Am I The Only Dummy To Buy DCL Trip Insurance?

lugnut33

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 17, 2008
Jeeesh, reading some of the threads I now feel like I've been taken because I opted to use DCL trip insurance. Is it really the worst on earth? I mean, I did look into the other sites people are recommending, but kept coming back to the point that if for some reason we cancel I can atleast transfer that money to a future cruise. And the insurance didn't seem all that much different on things covered. So what am I missing, why are people making me feel like a fool for choosing DCL trip insurance?

We are cruising the Disney Dream in June of 2012 with the podcasters.
 
I bought the DCL insurance too for our cruise in June of 2012. I think the reason most people don't choose it is because it doesn't cover preexisting conditions.
 
I bought the DCL insurance as well. I expect Disney to do the right thing in case of emergency.... or anything else that would cause us to need the insurance. Planning this trip for ten people; the cruise, transportation, resorts..... it is enough for me without having to research quality cruise insurance on top of that.
 


I bought the DCL insurance as well. I expect Disney to do the right thing in case of emergency.... or anything else that would cause us to need the insurance. Planning this trip for ten people; the cruise, transportation, resorts..... it is enough for me without having to research quality cruise insurance on top of that.

Well, I did do some research and I didn't think the other ones completely blew the DCL insurance out of the water, but then again maybe I'm missing something? Some posters here seem absolutely fanatical about NOT buying DCL insurance, but I just don't see why yet.
 
I purchased it also for our first cruise in May. I looked at the website that people recommended to compare and I didn't see much difference. It seemed easier to have all my information with Disney. I could be wrong though!
 
1. DCL's coverages are low and the price is high
2. DCL's insurance doesn't cover flights unless booked through DCL
3. DCL's insurance has no waiver of pre-existing conditions
4. If I have to cancel my cruise, I want my money back and not a credit for a future Disney cruise
 


Jeeesh, reading some of the threads I now feel like I've been taken because I opted to use DCL trip insurance. Is it really the worst on earth? I mean, I did look into the other sites people are recommending, but kept coming back to the point that if for some reason we cancel I can atleast transfer that money to a future cruise. And the insurance didn't seem all that much different on things covered. So what am I missing, why are people making me feel like a fool for choosing DCL trip insurance?

We are cruising the Disney Dream in June of 2012 with the podcasters.

I did not personally buy the insurance from Disney because I found a better deal with other insurance that offered more and cost less. That being said, you are certainly no dummy buying from them because you did buy protection for your trip, which hopefully will bring you peace of mind that you will be taken care of if something unexpected should arise.
 
Trip insurance is the best! I always include it. I purchased it the on the last two cruises. It's great peace of mind. It offers you great coverage for Trip Cancellation, trip interruption, travel delays (for weather) , luggage loss or delay and medical coverage.

My luggage was damaged on our last trip, some of the items inside were damaged. I put in a claim and got money to replace a broken watch and other items. I even got new luggage.

My MIL also used it, when her room was broken into on the pre-stay, her Passports were stolen. She was given money to replace them.

I certainly don't feel like a dummy, I think of self as a savvy!
 
I did not personally buy the insurance from Disney because I found a better deal with other insurance that offered more and cost less. That being said, you are certainly no dummy buying from them because you did buy protection for your trip, which hopefully will bring you peace of mind that you will be taken care of if something unexpected should arise.

WE use the same company for all of our trips. It provides more coverage at a significant cost savings. But agree that any insurance is better than no insurance!!!

Although, besides not covering existing conditions, DCL insurance doesn't cover problems with your flight delays unless you also booked your flight with them. Since weather delays or cancelled flights can impact your ability to make it to the cruise, I think this is a downfall of bookind DCL insurance if you booked airfare separately.
 
1. DCL's coverages are low and the price is high
2. DCL's insurance doesn't cover flights unless booked through DCL
3. DCL's insurance has no waiver of pre-existing conditions
4. If I have to cancel my cruise, I want my money back and not a credit for a future Disney cruise

1. I found the difference to be around $35, which yes is higher.

2. Honest, I didn't even really think about flights since it's a year and a half away. I'd be more concerned if traveling during the winter, but this is a June sailing. Definitely a valid point.

3. Don't you have to purchase the coverage of existing conditions if you choose a 3rd party company? Does that take it over the cost of DCL pricing? I'm not sure what they can get any of my family on in regards to pre-existing conditions? I suppose any thing that occurs could be considered a pre-existing condition and every claim could be denied. Has there been a problem with them denying lots of claims?

4. I can't just cancel my cruise a month before and get a full refund can I? The only way that can happen is if it's covered under the insurance policy. While I'd like the money back also according to Tracy at Dreams they will atleast move the cost over to a future cruise so you're not out everything. Am I not understanding that correct?
 
WE use the same company for all of our trips. It provides more coverage at a significant cost savings. But agree that any insurance is better than no insurance!!!

Although, besides not covering existing conditions, DCL insurance doesn't cover problems with your flight delays unless you also booked your flight with them. Since weather delays or cancelled flights can impact your ability to make it to the cruise, I think this is a downfall of bookind DCL insurance if you booked airfare separately.

Sorry I'm a such a newbie when it comes to insurance. I've never bought trip insurance before, but with the cost of the cruise I felt it necessary.

How come I didn't find that much of a price difference between DCL and insuremytrip.com?
 
Sorry I'm a such a newbie when it comes to insurance. I've never bought trip insurance before, but with the cost of the cruise I felt it necessary.

How come I didn't find that much of a price difference between DCL and insuremytrip.com?

I don't use that site. I purchase my travel insurance from the same company that provides my house and car insurance.

The insurance I use cost slightly under $300 for 8 of us on our last cruise - including covering airfare. non-refundable deposits on car services and hotels and covering my MIL pre-existing condition. Disney insurance for the room alone was $675.

The coverage I purchase provides 100% of your trip cost refunded to you - not just credited towards a future cruise. THis includes refunding your full amount if your trip is interrupted (ie someone gets sick and you have to leave on Day 4 of your 7 day cruise)

But mostly, I purchase insurance that will cover military leave revocation, which most companiew won't since they consider that to fall under "act of war" conditions and it doesn't apply.

there are 3 different versions of insurance offered with this company, and this is the "lite" version. The other versions are more expensive, but include higher payouts for trip interruption or missing the trip - up to 200% of your purchase price being refunded which would be great if you got a super discounted cruise that you know you couldn't re-get for that price. They also have a "cancel for any reason" option for a fee that allows you to do just that, cancel for any reason and be refunded any non-refundable amounts paid up until the day before you leave.

For us, even the super versions with 200% refund and cancel for any reason priced out to be about the same as DCL.
 
call me a dummy as well ... I automatically added the DCL ins on without even thinking of shopping around ... perhaps in the future
 
1. DCL's coverages are low and the price is high
2. DCL's insurance doesn't cover flights unless booked through DCL
3. DCL's insurance has no waiver of pre-existing conditions
4. If I have to cancel my cruise, I want my money back and not a credit for a future Disney cruise


DCL will let you cancel for ANY reason and keep the credit towards a future cruise. You would still have to go through the process of submitting a claim to have it denied.
 
I think the pricing depends on a lot of factor. I am going on a cruise with my mother in law and bought my own insurance but used Disney for her insurance. My insurance was much cheaper because I am young. If you are over 60 or especially over 70 I found the pricing on buying insurance outside of Disney to be quite high.
 
Access America, which is the company that DCL uses for their insurance, has a program where kids are covered for free...which is not available on their website. If you didn't know about it you would miss it. I have always called them for it and it has a much lower cost than DCL's insurance. Other companies have the same kind of programs available but you have to call most of them. Last cruise DS was confined to the stateroom for pink eye. The claim has already been started. We will be reimbursed for the cost of that one day of the cruise for him as well as one adult since he is a minor. We will also be reimbursed for anything that our health insurance does not cover for the cost of the doctor visit and medication.

For example, I just checked for our MV cruise next year on the Fantasy. The cost to insure JUST the cruise would cost me: $168.56 per person first 2 Guests per stateroom, $99.12 rest of Guests so a total of $535.36 for the four of us. I called Access America directly and told them I wanted their kids free plan that we always get. We will be covered for everything from the time we leave the house to drive to FL, our time in WDW, the cruise and our drive home up to a cost of $8000 for a total of $188.00. That is a savings of $347.36.

The major thing with DCL's insurance is that the time they don't purchase the policy for you until your final payment is made. With my AA policy purchased and covering us now anything that happens to anyone in my family between now and 12/17/11 when the final payment is due will be covered by the insurance because it is not going to be considered a PEC. Purchasing the policy within 14 days of booking the cruise eliminates that concern completely since it doesn't have a PEC clause in that timeframe.

If I purchased DCL insurance there would not be a policy in effect for me until 12/17/11 so whatever happens between now and then would be considered a pre-existing condition. My DD was diagnosed with asthma last June. If that happened this June it would not be a PEC with my AA policy but it would be with DCL's policy. This would apply to heart ailments, accidents with injuries, cancer or anything else.

Another thing they don't tell you is that the PEC thing applies to family members that are not even going with you on the cruise.

Regarding that statement on the inside cover of the insurance folder -- it sounds nice but I know the grief someone went through after they had to cancel due to her husband's health a couple weeks before the cruise and he in fact died while we were on the cruise. The DCL insurance denied her because his condition was PE from the time of the final payment, but not from the date she booked the cruise and she *thought* that she had also purchased travel insurance. DCL told her they would not transfer her reservation to a different cruise because he had a PEC. He was never booked on the cruise, just her. Her TA had to fight with DCL to get them to do this. Things aren't always as easy as they sound like they will be on paper.
 
call me a dummy as well ... I automatically added the DCL ins on without even thinking of shopping around ... perhaps in the future

You can cancel the insurance part of your reservation with DCL at any time before the final payment is made since the policy has not been purchased yet. Many people have done this. You are not charged a cancellation fee for doing this.
 
I don't get it, it sounds like DCL doesn't cover anything but all other insurances do. Has anybody actually been paidout on DCL insurance?

I'm assuming it's too late for me to make a switch if I had to... eventhough my trip is 17 months away.
 

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