Coverage for Leaving Late on a Trip (TravelGuard Preferred)

[toolworker]

We have a TravelGuard Preferred policy (California) covering a cruise trip. Suppose one of us gets sick a few days before leaving, and our physician advises us not to travel. If we wait until they're able to travel, and then fly out to join the cruise ship, will TravelGuard cover (1) the increased cost of that flight, and (2) the cost of the missed cruise days?

[InsureMyTrip]

The short answer is, there may be coverage available if, for a covered reason, you decide to delay your departure.  Benefits can vary depending on your residence state, so with such a specific question, it may be best to contact Travel Guard directly to discuss what may, or may not, be covered under your policy. 

 

As you mention that you may want to catch up to your cruise if you miss the original departure, it may also be helpful to know what the cruise line’s policies are.  Are you able to rejoin the ship at a port along the way and are there certain rules or procedures that would have to be followed if it is allowed?
 

[toolworker]

We handled the problem, which was jury duty - a covered reason under both Trip Cancellation and Trip Delay.

 

But there's a big Catch 22. If there's a covered reason that you expect is going to go away in a few days - like jury duty, or getting Covid a few days before leaving - you can cancel under Trip Cancellation. But if you want to catch up to the cruise once able (and the cruise line allows it), that would have to be under Trip Delay. And the effective date of that benefit in this policy is the date of departure. So it's a covered reason but not Unforseen, because it happened before the effective date of the benefit.

 

So bottom line - if you are sick or for some other covered reason can't leave on your trip, you've got two choices: Cancel the entire trip and get a refund, or change the departure date on your policy, and eat the cost of the lost vacation days and changing the travel arrangements.

 

I thought I understood all the ways something could fall through a loophole, but this one had me gobsmacked - and TravelGuard is a good company too.

 

A TravelGuard agent confirmed this, but I'm not sure she understood the question - and they don't always give the right answer, or the same answer. But this is how I read the policy.