Trip Insurance that specifically covers denied boarding

[Gentry2004]

As I am about to book travel insurance for my cruise in a couple of months, I decided to call to clarify what is/is not covered regarding Coronavirus. The short answer with the company I called is medical is covered but trip cancellation/interupption is not.

Here's the crazy part, the guy was telling me that denied cruise boarding due to illness (any illness, not just COVID-19) is NOT covered because I've already left my state of residence and therefore my trip has already started.

WHAT? Is this guy an idiot or is this true?

If I'm not going to be covered in a denied boarding situation, then I may as well just book the trip medical insurance which is way cheaper. And PS I booked with this company last time so I guess I wasn't covered then either?

Can anyone explain this or help me with this? I don't need "cancel for any reason" and we don't have any pre-existing conditions. I just want medical coverage on my trip and I want trip reimbursement if my trip is cancelled or interrupted for illlness/injury. Seems simple enough, right?

 

[Gentry2004]

I am now live chatting with a popular travel insurance aggregator site and they are stating the same thing. Am I asking the wrong question? Wouldn't this fall under "trip interuption"

 

[mmouse37]

I would think so. what's the point of if you are not covered if you get sick and can't board. So only if you are sick and cancel BEFORE you leave home would you be covered for medical? I also thought if you got sick enroute to your trip (not before you left) you would be covered under trip interruption.

MJ

 

[SL6827]

Weird. I have no idea. But it just gives me the feel that yes trip insurance will try to find the smallest of loopholes to prevent from paying out, as with any insurance. I know I am really going to have to research it out well for our trip next year. With two staterooms and people not living in our house, and not in our family going, I have got to make sure we all are covered for most everything.

 

[insureman]

I am now live chatting with a popular travel insurance aggregator site and they are stating the same thing. Am I asking the wrong question? Wouldn't this fall under "trip interuption"

I would need to see the contract.

 

[Gentry2004]

I would need to see the contract.

Okay I found a reputable company and have read/searched the entire contract. The words pandemic or epidemic are not anywhere in the contract. I used the search function on the contract. I've also read all the exclusions and it doesn't hint it either. It includes the following language for trip cancellation/interupption:

"Medical / Health
(a) Any serious Injury, death, or Sickness; (1) Occurring to You or a Traveling Companion, a Family Member traveling with You, that is so disabling as to cause a reasonable person to cancel or interrupt their Trip or which results in medically imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician at the time of Loss preventing your continued participation in the Trip; "

What do you think? Book it?

 

[StarSeven7]

Are you trying to purchase insurance for your typical cancellation/interruption illness situation or are you specifically looking for something to cover if you're denied boarding due to all the coronavirus business??

 

[emilymad]

To me that reads if a doctor says you can't travel it would cover it but not the cruise line denying you boarding.

On our last cruise we got Norovirius 24 hours after we got off the ship and had to delay going home. Trip insurance didn't cover the cost since we didn't go to the hospital/doctor.

 

[insureman]

Here is the trip interruption clause from my upcoming cruise on the Fantasy. This is a comprehensive policy with Nationwide through a large trip insurance online broker. Not sure what kind of policy you are looking for.

 

[insureman]

Okay I found a reputable company and have read/searched the entire contract. The words pandemic or epidemic are not anywhere in the contract. I used the search function on the contract. I've also read all the exclusions and it doesn't hint it either. It includes the following language for trip cancellation/interupption:

"Medical / Health
(a) Any serious Injury, death, or Sickness; (1) Occurring to You or a Traveling Companion, a Family Member traveling with You, that is so disabling as to cause a reasonable person to cancel or interrupt their Trip or which results in medically imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician at the time of Loss preventing your continued participation in the Trip; "

What do you think? Book it?

How about medical evacuation? What else do you need to cover if you had an illness, injury or death while on vacation? Most policies don't have the pandemic or epidemic exclusions anymore.

 

[Gentry2004]

To me that reads if a doctor says you can't travel it would cover it but not the cruise line denying you boarding.

On our last cruise we got Norovirius 24 hours after we got off the ship and had to delay going home. Trip insurance didn't cover the cost since we didn't go to the hospital/doctor.

But to be denied boarding you have to see the ships doctor (they don't just have the random CM deny your boarding) so I assume this doctor denying me boarding counts as "medically imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician at the time of Loss preventing your continued participation in the Trip; "

 

[Gentry2004]

How about medical evacuation? What else do you need to cover if you had an illness, injury or death while on vacation? Most policies don't have the pandemic or epidemic exclusions anymore.

Yes, it covers all that. One policy I looked at (not this one) DID explicitly exclude anything related to pandemic/epidemic. It was one of the discount companies.

 

[insureman]

To me that reads if a doctor says you can't travel it would cover it but not the cruise line denying you boarding.

On our last cruise we got Norovirius 24 hours after we got off the ship and had to delay going home. Trip insurance didn't cover the cost since we didn't go to the hospital/doctor.

Was that after the insurance expiration date?

 

[Adventurelawyer]

Okay I found a reputable company and have read/searched the entire contract. The words pandemic or epidemic are not anywhere in the contract. I used the search function on the contract. I've also read all the exclusions and it doesn't hint it either. It includes the following language for trip cancellation/interupption:

"Medical / Health
(a) Any serious Injury, death, or Sickness; (1) Occurring to You or a Traveling Companion, a Family Member traveling with You, that is so disabling as to cause a reasonable person to cancel or interrupt their Trip or which results in medically imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician at the time of Loss preventing your continued participation in the Trip; "

What do you think? Book it?

Look for those words in exclusions. Thats where mine are hidden.

 

[insureman]

Yes, it covers all that. One policy I looked at (not this one) DID explicitly exclude anything related to pandemic/epidemic. It was one of the discount companies.

That exclusion is unusual for trip interruption policies these days.

 

[emilymad]

Was that after the insurance expiration date?

No, it was still in the insurance expiration date as we did Disney after the cruise. The cruise had a Norovirus outbreak to the point DCL started their precautions on Day 2 of the 7 day sailing. I was in no position to get my husband to urgent care when we knew what the illness was so we were aware that we were probably going to be out of luck.

 

[Mikamarii]

I'm not saying I'm right or wrong as don't have specific experience with medical contracts but have lots of experience with other legal contracts and the principals are essentially the same.

I think what you are asking depends on a specific series of events. Are you asking if you have Coronavirus you will be denied or are you afraid that you will fall under one of their screening measures that denies you (ex carry a Chinese Passport as some cruise lines have done during the outbreak)?

If you showed up and had Coronavirus but didn't know and were denied boarding THEN went to the doctor and had a physician confirm you had the illness then yes you would have a valid claim (not necessarily win but you would have claim). This would likely also fall under interruption since you have already left home.

If you showed up and were denied boarding because of a screening rule (like having a Chinese passport) then I imagine that would not be covered since you are denied boarding for violating the cruise contract which wouldn't be covered. Similar to showing up drunk, carrying an illegal item, not having your passport, etc.

If the cruise ship outright cancelled the cruise because of an issue then that is on the Cruise Line to reimburse/change itineraries for passengers and not insurance since you have no control over that and likely you specifically wouldn't all under any of the specific reasons for cancellation.

Just my two cents

 

[MrWhizzard]

But to be denied boarding you have to see the ships doctor (they don't just have the random CM deny your boarding) so I assume this doctor denying me boarding counts as "medically imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician at the time of Loss preventing your continued participation in the Trip; "

I'm not convinced that's how that phrase would get interpreted. I would think that a "medically imposed restriction" is a restriction given to the patient for his/her health, rather than for the health of others. For example, not being discharged from a hospital, or a physician advising you not to travel.

Every policy seems to use this same phrase, but very few define it. Here's one from MasterCard that does:

Medically imposed restrictions means a restriction certified by Your physician prohibiting You from traveling on a common carrier.

It's at the very least uncertain, and is the main reason why I have been hesitant to buy one of these policies. It would be helpful to hear of someone who was able to make a successful claim under a medically denied boarding circumstance.

 

[Mikamarii]

I would think so. what's the point of if you are not covered if you get sick and can't board. So only if you are sick and cancel BEFORE you leave home would you be covered for medical? I also thought if you got sick enroute to your trip (not before you left) you would be covered under trip interruption.

MJ

The two coverages are different. If you get sick on vacation the medical would be covered but they may not pay for your cancelled plans. That is where trip interruption/cancellation comes in but that all depends on their fine print as well.

 

[DLgal]

Just get the cancel for any reason coverage. In the end, it's worth it.