Trip insurance when booking placeholder...

yfamdiscruise

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We recently booked a placeholder. I always like to book trip insurance immediately after booking a trip so we can get pre-existing condition coverage and cancel-for-any-reason coverage. Usually you have a very small window (14-21 days) to book insurance after putting down an initial deposit in order to get those coverages. I (wrongfully, it seems) assumed that the time wouldn't start running until we actually chose a a specific trip and put down the 10% deposit. I figured there was no way to buy insurance for a trip that didn't yet have a specific date (only "sometime in the next two years"), that didn't yet have a price, and that didn't yet have a set number of people going on it. I didn't see how I could insure a "phantom" cruise, so to speak. However, after talking to several trip insurance companies, I have learned that I should have bought the insurance as soon as I put down the $250 placeholder deposit (or at least within the first 21 days). Unfortunately, I am outside of the 21 days now, BUT I am still within 30 days of that placeholder deposit. Does anyone know of any travel insurance companies that give you the coverage I was describing when you book within 30 days (rather than the usual 14-21)? Or, better yet, does anyone know of a company that doesn't start their clock ticking until you actually assign your placeholder to a specific trip?? I should mention -- if my memory serves me, we can book the DCL trip coverage all they way up to final payment, which would give us the 75% credit for a future cruise within 12 months should we "cancel for any reason", but I guess at this point I'm still hoping to find a company that actually gives a refund rather than credit toward a future cruise.
I hope my questions make sense! I've researched this question myself as far as I possibly can, but I figured if anyone had any last ditch suggestions, it'd be Disboards. Thanks everyone!
 
I used one of the trip insurance comparison sites to buy the policy for my last cruise I used a placeholder on. I was in a similar situation. I hadn't bought the insurance until I actually booked the cruise and wanted pre-existing insurance coverage. A customer service rep on the comparison site was able to give me 3 names of insurance companies that wouldn't start the clock until the actual cruise had been booked. I can't remember all 3 but Allianz was the company I purchased from. Also check out policies from Nationwide. I found a policy from them that covered pre-existing conditions even though I was outside the initial 14 day limit.
 

I used one of the trip insurance comparison sites to buy the policy for my last cruise I used a placeholder on. I was in a similar situation. I hadn't bought the insurance until I actually booked the cruise and wanted pre-existing insurance coverage. A customer service rep on the comparison site was able to give me 3 names of insurance companies that wouldn't start the clock until the actual cruise had been booked. I can't remember all 3 but Allianz was the company I purchased from. Also check out policies from Nationwide. I found a policy from them that covered pre-existing conditions even though I was outside the initial 14 day limit.

Fantastic!! I’ll check into these. Thank you for posting!!
 
We did the same thing and worked with one of the online places to figure out what would work from time of assigning the placeholder. We ended up with the 'Worldwide Trip Protector' plan from Travel Insured.
 
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We did the same thing and worked with one of the online places to figure out what would work from time of assigning the placeholder. We ended up with the 'Worldwide Trip Protector' plan from Travel Insured.

Thanks for the reply! Travel Insured is one of the companies I called, and the agent told me the clock started running when we put down the $250 onboard for the placeholder. *shrug* I wonder if this one of those things where the answer varies depending on the agent you get on the phone. Maybe it’s worth me calling them back. Thanks!
 
Thanks for the reply! Travel Insured is one of the companies I called, and the agent told me the clock started running when we put down the $250 onboard for the placeholder. *shrug* I wonder if this one of those things where the answer varies depending on the agent you get on the phone. Maybe it’s worth me calling them back. Thanks!

This was the information that we followed (from the company that we worked with). We had a placeholder, transferred it to Costco, set the real date 2 years later and then purchased trip insurance. Hopefully it's what I think it is!

https://tripinsurancestore.com/initial-trip-deposit-date/
 
Thanks for the reply! Travel Insured is one of the companies I called, and the agent told me the clock started running when we put down the $250 onboard for the placeholder. *shrug* I wonder if this one of those things where the answer varies depending on the agent you get on the phone. Maybe it’s worth me calling them back. Thanks!

You got my attention because I am a USAA member and I thought it didn't start until I actually booked a trip. Just got off the phone with Travel Insured and was told the start time is when the placeholder deposit is applied against a given date and destination.
 
You got my attention because I am a USAA member and I thought it didn't start until I actually booked a trip. Just got off the phone with Travel Insured and was told the start time is when the placeholder deposit is applied against a given date and destination.
Good to know. We use them and I was wondering if we really had to get it right away. We need the preexisting conditions coverage.
 
You got my attention because I am a USAA member and I thought it didn't start until I actually booked a trip. Just got off the phone with Travel Insured and was told the start time is when the placeholder deposit is applied against a given date and destination.

That's great to hear! I'm starting to think that the agent I spoke with either didn't understand my question or was mistaken on their policy. I will definitely try calling them again. This is great news!
 
I just went through this situation last week! Placeholder last fall. Picked British Isle in March, but by the end of the month we finalized it to the Med instead. I got the same response as you from our preferred provider Travelex Insurance. Yet, when I dug into the details and said our cruise invoice only shows the date we booked the cruise (end of March) and the deposit amount paid. It doesn't specifically show when we first paid the deposit. They acted like that could be acceptable, as long as no one digs back into Disney about when the deposit was actually paid. We are taking the chance and locked in our insurance at 14 days after booking the Med dates in order to hopefully get the pre-existing condition waiver. (Yet we hope even more we don't need it at all.)

I still don't understand how they expect you to purchase insurance with a placeholder since you have no dates, total cost, or destination. Did they give you an answer to that?
 
I just went through this situation last week! Placeholder last fall. Picked British Isle in March, but by the end of the month we finalized it to the Med instead. I got the same response as you from our preferred provider Travelex Insurance. Yet, when I dug into the details and said our cruise invoice only shows the date we booked the cruise (end of March) and the deposit amount paid. It doesn't specifically show when we first paid the deposit. They acted like that could be acceptable, as long as no one digs back into Disney about when the deposit was actually paid. We are taking the chance and locked in our insurance at 14 days after booking the Med dates in order to hopefully get the pre-existing condition waiver. (Yet we hope even more we don't need it at all.)

I still don't understand how they expect you to purchase insurance with a placeholder since you have no dates, total cost, or destination. Did they give you an answer to that?

I asked that very question -- how am I supposed to insure a trip that doesn't have a date, total cost, number of travelers (even though we do have a good idea on that), or destination. The agent told me that in the future, I should call in right away after putting down the $250 as a placeholder, and then buy insurance for that $250. (Presumably cheap insurance on only $250. Basically insuring that "deposit" even though it's totally refundable.) Then, once we book an actual cruise, book any plane tickets, etc, I should call in and add those things to the plan and pay the extra amount for the coverage of those parts of the trip at that time. I *guess* that "makes sense", but it seems a bit silly to me. As I see it, the $250 essentially buys a voucher/coupon that gives us 10% off a cruise we book in the future, and the voucher expires in 24 months if we don't use it before then. I know the $250 is ultimately put toward the deposit for the trip, but it doesn't seem like an "initial deposit" as that term is normally used. Oh well, I'm sure the insurance companies don't care about my opinion. Ha!
Good luck with your trip!! Hopefully you won't need the insurance at all! Good to know that the cruise invoice only shows the date you actually booked the trip.
 
Thanks for the reply! Travel Insured is one of the companies I called, and the agent told me the clock started running when we put down the $250 onboard for the placeholder. *shrug* I wonder if this one of those things where the answer varies depending on the agent you get on the phone. Maybe it’s worth me calling them back. Thanks!

Uh oh. We’ve been using this plan - Worldwide trip protector for several cruises now, and were told the clock starts when we have an actual cruise date booked! Because since DCL changed their policy it’s not really a “placeholder” anymore, but just show of intent to cruise again some time. I had called the date after I booked the actual cruise and made the actual deposit, and sailed under full impression that we were under “cancel for any reason” and “cancel for preexisting condition” protection!!
So this time we did that again and are well past any windows since we’re waiting for the fall 2019 release.
 
Uh oh. We’ve been using this plan - Worldwide trip protector for several cruises now, and were told the clock starts when we have an actual cruise date booked! Because since DCL changed their policy it’s not really a “placeholder” anymore, but just show of intent to cruise again some time. I had called the date after I booked the actual cruise and made the actual deposit, and sailed under full impression that we were under “cancel for any reason” and “cancel for preexisting condition” protection!!
So this time we did that again and are well past any windows since we’re waiting for the fall 2019 release.
If the insurance you are using told you they handled it as being the time you actually booked the cruise, I wouldn't worry about it. Different companies have different policies, obviously. (Hopefully I didn't miss something that causes this concern.)
 
March 30 I got my placeholder on the Wonder. I was happy.
April 12, Thursday, after reading this thread, I rushed to purchase insurance for a trip with passengers that I don’t know will/can come, for a destination I haven’t chosen, that I don’t know will happen. I was scared.
I feel kinda upset with this possible loss of money because I may not even take a trip. I knew that when I booked a place holder...BUT I also knew I could get my placeholder money back from Disney. I was frustrated.
I think I would have paid less for insurance through Disney. Although my parents are 75, Dad had a liver transplant in 2005. I’m afraid my father would be considered a pre-existing condition.
But what if I waited for the next announcement of released dates but a parent was diagnosed of an mild treatable illness 2 days earlier, and 4 weeks later it turns into something where it’s recommended they not travel? Disney wouldn’t cover it but because they are healthy today I should be fine because I have the insurance.
Right?
 
I asked that very question -- how am I supposed to insure a trip that doesn't have a date, total cost, number of travelers (even though we do have a good idea on that), or destination. The agent told me that in the future, I should call in right away after putting down the $250 as a placeholder, and then buy insurance for that $250. (Presumably cheap insurance on only $250. Basically insuring that "deposit" even though it's totally refundable.) Then, once we book an actual cruise, book any plane tickets, etc, I should call in and add those things to the plan and pay the extra amount for the coverage of those parts of the trip at that time. I *guess* that "makes sense", but it seems a bit silly to me. As I see it, the $250 essentially buys a voucher/coupon that gives us 10% off a cruise we book in the future, and the voucher expires in 24 months if we don't use it before then. I know the $250 is ultimately put toward the deposit for the trip, but it doesn't seem like an "initial deposit" as that term is normally used. Oh well, I'm sure the insurance companies don't care about my opinion. Ha!
Good luck with your trip!! Hopefully you won't need the insurance at all! Good to know that the cruise invoice only shows the date you actually booked the trip.
It doesn't make sense and I wouldn't do it. It sounds like the insurance company is just trying to get you to insure nothing and it's a scam. You don't have a cruise booked. What exactly are you insuring?
 
You got my attention because I am a USAA member and I thought it didn't start until I actually booked a trip. Just got off the phone with Travel Insured and was told the start time is when the placeholder deposit is applied against a given date and destination.

I’m so glad to read this, we were told the same; this is the policy we have booked several times now; the worldwide trip protector from travel insured. We, too, were told in the past, that the clock starts when the $250 are applied to a date and an actual cruise; so the dummy cruise DCL made you book in the past (a few years back) counted, but the 250 “intention to sail again with discount” themselves do NOT count - now to read that people were told this is not the case is quite unsettling, though I don’t think it is correct for this policy/company.

I will proceed anyways as planned; the day after booking and putting down the actual deposit for an actual cruise, I will call travel insured and insure the “down payment” with them, then the clock restarts with every payment towards the cruise, so for us this is generally after the PIF date, or after booking flights. This is how we have done it for years!
 
We get insurance for a pre existing condition and cancel for any reason. When Disney gave you an actual dummy date you had to buy the insurance within 14 days of when you put down the deposit. Last time when we just had the $250 placeholder my husband called and they said we could not buy the insurance without a date and to call once we book an actual date. That's what we did once we booked the cruise without any problem. We get our insurance through a site that compares different insurance companies (but we always call instead of doing it online to make sure what we need covered is covered). I can't remember if we are allowed to post links but the name includes the words insure, my and trip- lol
 

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