Trip Insurance

[ibouncetoo]

I need some recommendations on where to go to start looking for trip insurance (finally coming to that part of the planning/budgeting process!).

I think we need outside insurance to cover the entire trip (airlines/pre-cruise hotels and cruise). Travel companion thinks DCL insurance is fine.....wouldn't be too stressed if a change caused us to 'eat' our airfare. I think she suspects outside insurance is very expensive, and I've assumed the DCL insurance is restrictive (only covers certain circumstances for cancellation).

We'll most likely be booking two, single occupant Cat 11's and though one person is paying, will we each need our own insurance.....or can one package be purchased for two individuals on the same trip (because if one of us is prevented from going.....the other won't be going either)? I suppose the insurance provider can answer that one.

As always, thanks for your help!

 

[goofymama]

Actually - DCL insurance is typically MORE Expensive and only covers the cost of the cruise, i think. Try insuremytrip.com

good luck

 

[Jsme]

Ditto to insuremytrip.com

Very reasonable pricing and many policies to chose from!

 

[moet7]

When do you need to purchase the trip insurance?
When you put down your deposit?
Before final payment?
If you cancel your tirp, do you loose the trip insurance money?
thanks!
moe

 

[goofymama]

I'm not sure when you have to buy the insurance ... some time after putting down your deposit but before final payment???? And yes, the insurance costs are non-refundable.

 

[castlegazer]

diffrent policies require different timing for buying the insurance and when you purchase may limit what type of policy you can get. I bought within days of placing my deposit to get all the coverage.

DEFINATELY insure separately. DCL is astronomically expensive compared to independant insurance companies.

I use www.totaltravelinsurance.com. I printed my total costs over on the other thread. You will be shocked. I have travelex.

 

[ohanafamily]

OMG, I just ASSUMED Travelguard was the best one. I guess I should have looked further after my Dr's office gave me a bote about Asthma, there was an alert for breathing from forest fires near DL, I was told that in order for them to pay, I had to fly there, and be diagnosed with breathing trouble. OK, I have never needed to place a claim, but hmmm, I guess I should look further...

 

[castlegazer]

I needed insurance on my last trip and had no problems with my coverage - I fell and spraigned my ankle and was in the ships medical facilities for a few days on and off - I was X-rayed and used a wheel chair. I cna't fathom cruising without the insurance for so many reasons: missing the boat due to flight delays, missing your luggage, having to be airlifted to medical facilities (happens on every cruise I have been on to someone on the cruise), having to go to the medical facilities for minor issues like mine (I also severly burned on one of my cruises and needed medical attention for blisters), and HURRICANES.

 

[ibouncetoo]

We haven't made a deposit or booked anything yet.

But....say you had a deposit on a cruise, but no other arrangements made yet (airlines, additional hotel, etc). Don't you have to have those things done first, so you know your costs and can purchase the proper amount of insurance???

Also, what if you waited to buy trip insurance till the 75-90 day DCL pay up date? We probably wouldn't be looking at airlines etc until that 'final decision' date

 

[castlegazer]

No. I have nothing else booked except the deposit on the cruise. I estimated the highest amount for my airline tickets, estimated some hotel costs, and broke down the cost for the cruise evenly between each traveler. I came to a total insurance value for each cruiser of $1,250. This is our individual coverage dollar amount. We are covered for greater amounts due to the policy for things like medical, baggage, trip delays, missed connections, itinerary changes, and baggage delay, and rental vehicle damage. Lower the dollar amount per cruiser really didn't shift the amount I needed to pay a great deal so I estimated high but within reason.

You lose out on some of the coverage if you wait until the final deposit time, but I am unclear what that is - there is someone on here who does know the answer to that as its been asked before, so hopefully they will come by soon.

 

[Michelle2]

We are getting ready to make our final payment. So I am buying trip insurance through insuremytrip today....I think that the only coverage I will be losing out on is pre-existing conditions, which we don't have any, so I didn't worry about it. But I would love to know if there is any other coverage I am going to be lacking....

 

[kcashner]

Many insurers require you to purchase within 2 weeks of booking your trip or they will not cover pre-existing conditions. For instance, if you have asthma and require treatment while on the ship, it would be covered if you bought within 2 weeks of booking but will not be covered if you waited beyond that.

DCL is generally the most expensive insurance (at least for us), and will cover only that portion of the trip that you booked thru them. If you buy DCL air, then your air is covered. If you do air separately, then it is not. Ditto for any ground package. If you book WDW as a separate ressie, (which is often cheaper than thru DCL), then it would not be covered on the DCL insurance.

I'd check with the insurer, but my understanding is that if you are both on one policy, your insurance would kick in for both of you if one had a covered reason to cancel. The trip cancellation portion will pay back only the actual $ lost. The amount of coverage for lost luggage, medical, emergency evacuation, etc. are much higher.

 

[MelissaE1]

Here is some information from InsureMyTrip's FAQ that I found when I was looking for the same information:

Q. What is the latest date I can purchase travel insurance?

A. You can purchase a policy up to the day before you travel. However, our recommendation is to purchase as soon as possible to maximize your benefits. If you wait, you always run the risk that something will happen before you buy your insurance and you won't be covered.

Q. When is the best time to purchase travel insurance?

A. To receive the most benefit from the travel policy you must purchase the insurance within 7 to 21 days (varies by company and plan) of making your initial trip payment. If the insurance is purchased within the 7 - 21 day period you receive two enhancements (varies by company and plan) to the policy.
1. protection against the financial default of a tour operator, airline or cruise line. (depends on company)
2. the pre-existing medical condition exclusion is usually waived (again, depends on company and plan).
Most companies count the day you make the first trip payment as day one (not the day the check is cashed).

Hope this helps!

 

[johare]

Access America has decent rates and I've heard good things about them.

http://www.accessamerica.com/

 

[geffric]

I bought Travelex from insuremytrip for our last cruise. We bought them aout 2 months before we sailed. I will purchase for the next cruise aroud the time I make my payment.