FYI transferred points and travel insurance

[pmaurer74]

I had points transferred from another member for a stay next year. I have checked twice and transferred points are not covered by the DVC insurance. You need to have the points covered BEFORE the transfer. Had I known this I would have had the person I bought the points from add the insurance before transferring. I had not seen this topic covered but I am rather new to DVC and it is hard to know everything.

On the other hand, we are booked for the Grand California next year!!!!!

 

[jekjones1558]

I rather expected that would be the case. I sometimes have points transfers done so this info is helpful. Thanks for posting.

 

[ziravan]

One of the advantages - to me - for DVC is that I now come often enough that the law of averages is my trip insurance.

At this point, it'd be cheaper to cancel a trip here or there than to insure them all.

That said, renting and transferring involves risk. Asking the seller to add insurance prior to the sale increases the risk. Most people want a hassle free transaction. I doubt you'd find many sellers willing to add this hurdle to a transfer.

If insuring points (spending money before getting it back) were a necessary part of the transaction, I'd just find another buyer.

 

[jekjones1558]

I'm not really certain how insurance purchased by another member would work if you needed to file a claim. The way I read the insurance documentation, only the member and those staying in the room with the member are covered. So others staying on our points in a different room wouldn't be covered either. I am not certain about this, but that is how I interpret the policy wording. It would be very interesting to know if anyone has ever successfully filed a claim for someone other than the member using points in a separate room.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Unless they have changed things since the last time I rented out points, they ask who will be in the room, so the renters (I.e., your guests) would be listed. Or does the insurance only work if a member is in the room? As for the hassle factor, if they sent the cost of the insurance along with the rent, how much harder could it be? I think the biggest hassle is these boards don't even let you post points for rent anymore unless you have made a certain number of posts over a certain number of months, when the only time I would normally post is if I'm planning a trip (and obviously the only time I'd want to rent out points is when I'm *not* planning a trip!) I've been DVC and on this board since 1998, have rented easily many times, but the last time I tried to put up points for rent there was all this red tape and "gatekeepers," and people running businesses off the rental page, who probably haven't been DIS members nearly as long as we have. So, I would have to post a number of posts I normally wouldn't just to jump through their hoops, and then try to rent out or transfer points to people who don't really want points, they want specific resorts and room types on unavailable dates making us check and then inform them of the unavailability. So, compared to all that, adding some insurance to a ressie sounds like no hassle at all! <3

 

[DebbieB]

I'm not really certain how insurance purchased by another member would work if you needed to file a claim. The way I read the insurance documentation, only the member and those staying in the room with the member are covered. So others staying on our points in a different room wouldn't be covered either. I am not certain about this, but that is how I interpret the policy wording. It would be very interesting to know if anyone has ever successfully filed a claim for someone other than the member using points in a separate room.

I agree. If you cancel, the dues on the points are returned. Why would the transferring member get dues money back if the reason for cancellation did not involve them? If you are renting, you could be paying twice the dues.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I had points transferred from another member for a stay next year. I have checked twice and transferred points are not covered by the DVC insurance. You need to have the points covered BEFORE the transfer. Had I known this I would have had the person I bought the points from add the insurance before transferring. I had not seen this topic covered but I am rather new to DVC and it is hard to know everything.

On the other hand, we are booked for the Grand California next year!!!!!

So the insurance is attached only to the points and not to the member also? That seems a little odd.

But I only looked at the insurance once and decided on "self" insuring with using points early in a UY and knowing I'd rent out if it became absolutely necessary so I don't know the intricacies of the policy. What you describe isn't what I would have expected though and I would have thought more along the line of insuring from someone outside vs the DVC offered insurance.

 

[pmaurer74]

So the insurance is attached only to the points and not to the member also? That seems a little odd.

But I only looked at the insurance once and decided on "self" insuring with using points early in a UY and knowing I'd rent out if it became absolutely necessary so I don't know the intricacies of the policy. What you describe isn't what I would have expected though and I would have thought more along the line of insuring from someone outside vs the DVC offered insurance.

You would think it would follow the member but I think it does make sense that it follows the points. This is why our insurance covers every trip and every person using those points. Our insurance is covering two trips and 20 people for $190.. seems to good to be true but I have triple checked. I assumed it would cover the transferred points too. I am glad I asked just bummed I have to pay for more insurance.

 

[pmaurer74]

I agree. If you cancel, the dues on the points are returned. Why would the transferring member get dues money back if the reason for cancellation did not involve them? If you are renting, you could be paying twice the dues.

good point.

 

[pmaurer74]

One of the advantages - to me - for DVC is that I now come often enough that the law of averages is my trip insurance.

At this point, it'd be cheaper to cancel a trip here or there than to insure them all.

That said, renting and transferring involves risk. Asking the seller to add insurance prior to the sale increases the risk. Most people want a hassle free transaction. I doubt you'd find many sellers willing to add this hurdle to a transfer.

If insuring points (spending money before getting it back) were a necessary part of the transaction, I'd just find another buyer.

What if the buyer paid ahead of time. I paid my seller a "holding" fee to hold the points for me for two weeks and he agreed. I imagine this would work the sam way, but I see your point of hassle free transaction. The lost points are only part of the problem to use it is more medical/trip interruption that concerns me when traveling and we always fly.

 

[pmaurer74]

I'm not really certain how insurance purchased by another member would work if you needed to file a claim. The way I read the insurance documentation, only the member and those staying in the room with the member are covered. So others staying on our points in a different room wouldn't be covered either. I am not certain about this, but that is how I interpret the policy wording. It would be very interesting to know if anyone has ever successfully filed a claim for someone other than the member using points in a separate room.

people staying in a different room than you are covered as long as you are int he traveling party so in this case it does sound like the original member not traveling so the trip would not be covered... That would seem sticky.

 

[pmaurer74]

Unless they have changed things since the last time I rented out points, they ask who will be in the room, so the renters (I.e., your guests) would be listed. Or does the insurance only work if a member is in the room? As for the hassle factor, if they sent the cost of the insurance along with the rent, how much harder could it be? I think the biggest hassle is these boards don't even let you post points for rent anymore unless you have made a certain number of posts over a certain number of months, when the only time I would normally post is if I'm planning a trip (and obviously the only time I'd want to rent out points is when I'm *not* planning a trip!) I've been DVC and on this board since 1998, have rented easily many times, but the last time I tried to put up points for rent there was all this red tape and "gatekeepers," and people running businesses off the rental page, who probably haven't been DIS members nearly as long as we have. So, I would have to post a number of posts I normally wouldn't just to jump through their hoops, and then try to rent out or transfer points to people who don't really want points, they want specific resorts and room types on unavailable dates making us check and then inform them of the unavailability. So, compared to all that, adding some insurance to a ressie sounds like no hassle at all! <3

wow, sorry you had that experience!