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How does pre-existing conditions work for elderly father not traveling?


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This is my situation. My husband and I are traveling but do not have insurance. We are scheduled to cruise next month, but my husband's father had to have prostate surgery a few months ago. My husband's mother has been to see the doctor every month of so to help control her high blood pressure. She did receive new medications.

 

I don't know how to say this delicately, but if I purchased insurance now and something were to happen and they pass away while we are gone would it cover us for trip interruption if we needed to fly back from the cruise early?

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I think it is too late for that?? Don't I have to purchase the insurance when initial deposit is made to get "cancel for any reason"?

 

I dont believe so if you buy CruiseCare through RCI. May be wrong though and no one here likes that insurance anyway. I always buy it though. My health insurance covers me out of country including medivac coverage.

 

They will give you a 75% cruise credit to be used within 12 months if you "cancel for any reason".

Edited by ryano
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Pre existing conditions usually refer to a medical condition for the insured. For example, if you are under the present care of a doctor for heart disease and have a cardiac related event on a trip, coverage may be excluded for related medical and other expenses. Different policies have different definitions and look back periods so the first place to start would be to refer to the policy language.

 

The medical conditions of others usually don't figure into pre-existing condition exclusions for yourself. It sounds like what you want to look into is the part of the policy which deals with trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage which is different than the medical/pre-existing coverage for the insured.

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From the RCI website

 

Click here to review CuiseCare terms, conditions and plan sponsors if you booked your cruise before June 2, 2014 and/or your cruise is departing on/before December 31, 2014.

Click here to review CuiseCare terms, conditions and plan sponsors if you booked your cruise on/after June 2, 2014 and you are sailing on/after January 1, 2015.

 

Once final payment has been made you can not purchase CruiseCare through RCI.

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We've delt with the same situation for the passed 5 years or so. My wife handles this but from what I know she uses Insure My Trip to find the best policy for us. If you explain you're situation to the salesperson they can find a policy and price that works for you.

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We've delt with the same situation for the passed 5 years or so. My wife handles this but from what I know she uses Insure My Trip to find the best policy for us. If you explain you're situation to the salesperson they can find a policy and price that works for you.

 

The customer service people at InsureMyTrip are very helpful with questions like this. I had a similar situation to yours on a non-cruise vacation last year and they made sure I had the correct coverage.

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This is my situation. My husband and I are traveling but do not have insurance. We are scheduled to cruise next month, but my husband's father had to have prostate surgery a few months ago. My husband's mother has been to see the doctor every month of so to help control her high blood pressure. She did receive new medications.

 

I don't know how to say this delicately, but if I purchased insurance now and something were to happen and they pass away while we are gone would it cover us for trip interruption if we needed to fly back from the cruise early?

Insurance covers you, no one else. If something bad happened and you couldn't go, you would be reimbursed

Edited by SeaUs
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Patty is correct,(as she always is :) ) you cannot buy cruise insurance through Royal after final payment has been made.

 

There are other policies that you can purchase up until the day before you leave and they will cover some things, but not others. For instance, should a storm be forecast for your area three days before your scheduled departure, you decide two days before departure to purchase the insurance in case your plane is grounded, insurance will not cover that.

 

Pre existing conditions exclusions are usually for the traveling person, not their family staying home. I believe the death of a family member would be covered, regardless of the pre existing condition the family member had.

 

The best advice you have gotten is to check the insuremytrip.com website. There is a phone number to call, and the reps are very knowledgeable and will point you to the right company and policy. I have purchased insurance thru them right before final payment, and pre existing conditions were covered. It was worth the peace of mind.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited by billsgal
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My mom is in a nursing home and I had questioned the insurance company, if I would be covered if something happened to my mother. I was told the pre-existing is for the one that is traveling, not for family members at home.

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We have been able to find policies that cover pre-existing conditions of family members not traveling, which we need because of elderly parents, but it is getting harder to find that coverage. I use Insure My Trip as well.

 

We've actually had to use it twice.

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I know that with Travelguard insurance the pre existing conditions waiver also applies to family members not traveling. For example, lets say my father has cancer. If I am going on a cruise (father is staying home) but have to cancel at the last minute because he becomes seriously ill or passes away due to the cancer, then I would not be covered unless I had purchased the insurance in time to get the pre existing conditions waiver. I believe with most Travelguard policies you have to purchase the insurance within 14 days of deposit in order to receive the pre existing conditions waiver.

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I do believe that pre-existing condition restrictions apply to only to the people that are traveling. Check with your insurer to be sure.

 

Pre existing also relates to family members not travelling if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip for them.

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Insurance covers you, no one else. If something bad happened and you couldn't go, you would be reimbursed

 

True but not true!

 

If you have to cancel or repatriate due to a family member not travelling with you then that person has a pre existing and coverage needs to be taken.

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Thanks everyone.

 

I called insuremytrip and found a policy we could use. Yes, everyone is correct. The pre-existing condition is for the person who is traveling.

 

This is not totally true! your coverage may not ( and in many cases does not) include your costs if a family member has a pre existing that interrupts your travel arrangements.

 

Look at the policy T&C,s taking special note of anything written around "Sudden" Or "unexpected"

 

There are many cases of people cancelling travel arrangements because of illness or death of a loved one that had pre existing and they were not covered because of the loved ones pre existing condition. Do a search before you buy.

 

It happened to me but I was fortunate my Travel agent re scheduled at a later date without cost.

 

My situation was an overseas land vacation, my father was rushed to hospital and suddenly passed away and we had to cancel, but my father had a pre existing condition he never told us about. the medical certificate that must be presented to the travel insurance for the claim indicated the death was due to a pre existing condition so my claim was denied. My father was not that old either only 69.

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We have been able to find policies that cover pre-existing conditions of family members not traveling, which we need because of elderly parents, but it is getting harder to find that coverage. I use Insure My Trip as well.

 

We've actually had to use it twice.

 

Yes you need to make sure the policy covers "you" for loss due to a pre existing condition of a family member not travelling with you.

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If you are going on a cruise and an immediate family member has a pre-existing life threatening condition - and you don't have cancel for any reason - it is VERY likely that you won't be covered.

 

Now, a lot of us have elderly parents. I do, too. There is no indication that my mom is imminently going to die. If there was - I would not be covered, and I know that.

 

Think about it. No one with elderly parents would EVER be able to get coverage. The best thing you can do is CALL the different insurers and find a plan that works best for you. Good luck!

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If a close family member died unexpectedly, and your insurance didn't cover it, or you didn't have insurance, I am guessing, based on what I have read here over the years, that Royal would work with you. They wouldn't just take all your money and say tough luck. My opinion.

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