Trip Insurance question that came to mind because of Royal fire

[happy cruzer]

I am so sorry about the events on the Royal.

 

Reading one of the threads about the cruise after the fire that was cancelled and the self booked airfare loss made me wonder about travel insurance. Is the airfare covered? I mean the air line would fly you, it's the cruise part that is canceled and I assume that would be covered. For the sake of an insurance policy is it all considered one trip?

 

I've read my travel insurance and I am not clear how they handle one part of a trip being canceled. I mean when you book the travel insurance you just state what part of the world you are traveling to, they don't ask if you are on a cruise.

 

Anyone had a cruise cancelled and have to claim on the self booked air before? I am asking about third party travel insurance, I bet it's clear in insurance booked through the cruiseline.

 

Thanks.

[Latitude 20]

Not quite the same situation because we cancelled our cruise because of a death in the family rather than a cruise line problem.

 

But the insurance paid for our self-booked airfare as well as the cruise. When we bought the policy they asked the price for the total trip (airfare, hotels, cruise) and the premium was based on that. When we made the claim, we just sent in the documents for each leg and were promptly (within two weeks) reimbursed.

 

I'm guessing the insurance companies investigate to make sure that people aren't "double dipping" (i.e., collecting from both the cruise line and insurance).

[paul929207]

You must have sufficient insurance to cover botht the cruise and the flight. If so, yes it would be covered.

[mascara]

I am so sorry about the events on the Royal.

 

I've read my travel insurance and I am not clear how they handle one part of a trip being canceled. I mean when you book the travel insurance you just state what part of the world you are traveling to, they don't ask if you are on a cruise.

 

Depends on your policy, I'm sure, but in my experience I give dates and when I buy the policy, I volunteer if it's a cruise or a tour or whatever. As has been stated, as long as your policy covers the total costs, you're covered.

 

Another thing people may not know - you can change your trip insurance policy after you purchase it. I've had my policy adjusted for more expensive trips, and dates changed, etc. Your policy cost will be recalculated and you just pay the difference. Again, every policy is different so consult yours and work with your agent, if necessary.

[happy cruzer]

I'm still confused.

 

so if your trip includes:

 

an air ticket to get you to a cruise

a motor coach transfer to get you the hotel

a hotel to stay in for 4 nights

a cruise

several prepaid excursions

another motor coach transfer to air port

an air ticket to get you home

 

If anyone of these items is cancelled by the provider before your trip, can you cancel your entire trip and collect on the full amount of the policy????

 

I reread my policy and it seems to broadly indicate that if a common carrier cancels because of weather or mechanical failure before you depart, then they will pay trip cancellation. So I'm pretty sure that would mean the air plane or ship mechanicl failure would be covered. Is a fire a mechanical failure??

 

Wow, the policies are really confusing. And calling one agent and getting their verbal opinion is pretty scarey. So how do you really know?

[tequilatamm]

I'm so glad we live in Australia, where you don't have to itemize the heck out of your trip beforehand.

 

We get a yearly travel policy which covers us for pretty much any problems while travelling, for any events that occur on any trips during that year, as long as we can provide receipts showing the lost cost.

[spongerob]

It's really very difficult to answer some of the questions because coverage is going to vary based on the policy purchased. Generally, more comprehensive coverage will cost more. Even then you still might have restrictions, for example, loss of personal articles might have to be claimed against homeowner's insurance.

 

Although many things might be pre-paid, it should still be possible to cancle and recover those funds if you had to. It depends on the terms of the booking.

[Toto2Kansas]

One thing to keep in mind when booking private insurance. To be reimbursed for all these items you mentioned, since insurance premiums are based on cost, all these costs must be included. In other words, if your cruise price is $5000 and with airfare, flights, cruise, tours, hotels and transfers together will end up being in the $10,000 range. You can't just purchase the insurance for the $5000 trip, but all items must be included and added together to have them covered.

[FLACRUISER99]

It's really very difficult to answer some of the questions because coverage is going to vary based on the policy purchased. Generally, more comprehensive coverage will cost more. Even then you still might have restrictions, for example, loss of personal articles might have to be claimed against homeowner's insurance.

 

Although many things might be pre-paid, it should still be possible to cancle and recover those funds if you had to. It depends on the terms of the booking.

Also same policy can vary state to state.

[Ken076]

You must have sufficient insurance to cover botht the cruise and the flight. If so, yes it would be covered.

 

For third party trip insurance, the cost of new ticket for the re-scheduled flight home should be covered by the Policy's Trip Interruption coverage. The costs for cancelling the originally scheduled flight home would be covered by the Policy's Trip Cancellation coverage, if you insured the cost of the airfare when you purchased. Non Princess purchased airfare is not covered by the Princess Berkely Policy.

 

ken

[happy cruzer]

I guess part of my point/questions was:

 

When something bad happens on a trip, almost every one says "hope you had travel insurance" like it covers every event. When in fact many policies have quite a few exclusions. And I suspect that there are plenty of events that are not documented clearly either way, in which case it probably is excluded. (For example, in researching this thread for my policy, I noticed that claims resulting from pandemic or epidemic where EXCLUDED, go figure)

 

The devil is in the details and most do not want to get into the details of insurance policies. I have a hard time understanding the policies myself and don't trust verbal answers. So I typically try to find out about others actual experiences with actual policies. I do feel that the medical and medical evac coverage is pretty clear and can be very worthwhile.

 

Thanks everyone

[Ken076]

happy...You're exactly right. You really have to narrow down the overall benefits of various policies that are most advantageous to you (like TravelInsured and TravelEx insure kids free with insured adults, so parents would gravitate to these policies...) then download the candidate Policies and THOROUGHLY read and understand them, and call the Company's customer Service to explain anything not understood. Assuming something is covered is a bad move!

 

Many state "I booked Early Saver then bought Travel Insurance to cover me in case I cancel, not understanding that they're cancellation coverage is only for limited reasoms, some of which vary between Policies....

 

ken

[MaryPoppinz]

You can either include coverage of the air with your cruise insurance (ie: you used Insure My Trip, purchased it through your TA or bought the policy elsewhere online), or add it on to insurance which covers cruise only (ie: Princess or other cruiseline.)

 

We're always using miles, so we don't cover the air.

 

We have a saying at my house "Everybody has GREAT insurance until they submit a claim." It's only after-the-fact that you can know for sure just how "great" your insurance is.

[Pam in CA]

When something bad happens on a trip, almost every one says "hope you had travel insurance" like it covers every event. When in fact many policies have quite a few exclusions. And I suspect that there are plenty of events that are not documented clearly either way, in which case it probably is excluded. (For example, in researching this thread for my policy, I noticed that claims resulting from pandemic or epidemic where EXCLUDED, go figure)

If you booked cruise air and get cruise insurance, it's covered. If you book your own air and get cruise insurance, it's not covered. If you book your own air and get independent insurance, you need to read the fine print to make sure your air is covered.

[nurserosie]

I don't recall the price of the insurance..we booked thru a TA and got cruise air..

 

at 65 and 70 I was most concerned about our health etc causing need to cancel the whole shebang..so even if was 500 bucks (again not sure of the exact figure).....it was worth it...

 

remember for all insurance we are banking on never having to use it..but if a fire destroys our big home..we surely want to be able to rebuild..yes..these may be a deductible...

 

just my h.o.

 

:p:p

[happy cruzer]

If you booked cruise air and get cruise insurance, it's covered. If you book your own air and get cruise insurance, it's not covered. If you book your own air and get independent insurance, you need to read the fine print to make sure your air is covered.

 

Pam, you are right about the cruise line insurance (in this case, but I wonder if there are exlucsions like strikes, acts of war, etc.) however, I like to be covered for carrier default so that means third party insurance and reading all their fine print. Most people are not worried about carrier default but I thought I would just mention it.

 

Also repeating an earlier question does anyone know if a fire is considered a mechanical breakdown? Are the insurance companies trying to limit liabiltiy by stating mechanical breakdown as way of not covering human errors etc.? I could not find a definition of mechanical breakdown in my policy. I'm guessing that if the fire is caused by a human error, then the travel insurance will exclude it and not cover expenses.

[Shogun]

Hi all.

 

So simple here in the UK I look in my Princess brochure see a cruise I like at a price I like,

 

I know it includes transfers, hotels, flights and oh yes a cruise , might even include car parking at port as well or a free trip to the port if leaving UK.

 

Then buy it on my credit card and get full protection under credit protection laws,

 

By through an Abta travel agent and get protection use an Atol company and get more protection.

 

and if all else fails use my yearly travel insurance which costs a few pennies a day

 

yours Shogun

[Pam in CA]

FYI, I just signed up for MedJet Assist insurance. From what I've read, it sounds like money well spent. It's medical evacuation insurance and will take you to the hospital of your choice anywhere in the world. "Domestic air medical evacuation averages $10,000 to $20,000, and internationally, it can exceed $75,000. As a member, if you are ever hospitalized more than 150 miles away from home, MedjetAssist will send a medically equipped and staffed aircraft to pick you up and fly you to the hospital of your choice — at no additional charge. No transportation cost limitations. No pre-existing condition exclusions." http://www.medjetassist.com/Default.aspx

 

Being older, you know that anything can happen at any time. And if you travel a lot, particularly outside the country, this is peace of mind if nothing else.

[jacketwatch]

You can get coverage at insure my trip . com. You set a $$ amt. that your trip cost you can you can get coverage.

[karmacruiser]

I've always been a "we're healthy & don't need insurance" type of reckless person until an appendix issue (luckily not on vacation) made me rethink things. Since then I have started buying insurance for the cruise portion and now after a snowstorm incident last year, I am thinking of purchasing airfare insurance as well for more expensive flights. I know I'm a slow learner.;)

 

My question is, on the thread that was closed someone spoke of consolidated airfare and I don't know what that means? Is that like booking through an online agency instead of direct with the airline? It seemed like last time I used an online agency they offered airfare insurance, is it just not good insurance?

[Colo Cruiser]

I've always been a "we're healthy & don't need insurance" type of reckless person until an appendix issue (luckily not on vacation) made me rethink things. Since then I have started buying insurance for the cruise portion and now after a snowstorm incident last year, I am thinking of purchasing airfare insurance as well for more expensive flights. I know I'm a slow learner.;)

 

My question is, on the thread that was closed someone spoke of consolidated airfare and I don't know what that means? Is that like booking through an online agency instead of direct with the airline? It seemed like last time I used an online agency they offered airfare insurance, is it just not good insurance?

 

I would think in a case like the Royal that regardless of whether the air was purchesed through a consolidator or not that you could still put in a request for refund of any out of pocket expenses. :)

 

A consolidator woulde be like Expedia.

[sultan_sfo]

But it is next to impossible to figure out the "acceptable reasons" for making a claim. Cancel for any reason is seldom covered unless one pays extra and it is offered. Similarly, if one buys insurance when booking an air, it will cover only the list of specific events and I have yet to see a separate air insurance that covers cancellation for any reason. Cruise cancellation is not a covered reason for independently booked air cancellation.

 

You can get coverage at insure my trip . com. You set a $$ amt. that your trip cost you can you can get coverage.

[karmacruiser]

I would think in a case like the Royal that regardless of whether the air was purchesed through a consolidator or not that you could still put in a request for refund of any out of pocket expenses. :)

 

A consolidator woulde be like Expedia.

 

Thank you-I just hadn't heard that term.:)

[Pam in CA]

My question is, on the thread that was closed someone spoke of consolidated airfare and I don't know what that means?

There are "consolidators" that buy up seats on flights at a low cost and then re-sell them. They purchase in bulk which is why they get lower rates. Cruiselines use consolidators for their cruise air which is why they can often get a good rate for passengers but also why there isn't as much flight flexibility not to mention sometimes strange routing. Some big travel agencies that book a lot of flights use consolidators as well.

[caribill]

[quote=Colo Cruiser;

A consolidator woulde be like Expedia.

 

Post #24 does a good job defining a consolidator.

 

Expedia is not a consolidator as it does not buy seats to resell. It just looks for what fares may be available out there which might include some from condolidators.