Canc.for Surgery-What Does Ins. Co Need?

[clan]

I just learned that I need surgery and I want to have it as soon as possible. Am scheduled for a cruise Dec. 10 - 17. Don't have a date for surgery yet, but may be the week after my scheduled return. I'd like to cancel the cruise. I have Travelex Travel Net insurance. What will I need to provide them to support my claim? Just a letter from my surgeon saying I'm scheduled for surgery? Or do the specific dates have to be given, or some other type of paperwork? I really don't want to go on the cruise, but I don't want to lose my money if the insurance co. (Old Republic) is going to deny my claim.

 

Any words of wisdom from the experts out there would be appreciated.

[6rugrats]

Read the section of your policy under Trip Cancellation. It lists in detail the reasons that you may cancel your trip. I really am not sure that just wanting to cancel a cruise because you are having surgery is a covered reason. I think you probably need to be physically unable to go; read the covered conditions carefully.

 

If you think it's covered, you need to contact them to start a claim. You'll have to complete the claim paperwork, which will include paperwork that your doctor must fill out.

 

Link to documents that you must complete to file a claim:

 

http://www.oldrepublicgroup.com/claimformsoriw/Doc/TNT/Trip%20Cancellation%20Medical%20-%20TNT.pdf

[Keith1010]

I just learned that I need surgery and I want to have it as soon as possible. Am scheduled for a cruise Dec. 10 - 17. Don't have a date for surgery yet, but may be the week after my scheduled return. I'd like to cancel the cruise. I have Travelex Travel Net insurance. What will I need to provide them to support my claim? Just a letter from my surgeon saying I'm scheduled for surgery? Or do the specific dates have to be given, or some other type of paperwork? I really don't want to go on the cruise, but I don't want to lose my money if the insurance co. (Old Republic) is going to deny my claim.

 

Any words of wisdom from the experts out there would be appreciated.

 

I have used Travelex.

 

I would call them on the phone and they can send you the forms you will need to fill out which will specify what documentation you need to provide. Ask them any questions you have as well.

 

Keith

[cruiseco]

Read the section of your policy under Trip Cancellation. It lists in detail the reasons that you may cancel your trip. I really am not sure that just wanting to cancel a cruise because you are having surgery is a covered reason. I think you probably need to be physically unable to go; read the covered conditions carefully.

 

I agree. The doctor is going to have to state that you are unable to travel. Before you cancel you better know what the doctor is going to put on that form. If you're able to travel but just don't want to go you may lose all of your money if you cancel.

 

Here's the Travel Net web site. There is a link to the claim forms on the lower right portion of the page

 

http://www.travelextravelnet.com/

 

Be sure you know which Travel Net plan you're on as apparently the claim forms are different (different underwriters)

[sirwired]

Prior to cancellation (and claiming, of course), I would absolutely get a letter from your doctor explicitly stating you are unable to travel on the scheduled dates due to surgery that it would be inadvisable to delay. (Alternatively, a letter advising that you do not travel before the surgery, whenever that happens to be.)

 

If you are able to travel before the surgery, and the surgery isn't until the week after your cruise, then you may have difficulty with a cancellation claim.

 

As far as documentation goes, TravelGuard gave me a one-page form to hand to the doctor, but I supplemented it with referral letters between doctors, with the juicy "operate ASAP" parts circled. No such thing as too much documentation, as long as it's relevant and you explain in a note what each part is for.

[D4]

I just learned that I need surgery and I want to have it as soon as possible. Am scheduled for a cruise Dec. 10 - 17. Don't have a date for surgery yet, but may be the week after my scheduled return. I'd like to cancel the cruise. I have Travelex Travel Net insurance. What will I need to provide them to support my claim? Just a letter from my surgeon saying I'm scheduled for surgery? Or do the specific dates have to be given, or some other type of paperwork? I really don't want to go on the cruise, but I don't want to lose my money if the insurance co. (Old Republic) is going to deny my claim.

 

Any words of wisdom from the experts out there would be appreciated.

 

Be careful because your situation doesn't sound clear cut. You said you need surgery and YOU want to have it as soon as possible. Does your doctor say you need it as soon as possible? If the surgery is scheduled for after your trip, is your doctor willing to document that you can't travel until after you've had the surgery?

 

Of course, if you have cancel for any reason coverage, you can cancel just because you don't want to go anymore due to the upcoming surgery, but that coverage doesn't provide a full reimbursement.

 

Consider this situation: A person breaks their leg before their Caribbean cruise which means they can't go snorkeling, scuba diving, etc. However, regular trip cancellation coverage doesn't allow for cancellation just because you're not in the health condition you wanted to be in for travel. Unless the doctor will fill out forms saying the person can't travel because of the broken leg, then regular cancellation insurance won't cover it.

[sirwired]

Consider this situation: A person breaks their leg before their Caribbean cruise which means they can't go snorkeling, scuba diving, etc. However, regular trip cancellation coverage doesn't allow for cancellation just because you're not in the health condition you wanted to be in for travel. Unless the doctor will fill out forms saying the person can't travel because of the broken leg, then regular cancellation insurance won't cover it.

 

This is not true (at least not universally so): From the TravelGuard Gold policy:

 

"Injury or Sickness of an Insured, Traveling Companion

or Family Member traveling with the Insured must be

so disabling as to reasonably cause a Trip to be

cancelled or interrupted, or which results in medically

imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician at the

time of Loss preventing your continued participation in

the Trip."

 

Breaking your leg before a ski or scuba trip is certainly going to be regarded as "reasonably" causing a trip to be cancelled.

[Host Caroline]

At the end of the day, as with a lot of topics on here, specifics re what information the insurance co. needs regarding a cancellation, surgical procedure etc. comes down to each company's requirements.. no one here can say "exactly" what will be required.. just generalities. One company I've used wanted more documentation from my "at home" MD regarding an ilness onboard, another about 8 yrs ago just wanted the statement from ship M.D. .. same with medical prior to going.. it depends..shouldn't rely on individual experiences here re what was needed to determine if what your company is/isn't asking for.

[D4]

This is not true (at least not universally so): From the TravelGuard Gold policy:

 

"Injury or Sickness of an Insured, Traveling Companion

or Family Member traveling with the Insured must be

so disabling as to reasonably cause a Trip to be

cancelled or interrupted, or which results in medically

imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician at the

time of Loss preventing your continued participation in

the Trip."

 

Breaking your leg before a ski or scuba trip is certainly going to be regarded as "reasonably" causing a trip to be cancelled.

 

I agree with your example, but the situation I mentioned was a Caribbean cruise where a person planned on some water activities. IMO that could be viewed differently because it isn't like a ski trip where the main focus is the sporting activities.