Trip Insurance: Who purchases it?

[Jeanne B]

I recommend it, but you don't have to purchase it until just prior to your final payment. Prior to that, everything is refundable anyways, so you don't need the insurance. Now, if you want to insure your airfare, then you will have to purchase the insurance for that separate, unless you have a package with Disney that includes airfare. You can get travel insurance from other sources, besides Disney, and insure your airfare and trip together.

This is a good web site to compare insurance costs.
http://www.quotetravelinsurance.com/

Francine

But don't you have to buy it within some many days of putting your initial deposit down in order for cancellations due to pre-existing conditions to be covered? I've only bought cruise insurance so maybe I'm not comparing apples to apples.

 

[melissa5583]

I purchased it for our September trip. #1 hurricane season and #2 my grandfather is not in good health so we are not sure if we will be able to go once Sept comes around. It's a little extra but it will be worth it if we are not able to go.

 

[michiele]

I buy it because you never know what might happen. One time we didn't buy it for a cruise. My dad got very ill and we had to cancel. I lost half the cruise money. Also, another thought... Alot of those travel insurances over car insurance. The price definitely beats anything the rental places offer. So, that helps too if you don't trust your personal insurance to cover things...

 

[Franniepoppins]

But don't you have to buy it within some many days of putting your initial deposit down in order for cancellations due to pre-existing conditions to be covered? I've only bought cruise insurance so maybe I'm not comparing apples to apples.

You can purchase travel insurance anytime prior to leaving for a trip. You will find each insurance company to have different rules about pre-existing conditions, and the type of insurance you purchase will make a difference. There are lots of different types of policies. A lot of folks don't realize that you can purchase travel insurance form a different company then Disney uses.

Regardless of that, prior to making that final payment you will get all of your money back anyways, if you have to cancel, with no penalty charged. The cancellation penalties only start after the final payment is made.

Francine

 

[PoohGal05]

When we booked our trip last September, our travel agent told us that they had been told that anyone who was booking trip to Disney World would have to add insurance onto their packages because of the hurricanes. If a hurricane was to occur prior to us leaving, because we had the insurancce added onto our package, we would be about to either 1) re-schedule our trip or 2) get our money back. Without the insurance, we might only get part of our money back. Our agent told us last year Disney was closed quite a bit because they had been hit by so many hurricanes. I'm glad to have the insurance added onto the package, especially since I have heard they are expecting hurricanes down in Florida this summer. I HOPE NOT!

Angi

 

[Anewman]

It was my understanding you could only lose $200 (cancellation w/in 5 days of trip) if you had to cancel. I'm thinking I'll risk loosing $200 if something bizarre happens, since the chances are small, instead of paying $89.

If you go through the Disney website after entering info, on the page where you offer is available to print and sez "book this offer" at the bottom of the page there is a link to terms and conditions.

Notice the bold section, that pretty much sez that if you were booked on a NON refundable flight Like 90% of us you WILL loose the price of those airline tickets.

So no it is not limited to $200


--------------------------------------------------------------------------Cancellation and Change fees

For a cancellation made 44 to 6 days prior to arrival, there is an additional cancellation fee of $100 per package plus any cancellation fees assessed by hotels or other suppliers.
For a cancellation made 5 days or less prior to arrival, there is an additional cancellation fee of $200 per package plus any cancellation fees by hotels or other suppliers. . In addition, with respect to Grand Gathering experiences, no refund will be given for cancellations made 5 days or less from the experience date. No refunds will be given to no-shows.
For a change made 44 days or less prior to arrival or that results in a rate change, there is an additional change fee of $50 per package plus any change fees assessed by hotels or other suppliers.
For changes, the change fees must be paid in addition to any increase in rate resulting from the change.
In addition: If your air travel has been ticketed, there will be an additional cancellation or change fee per ticket equal to the cancellation or change fee assessed by the airline. Please note that (x) cancellation of a nonrefundable airfare results in a charge equal to the entire amount of the airfare and (y) cancellation of a refundable airfare must be made at least 1 business day prior to departure.
Vacation insurance is nonrefundable if not cancelled within 14 days after booking (for bookings 14 days or less prior to arrival, vacation insurance is nonrefundable if not cancelled at least one day prior to arrival). Upon any cancellation, the charge for vacation insurance will be added to the other applicable cancellation fees.
If you cancel, amounts paid, minus cancellation fees and other amounts owed, will be promptly refunded.

 

[Mister Disney]

I got it once when planning a trip to Vegas. I'm glad, because I got pregnant unexpectedly and had to cancel the trip.

Unexpectedly? I think we need to have a talk about the birds and the bees....

 

[LglBlonde]

If you go through the Disney website after entering info, on the page where you offer is available to print and sez "book this offer" at the bottom of the page there is a link to terms and conditions.

Notice the bold section, that pretty much sez that if you were booked on a NON refundable flight Like 90% of us you WILL loose the price of those airline tickets.

So no it is not limited to $200


--------------------------------------------------------------------------Cancellation and Change fees

For a cancellation made 44 to 6 days prior to arrival, there is an additional cancellation fee of $100 per package plus any cancellation fees assessed by hotels or other suppliers.
For a cancellation made 5 days or less prior to arrival, there is an additional cancellation fee of $200 per package plus any cancellation fees by hotels or other suppliers. . In addition, with respect to Grand Gathering experiences, no refund will be given for cancellations made 5 days or less from the experience date. No refunds will be given to no-shows.
For a change made 44 days or less prior to arrival or that results in a rate change, there is an additional change fee of $50 per package plus any change fees assessed by hotels or other suppliers.
For changes, the change fees must be paid in addition to any increase in rate resulting from the change.
In addition: If your air travel has been ticketed, there will be an additional cancellation or change fee per ticket equal to the cancellation or change fee assessed by the airline. Please note that (x) cancellation of a nonrefundable airfare results in a charge equal to the entire amount of the airfare and (y) cancellation of a refundable airfare must be made at least 1 business day prior to departure.
Vacation insurance is nonrefundable if not cancelled within 14 days after booking (for bookings 14 days or less prior to arrival, vacation insurance is nonrefundable if not cancelled at least one day prior to arrival). Upon any cancellation, the charge for vacation insurance will be added to the other applicable cancellation fees.
If you cancel, amounts paid, minus cancellation fees and other amounts owed, will be promptly refunded.

For me, it will be since I'm not booking airfare through my package. Thanks.

 

[tlbwriter]

I booked a package without airfare, and here is my understanding: If we cancel 45 days or more before the trip, we lose nothing. If we cancel 5-44 days before the trip, we lose $100. If we cancel with fewer than 5 days, we lose $200. I could have this wrong, though... the details are written down somewhere, but not right in front of me.

 

[LglBlonde]

Exactly, so if I purchase trip insurance and have to cancel, I'm out $289???

 

[Franniepoppins]

Exactly, so if I purchase trip insurance and have to cancel, I'm out $289???

No, you are out the $89 you spent for the insurance. If you didn't have the insurance, you would not get the $200 back.

Francine

 

[LglBlonde]

Vacation insurance is nonrefundable if not cancelled within 14 days after booking (for bookings 14 days or less prior to arrival, vacation insurance is nonrefundable if not cancelled at least one day prior to arrival). Upon any cancellation, the charge for vacation insurance will be added to the other applicable cancellation fees. If you cancel, amounts paid, minus cancellation fees and other amounts owed, will be promptly refunded.

To me, that sounds like if you cancel even w/ travel ins, you would lose the cancellation fees.

 

[Franniepoppins]

Vacation insurance is nonrefundable if not cancelled within 14 days after booking (for bookings 14 days or less prior to arrival, vacation insurance is nonrefundable if not cancelled at least one day prior to arrival). Upon any cancellation, the charge for vacation insurance will be added to the other applicable cancellation fees. If you cancel, amounts paid, minus cancellation fees and other amounts owed, will be promptly refunded.

To me, that sounds like if you cancel even w/ travel ins, you would lose the cancellation fees.

You can't just cancel a trip without a reason, even with the travel insurance. So, if it is a matter of just deciding you don't want to go, then you will be charged fees. If you are canceling because of a valid reason, that is covered by the insurance, then you will not be charged cancellation fees. The key word is 'applicable'. This means that if there are fees, you will be charged those fees.

Francine

 

[LglBlonde]

Other posters have mentioned that hurricanes are not covered - so to me that means if I want to cancel because of a hurricane, it essentially would not do me any good to have travel insurance?

 

[mlwear]

Just checked my insurance (which is Insure America through Disney). It covers delays/cancellations due to death, illness, unforseeable circumstances.
What does unforseeable circumstances mean? That is pretty broad. Does it cover hurricanes? Technically, I could forsee the possiblity of a hurricane. TA did call and check before I purchased and said it does NOT cover military deployment. (I think that is very un-disney like, but I guess they don't own the company). Seems like they have a lot of discretion with that wording. Anyone have experiences with Insure America (it is a subsidiary of Travel Guard, but I think less comprehensive.)

 

[flyball]

Other posters have mentioned that hurricanes are not covered - so to me that means if I want to cancel because of a hurricane, it essentially would not do me any good to have travel insurance?

As a purchaser of insurance and a vacationer who experienced hurricane Frances in DW last September, I can verify that the insurance does not cover hurricanes (read over the fine print and made many inquiries while there). That said, however, Disney was very accommodating to many people who lost park days. Many of us were given complimentary PHPs for the missed park days. From what I've read and heard, they were also very flexible about arrival dates, cancellations, etc. during the hurricanes. I wouldn't know specifically about the airline portion of insurance coverage, as we drove down.

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

Exactly, so if I purchase trip insurance and have to cancel, I'm out $289???

Depends on your reason for cancelling - if it is covered by the insurance, you may be able to get your $200 back, so you would only be out the cost of the insurance.

 

[theresaruth]

We booked our vacation package using the email pin code but declined insurance for now. I realiz that we are travelling during hurricane season (we were there for Jeanne last summer) and may be considering purchasing the insurance at the last minute...I have to locate the pamphlet that came with our confirmation letter to see exactly what it covers, does anyone know if hurricans are covered. Huuum

 

[Anewman]

For me, it will be since I'm not booking airfare through my package. Thanks.

Are you flying? Are those tickets refundable, regardless of them being in the package or not?

 

[LglBlonde]

Yes, we are flying. We have Southwest Green Passes (R/T tickets anywhere SWA flies), so our airfare will not cost anything, and if we cancel, we don't lose the passes.