waiver for pre-existing conditions on Princess standard travel protection

[beachbuff9]

We just paid our deposit for an Alaska cruise in June of 2024 but did not include the Princes PVP.  I understand we can add within 14 days of our deposit but can't find any info about a waiver for pre-existing conditions.  Is it part of the standard policy?  

[skynight]

Look at the below site. At the bottom is a link to the legal details by State. I had a quick look. For Kentucky it appears that pre-existing conditions are covered at the bottom of the 2nd page. I believe that you can request that insurance be added to your booking at any time prior to final payment, not the 2 weeks from deposit that you mention. You might want to check that out. It has to be covered somewhere in the terms and conditions. Payment for the insurance is due with the final payment, not before. 

https://affinitytravelcert.com/document/pdfs/PCT_Plt_Landing.html

Edited September 11, 2023 by skynight

[Coral]

It has a 60 day look back period from the time you pay for insurance (not add insurance). You can pay for insurance at any time before final payment.  You specifically have to pay for it and not just add it.

 

Most changes in medical in the 60 days before paying for it may disqualify you for that condition being covered.

[Jersey42]

10 hours ago, beachbuff9 said:

We just paid our deposit for an Alaska cruise in June of 2024 but did not include the Princes PVP.  I understand we can add within 14 days of our deposit but can't find any info about a waiver for pre-existing conditions.  Is it part of the standard policy?  

Unlike most third party insurance, neither of the Princess plans (standard or platinum) offers a waiver of pre-existing conditions.  In most cases, third party plans offer better coverage at a better price.  Many of those plans require purchase within X days of your initial deposit to get the pre-existing conditions waiver.  I highly recommend tripinsurancestore.com.  Call them, don't rely on online summaries.

 

As @Coral said, the Princess plan has a 60 day lookback period from the day you purchase the plan.  So depending on the pre-existing condition, the date someone purchases the plan can be very important.  For example if your only "pre-existing condition" is a change in blood pressure medication, then wait at least 60 days after the medication change before purchasing the plan.  The plan can be purchased up until final payment date.

 

Also, pre-existing conditions do not matter for the Cancel For Any Reason benefit.

[WisCruiser2]

I can never understand this - are you saying if the condition/diagnosis was determined MORE than 60 days before paying for the insurance, you are out of luck if it causes one to cancel the trip, but if LESS than 60 days before, they will cover a cancellation? But if we have "cancel for any reason" it will be covered (with FCC, not a refund)? Thanks.

[Jersey42]

22 minutes ago, WisCruiser2 said:

I can never understand this - are you saying if the condition/diagnosis was determined MORE than 60 days before paying for the insurance, you are out of luck if it causes one to cancel the trip, but if LESS than 60 days before, they will cover a cancellation? But if we have "cancel for any reason" it will be covered (with FCC, not a refund)? Thanks.

Yes to your second question.  Pre-existing conditions do not matter if you cancel for any reason.  75% FCC for Standard or 100% FCC for Platinum.

 

On the first question you sort of have it backwards, but it can be more complicated than that and it somewhat depends on the condition.  Here is the definition:

 

Pre-Existing Condition means an illness, disease, or other condition during the sixty (60) day period immediately prior to the Effective Date of Your Certificate for which You, Your Traveling Companion, or a Family Member booked to travel with You: 
1) exhibited symptoms that would have caused a typical person to seek care or treatment; or 
2) received or received a recommendation for a test, examination, or medical treatment; or 
3) took or received a prescription for drugs or medicine. 

Item (3) of this definition does not apply to a condition that is treated or controlled solely through the taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled without any adjustment or change in the required prescription throughout the sixty (60) day period before the Effective Date of Your Certificate.

 

So if you were diagnosed more than 60 days before paying for the insurance (the effective date), and you have had no need for treatment, tests, exams etc in the 60 days before paying for the insurance you should be covered.  But if you regularly go back for checkups or treatments, the 60 day window starts again with each doctor visit.

 

A big advantage of a policy with a pre-existing conditions waiver is you do not need to worry about any of this.  And, when you submit a claim you won't be asked to submit medical and prescription records to prove you did not have a pre-existing condition.

[beachbuff9]

Thank you for all the info.  If I read this correctly, we just have to be healthy with no new issues for 60 days prior to adding the Princess trip insurance - and we can add it any time before our final payment is due.  It also seems as if CAFR is more important than the pre-existing condition waiver?  So if we buy insurance from a third party with a CAFR option, within the 14 -21 day window, it doesn't matter if we get sick just before the cruise - we just say "I don't want to go" and not invoke any medical reason?  Obviously this only applies to the cancellation portion of the insurance, not the coverage for medical expenses.  Since we are traveling primarily in Alaska, our Medicare + supplement will cover our medical expenses on land?  This is making my head spin!

[NavyVeteran]

36 minutes ago, WisCruiser2 said:

I can never understand this - are you saying if the condition/diagnosis was determined MORE than 60 days before paying for the insurance, you are out of luck if it causes one to cancel the trip, but if LESS than 60 days before, they will cover a cancellation? But if we have "cancel for any reason" it will be covered (with FCC, not a refund)? Thanks.

No, that's backwards. If the condition is treated with medication and the diagnosis and medication has not changed in the 60 days prior to purchase (payment - not selection), then it is covered. You can purchase it anytime between deposit and final payment. I wait until DW and I have 60 days with no medical changes and then purchase it. I don't wait until final payment, because one of us may have a changed condition just prior to that.

[NavyVeteran]

5 minutes ago, beachbuff9 said:

Thank you for all the info.  If I read this correctly, we just have to be healthy with no new issues for 60 days prior to adding the Princess trip insurance - and we can add it any time before our final payment is due.  It also seems as if CAFR is more important than the pre-existing condition waiver?  So if we buy insurance from a third party with a CAFR option, within the 14 -21 day window, it doesn't matter if we get sick just before the cruise - we just say "I don't want to go" and not invoke any medical reason?  Obviously this only applies to the cancellation portion of the insurance, not the coverage for medical expenses.  Since we are traveling primarily in Alaska, our Medicare + supplement will cover our medical expenses on land?  This is making my head spin!

Princess Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) returns a Future Cruise Credit good for travel until the end of the next year after the cancellation (75% or 100% of the cancellation penalty - not including the cost of the insurance). A third-party CFAR would give you a refund (some percent), but third-party CFAR policies may be more expensive.

Third-party medical and evacuation coverage may be better than Princess Vacation Protection (PVP). As you stated, this probably doesn't matter on an Alaska cruise. Medicare and supplement may not pay for treatment on the ship or for treatment in Vancouver, but the PVP should be enough for these costs. This analysis could be different for a cruise in some other part of the world.

One big difference is that the cost of PVP is not age rated. The cost for third-party insurance is. This can lead to a significant cost difference for some of us who aren't as young as we used to be.

PVP provides secondary coverage for medical expenses. Third-party insurance may provide primary or secondary coverage. With secondary coverage, you have to apply to the primary insurance first and then they pay the difference. In the past, I haven't had to apply to Medicare first for treatment outside of the US; the insurance company knows they don't provide coverage. Your Medicare supplement may or may not provide coverage outside of the US. My Tricare for Life does, but some supplements do not. But my Tricare for Life is secondary to travel insurance - even secondary travel insurance, and I usually don't need to file a claim with them first.

[Jersey42]

2 minutes ago, beachbuff9 said:

Thank you for all the info.  If I read this correctly, we just have to be healthy with no new issues for 60 days prior to adding the Princess trip insurance - and we can add it any time before our final payment is due.  It also seems as if CAFR is more important than the pre-existing condition waiver?  So if we buy insurance from a third party with a CAFR option, within the 14 -21 day window, it doesn't matter if we get sick just before the cruise - we just say "I don't want to go" and not invoke any medical reason?  Obviously this only applies to the cancellation portion of the insurance, not the coverage for medical expenses.  Since we are traveling primarily in Alaska, our Medicare + supplement will cover our medical expenses on land?  This is making my head spin!

I think you have a good handle on this. Here are a few additional things to consider as none of this is as easy as it should be.

• Third party CFAR will be more costly and will require you cancel at least 48 hours prior to departure.  You will also have to pay for it in that 14-21 day window.  But you will typically get a 75% cash refund.
• Medicare and your supplement will cover you on land in Alaska. But the rules change in Canada and in most instances on the ship. Assuming your supplement covers foreign emergency travel (such as plan G or N), your supplement will cover 80% after your annual deductible, then the Princess plan will cover the rest.  Whatever the supplement covers will go against your lifetime $50K foreign travel benefit.
• If you get a third party plan with primary medical (Princess' plan pays secondary), then you do not need to file with Medicare and use any of your lifetime maximum.