Warning: Do Not buy the Allianz insurance through DCL!

[cieslack]

Allianz insures kids for free on their traditional policy.

 

[mbrocker]

I don't think people are really understanding her loss here. DCL insurance did cover her trip cancellation up to the limits of this policy. Which was the cost of the trip booked through DCL.

Now, the OP suffered the following additional losses:

A.Out $600 in airfare
B. Out $1000 in hotel stay
C. Out $400 in food
plus whatever else I can't think of..... But about 2 grand for sitting in a room watching my daughter vomit.

Some might have been covered by an outside policy, some not.

A. If OPs airfare expense was a result of a *change* then the change fees may have been covered by a 3rd party policy. If the flights, to & from FL were taken on the dates purchased, they likely will NOT be reimbursed by any company. They will pay for UNused land, water, air fares. Used airline reservations aren't really considered a "loss"

B. This *might* have been partially covered by *some* policies, typically up to 5 days and up to 150ish per day. So, *maybe* a reimbursement of up to $750, depending on the OP's per day expenses. *maybe*

C. I don't think any policy is going to cover food. Food while traveling can be expensive -- but you feed yourself at home too. I don't see this as a covered expense on any travel insurance policy I've ever looked at.

So, yes, a good travel policy definitely would've put the OP in a better position -- provided she happened to pick one that had reimbursement for hotel for a non hospitalized person during a trip cancellation. DO YOU KNOW HOW DEEP I HAD TO READ TO FIND THAT?? Good luck for the average joe not knowing this particular situation to track down that little goody. (Though, from now on *I will* certainly look for it)

Anyway, thats what I've discovered from my years of insurance customer service and an evening combing through travel policies (since I'm now a panicked owner of a DCL policy).

Ooh, and if anyone finds an error in my logic, please let me know. I could be wrong -- this certainly wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Bear3412]

This is a timely thread as I need to purchase a policy within 13 days to qualify for all it offers. I've been focusing in on Travel Guard's gold plan with the added evac add on.

That policy I saw no limit on the days in a hotel, but it did cap $ at what every level you purchased.

The food thing is interesting. I saw no reference to food which to me indicates it is not covered.

All I read saw you must see a doctor within at max 72 hours, or no $.

Most say call them immediately if an event occurs. 72 hours maybe if life or death.

Most won't touch pregnant women.

I'm wondering if you can up you trip cost to get more coverage for trip interruption and such, even though you trip doesn't cost that much.
In other words tell them the trip cost 10K when it really only cost 6K to get more coverage. Not to try to recoup more than you spend, but for this interruption line item. The coverage for trip interruption only seems to increase as the total cost of trip increases. No increase for TI even between different level plans within the same Insurer.

I'm surprised no carrier has come out with a variable policy where the insured fills in the amounts of coverage they want for each available item, then it calculates the price.

I will say they do have the focused mini plans; medical, evac, death, etc. at very affordable rates.

I know the insurance gave us peace of mind on our last voyage.
We had this same plan I mentioned above.
Of course if I had needed it, as OP, I may have felt different.

Another odd thing, we are currently booked waaaaaaay out, and alot of the policies are not showing up because it is too far out. That's a new one for me.

Oh, also be careful comparing policies. As mentioned, some of the more expensive policies, even with the same company, cover less, than their less costly counterparts. Go figure.

 

[DillWaters]

Thought I remember the OP, in her other thread as it was happening, saying that she did go to the hospital with her DD. Not that that probably helps in any way.

 

[Bear3412]

Thought I remember the OP, in her other thread as it was happening, saying that she did go to the hospital with her DD. Not that that probably helps in any way.

Yes , but I believe it was pre cruise. Had any event occurred after checkin, she would have been covered.

 

[kitkat2704]

Wow. Glad I read this before I agreed to get the insurance!

 

[luv2sleep]

Yes , but I believe it was pre cruise. Had any event occurred after checkin, she would have been covered.

Ah. I think people here advised her not to go try and check in. From what I remember her DD was way too sick anyway and had to be go to the hospital. OP, I don't remember all if the details so sorry if I've got it wrong.

 

[Bear3412]

Ah. I think people here advised her not to go try and check in. From what I remember her DD was way too sick anyway and had to be go to the hospital. OP, I don't remember all if the details so sorry if I've got it wrong.

Yeah, I too may have it wrong after all this deep thought.
But that's an interesting thought, to checkin.
Wait. Then it would have been a PEC and not covered

I do know only her cruise was covered.

But after reading some of these policies, It make you wonder what is covered.

 

[mickey2000]

The new Disney Visa Signature now has some travel protection!

 

[Bear3412]

Wow. Glad I read this before I agreed to get the insurance!

Yeah, these insurance discussions come up every 1/4, and get ..... detailed.

 

[Bear3412]

Here is the line in the policy I want to purchase that disturbs me.

The following exclusions apply to Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption:
Benefits will not be provided for any loss resulting (in whole or in part) from:
(a) travel arrangements canceled by an airline, cruise line, or tour operator, except as provided elsewhere in the plan;

from;http://www.insuremytrip.com/certificate/TGG/all.html?quoteId=yMoHZBgNZndR&rev=5

 

[luv2sleep]

Here is the line in the policy I want to purchase that disturbs me.

The following exclusions apply to Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption:
Benefits will not be provided for any loss resulting (in whole or in part) from:
(a) travel arrangements canceled by an airline, cruise line, or tour operator, except as provided elsewhere in the plan;

from;http://www.insuremytrip.com/certificate/TGG/all.html?quoteId=yMoHZBgNZndR&rev=5

Wow. That's definitely disturbing.

For our June trip I bought trip insurance with my airline ticket. I'm staying at WDW on points and as long as I cancel before I go my points are still usable as reservation points (DVC).

For our January cruise I could do the same thing with the airfare (it was cheap) and just buy the DCL policy so that the cruise is covered.. Again using DVC points for the stay prior to the cruise so same scenario there. My whole trip would be covered essentially. Hummmm. However, thee have been threads here talking about the max the DCL policy will cover to get you airlifted to a hospital and later back home, etc, and that it may not be enough. Will ponder it.

 

[mbrocker]

Ah. I think people here advised her not to go try and check in. From what I remember her DD was way too sick anyway and had to be go to the hospital. OP, I don't remember all if the details so sorry if I've got it wrong.

Her hotel was not covered because her daughter was not hospitalized. DCLs policy requires she be IN the hospital for a travel companion to have covered hotel. For up to 5 days. Max $100 per day.

Some third party policies cover for hotel if the child is "medically certified as unable to travel" but not actually hospitalized. THIS was OP's situation.

 

[mbrocker]

Yes , but I believe it was pre cruise. Had any event occurred after checkin, she would have been covered.

She WAS covered. If her daughter had been admitted some hotel coverage would have applied. Alas, she was not admitted.

 

[tvguy]

All I know about Travel Insurance is that my Travel Agency no longer offers it, and they make all their clients sign a document acknowledging that the Agency makes no recommendation about whether customers should consider purchasing travel insurance or not.
My Travel Agent says they had problems with every company not paying claims that the Agency felt were legitimate and covered, and the final straw was they got wrapped up in a lawsuit* over an claim that cost them thousands to defend themselves. She said the $15 commission they got for selling the policies just wasn't worth it.

*The lawsuit was filed by a client who purchased travel insurance for a cruise. His employer canceled his vacation time the day before departure. The insurance company paid up promptly. However, one of the provisions of the policy was that the insurance company could subjugate the claim.....in non-laywer terms, try to recover the money they paid out from the person who caused the claim to be filed. So the insurance company sued this guys employer for the amount they paid out. The employer fires the guy for getting them involved. The guy sues the employer, the travel agency and the insurance company for creating a situation that got him fired. Travel agency is cleared, but spends thousands in legal fees. 5 years down the road when all the court action is done, the employer is ordered to rehire the guy, pay back pay, pay all his legal expenses, plus punitive damages, plus pay the insurance company for the money it paid out for the canceled cruise
and all their legal expenses. Wow, wouldn't want to be that guy at work after that mess.

 

[mbrocker]

This is a timely thread as I need to purchase a policy within 13 days to qualify for all it offers. I've been focusing in on Travel Guard's gold plan with the added evac add on.

That policy I saw no limit on the days in a hotel, but it did cap $ at what every level you purchased.

The food thing is interesting. I saw no reference to food which to me indicates it is not covered.

All I read saw you must see a doctor within at max 72 hours, or no $.

Most say call them immediately if an event occurs. 72 hours maybe if life or death.

Most won't touch pregnant women.

I'm wondering if you can up you trip cost to get more coverage for trip interruption and such, even though you trip doesn't cost that much.
In other words tell them the trip cost 10K when it really only cost 6K to get more coverage. Not to try to recoup more than you spend, but for this interruption line item. The coverage for trip interruption only seems to increase as the total cost of trip increases. No increase for TI even between different level plans within the same Insurer.

I'm surprised no carrier has come out with a variable policy where the insured fills in the amounts of coverage they want for each available item, then it calculates the price.

I will say they do have the focused mini plans; medical, evac, death, etc. at very affordable rates.

I know the insurance gave us peace of mind on our last voyage.
We had this same plan I mentioned above.
Of course if I had needed it, as OP, I may have felt different.

Another odd thing, we are currently booked waaaaaaay out, and alot of the policies are not showing up because it is too far out. That's a new one for me.

Oh, also be careful comparing policies. As mentioned, some of the more expensive policies, even with the same company, cover less, than their less costly counterparts. Go figure.

No, nothing says food isn't covered..but more important nothing says food IS covered. They are supposed to state the benefits you know?

Interesting the idea to fictionalize the price of the trip to increase cancellation / interruption coverage. It's technically fraud .. If you're caught they could deny your coverage. If you're caught. ;-) I dunno though, is it really worth it? Don't we all assume *some* risk while traveling?

 

[luv2sleep]

All I know about Travel Insurance is that my Travel Agency no longer offers it, and they make all their clients sign a document acknowledging that the Agency makes no recommendation about whether customers should consider purchasing travel insurance or not.
My Travel Agent says they had problems with every company not paying claims that the Agency felt were legitimate and covered, and the final straw was they got wrapped up in a lawsuit* over an claim that cost them thousands to defend themselves. She said the $15 commission they got for selling the policies just wasn't worth it.

*The lawsuit was filed by a client who purchased travel insurance for a cruise. His employer canceled his vacation time the day before departure. The insurance company paid up promptly. However, one of the provisions of the policy was that the insurance company could subjugate the claim.....in non-laywer terms, try to recover the money they paid out from the person who caused the claim to be filed. So the insurance company sued this guys employer for the amount they paid out. The employer fires the guy for getting them involved. The guy sues the employer, the travel agency and the insurance company for creating a situation that got him fired. Travel agency is cleared, but spends thousands in legal fees. 5 years down the road when all the court action is done, the employer is ordered to rehire the guy, pay back pay, pay all his legal expenses, plus punitive damages, plus pay the insurance company for the money it paid out for the canceled cruise
and all their legal expenses. Wow, wouldn't want to be that guy at work after that mess.

Wow! What a nightmare!

 

[mbrocker]

All I know about Travel Insurance is that my Travel Agency no longer offers it, and they make all their clients sign a document acknowledging that the Agency makes no recommendation about whether customers should consider purchasing travel insurance or not.
My Travel Agent says they had problems with every company not paying claims that the Agency felt were legitimate and covered, and the final straw was they got wrapped up in a lawsuit* over an claim that cost them thousands to defend themselves. She said the $15 commission they got for selling the policies just wasn't worth it.

*The lawsuit was filed by a client who purchased travel insurance for a cruise. His employer canceled his vacation time the day before departure. The insurance company paid up promptly. However, one of the provisions of the policy was that the insurance company could subjugate the claim.....in non-laywer terms, try to recover the money they paid out from the person who caused the claim to be filed. So the insurance company sued this guys employer for the amount they paid out. The employer fires the guy for getting them involved. The guy sues the employer, the travel agency and the insurance company for creating a situation that got him fired. Travel agency is cleared, but spends thousands in legal fees. 5 years down the road when all the court action is done, the employer is ordered to rehire the guy, pay back pay, pay all his legal expenses, plus punitive damages, plus pay the insurance company for the money it paid out for the canceled cruise
and all their legal expenses. Wow, wouldn't want to be that guy at work after that mess.

They subrogated to the EMPLOYER?? And won?? That's crazy!! Lol.

 

[danfromca]

There's one thing that is essential to remember about DCL insurance that hasn't been mentioned here yet - and is the reason I always get DCL insurance.

That is - if your insurance claim is denied, DCL will apply all non-refundable money towards a future cruise.

In other words, if the day before a cruise, you just decide not to go - you can file a claim, have it denied, and get a full credit towards a future cruise. It's essentially "cancel for any reason" insurance.

What I routinely do is get the DCL policy, and then get a second policy that covers the entire duration of my trip and is priced to cover air-fare and any other pre-paid expenses but not the cruise, and has good medical and emergency evac coverage. Because the cruise isn't included (typically the most expensive part of the trip) the policy usually isn't all that expensive.

 

[MDennis28]

May I ask who you buy the second policy from please?