Insurance with Deposit OR Final Payment?

[ltprn]

I am working with a TA who tells me that there is no need to purchase Travel Insurance until I make my Final Payment. He says that there is no penalty to cancel before final payment, but I would not get an insurance refund, so I shouldn't purchase it with initial deposit unless I have a "pre-existing" condition. Does this make sense?

[Happy ks]

Then, make sure you do not over-buy the insurance. Many times your credit card will include some of the insurance coverage you need, read the fine print. We take out the bare minimum, to cover cancellation, bag loss, medical evacuation. Check out:

 

http://www.insuremytrip.com

 

There is no need to give an insurance co. your money unless you have to and until you have to.

[ltprn]

Thanks!

ltprn

[goouchjac]

Thanks!

ltprn

I agree, we don't get the insurance till about a week before the cruise, no need to buy way ahead of time......

[cruiseco]

He says that there is no penalty to cancel before final payment, but I would not get an insurance refund, so I shouldn't purchase it with initial deposit unless I have a "pre-existing" condition. Does this make sense?

 

Don't forget to include family members in your calculations. For example, if you have an ill parent or grandparent and you wait to buy the policy you would not be covered if you have to cancel if that illness flares up and causes you to cancel.

 

Global Alert has a good way of handling this. If you cancel your cruise before there's any cancellation penalties they'll refund your premium. This way, you can buy the policy to get the pre-existing xondition coverage but if you cancel the cruise before the cruise line's cancellation penalties kick in you can get the premium refunded also.

 

You can read about it at http://www.globalalerttravel.info

 

Click on the link to their frequently asked questions

[mt_goodrich]

I just booked a cruise today and TA stated that it was best to wait to purchase the travel insurance.

[Andee]

I think waiting to purchase insurance is fine, as long as you're 100% positive that you would never need to cancel for any illness in yourself or a family member that could possibly be construed as related to a pre-existing condition.

[bigmike7]

Yo-

 

What if you or any family member acquire a condition between booking and sailing?

If you purchase the insurance up front within the 14 to 21 day perior most insurers give you - you'll be OK....If you wait you could put yourself at risk - even if unintentionally. The cost of trip insurance is a drop in the bucket compared to your initial deposit and the full cost of your trip....so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to wait..........

 

Also some travel agents will try and "steer" you into their higher priced product....so be sure to look int sites like insuremytrip.com ......etc

 

Happy Cruisin'

 

Mike

[JanetMarie]

I learned something from you guys/gals. I always thought the I had to purchase the insurance when I booked...:eek:

[hvsteve1]

I found this aging thread and would like to add what I have found researching the available policies. Some have a pre-existing condition clause no matter when you purchase. Many waive the clause if you purchase upon your INITIAL cruise payment. A few waive the clause if you purchase at the time of your FINAL payment. As with any health-related insurance,whether you have a pre-existing condition or not,benefits could be delayed while the insurance company investigates the claim to see if they can get out if it unless the restrictive clauses are missing from the policy.

[HappyStamper]

Check the fine print on the definition of "pre-existing condition". From what I've been reading if you have a condition that is currently being kept under control with medication (and has been for I think it was one year) then any change is not considered a pre-existing condition. My daughter has a siezure disorder so I was concerned about coverage if something happened with her. Since she has been siezure free for about a year and a half any problems would be considered a new illness by that definition.

[Nasmas]

We bought our insurance on insuremytrip.com and this is one of their FAQs:

 

To receive the most benefit from the travel policy you must purchase the insurance within 7 to 21 days (varies by company and plan) of making your initial trip payment. If the insurance is purchased within the 7 - 21 day period you receive two enhancements (varies by company and plan) to the policy.

1. protection against the financial default of a tour operator, airline or cruise line. (depends on company)
   
2. the pre-existing medical condition exclusion is usually waived (again, depends on company and plan).
   

Most companies count the day you make the first trip payment as day one (not the day the check is cashed).

 

I also read that with some companies it has to be purchased within 10 days of booking.

I'd be very careful about waiting.

[WASUP]

I am trying to do a quote for the cruise insurance and I am OK with the fields that ask what I want, the field I am not sure of is the MEDICAL field, if I have medical insurance at work and I am covered, I asked and they said that as long as I get a report in english writing they will pay. But if I choose to get Medical, what would you suggest the limit be on this coverage?

 

Thanks

[Jett456]

50,000 - enough to cover air evacuation.

[CaribbeanBound]

Pay with deposit.

 

Here are 10 tips for buying travel insurance...

*****

[jcanino]

If you are going to take the insurance offered by the cruise line, it is all dependent on the cruise line as to when you need to purchase insurance. Some lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean will allow you to add it with final payment. Others like Holland America and Cruise West require you to pay for it with Deposit.