When to purchase travel insurance?

[SL6827]

Cruise date in May 24, 2021. When would you purchase your travel insurance? Will not qualify for pre-exsist conditions. Will not be getting through Disney. Would you purchase it right before the paid in full date or a little sooner?

 

[o&smom]

Cruise date in May 24, 2021. When would you purchase your travel insurance? Will not qualify for pre-exsist conditions. Will not be getting through Disney. Would you purchase it right before the paid in full date or a little sooner?

We just purchased ours last weekend for our March 6 cruise.

 

[SL6827]

We just purchased ours last weekend for our March 6 cruise.

Ok, so is really last minute. I guess there is no harm in that then?

 

[Bonnie1222]

It depends on the coverage you want. We used to buy cancel for any reason - you had to buy it within so many days of your deposit.

More recently we opted not to have that coverage, and by doing that we only had buy before final payment with the 2 companies we use. We would always buy it a day or 2 before the final payment was actually made just to make sure it went through with no issues.

 

[o&smom]

Ok, so is really last minute. I guess there is no harm in that then?

Yes, we tend to purchase it closer to our cruise date. My husband did put it off longer than usual, though. But, it did not really seem to make any difference when we talked to the insurance agent.

 

[Strawberry's mom&dad]

We always buy within 14 days of booking a cruise. That way it covers pre existing conditions. My husband has heart failure and had to cancel a cruise 1 week prior to sail date and got a full refund.

 

[mmmears]

Within 14 days of booking if you care about the pre-existing condition clause. If not, then you can definitely do it later, but I like to do it when we PIF at the latest since at that point you'll need it if you need to cancel.

 

[g_ppetto]

Check the definitions for pre-existing conditions. They may vary from supplier to supplier. If you have an issue that is managed through medication, it may not necessarily be considered a pre-existing condition. We were looking at policy from one of those sites that allows you to compare and contrast. We have a trip where our daughter is traveling with us so we were looking at a family policy. Our concern was she was in the process of buying a house. Our question was 'do all of the family members need to live at the same address on the start date?' We called, and their representative found a better policy (more coverage), cheaper, and we could have multiple addresses. The representative also spent some time to better explain the term 'pre-existing condition'. Give them a call, which ever plan you are thinking about. You may be able to get coverage for an existing condition. Sorry, I do not remember what the timing was - how soon after we booked, etc.

 

[SL6827]

Check the definitions for pre-existing conditions. They may vary from supplier to supplier. If you have an issue that is managed through medication, it may not necessarily be considered a pre-existing condition. We were looking at policy from one of those sites that allows you to compare and contrast. We have a trip where our daughter is traveling with us so we were looking at a family policy. Our concern was she was in the process of buying a house. Our question was 'do all of the family members need to live at the same address on the start date?' We called, and their representative found a better policy (more coverage), cheaper, and we could have multiple addresses. The representative also spent some time to better explain the term 'pre-existing condition'. Give them a call, which ever plan you are thinking about. You may be able to get coverage for an existing condition. Sorry, I do not remember what the timing was - how soon after we booked, etc.

Oh, thanks. Both of our cabins are in my name, under my account but one is for my daughter and her boyfriend/maybe husband too. They do not live with us. I will remember this when I shop. I would have never thought. And another teen who is not our is going as well.

 

[Dug720]

One thing to be aware of is in the event of an “early” hurricane (they can happen any time - though rare outside of the official season) is that policies purchased after a storm is named would not cover that storm. I have also read reports that epidemics/pandemics are not covered for policies bought after the health emergency is announced (as in anyone who was going to Asia and had not purchased insurance are out of luck with buying it now to cancel their trip).

 

[Geomom]

If one of the kids is currently 17, turning 18 before your cruise...buy the insurance before they turn 18. Some policies have kids under 18 free...it's based on date you buy policy, not the cruise date. It'll save you some money. We did that for our last cruise... bought the insurance 6 mths before due to our daughters birthday.

 

[SL6827]

Both teens will be under 18.

 

[Gentry2004]

One thing to be aware of is in the event of an “early” hurricane (they can happen any time - though rare outside of the official season) is that policies purchased after a storm is named would not cover that storm. I have also read reports that epidemics/pandemics are not covered for policies bought after the health emergency is announced (as in anyone who was going to Asia and had not purchased insurance are out of luck with buying it now to cancel their trip).

Ha! My husband takes about doing this very thing, but I thought it didn’t cover pandemics anyway unless you had cancel for any reason, which it obviously would not be?

 

[Dug720]

Ha! My husband takes about doing this very thing, but I thought it didn’t cover pandemics anyway unless you had cancel for any reason, which it obviously would not be?

Apparently you have to read the CFAR section very carefully as it is, as you say, NOT every reason. I suspect that had you cancelled before WHO declared it an emergency you MIGHT have gotten away with it.

 

[Sakiki]

I can’t speak to policies taken out in the USA (outside my area of expertise), but speaking as someone who works as Claims Manager for an insurance broker in the UK, I would always say to buy your cover as soon as you pay over any money that you couldn’t then get back if you had to cancel the following day. This is especially the case if you’re flying, because a lot of airlines don’t give refunds or allow changes on their cheaper tickets (and when flying from the UK to the USA, ‘cheap’ is a somewhat relative term).

 

[lanejudy]

Both of our cabins are in my name

Somewhat off-topic from the main question of the thread, but are you sure about the above? You can't (and shouldn't) be listed as passenger in two rooms. You may have made both reservations and you may have paid the deposit on both, but you'd be paying double if you are listed in both rooms. DCL will consider the first-listed adult in the other cabin as the "lead" on that reservation (whether it is your DH or adult DD).

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[SL6827]

Somewhat off-topic from the main question of the thread, but are you sure about the above? You can't (and shouldn't) be listed as passenger in two rooms. You may have made both reservations and you may have paid the deposit on both, but you'd be paying double if you are listed in both rooms. DCL will consider the first-listed adult in the other cabin as the "lead" on that reservation (whether it is your DH or adult DD).

Enjoy your cruise!

No, I am only listed on one room, but I "hold" both reservations. My daughter is the lead on that cabin. Make sense? I may have not been very clear. It is one reservation with two cabins on it.

 

[starry_solo]

Back to your original question, the answer is "it depends" on the type of insurance you are looking to get.

I purchased travel insurance for the cost of the cruise, a few days before and a few days after, since I'll be starting and ending at WDW. The insurance I was looking for is specific for medical evacuations.

 

[SL6827]

Back to your original question, the answer is "it depends" on the type of insurance you are looking to get.

I purchased travel insurance for the cost of the cruise, a few days before and a few days after, since I'll be starting and ending at WDW. The insurance I was looking for is specific for medical evacuations.

Well I guess mostly just trip cancellation? If we had to cancel because of a death in the family or sickness, like a odd case of the flu? Broke arm? Broke leg?

 

[catali150]

I just purchased trip cancellation insurance for for March 2021 trip. I purchased both cruise and insurance through Costco. Saw no reason to wait.