Optimal time to purchase policy?

[Kinkacruiser]

This may have been asked before, so I do apologise.

 

Do most people purchase their travel insurance policy just before final payment is due or at booking time? (Princess has a fully refundable deposit up to a specified date).

If I chose to wait until close to final payment time and something were to happen (to cause a cancellation) between booking time and final payment time, I suspect I would not covered for flights/hotel bookings made during that period? Correct?

[cruiseco]

This may have been asked before, so I do apologise.

 

Do most people purchase their travel insurance policy just before final payment is due or at booking time? (Princess has a fully refundable deposit up to a specified date).

 

If you're talking about third-party plans, it depends on each person's situation. For example, many want to make sure that they're covered for pre-existing medical conditions. With most plans (CSA is one exception) they have to buy their policy within 14 - 30 days (depending on the plan) of making that first deposit. Others want a Cancel For Any Reason plan and those all have the same requirements.

 

Others might be driving to the pier and for them waiting until the final payment date is a logical choice because if a medical situation pops up they can usually cancel the trip with no penalty anyway.

 

So your better question should be "when do those in my particular situation (whatever that may be -- pre-existing conditions, might need the Cancel For Any Reason coverage, driving , flying, etc) usually buy their policy." Because without knowing that you're comparing similar circumstances the answers you'll get really aren't of any value to you.

 

 

If I chose to wait until close to final payment time and something were to happen (to cause a cancellation) between booking time and final payment time, I suspect I would not covered for flights/hotel bookings made during that period? Correct?

 

Correct. Assuming that ". . . between booking time and final payment time" really means "between booking time and buying the policy."

[klfrodo]

Please note that since you are an Aussie, the consumer protection laws may be completely different from what we experience here in the States, our good friends in the UK and our neighbors to the North.

[cruiseco]

Please note that since you are an Aussie, the consumer protection laws may be completely different from what we experience here in the States, our good friends in the UK and our neighbors to the North.

 

 

Oops. Missed that.

[Kinkacruiser]

Thanks for the replies but will post on the Australian thread as well. Sorry about that.

From my own research (I'm looking to buy an annual policy since we cruise at least twice a year now) it's a case of book the cruise, buy the policy, purchase o'seas air and book hotels then pay final cruise payment. You cannot backdate once the policy is purchased.