Travel Insurance

[excitedtraveler]

I wasn't sure where to put this but I thought I would try here. We have a trip coming up to Universal next month. (We usually go to Disney but thought we would see Harry Potter this time!) We are very excited for the trip. Unfortunately my father is very ill....to the extent that he could pass away tomorrow....or right before our trip or a few months from now...we are not certain. We have had our plane and hotel reservations for months but I have been hesitant to buy tickets. I am hoping to be able to go, but also hoping to not lose my family's vacation money if we cannot. Is there any specific travel insurance you can add that you recommend? Would it apply to ticket costs as well? Should I just wait and buy tickets there (there is a small incentive to buy them ahead of time). Anything else I should look in to?

Thanks

 

[tvguy]

Clearly you are going to need to find a policy that will cover you with pre-existing conditions. No sure all travel policies would cover anything other than unexpected incidents.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I will try to give you some help and hope!

You might be able to get travel insurance, maybe even that would cover this kind of health issue, if you are far enough in advance of your trip.
I believe that you can also probably get 'cancel for any reason', 'no questions asked' coverage, with a higher premium.

I am thinking the biggest pre-existing condition limitations would apply to the actual travelers.

There are great resources out there.
You can go online and search for websites on how insure my upcoming trip.
There are websites out there that will show you the different companies and policies that are out there.
I would help you out by giving you a link, but that seems to be illegal, against policy, here on the DIS....

Hotel reservations can usually be cancelled, if you didn't go thru a 'by owner' type of thing, where you are locked in. There can be high fees if you cancel in advance, or complete forfeiture after a certain date. Your tickets can be bought at the last minute, right?

The airlines are not as friendly!
There are different policies about cancellations, and the ability to make changes by paying some pretty hefty fees.

The airfare, and the possibility of having to fly home mid-trip, that is the biggest thing!
A decent travel insurance policy would reimburse you for that.

I am so sorry that you are concerned about your (eta: corrected to say) FATHER!
I do hope everything works out well.

 

[excitedtraveler]

Thank you for your help.

 

[shoney]

U could try one of the cancel for any reason policies online. Ur travel date may be too close

 

[mnrose]

Typically, cancel for any reason policies must be purchased with 14 days (or so) of the time you purchase your trip. Sounds like OP purchased the flight and hotel some time ago? If so, it's going to be very difficult to get coverage now. If the purchase is recent, then yes, you can purchase travel insurance that will cover cancellation for a variety of reasons.

 

[adisneyaunt]

Op, sorry about ur father

If you take a look at insure my trip dot com ( I'm not affiliated but have used them and actually had to cancel a trip wherein we did not lose $$$)
You will be able to pull up various policies by following the simple instructions. Be sure to include ALL things that you'd be out of pocket.
There is a "compare" feature that will show u differences...
You will likely be looking for a
Cancel for any reason
Or a policy that covers pre existing
They both exist but have different criteria.
The Most Important thing to look for in ANY policy is its Exclusions. If something is Not Excluded, it is then Included.
You can also call them for help.
I think I chose travel guard back when I filed the claim and worked well, but bought ins for several trips over the years and not positive it was them.
Several policies allow u to purchase coverage up until you actually leave But... the closer to the date the more expensive it will be.
Peace of mind is worth it... be sure you have included all things that you'd otherwise lose money on, not things you'd get a future credit on or a refund.
Good luck!

 

[Wishing on a star]

Sorry, I think I typed wrong and misunderstood, and it is your father who is very ill.
I am so sorry!

I am not so sure that it will matter that much that your airfare has already been booked.
Perhaps your accommodations are cancellable, and then you can re-book soon, and use that date as the date your trip was finalized???

I do recommend that you take a look at the web-site mentioned.
And, you can contact different providers to make sure that you are okay to buy the coverage now.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Sorry, I think I typed wrong and misunderstood, and it is your father who is very ill.
I am so sorry!

I am not so sure that it will matter that much that your airfare has already been booked.
Perhaps your accommodations are cancellable, and then you can re-book soon, and use that date as the date your trip was finalized???

I do recommend that you take a look at the web-site mentioned.
And, you can contact different providers to make sure that you are okay to buy the coverage now.

Generally, pre-exisiting condition waivers are only available if you purchase a policy within a specified period after initial payment for the trip being insured. This time period varies anywhere from 7-21 days.

And, the pre-existing condition can pertain to immediate family not on the trip itself.

I've often used the travel insurance comparison site mentioned (not allowed to post link on DISboards), and I've used squaremouth.com also.

 

[CPT Trips]

Cancel for any reason has a couple of caveats. Similar to pre-existing condition waivers it usually must be purchased close to trip deposit. Also, it usually pays only a percentage of the trip cost. Ours was 75%.

 

[cargo13]

Generally, pre-exisiting condition waivers are only available if you purchase a policy within a specified period after initial payment for the trip being insured. This time period varies anywhere from 7-21 days.

And, the pre-existing condition can pertain to immediate family not on the trip itself.

I've often used the travel insurance comparison site mentioned (not allowed to post link on DISboards), and I've used squaremouth.com also.

==

GENERALI Travel Insurance (formerly CSA) has a great pre existing conditions waiver that allows you to purchase right up to final payment. https://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/view-travel-insurance-plans.html We found it to be the most liberal in the marketplace.



Your tickets can be added to non refundable trip costs and insured if your trip has to be cancelled or interrupted. There are specific timing of when CFAR /Cancel For Any Reason can be purchased. I would call the insurance provider for confirmation.

 

[Straitlover]

Before you purchase the insurance, think about what all you would lose since they only refund you anything that is non-refundable:

What airline are you using? If it is Southwest, you could cancel and get a credit to use within a year of when you first booked.

Your hotel should be cancelable at no cost up until at least a few days before the trip. Are you staying at a Universal hotel? I know Disney will let you re-book to a later date rather than cancel and not charge you anything. If you are staying offsite, if you have to cancel after their final date, you might only lose one night's deposit which may cost less than the insurance.

If you don't have to book tickets like for a sale or something, you can always wait and do that right before you leave. However, if you do buy them, you could just save them for another time and not be out any money. Be sure to check expiration dates because I think some if not all Universal tickets do expire. If you buy your tickets through Undercover Tourist via the Mousesavers link, you could wait until almost the last minute (they now do e-tickets so no need for mailing) and save money. Does whatever you mention as an incentive now beat the price at UT via Mousesavers?

Sorry to hear about your father. I had to cancel my Disney trip when my mother was diagnosed w/ cancer and lost my $200 deposit (didn't know when I would be able to go again so I did not re-schedule). I had booked my plane ticket w/ Southwest and was able to get a credit for that. Almost had to cancel a cruise when she had to have surgery, but she was going to be in rehab recovering so she told up to go ahead and go. I did have insurance at that time and could have cancelled and gotten a refund. After dealing with this plus some other family problems, I always buy cancel for any reason insurance when I do buy insurance (so far just for cruises). It;s a little more expensive, but it's worth it for my peace of mind.