Travel Insurance Questions

[Selket]

I'm having problems figuring out how a pre-existing is covered - both with the DCL insurance and other travel insurance companies. My 5 yr old son has juvenile (type 1) diabetes and a peanut allergy.

I've called Access America directly about the DCL insurance (they are the ones who provide the DCL insurance) and have gotten some answers. It seems that my son would be covered if he had no problems within 60 days before our final payment is due. Other TI companies have a different policy of buying the insurance 14-20 days after putting down the deposit.

I'm mostly afraid of some fine print that will void the insurance should there be an issue on board the ship with him getting ill. Anyone with experience with travel insurance and pre-existing conditions? Or TI recommendations? It is so complicated for cruises!

Thanks!

 

[mom_of_2_princesses]

I called Travel Guard when I got my insurance and they assured me that juvenile diabetes is covered. They said it just had to be purchased within 1 days of my deposit. I do not have any experience with this but the fine print in the contract does say all pre-existing conditions are covered as long as it has been diagnosed by a doctor. I dont have a family member with diabetes I was just asking for someone. Anyone else have some info?

 

[Jeanne B]

I'm not familiar with DCL's insurance but most policies require that the insurance be purchased within 7-14 days of initial deposit in order for pre-existing conditions to be covered.

 

[eva]

DH and I have so many small pre-existing conditions that could turn into something bigger some day. So I think that is why I purchased the insurance through DCL the minute I made the reservation. I was afraid that I would wait too long and not be fully covered. I assume through DCL we should be covered for those conditions. But maybe I am too trusting. Anyone know for sure?

 

[Selket]

Eva,

The DCL coverage looks back 60 days from when you made the final payment (not deposit) on your trip. My final deposit isn't due until July so for my son they will look back 60 days from that date to see if there was any changes in his medication, dose changes, doctor visits outside the usual (he gets regular check-ups), hospitalizations, etc. If so, then his pre-e condition will *not* be covered. If it looks o.k. it will be covered by DCL - from what I can tell.

Have you made the final payment on your trip? When you make that final payment is really the date you pay for the insurance - it is all refundable up until then. If you made final payment but had some issue (even a medication change or dosage change from what I can get from them) then you perhaps would *not* be covered for the pre-e condition.

I think the other policies that sell you the insurance for Pre-E-C also look back to see if there was some issue in the past "x" days. I had one person - a supervisor - on the phone at the Access Amer. (who handles the DCL policy) trying to tell me that if I gave my child a different amt of insulin for his meal he wouldn't be covered (cause her grandma was type 2 on insulin and never varied her insulin dose for 10 years and that was 10 yrs ago). I mean....she knew nothing about type 1 - I MUST vary his dose every day a little bit. I had to plead with her to go ask a claims adjuster this question. Of course the answer was that I could vary his dose but if I changed the TYPE of insulin he was on (like if his pump fails and he had to use lantus for a day or two while waiting for a replacement) then....I'd either not be covered for Pre-E-C or if I'd already bought the insurance I'd have to make a claim and cancel my trip (according to her) - even though he'd be fine for travel by the time the trip came.

Really.....I have been frustrated before but this about takes the cake for trying to get a straight answer from someone.

 

[eva]

Well, then I think that we will hold off making the final payment until closer to the 90 day mark. It's kind of weird that they will not refund the insurance amount before 90 days out, if you have made the final payment before then. Just seems strange. You would think they would like to have your money as early as possible. But they are not going to get mine, if it will penalize me in the event I have to cancel. It also allows you more time to change meds or such for your pre-existing conditions. Hope that makes sense. When I read it back I am scratching my head, AND I WROTE IT!

 

[Selket]

Eva - I don't want to steer you wrong. I'll add that I was told so many different things that I might be passing along bad info.

Did you make that final payment? I'm guessing not? If so then the look back date is the date your made the final payment. Good question about the cancellation policy. If you did make your final payment early and then decide to cancel did DCL say you could get a full refund even for the insurance? I didn't ask that question.

Don't assume that DCL will answer your ?'s correctly about insurance. I had a supervisor on the phone and she was very wrong with one thing she told me (the effective date of the insurance). She insisted she was right too and was nice and trying to help. Everyone else contradicted her though.

I think if you go through frequent med changes that are related to your Pre-e-c then be careful. Even dosing changes! I think you're only really super stuck if you had a big problem while on board. Before that DCL will let you rebook your trip - I guess lose your insurance $$$ though. I hope you can figure it out better than me!

 

[eva]

Well, thanks for the alert anyway. I was just recently diagnosed with a condition that causes small seizures in the left side of my face and neck. They are in the process of deciding which medication will work best. My neurologist says that we may have to change the medication and/or dosage a couple of times until we find the right one. And DH has high blood pressure. It is less likely that he will have a problem. But he has had his medication changed in the past. Do you know who would be the one to ask for at DCL that would be able to explain their insurance a bit better?

 

[Selket]

DCL can give you some ideas but they do not administer the policdy - so they are just reading out of the booklet - or guessing some of the time.

Access America administers the DCL policy. The # to call is 800-284-8300 and the DCL policy number for them to reference is #001000287. That refers to the DCL policy in general and not mine or your particular policy number.

My DH also takes blood pressure meds. I bet many people do! I don't think that alone is an issue so much. The issue could be if he had a heart attack - for example - on board. I don't want them saying he had his meds adjusted in the 60 day look back period so we knew there was a problem, etc.

If the seizure thing isn't likely to cause other complications it might not matter for you. I am thinking of getting a letter from my son's pedi endo that he is cleared to travel and has had no issues in the past "x" days, etc. depending on which insurance I get.

The insurance will still cover issues like missed flights, hurricanes, etc. so still a good idea to get. My biggest fear is a medical evac from the ship or foreign country - wouldn't want to have to pay for that out of pocket.

 

[eva]

Selket, you got that right. It wouldn't be fun to have to pay for a med-flight out of pocket. I am going to have DH check with our insurance too. We might as well know what, if anything, they will cover. Since he works for an insurance company and they are self-insured, we have always had some of the best insurance. You won't find too many companies anymore that have a $50 co-pay for glasses, with the exam at an ophthalmologist included. Sure great when you have progressive lens. Maybe they have some type of coverage outside the States, at least for emergencies.

 

[Selket]

I need to check that too Eva - good thought. I think most people just buy travel insurance and - never give it a 2nd thought! I would be interested in your husband's take on the insurance documents from DCL - they are online - at least a fairly detailed brochure - maybe with his experience he has some insight into the terms they use. I'll try to find it again.

 

[Selket]

Eva - I found this website through the cruise critic boards: http://www.tripinsurancestore.com/about.shtml The guy that runs it posts alot of answers to people's insurance questions and I could tell from his posts that he seemed to know what he was talking about. I called them tonight and they sent me some quotes for travel insurance based on what I told them about my son's pre-e-c. All the companies are the usual ones but they do a really good job on their website of explaining the lookback period, etc. Of course only DCL sells the DCL insurance so you could ask them about that. I have pretty much decided against it....I think I'll go with one of the companies they suggested. I was trying to decide among those anyway but the info they sent really helps to make it clearer.

They seem really on the ball about being able to tell you if you're likely able to be covered (medically stable, etc). It was really just NICE to be able to talk to a person who doesn't have a vested interest in any one company and was able to tell me the pros and cons of some choices. I guess it couldn't hurt to give them a call or email.