When to Buy Trip Insurance

[moet7]

Hi
Can someone tell me, "When do you need to pay for your Trip Insurance"?

Do you pay for it when you put down your deposit?

Can anyone give me the names of insurance companies that they used and liked?

Thanks!
Moet

 

[ImNarek]

We just got our trip insurance through insuremytrip.com. We haven't been on the cruise yet, or had to make a claim, so I don't know how that will work, but it seems good so far. And it was nice being able to compare policies.

 

[moet7]

When do you purchase the trip insurance, when your deposit is given???
Thanks! moet

 

[Az Pirates]

Well, it depends on what you want insurance-wise.

Insuremytrip is a good place to start as you can compare lots of different policies.

Most policies require that you purchase the insurance within 14-21 days of making the first deposit on your cruise if you want pre-existing conditions covered.

Since you can get all deposit money back until just a few months before you sail, some people wait until then to purchase insurance and you can do that as well. (don't know of any companies that will cover pre-existing conditions at that point though)

Just depends on what type of coverage you want.

 

[scrapperjill]

Like the preivious poster mentioned....if you purchase trip insurance within 14 days (of most policies) preexisting conditions are covered. And like they also mentioned...you can get your money back from DCL up to 60 days prior to your sail date...if you should change your mind and decide not to go...

As for insurance companies covering any prexisiting conditions after the 14 day period from putting down the initial deosit....I have found alot of insurance companies also have a period before the trip (anywhere from 60-180 days before initial trip date) that they will look over prexsiting conditons and see if they were well controlled. If they were well controlled (no changes, no new meds, no new testing, no new therapies....the list goes on..within that time period) they will cover prexisting conditions.....BUT the final say will be up to the "team" who processes the claim.... I've found this out the hard way....after asking our TA to book our insurance after we came back from our first cruise (where we rebooked)...months later I found out she never did it. and my DD has a major prexisting condition...So I've had to call insurance companies and ask about the 60-180 day clause. From what I've been told...is buying it with in the first 14 days (for most companies) ALL conditions are covered no matter what...but with the 60-180 day clause...the final say is up to the claims people....AND they will review all care and changes to the conditions up to the 60-180 days before your trip date.

Hope that helps

 

[moet7]

Thank you, I appreciate you explaining it all to me!
moet

 

[keishashadow]

You can purchase DCL's trip insurance up until the final payment due date. They do have a pre-existing condition exclusion provision. Briefly, from their brochure, exclusions are:

1. any injury occurring prior to and including the effective date of insurance (i.e. effective date of your Trip Cancellation coverage or, if no Trip Cancellation coverage is purchased, your trip departure date).;

2. any illness occurring during the 60 days prior to and including the effective date of insurance for which treatment by a licensed physician has been sought or advised or for which symptoms exist which would cause a prudent person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment. However, if the condition is controlled (not exhibiting symptoms or requiring an adjustment of treatment or medication) throughout the 60 day period by the taking of prescription drugs or medications and travel restrictions are not advised by a licensed physician, then the medical condition will not be considered a Pre-existing condition.

So, without being accused of practicing law; my interpretation (corroborated by a DCL representative) is that you can be taking prescription medication for a condition; and as long as you are not treated for said condition in the 120 day (or so) period before your cruise, it is not considered a pre-existing condition and would be covered. Of course there are general program exclusions that are defined in the DCL Vacation Protection Plan brochure. Additionally, benefits would be coordinated with any other secondary converage you may have.

All in all, the plan provisions seem to be fair and reasonably priced. I only would have been able to save less than $40 with an outside insurer. Since I didn't want to purchase the insurance at the time of booking (good thing since I had to change the cruise several times already), I'm happy to be able to pick it up when I make my last payment. Good Luck.