When to buy Travel Insurance?

[lovingwife1229]

Just booked our first cruise today and am wondering when I should buy Travel Insurance.

 

The cruise isn't until January 2011.

 

I have only put down a deposit that is fully refundable until final payment is due in October 2010.

 

Will a company insure the trip this far out?...or should I wait till October 2010?

 

Thank you.

[denmarks]

Most insurance companies require that you buy the insurance before final payment is due or the point where you will lose any deposits. Once any money is officially non refundable then you can't get insurance. Insurance issued through the cruise line itself may have a different requirement.

[Nanatravel]

For coverage that will apply to Pre-existing conditions, you are required to buy it within a set number of days from the deposit; example 14 days. I use insuremytrip.com for comparitive valuable policy, cost and coverage information. I never purchase insurance from the cruise line directly. What if they go under?

 

Bon Voyage

[cruiser429]

For coverage that will apply to Pre-existing conditions, you are required to buy it within a set number of days from the deposit; example 14 days. I use insuremytrip.com for comparitive valuable policy, cost and coverage information. I never purchase insurance from the cruise line directly. What if they go under?

 

Bon Voyage

 

Ditto everything said here. Pre-existing conditions are a tough one. It's worth it to have the insurance early enough to cover them. One year, we booked the trip and had only put down a deposit, when I became ill. I got back my deposit and contacted the insurance company. Although they didn't give a refund, they allowed me to slide it over to my next trip!

[uppitycats]

Pre-existing health situations (for you, those who travel with you, and your immediate family) are the main reason you would want to buy cruise insurance immediately -- and not from the cruise company. There are several other sources. You can go to insuremytrip.com and do some estimating of costs. Cruise line trip insurance is usually the least desirable, even if you're not concerned about the pre-existing issues, so you want to do some shopping around right away and compare, before you decide.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We buy cruise insurance right at the time we make final payment knowing that we can always cancel a cruise right up until that fnal payment date.

[rinkyd]

If you don't need the insurance for a pre-existing condition and choose to wait until just before final payment, is the insurance cost less expensive, then if you purchase it, say 6 months in advance?

[Jade13]

For coverage that will apply to Pre-existing conditions, you are required to buy it within a set number of days from the deposit; example 14 days. I use insuremytrip.com for comparitive valuable policy, cost and coverage information. I never purchase insurance from the cruise line directly. What if they go under?

 

Bon Voyage

 

You can buy CSA Luxe and HTH at final payment and it will cover pre-existing conditions. The prices go down as you get closer to final payment.

[Chelly]

A question to to help me better understand pre-existing condition coverage:

 

If I get sick just before the cruise, have to cancel, and I DON'T have pre-existing conditions coverage in the insurance I bought, I lose my cruise payment. Right?

[cherylandtk]

Chelly, it depends on what you get sick from. Pre-existing means you already have the disease or illness or underlying condition; so if you DON'T have any ongoing medical conditions, then you don't have to deal with Pre-existing.

ETA-

Most insurance companies require that you buy the insurance before final payment is due or the point where you will lose any deposits. Once any money is officially non refundable then you can't get insurance. Insurance issued through the cruise line itself may have a different requirement.

Just wanted to add that you can purchase insurance up to the day you travel. It has nothing to do with being in penalty phase or not. What is covered medically IS often impacted by when you purchase, either by lookback days or deposit/payment date, but you can still purchase insurance after final payment:

http://tripinsurancestore.com/faqs.shtml#c

[Chelly]

Chelly, it depends on what you get sick from. Pre-existing means you already have the disease or illness or underlying condition; so if you DON'T have any ongoing medical conditions, then you don't have to deal with Pre-existing.

 

One more question: I have purchased travel insurance. If the price of my cruise is reduced and I cancel and rebook to take advantage of the price reduction, do I have to make any adjustments in the insurance I purchased?

[cruiser429]

Insurance company probably won't give you a refund, but they will give you a credit towards another policy to be used within a year.

[iamtrustworthy]

One more question: I have purchased travel insurance. If the price of my cruise is reduced and I cancel and rebook to take advantage of the price reduction, do I have to make any adjustments in the insurance I purchased?

 

Hi Chelly,

 

All the companies I know will let you lower the trip cost on your coverage. If it puts you into a lower cost bracket you'll get a refund on the insurance.

[hkolln]

One more question: I have purchased travel insurance. If the price of my cruise is reduced and I cancel and rebook to take advantage of the price reduction, do I have to make any adjustments in the insurance I purchased?

 

We normally use Travelex insurance. When I switched ships for our cruise in late March from the Glory to the Liberty I just emailed them and told them. They updated my policy to reflect the new itinerary/ship. It was as easy as that!

 

When I cancelled my cruise a few years back and had ins thru them I just told them I cancelled the cruise and they refunded my money! I'm not sure if that is the same with all insurance companies but they seemed very easy to work with when changes came about.