Insurance & Pre-existing conditions

[VermeulT]

What are considered Pre-existing conditions?
High blood pressure?
Heart disease (stints)?

My TA is getting us insurance and I'm not sure what to answer. My mom is 80... She's been through it all, but right now is healthy. What do you have to disclose and what is insignificant (ie 20 years ago she had cancer and has been in remission for 18 years).

Thanks!

[jhannah]

I suggest you ask the TA for a copy of the insurance details before purchasing. That's the only way you'll know for sure what that plan covers. Better yet, purchase the insurance yourself on one of the online travel insurance comparison sites. You can compare policies and read their "fine print" and definitions there before you buy.

Most travel insurance allows for a condition that is stable. (i.e., the patient is taking medications and maintaining an even keel.) Pre-existing conditions can be covered if the insurance is purchased within a certain number of days of your payment of the initial trip deposit. (Actual cruise booking if you made an on board deposit.) Some are 7 days and others are 14 days. Purchase after that time, then pre-existing conditions will not be covered.

After that, most plans have a 90- or 180-day look-back period from the date you purchase the policy (the "effective date.") If the condition has been diagnosed or actively treated (other than simply taking meds) within that time frame, it will be considered a pre-existing condition.

Clear as mud?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Check out HAL's new insurance Platinum -- you can buy it as late a final payment. You can cancel the cruise as late as 24 hours before the ship sails -- for whatever reason -- no questions asked. It is expensive and you only get back 90% -- better than policies that give you nothing back after so many days.

[tcook052]

Yes, I would also recommend thoroughly reading the policy prior to purchase as some plans for 80+ travellers have as much as a 12 month timeframe on pre-exisiting conditions, meaning any change in a condition however small such as a slight increase in medication dosage within that period prior to a trip will reset the clock.

The devil is in the fine print and going through it with a micropscope will hopefully avoid any unwanted surprises later. Happy sails!

[lcand1923]

Check the fine print, carefully. When, and if, you have to file a claim you will be asked to provide details about Doctor's appointments and treatments from some preset time (purchased trip/purchased insurance) and when you have filed the claim. The insurance company will then contact the various doctors involved. In our experience, as long as the medication and condition were stable from the time the insurance was purchased, the insurance covered the trip cancellation. (Since the claim form will not require your entering any information about a condition that happened many years ago, it will not count.) Do purchase the insurance within the appropriate window (14 -21 days). My Dad was doing very well until he was well into his 80's. We had several cruises booked when he took a downturn. Luckily the insurance was purchased within 14 days and we were able to recover our monies.

[sail7seas]

Check out HAL's new insurance Platinum -- you can buy it as late a final payment. You can cancel the cruise as late as 24 hours before the ship sails -- for whatever reason -- no questions asked. It is expensive and you only get back 90% -- better than policies that give you nothing back after so many days.


PLEASE be absolutely certain to understand the HAL cancellation coverage only pays $10,000 in medical. If you want to have out of country medical coverage because your regular insurance will not pay out of country, do not count on HAL policy covering that need.

Be very careful you know exactly what you are buying. It could be a very costly error to find out 'too late'.

I buy third party insurance for us and I don't have to list what pre-existing conditions we have or if we have any at all. I just am absolutely sure to write that insurance within the number of days they mandate after the first deposit is placed so any pre-existing condition will be convered.

[iriemon]

Be very careful with the phrase "pre existing condition" The insurance companies use it anyway they can. Even if it was not diagnosed by a Dr. they will still consider it a pre existing condition. We had taken out an insurance policy for a trip to Europe (land) when we had to cancel because our daughter was hospitalized. The insurance company claimed "pre existing condition" even though she had never been diagnosed with this before. Ended up we had to get an attorney. We got the settlement and they paid our attorney fees, but they will try to use it hoping people will not follow up and just take their word.

[3rdGenCunarder]

PLEASE be absolutely certain to understand the HAL cancellation coverage only pays $10,000 in medical. If you want to have out of country medical coverage because your regular insurance will not pay out of country, do not count on HAL policy covering that need.

Be very careful you know exactly what you are buying. It could be a very costly error to find out 'too late'.

I buy third party insurance for us and I don't have to list what pre-existing conditions we have or if we have any at all. I just am absolutely sure to write that insurance within the number of days they mandate after the first deposit is placed so any pre-existing condition will be convered.

We also buy third-party insurance and do it early enough to get coverage for pe-existing conditions. Dad and DH both have very mild high blood pressure, under good control with meds. So if one of them had a heart attack (spitting over my shoulder here), would insurance say it was due to the high blood pressure? It's bad enough to be sick or have a family member get sick, but having to fight with the insurance company would just add to the stress.

Iriemon, congratulations on winning your fight. Too bad you had to get a lawyer to get satisfaction.

[Jade13]

What are considered Pre-existing conditions?
High blood pressure?
Heart disease (stints)?

My TA is getting us insurance and I'm not sure what to answer. My mom is 80... She's been through it all, but right now is healthy. What do you have to disclose and what is insignificant (ie 20 years ago she had cancer and has been in remission for 18 years).

Thanks!
Purchase a policy like HAL's that has a pre-existing condition waiver.

CSA has has a couple of policy's.

[Jade13]

Be very careful with the phrase "pre existing condition" The insurance companies use it anyway they can. Even if it was not diagnosed by a Dr. they will still consider it a pre existing condition. We had taken out an insurance policy for a trip to Europe (land) when we had to cancel because our daughter was hospitalized. The insurance company claimed "pre existing condition" even though she had never been diagnosed with this before. Ended up we had to get an attorney. We got the settlement and they paid our attorney fees, but they will try to use it hoping people will not follow up and just take their word.

Which insurance company? Thanks.

[xxoocruiser]

What are considered Pre-existing conditions?
High blood pressure?
Heart disease (stints)?

My TA is getting us insurance and I'm not sure what to answer. My mom is 80... She's been through it all, but right now is healthy. What do you have to disclose and what is insignificant (ie 20 years ago she had cancer and has been in remission for 18 years).

Thanks!

Do not leave the selection of Insurance to your TA. Your TA most likely will offer you the policy that their agency receives a commission from which may or may not be the best policy for your personal circumstances.

Following are two websites that allow you to compare policies and benefits. To have any pre-existing condition waived the policy has to be purchased within a specific period of time from the initial booking date. All that is noted on these 2 websites. If you wait to purchase insurance right before the final payment is due pre-existing aren't generally covered.

http://www.insuremytrip.com/index.html?linkId=13267

http://www.squaremouth.com/

[we're sailing away....]

Access America does not care

[FulltimeRVer]

Our Travelex policy is very clear:

"The Pre-existing Condition Exclusion will be waived if the plan was purchased prior to or within 3 days from the date of payment of the trip final deposit."

[tcook052]

Do not leave the selection of Insurance to your TA. Your TA most likely will offer you the policy that their agency receives a commission from which may or may not be the best policy for your personal circumstances.

It may not be so siniter as often TA's, at least in Canada, sell only one insurance brand from one underwriter.

[Nasmas]

Travel Guard is a good insurance to buy. We have collected on them two times and there were never any medical questions when we bought the insurance My husband has several medical conditions but they are controlled though they do flare up on occassion. The doctor has to fill out a form, when you collect, but its really a simple form that doesn't go into much detail about the conditions.

[sail7seas]

Purchase a policy like HAL's that has a pre-existing condition waiver.

CSA has has a couple of policy's.


Pre-existing waiver is almost irrelevant when they only provide $10,000 medical coverage. That might get a splinter removed and a bandaid put on the wound. :eek:

For people who have insurance that pays anywhere worldwide, HAL's cancellation policy may be fine. For someone who needs medical coverage, that is not the policy for you. IMO

[jaspersmycat]

I think a lot depends on what you are buying the insurance for.

We purchased HAL's Platinum plan because we aren't sure how DH will feel after finishing chemo 4 weeks before the cruise. We bought it for "cancellation insurance". We are not concerned about having "health insurance".

[world~citizen]

Pre-existing waiver is almost irrelevant when they only provide $10,000 medical coverage. That might get a splinter removed and a bandaid put on the wound. :eek:

For people who have insurance that pays anywhere worldwide, HAL's cancellation policy may be fine. For someone who needs medical coverage, that is not the policy for you. IMO

This is a warning that cannot be stressed often enough.

Buying travel insurance is a very frustrating experience. When you read the fine print :eek::eek::eek:

I just had a routine medical that cost $1,250. Just imagine if specialized tests were necessary or treatment was required. Medical tests rise exponentially the more you have it seems.

Just my view: you need a million dollars in medical insurance when traveling and the cost to medically evacuate someone by helicopter from some places is - well I don't even want to think about it.

Again, in my view, there is a lot of virtually worthless travel and travel medical insurance out there. You need good insurance, and you need to understand the coverage you have.

Shop around. For Canadians I would recommend buying travel insurance from their broker. Some of this stuff on the internet is convenient and cheap, but may not be what you need.

Smooth sailing...

[sail7seas]

Our Travelex policy is very clear:

"The Pre-existing Condition Exclusion will be waived if the plan was purchased prior to or within 3 days from the date of payment of the trip final deposit."

I think a lot depends on what you are buying the insurance for.

We purchased HAL's Platinum plan because we aren't sure how DH will feel after finishing chemo 4 weeks before the cruise. We bought it for "cancellation insurance". We are not concerned about having "health insurance".


In this case, the HAL cancellation policy is probably a good choice..... ASSUMING you have medical coverage that would kick in if either of you become ill while traveling.

Hope you don't need the coverage and your DH feels well and is able to travel.

Wishing you both all the best and a GREAT cruise. :)

[iriemon]

Which insurance company? Thanks.

I don't remember the name of the company as it was a few years ago. I know I bought it through my travel agency. I have heard of the same thing happening with other insurance companies. I just make sure that it has a pre existing condition waiver now, then you know you are covered.

[Tampa Girl]

Access America does not care


Care about what?

[Zyzygy]

The admonitions about the relatively low medical coverage limits ($10,000) and evacuation/repatriation coverage ($50,000) under HAL's Platinum plan are worth noting.

My own group plan offers indemnity for overseas treatment, which means I have to pay the doctor, and the plan will later pay me back. My hope is that even a foreign doctor/hospital will be willing to treat and release me, based on the assurance of ultimately receiving an indemnity payment.

I do, however, like the idea of having a HAL-sponsored coverage, which should help keep the HAL port agent involved in assisting after the ship has departed.

Some of the horror stories on these boards about port agents who "abandon" stranded passengers appear to occur when passengers have purchased non-HAL travel insurance, and then it becomes the insurer's responsibility to look after their insured's medical and travel arrangements.

I take some comfort in believing that the HAL coverage and port agent should be able to cut through most local red tape to help me get home in an emergency.

[Bobblsc]

Our Travelex policy is very clear:

"The Pre-existing Condition Exclusion will be waived if the plan was purchased prior to or within 3 days from the date of payment of the trip final deposit."

Twice the nerds at CC have washed out my more detailed posts. :eek: They need some new nerds.

Travelex requires purchase within a short time after initial deposit to waive pre-existing conditions. Check CSA on InsureMyTrip and then the CSA web site. CSA site may give you a better deal, as it did me. CSA has advantage of covering pre-exixting if purchased before or within 24 hours of final payment. Also you do not have to buy insurance for the total trip amount to get full medical coverage.

I do not want to buy insurance until final payment, so I can cancel untill then without cost.

I will not even try spell check. These CC nerds, clods, may cancel this post if I do. I will not even preview post.

Bob :cool:

[Karennella]

I think you really MUST take the time to read the policies. I am Australian but I am sure policies worldwide would vary as they do here. The policy we use is an annual policy and lists pre-existing conditions which are covered eg high blood which is stable etc. Many of our friends use policies connected to their credit cards but the one connected to ours states no cover for any pre-existing conditions at all.

[VermeulT]

Thanks everyone for your input.

I went with my TA as she gets a good discount with Travel Guard.
I prefer an outside vendor vs HAL because they will cover door to door, so flight, hotel, and falling in the parking lot is included... Plus what you've said about medical limits, etc.


I appreciate all of your advice and input.

[rgaudet]

SPeaking of insurance, I was reading that HAL offers trip cancellation for any reason. They give you cash back unlike most who offer credits. (eg. Celebrity offer 75% credit.). Seems like a good offer by HAL. Has anyone needed to use it? Do you know if it's offered to Canadians or just Americans?

Thanks.