What's the difference if you book through TA?

[raylene5]

I'm looking into getting CSA insurance for a trip we have yet to purchase. We are looking into a cruise in February 2013. What I'm wondering is why, when I go to the CSA website, does it ask if I'm booking it myself or through an agent? Does this affect the price somehow?

 

We may be putting a deposit down by the end of this month (with a TA) but we will probably not be buying travel insurance for awhile and would rather not buy it through the TA.

 

Thanks!

[6rugrats]

No, it doesn't change the price.

[patseacruiser]

No it doesn't change the price so why not give your TA the commission?

[cruiseco]

CSA has two separate series of policies, the Custom series and the Freestyle series. The Freestyle series is only available through travel agents and a few of the online sites (tripinsurancestore, travelinsurancecenter, etc). If you go to the main CSA site or to insuremytrip you'll see the Custom plans. The plans are pretty similar but the pricing is different. For some the Freestlye plan will price out better, for others the Custom plan will. The biggest difference is that with the Custom plan you have to step up to the Luxe version to get the pre-existing medical condition coverage. With the Freestyle plan you can get that coverage with the standard version.

 

What CSA does not want to happen is for travelers to cherry-pick the least expensive option. Maybe someone who needs the pre-ex coverage goes to CSA's Custom site then does some more looking around and finds their Freestyle site. If CSA allows them to purchase a plan there they've lost money.

 

But if your TA is offering a CSA plan it will be the Freestyle version. Whether you go through CSA's Freestyle site or you just have the TA take care of it for you ot will cost the same.

 

If you don't need pre-ex coverage it's not a bad idea to compare the price your TA has quoted you for the Freestyle plan against the standard Custom plan found on insuremytrip. Once in awhile it will save a few bucks. If you do need the pre-ex coverage I don't believe the Custom Luxe plan on insuremytrip will ever price out less than the standard Freestyle plan.

[raylene5]

Thanks everyone! As long as the price is roughly the same, it's all good to me! :)

[Keith1010]

The price will be the same. I would book it directly yourself.

 

Keith

[tiderider62]

Booking insurance through your travel agent would be your best bet. The price would be the same, but if you need a hand in processing a claim on the insurance, the travel agent would be able to help you as they probably do quite a few of them. A travel agent will go to bat for you and they have access to most of the paperwork required by the insurance company. :D