agree . . . unless there is something I don't know about, you don't have to get insurance until final payment.

 

Correct but while one may not have a pre-existing condition now, they may develop one and then they won't be able to get proper coverage for their trip. If it is a trip of a lifetime (which may be the case for OP as she is booking it so far in advance), she may not want to cancel the trip because she can't get trip insurance due to her medical condition. One never knows when one could get diagnosed with heart issues, cancer, etc...

 

I also agree with the poster who said that Princess's insurance doesn't have high medical coverage. Almost every other plan I have looked at has 5x the amount of coverage Princess has.

[BJS]

I also agree with the poster who said that Princess's insurance doesn't have high medical coverage. Almost every other plan I have looked at has 5x the amount of coverage Princess has.

 

It is always best to check out your present primary medical coverage and the travel policy's medical coverage. If you have primary medical coverage that will cover you - even if that means submitting claim forms for reimbursement- other policys will become secondary and might not pay.

 

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[Donna - dsw]

I use STA Travel insurance on all my trips. It isn't just for students. Check it out at http://www.statravel.com/

[Coral]

It is always best to check out your present primary medical coverage and the travel policy's medical coverage. If you have primary medical coverage that will cover you - even if that means submitting claim forms for reimbursement- other policys will become secondary and might not pay.

 

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Truthfully, I don't care who pays as long as someone pays. I have had many of insurance policies (medical, through work) that will not cover me outside the US.

 

I agree, one needs to check everything out and know exactly what you are purchasing as everyone's situation is different.

[blindrid]

I always thought mine (and my wife's) through work didn't cover us but both companies do obviously out of network so I bought an appropriate $ amount to cover higher than normal out of network medical, evac and of course the trip protection part. Actually, I was able to reduce my medical coverage as a result.

 

Keep in mind that policy cost and coverages are a state approved thing so maybe it's a Colorado thing but I would contact your company and see for sure.

[GottoCruise]

I use STA Travel insurance on all my trips. It isn't just for students. Check it out at http://www.statravel.com/

 

I used STA and and also introduced my friend - When she recently wanted to take out insurance for her Princess trip - STA said their new policy is that they will not insure you unless you book through them!!!

 

(It was too good to be true!) :(

[GottoCruise]

I always thought mine (and my wife's) through work didn't cover us but both companies do obviously out of network so I bought an appropriate $ amount to cover higher than normal out of network medical, evac and of course the trip protection part. Actually, I was able to reduce my medical coverage as a result.

 

Keep in mind that policy cost and coverages are a state approved thing so maybe it's a Colorado thing but I would contact your company and see for sure.

 

 

What is 'out of network'? Do you mean out of the country???

[iamtrustworthy]

Since it is only a deposit that is refundable, why the hurry for insurance? Majority of insurances will accept application for coverage with waiver of conditions shortly after final payment is made.

 

Hi blindrid,

 

As far as I know, there are just 2 companies who will give a pre-existing conditions waiver no later than 24 hours after final payment. They are HTH & CSA.

[iamtrustworthy]

I am about to pay the deposit on a 46 day cruise on the Sun Princess which departs on May 2 2009. My usual Travel Insurer states that they will not provide cover for a cruise that is 16 months ahead. I too am not keen on paying a deposit on a cruise so far ahead but it is a case of pay up or miss out.

 

Hi carruthers,

 

16 months isn't very far in the future. If you don't mind telling, which Travel Insurer won't insure a cruise that's 16 months ahead?

[iamtrustworthy]

What is 'out of network'? Do you mean out of the country???

 

Hi GottoCruise,

 

Usually a PPO or HMO plan will have a locally contracted group of physicians & facilities that comprise their "network". It's usually relatively close to their main service area. You could find yourself out of network (oon) even if you're in the same state.

 

I hope this makes sense.

[Opinions]

Since it is only a deposit that is refundable, why the hurry for insurance? Majority of insurances will accept application for coverage with waiver of conditions shortly after final payment is made.

 

We have pre-existing conditions...The majority of insurance companies I have checked out require that insurance be purchased soon after the first payment, not the final one, in order to be covered for pre-existing conditions...Perhaps I am looking in the wrong places but that has been my experience.