Pay travel ins w/ deposit or pay ti w/ final payment

[Diamond60]

My husband and I are booked on a 17-Day Panama Canal cruise in April 2012. We booked it in June 2011. The problem is I read somewhere that if you don't buy your traveler's insurance (TI) at the time of booking, you won't receive the same benefit as you would have had you purchased it at the time of booking. So why should we still purchase TI if we won't receive full benefit of the insurance after final payment is made? Please give us your feedback. Your expertise would help us a great deal. Thanks!

[SliceOfLife]

I bought cruise insurance before my final payment from travel guard. The coverage was great and the price didn't break the bank either. For an extra $8 you get 1 million per person for medivac rescue.

 

I hope this helps you out :)

[paflcruise]

For most companies, pre-existing conditions are not covered if TI isn't purchased within the 10-14 days from initial payment.

 

Even in your case - TI is still very impt for weather, plane delays, lost luggage etc. I always get it within the window covering pre-existing conditions b/c our family does have some that may affect our cruise or other travel.

 

Last year, the whole family came down with a stomach virus while in Hawaii. My son and I had to stay back b/c we couldn't get on the plane. This wasn't pre-existing condition related but if I hadn't gotten the insurance, we would have been out LOADS of money! TI covered ALL our expenses - rescheduling flights, extra hotel rooms for 2 more nights, rental car and all DR bills to get "clearance" so the airlines would let us on the plane etc. I am a huge proponent of TI!!!

[Diamond60]

You have convinced me that it is still worth it. So now my understanding is that everything outside of preexisting conditions would be covered. Is that correct? If that's the case, I can live with that. Again, thanks!!!!!!!

[sparks1093]

You have convinced me that it is still worth it. So now my understanding is that everything outside of preexisting conditions would be covered. Is that correct? If that's the case, I can live with that. Again, thanks!!!!!!!

 

As a general rule yes, everything but pre-existing conditions would be covered. Read each policy carefully because each defines pre-existing condition differently and there are some policies that may offer a pre-existing condition waiver for an extra fee (which of course you would only want to purchase if you actually have a pre-existing condition that might interfere with your trip).

[PIPER50]

Please get travel insurance when you book your cruise or as soon as you can thereafter. My mother took an unexpected stroke around 4 months before we were due to sail and she lost a high percentage of the cost of the cruise - this included the total cost of flights from UK to Miami, hotel reservations in UK and Miami as well as a large part of the cost of the cruise itself.

[jame_g]

As a general rule yes, everything but pre-existing conditions would be covered. Read each policy carefully because each defines pre-existing condition differently and there are some policies that may offer a pre-existing condition waiver for an extra fee (which of course you would only want to purchase if you actually have a pre-existing condition that might interfere with your trip).

 

You can still develop or be treated for a condition or injury that occurs after you book, but within the defined preexisting condition period. This is now a preexisting condition. At this point its too late to get a policy with the waiver, except for some expensive policies. If this condition then prevents you from travelling, then you won't be covered. There are many things that are considered preexisting that most people don't think about ahead of time, or which aren't known at the time of booking, including some situations for family members not travelling with you.

 

Is it still worth getting, probably. But, in my opinion, you lose one of the most valuable coverages by not buying shortly after making the deposit and having the preexisting coverage. Even for young, healthy people. But buying insurance in the first place is a personal choice, as long as you accept the risk of what can happen if you don't have it.

[NMLady]

My husband and I are booked on a 17-Day Panama Canal cruise in April 2012. We booked it in June 2011. The problem is I read somewhere that if you don't buy your traveler's insurance (TI) at the time of booking, you won't receive the same benefit as you would have had you purchased it at the time of booking. So why should we still purchase TI if we won't receive full benefit of the insurance after final payment is made? Please give us your feedback. Your expertise would help us a great deal. Thanks!

 

The only benefit you won't receive is that it won't cover pre-existing conditions of you, your travel companion, and non-traveling immediate family members. All the other benefits ~will~ be received.

[garycarla]

As often stated, check around and do not buy from the cruiseline.

 

Airfares may or may not be covered. ASK

Cancel for ANY reason may or may not be covered. ASK

Medevac may or may not be covered. ASK

Deductibles may apply. ASK

etc etc etc

[PreciousCruiser]

When I found out that pre-existing would not be covered if the ins. was not purchased within 14? days after making deposit, I was upset cause I did want the insurance and did want pre-existing to be covered (different policies have different pre-existing time frames/policies). After researching, I found a policy that I had to pay extra for to cover the pre-existing and upgraded the coverages limits and its was not much more that the policy the cruiseline offered. Much better coverage! I purchased it a few days prior to my final pmt. and prior to a surgery I had. I did not want to take a chance on any complications from the surgery. Next time I make a deposit on a cruise, I will purchase the ins. asap to avoid the problem with the pre-existing issue (or any other issues)...

[cod]

I think you just have a week from your deposit date to purchase it and be covered for preexisting conditions. IF you have a condition that might rear it's head down the road and negate the insurance if purchased later, then I would bite the bullet and buy it when I booked. However, you'll lose that money should you cancel and it can't be switched to another sailing so keep that in mind, too.

[Turtles06]

I think you just have a week from your deposit date to purchase it and be covered for preexisting conditions. IF you have a condition that might rear it's head down the road and negate the insurance if purchased later, then I would bite the bullet and buy it when I booked. However, you'll lose that money should you cancel and it can't be switched to another sailing so keep that in mind, too.

 

This advice is not correct. Policies and rules vary from company to company. With Travel Guard, for example, you have a couple of weeks to buy TI after your initial deposit if you want pre-existing conditions to be covered.

 

Also, there are provisions for getting a credit voucher from Travel Guard after you've bought insurance but decide not to take the trip; you can use the voucher the next time you need to purchase TI from them.

 

I agree with others above: buy TI, and buy it within the time after making your first trip deposit that allows pre-existing conditions to be covered. Keep in mind that even if you think YOU don't have any pre-existing conditions (which is probably unlikely if you are an adult human), you may have immediate family members not traveling with you who do, and if you have to cancel because of some reason relating to that, you may find that your TI won't cover it.

[marelind]

As others have said, TI provides most of the benefits no matter when you purcase it. The problem comes when pre-existing health conditions exist and you have to cancel. Always buy TI from a well recommended company. Before you buy talk to them about pre-existing conditions. DH has a pre-existing health condition. We buy platinum coverage when we book. In that case, Travel Guard will cover cancellation if he has a "change" in his condition. I would suggest you call the TI company or research how they handle any pre-existing conditions and the effects a change in that condition when you buy after the 14 day window.

[cod]

Perhaps some policies differ. Or if not the policy, who you purchase it from. We bought our Travel Guard Gold policy for our recent Spirit cruise from the online agency we booked with at almost half the price of the quote I got directly from Travel Guard. ($100 opposed to $185!!) Once I realized the price difference for the exact same coverage, I called the agency back and hurriedly purchased it from them to get in under their time line for preexisting conditions. After all, who in their 70's doesn't have some problem that might fall under 'preexisting'?!

 

Rather than debate the timeline, just follow the time frame given by whoever you decide to purchase from.

[cod]

Also, I am glad to learn that I can get a voucher for a future cruise should I ever have to cancel a cruise and have purchased insurance. I booked our Spirit cruise almost a year out and thought my $100 insurance was a kind of gamble and would be lost if we couldn't go for some reason. Live and learn!

[sparks1093]

Perhaps some policies differ. Or if not the policy, who you purchase it from. We bought our Travel Guard Gold policy for our recent Spirit cruise from the online agency we booked with at almost half the price of the quote I got directly from Travel Guard. ($100 opposed to $185!!) Once I realized the price difference for the exact same coverage, I called the agency back and hurriedly purchased it from them to get in under their time line for preexisting conditions. After all, who in their 70's doesn't have some problem that might fall under 'preexisting'?!

 

Rather than debate the timeline, just follow the time frame given by whoever you decide to purchase from.

 

I didn't have any problems back in the '70's, but now that we're in 2012 I have plenty;).