Don't assume...read the information

[c-leg5]

4 hours ago, Babr said:

 

I just meant to clarify for others who may not know how annual insurance works, especially since cancellation was the issue here. Allianz offers several options with a maximum of $15,000 per policy / year. Some may not find that to be enough since one claim could deplete the entire amount.

In that case they would then have to buy individual insurance going forward which they would have done anyway. But if they haven’t claimed they could be better off. It becomes more complicated IF you have pre-existing conditions 

[Jt4428]

9 hours ago, sadiwest said:

They said everything.  I asked about things like excursions and drink packages (etc)....I was assured everything.  Again....I won't see anything for quite some time so I can't confirm from experience yet. 

I guess I'm not following. If you don't have insurance but are still getting a full refund I don't understand what the issue is. 

[Jt4428]

5 hours ago, Babr said:

Depending on which policy one chooses, annual insurance offers little to no cancellation coverage. It does not work for everyone.

That is true. Allianz annual is great for medical and medical evacuation but only covers certain cancelation fees per policy per year. I have alot of experience with this for the families I work for.

[c-leg5]

2 minutes ago, Jt4428 said:

That is true. Allianz annual is great for medical and medical evacuation but only covers certain cancelation fees per policy per year. I have alot of experience with this for the families I work for.

Certainly it has a cap but you can make multiple claims.

[Jt4428]

3 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Certainly it has a cap but you can make multiple claims.

The most Allianz insures for cancellation costs is $15k per policy per year and is reflected in the premium. The benefit of that policy is really  for medical and medical evacuation as it covers unlimited trips per year as long as no one  trip is greater than 90 days.

[Babr]

20 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Obviously, like any insurance, annual or single, cancellation has to be for a covered reason. Not really understanding what you are saying.

I meant that some annual policies like GeoBlue are for medical coverage only with no cancellation benefits. On the other hand, Allianz offers several options from $2,000 to $15,000. Those are fairly low caps for cancellation/interruption.

 

[c-leg5]

3 minutes ago, Jt4428 said:

The most Allianz insures for cancellation costs is $15k per policy per year and is reflected in the premium. The benefit of that policy is really  for medical and medical evacuation as it covers unlimited trips per year as long as no one  trip is greater than 90 days.

 

Thanks I have already had the policy.

1 minute ago, Babr said:

I meant that some annual policies like GeoBlue are for medical coverage only with no cancellation benefits. On the other hand, Allianz offers several options from $2,000 to $15,000. Those are fairly low caps for cancellation/interruption.

 

I agree the caps are low.
 

Like most insurance there is no one policy fits all but it suits multiple short trips where most of the time you probably won’t claim. 

 

In addition to low caps, there is a limit on length of each trip and we have had to buy separate insurance for extended overseas trips. As a PP. said you have to buy appropriate insurance for your needs.
 

Whilst convenient for many it probably wouldn’t have been appropriate for the OP, unless they had taken out the higher coverage, and I think the friend would have required individual insurance as i think it only covers family members. 

[Babr]

8 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

 

Thanks I have already had the policy.

I agree the caps are low.
 

Like most insurance there is no one policy fits all but it suits multiple short trips where most of the time you probably won’t claim. 

 

In addition to low caps, there is a limit on length of each trip and we have had to buy separate insurance for extended overseas trips. As a PP. said you have to buy appropriate insurance for your needs.
 

Whilst convenient for many it probably wouldn’t have been appropriate for the OP, unless they had taken out the higher coverage, and I think the friend would have required individual insurance as i think it only covers family members. 

 

That is the point I was making when I responded to another post back on page 1 that implied annual policies are the solution to everything.

 

While annual policies provide acceptable coverage for some, they do not work for everyone. 

Edited August 6, 2023 by Babr

[sadiwest]

12 hours ago, RyderJ201 said:

OK. Maybe not the most PC thing or whatever but...It helps when the customer service agents are in the same part of the world as you and speak the same language.

 

Also, I use to work for a company in the travel business. When you have staff that take calls in this county you encourage "fam" trips at discounted rates for your employees. They get a trip at a really good price and learn first hand how the product works. This really help cust serv reps and customers speak the same language. Trip, add ons, insurance, etc. They get it. They live it. Things get lost in translation when the reps don't really live in the same world. There just is a lack of "ah, I get what your saying, looking for, concerned about, try to change, etc. 

Hate to say it but this agent wasn't out of the country.  I had called once, gotten the offshore office, then called back choosing a different menu option.  In my opinion that makes it even worse...that this is a USA based office I'm speaking to and it went awry. 

[sadiwest]

11 hours ago, Jt4428 said:

I guess I'm not following. If you don't have insurance but are still getting a full refund I don't understand what the issue is. 

The issue is because the agent originally told me there was to be no refund. He hadn't asked what the reason was we weren't going....   even though I said medical reason...   until I admitted it was covid, he was saying there was no money back. 

[PATRLR]

17 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

They accept a photo of a home test.  No need to hunt down a lab

 

Wow, I am surprised that they accept a photo of a home test.  I wonder if there is anything else they require to prove it's yours and from within the required time frame?  I have at least one, if not more, pictures of positive Covid tests on my phone right now.

(I'm not advocating anyone be dishonest and no I won't share my pictures.  I'm just saying that pictures of home tests seems pretty loose documentation)

[Ourusualbeach]

4 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

Wow, I am surprised that they accept a photo of a home test.  I wonder if there is anything else they require to prove it's yours and from within the required time frame?  I have at least one, if not more, pictures of positive Covid tests on my phone right now.

(I'm not advocating anyone be dishonest and no I won't share my pictures.  I'm just saying that pictures of home tests seems pretty loose documentation)

Picture of the home test with a piece of your photo ID in the same picture.  That is all that I have had to send in.  They understand that in the past 6 to 9 months it is next to impossible to get a lab test done for many.

[BND]

1 hour ago, PATRLR said:

Wow, I am surprised that they accept a photo of a home test.  I wonder if there is anything else they require to prove it's yours and from within the required time frame?  I have at least one, if not more, pictures of positive Covid tests on my phone right now.

(I'm not advocating anyone be dishonest and no I won't share my pictures.  I'm just saying that pictures of home tests seems pretty loose documentation)

They've accepted a photo since restart.    

 

As for Travel Insurance having a cap, it's unlikely someone would have to cancel very often.  We buy it more for medical and evacuation.  We wouldn't cruise if we couldn't afford to lose the fare.   In 18 years of cruising, we have had to cancel ONE b2b cruise and that was due to my injury and surgery and rehab four years ago.  

Edited August 6, 2023 by BND

[c-leg5]

1 hour ago, BND said:

 

As for Travel Insurance having a cap, it's unlikely someone would have to cancel very often. 

I agree it is unlikely under normal circumstances to have to cancel many individual trips if you are generally fit and well, but there can be problems if you already have many several future trips, not just cruises, booked and something unforeseen happens that causes cancellation of several “paid in full” trips.
 

As I stated at that point you would have to look to alternative coverage for trips beyond the ones you had to cancel. It depends on your travel habits but several high cost accommodations or travel arrangements could easily be a problem with the low cap. Playing the odds with annual insurance is fine within limitations.

[sadiwest]

2 hours ago, BND said:

They've accepted a photo since restart.    

 

As for Travel Insurance having a cap, it's unlikely someone would have to cancel very often.  We buy it more for medical and evacuation.  We wouldn't cruise if we couldn't afford to lose the fare.   In 18 years of cruising, we have had to cancel ONE b2b cruise and that was due to my injury and surgery and rehab four years ago.  

Personally we can't afford to "lose" the fare in that we can cruise, but not pay to not go then take an actual cruise.  

 

As I mentioned earlier, my mother in law just turned 96. That's yet another reason I typically have cruise interruption insurance.  Unless I'm mistaken in thinking we'd be allowed to utilize it for a family death. 

[Jt4428]

11 hours ago, BND said:

They've accepted a photo since restart.    

 

As for Travel Insurance having a cap, it's unlikely someone would have to cancel very often.  We buy it more for medical and evacuation.  We wouldn't cruise if we couldn't afford to lose the fare.   In 18 years of cruising, we have had to cancel ONE b2b cruise and that was due to my injury and surgery and rehab four years ago.  

Agree with you 100%

[Jt4428]

9 hours ago, sadiwest said:

Personally we can't afford to "lose" the fare in that we can cruise, but not pay to not go then take an actual cruise.  

 

As I mentioned earlier, my mother in law just turned 96. That's yet another reason I typically have cruise interruption insurance.  Unless I'm mistaken in thinking we'd be allowed to utilize it for a family death. 

In your case annual plan would not be for you. Individual policies will insure your cruise fare in total. They are more expensive because of that.

[BND]

9 hours ago, Jt4428 said:

In your case annual plan would not be for you. Individual policies will insure your cruise fare in total. They are more expensive because of that.

Agreed.  My father is currently in hospice and we went through it with my In-laws over the last 6 years.  We, fortunately never had to cancel a cruise or beach trip because timing worked out well but we were covered if needed.  Up until this year, we bought Royal's insurance for each cruise.  Cost wise, even upgrading our Allianz policy, it's cheaper to buy annual for the 4+ cruises we now take each year.   Also, Allianz covers any vacation DH or I take.  A policy is not per person, it's per household while  Royal's insurance is per person.

[Jt4428]

3 hours ago, BND said:

Agreed.  My father is currently in hospice and we went through it with my In-laws over the last 6 years.  We, fortunately never had to cancel a cruise or beach trip because timing worked out well but we were covered if needed.  Up until this year, we bought Royal's insurance for each cruise.  Cost wise, even upgrading our Allianz policy, it's cheaper to buy annual for the 4+ cruises we now take each year.   Also, Allianz covers any vacation DH or I take.  A policy is not per person, it's per household while  Royal's insurance is per person.

Very sorry to hear that.  We went through that with my dad who passed last October.

[BND]

1 hour ago, Jt4428 said:

Very sorry to hear that.  We went through that with my dad who passed last October.

I'm actually visiting them right now in Newport News.  My inlaws lived about 10 min from us when they went through it and passed, but here at my parents I'm almost 3 hours away in No VA.  

 

Anyway, travel insurance is always a good idea, as is reviewing the invoice so you know what you bought.

[topnole]

On 8/5/2023 at 12:52 PM, molly361 said:

I didn't know that you can still get a full refund if you have COVID.  I thought that expired quite a while ago

Officially it has.   But still in their best interest to keep sick folks off the ships.   Per the OPs words, they would’ve gone otherwise which could’ve easily caused illness to other people.   So the in practice method (unofficial policy) must be working with some folks at least.  I still can’t understand why anyone would knowingly board a ship with Covid (or other things like the flu) regardless.  Glad Royal does refunded them so others didn’t get sick as well.  

[PATRLR]

On 8/7/2023 at 12:09 AM, Jt4428 said:

In your case annual plan would not be for you. Individual policies will insure your cruise fare in total. They are more expensive because of that.

On 8/7/2023 at 9:20 AM, BND said:

Agreed.  My father is currently in hospice and we went through it with my In-laws over the last 6 years.  We, fortunately never had to cancel a cruise or beach trip because timing worked out well but we were covered if needed.  Up until this year, we bought Royal's insurance for each cruise.  Cost wise, even upgrading our Allianz policy, it's cheaper to buy annual for the 4+ cruises we now take each year.   Also, Allianz covers any vacation DH or I take.  A policy is not per person, it's per household while  Royal's insurance is per person.

@BND Sorry to hear of your father's situation.  

Considering the specific note you were replying to, I am confused.  If something happens to your father that would cause you to have to cancel a cruise, is your Allianze policy going to reimburse you for the cost of your cruise (and other non-refundable items, e.g. air)?  I have a similar situation and therefore have been buying individual trip policies that cover if my MIL (elderly with many pre-existing conditions) were to cause us to miss a trip. 

[Jt4428]

Just now, PATRLR said:

@BND Sorry to hear of your father's situation.  

Considering the specific note you were replying to, I am confused.  If something happens to your father that would cause you to have to cancel a cruise, is your Allianze policy going to reimburse you for the cost of your cruise (and other non-refundable items, e.g. air)?  I have a similar situation and therefore have been buying individual trip policies that cover if my MIL (elderly with many pre-existing conditions) were to cause us to miss a trip. 

Yes if you have insurance and an immediate family member causes you to cancel they should reimburse you. They will just ask you for documentation.

[Jt4428]

3 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

@BND Sorry to hear of your father's situation.  

Considering the specific note you were replying to, I am confused.  If something happens to your father that would cause you to have to cancel a cruise, is your Allianze policy going to reimburse you for the cost of your cruise (and other non-refundable items, e.g. air)?  I have a similar situation and therefore have been buying individual trip policies that cover if my MIL (elderly with many pre-existing conditions) were to cause us to miss a trip. 

Sorry. Allianz will only reimburse you for the cruise if  that policy has the cancellation coverage and the annual policies are limited on that.

[Jt4428]

2 minutes ago, Jt4428 said:

Yes if you have insurance and an immediate family member causes you to cancel they should reimburse you. They will just ask you for documentation.

See my note in tge next post.