HAL cancellation protection – NY State, Québec, Puerto Rico

[johnnyswitzerland]

Super specific issue here and I've failed to find relevant answers…

 

The HAL website CPP info page states:  "CPP Platinum is not available to residents of New York State, Quebec or Puerto Rico."

 

I have a booking approaching final payment (next week) and tried to add Platinum Cancellation Protection to it today.  My travel agent (and then subsequently I) was told that it couldn't be added because my home gateway is NYC.

 

I live in New Jersey.

 

I do indeed have a booking via FlightEase to JFK post-cruise, but is this really about residency or is it about airports?  Anybody else have this problem of living within proximity of NY state but not being able to get cancellation protection if using NYC airports?

 

Thanks for any insight!

 

John

[Hlitner]

Not surprised about the New York issue since their insurance laws are very unfriendly to companies outside New York.  Even GeoBlue cannot be sold in New York State.  As to the Gateway issue, that will show on the Flightease page .   I have no idea how HAL decides Gateways, but ours has also been wrong for years.  I imagine you can get that changed via a phone call although we have never tried.  When we use the Flightease page to book our air we simply put in our desired airports and ignore that Gateway airport.  In our case the gateway is Allentown, and we have no idea how that happened since we have never used that airport....EVER!

 

Hank

[Mary229]

Was your cruise a non-refundable deposit?  When I tried to add the plan for my sister I was told I could not as it was a non-refundable deposit and must be purchased at time of the deposit. 

[Syracusefan44]

9 hours ago, johnnyswitzerland said:

Super specific issue here and I've failed to find relevant answers…

 

The HAL website CPP info page states:  "CPP Platinum is not available to residents of New York State, Quebec or Puerto Rico."

 

I have a booking approaching final payment (next week) and tried to add Platinum Cancellation Protection to it today.  My travel agent (and then subsequently I) was told that it couldn't be added because my home gateway is NYC.

 

I live in New Jersey.

 

I do indeed have a booking via FlightEase to JFK post-cruise, but is this really about residency or is it about airports?  Anybody else have this problem of living within proximity of NY state but not being able to get cancellation protection if using NYC airports?

 

Thanks for any insight!

 

John

You should not have an issue since the insurance exclusion only applies to “residents” of New York.  

[johnnyswitzerland]

Thanks, all, for your responses.

 

@Hlitner, I will call back again this morning and see if there's a way to have the "home gateway" changed without affecting my already-booked flight.  Yesterday, my TA was told I would lose the flight if I changed the gateway.  I don't want to do that because it is an awesome deal in Delta Premium Select CDG > JFK and the fares are evidently much, much higher now.

 

@Mary229,  no, it was a refundable deposit booked during the $1 deposit promo back in October.  No cancellation penalties until January 7, 2023.

 

@Syracusefan44, agreed!  If the policy is about state of residence, it should have no impact on my ability to purchase CPP.  I wonder if it's maybe a software issue.  The system sees JFK and says "nope!" but it should be checking against mailing address, not airport.  What if I lived nowhere near NY state but wanted to use FlightEase to get to NYC for whatever reason?  Would that disqualify me from buying CPP?  According to yesterday's reps, the answer is yes.  Makes no sense.

Edited December 30, 2022 by johnnyswitzerland
typo

[Hlitner]

No way would you want to give up that flight deal :).  Not surprised that the HAL reservations folks are not helpful.  Those folks only seem to know what is in their "script" which shows on the monitor.  

 

Another option is to call Steve at the Trip Insurance Store and see what he can offer as alternative (and likely better) insurance.

 

Hank

[Mary229]

I don’t think those $1 were refundable.   I cancelled one and was told I would not get my $1 returned.  Yes, even a dollar of non-refundable money excludes you from the insurance unless you bought it at time of deposit 

[johnnyswitzerland]

Update:  I called back this morning and got a super helpful agent named Twyla.  She was awesome and also stumped by this issue.  It took some time on hold, while she worked with a supervisor, but it was sorted out.

 

Sounds like it is a software/system limitation.  They had to "lift" the air from the booking without canceling it, then change my home gateway to EWR, add the insurance, and then put the air back.  Phew!

 

My TA and I both tried to make this happen yesterday to no avail, but today someone had the ability (power, authority, skill???) to make it work.  Funny how things can work out differently depending on whom you speak to.  Or your tolerance for persistence.  😆

[johnnyswitzerland]

@Hlitner, I agree about private insurance being better.  I usually buy my own via insuremytrip.com but this is a bit of a special case because I wanted to make sure I had some CFAR coverage.  HAL's CCP seemed the most expedient option.