Insurance/Potential Cancellation Advice...

[tfc3rid]

Hey folks... Well, I am about 1 months from departing for our 7 night November 1 DCL adventure (on points)... The grandmother of the folks in my travel party suffered a stroke yesterday and will be entering rehab following her hospital stay and her prognosis does not sound good. I did not surchase travel insurance for my upcoming trip and now I am concerendthat instead of traveling to FL, there is a chance we may have to travel to WI should some thing terrible happen.

Any advice is welcome... Am I out of time in terms of travel insurance?

 

[CarolMN]

I'm so sorry to hear about your troubles and especially about the stroke. Sending prayers.

I believe it is too late to get travel insurance - most companies require you to purchase it when you book or within a short time thereafter.

If you cancel, the points will be returned to your account as reservation points. They will expire at the end of your current use year, cannot be banked and cannot be used to make a reservation at a DVC resort or for an exchange. I am not sure if there is a time frame for cancelling a cruise that would result in a partial loss of points - I don't think so, but don't know that for sure. Maybe someone else does. If you paid cash for part of the cruise, check with MS for the cancellation policy that applies for that.

You can use reservation points to make a reservation for another cruise (as long as it departs before the end of your use year) or to make a reservation for something else in the Disney Collection, the Adventurer's Collection. the Concierge Collection or Adventurers By Disney. The stay for those must be completed by the last day of your current use year.

Since DVC has already turned your points into room nights and supposedly "recovered" the cost of the cruise, you are not subject to the 4 month rule for making reservations at a non-DVC option. AFAIK, there is no such thing as a holding account for reservation points, so you don't have to worry about that "make a reservation no more than 60 days in advance" rule either.

 

[tfc3rid]

Thanks CArolMN...

I am fairly certain there is a penalty per person pointwise... Not sure what it is...

Obviously my plans are going to move forward as is but I am just wondering now just in case... I would not cancel unless something happened 2 days before our trip or so...

 

[tfc3rid]

WOW... This could be a real disaster...

Cancelling a reservation 7 or less days before the sailing date:
All Reservation Points or all of the cash payment made will be forfeited.

 

[Disney_Villain]

I work for a large insurance company and can tell you this: The concept behind any form of insurance is that you buy it in advance in case something happens later, not after a tragedy happens. You won't get insurance coverage for your situation from anyone.

My sympathies for both you points being forfeit and esp. for your personal situation!

 

[Belle & Ariel]

Check out Travel Guard. They have a policy with a cancel for any reason feature that might cover you. There are benefits you lose by not purchasing within 14 days of booking, but you might still be able to get coverage at a higher rate. I would go online or call TG directly as opposed to booking through Disney.
I have used them for cruises outside DVC, so maybe the rules with points are different.
Good luck.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Even if you had taken the insurance offered (which is through Travel Guard) they only insure your points at $5 per point. Although it is something, it is hardly full compensation and is monetary and will not return your points to your account anyway.

I think at this point your best bet is to call MS and see what their advice will be. Perhaps you can rebook for a later date as mentioned above. Best wishes to you under these difficult times..

 

[tfc3rid]

Even if you had taken the insurance offered (which is through Travel Guard) they only insure your points at $5 per point. Although it is something, it is hardly full compensation and is monetary and will not return your points to your account anyway.

I think at this point your best bet is to call MS and see what their advice will be. Perhaps you can rebook for a later date as mentioned above. Best wishes to you under these difficult times..

Update:

I am not going to cancel at this time. I am going to wait it out. I am not going to anticipate a situation that may not happen. I hope and pray that things will be fine... Keeping in my mind the potential contingency measures of cancelling... My plans will move forward... 28 days before I leave...

 

[CarolA]

Check out Travel Guard. They have a policy with a cancel for any reason feature that might cover you. There are benefits you lose by not purchasing within 14 days of booking, but you might still be able to get coverage at a higher rate. I would go online or call TG directly as opposed to booking through Disney.
I have used them for cruises outside DVC, so maybe the rules with points are different.
Good luck.

However, this is going to be a pre-existing condition that happened within the time limits. Basically if there is "active" treatment within X days of buying you don't get covered. I read my DVC points coverage just about a week ago out of curisoity. It will exclude the OPs situation! SORRY!

 

[jerseygal]

Hope that the health situation improves greatly and you can still vacation! If not, hope that you can either use the points before end of use year or "rent them"...Best of luck!

 

[Dean]

Cancelation penalty at 29 days or less is total loss of all points and all $$$ paid.

 

[Belle & Ariel]

However, this is going to be a pre-existing condition that happened within the time limits. Basically if there is "active" treatment within X days of buying you don't get covered. I read my DVC points coverage just about a week ago out of curisoity. It will exclude the OPs situation! SORRY!

The OP would not have been covered if he had travel insurance because of the illness of someone else's grandparent. Insurance basically covers those traveling and their immediate family. The prexisting condition does not matter because the other person's grandma would not be a covered party on the OP's policy.
If you and I were going on a cruise and my grandparent fell ill, it would not be a covered person on your policy. If you had cancel for any reason added to your policy, then you could cancel and be covered.