Travel Insurance

[Fasttr]

We are using a combination of 2020 and borrowed 2021 points for our Feb 2020 Maui stay. If we buy the MVC coverage when we pay the 2020 maintenance fee in a few months, will the Feb 2020 trip be covered? Do we have to pay for 2021 also at the same time? How does all that work?

My understanding is the 2020 plan would cover the trip, and the value of the 2020 points used on the ressie, but you would also need to purchase 2021 coverage for the value of the 2021 points to be covered.

 

[suenmike32]

I read thru the link for the Travelex policy kindly provided by Steven Ting and I found not one word about reimbursement for maintenance fee coverage in the event that you are ordered to evacuate. If it isn’t described I could easily see the carrier denying the claim. Your experience suggests otherwise. For those of us that drive to our destination resorts, flights, hotels, baggage claims mean nothing. That seems to be the bulk of the coverage. Please elucidate. Thanks.

This is exactly what my fears are.We drive to MOW so there is no need for airfare, baggage coverage etc. My main concern is will I have coverage for my MF if the resort closed down a few days before we got there, enroute to the resort or a day or two after we arrived. Even a pro-rated coverage is better than nothing. As I said previously, one of our trips was cancelled just days before we left due to resort closure. II offered to exchange the week...but every location they offered was on the west coast or no place we would even consider going to. Consequently...just a wasted MF. It actually happened to us twice.
Fine print on these policies are sometimes deceiving. I think I will try to speak to a Travelex rep to get a better understanding of my concerns.

 

[pedro47]

Here are some of Forbes.... Best Travel Insurance Companies
Allianz Global Assistance
Amex Assurance
General Global Assistance
Travelex
Travel Guard

 

[VacationForever]

Does anyone want to help interprete this?

"Trip Cancellation Benefits: The Company will reimburse the Insured for: 1. Forfeited, pre-paid Trip Cost for airfare change fees where applicable and/or property upgrades to the Trip; 2. Exchange Fees; and 3. annual Maintenance Charges associated with the cancelled use-year and/or Guest Fees,"

Does it mean that insurance will pay for airfare change fees only? If there is a comma after airfare, then I would read it as the entire cost of the airfare is covered.

 

[Fasttr]

Does anyone want to help interprete this?

"Trip Cancellation Benefits: The Company will reimburse the Insured for: 1. Forfeited, pre-paid Trip Cost for airfare change fees where applicable and/or property upgrades to the Trip; 2. Exchange Fees; and 3. annual Maintenance Charges associated with the cancelled use-year and/or Guest Fees,"

Does it mean that insurance will pay for airfare change fees only? If there is a comma after airfare, then I would read it as the entire cost of the airfare is covered.

Certainly not worded too artfully, is it? If it helps, later in the document it says this.... Bolding is mine.


Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Proof of Loss: The Insured must
provide the Travel Insurance Administrator documentation of the cancellation
or interruption and proof of the expenses incurred. The Insured must provide
proof of payment for the Trip such as canceled check or credit card statements,
proof of refunds received, copies of applicable tour operator or Common
Carrier cancellation policies, and any other information reasonably required to
prove the Loss. Claims involving Loss due to Sickness, Injury, or death require
signed patient (or next of kin) authorization to release medical information and
an attending Physician’s statement. The Insured must provide the Travel
Insurance Administrator with all unused air, rail, Cruise, or other tickets if
he/she is claiming the value of those unused tickets.

 

[VacationForever]

Certainly not worded too artfully, is it? If it helps, later in the document it says this.... Bolding is mine.


Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Proof of Loss: The Insured must
provide the Travel Insurance Administrator documentation of the cancellation
or interruption and proof of the expenses incurred. The Insured must provide
proof of payment for the Trip such as canceled check or credit card statements,
proof of refunds received, copies of applicable tour operator or Common
Carrier cancellation policies, and any other information reasonably required to
prove the Loss. Claims involving Loss due to Sickness, Injury, or death require
signed patient (or next of kin) authorization to release medical information and
an attending Physician’s statement. The Insured must provide the Travel
Insurance Administrator with all unused air, rail, Cruise, or other tickets if
he/she is claiming the value of those unused tickets.

Thank you! I did not read the whole document. In the later half of September we have a 21-day trip to Heritage Club, Oceanwatch and several days of hotel stay in Charleston. I am thinking Heritage Club will likely reopen after Dorian goes through but Oceanwatch may not. I hope MVC makes a timely announcement on status of the resorts after Dorian goes through. In the meantime we hope everyone in the area is safe with Dorian going through.

 

[Fasttr]

Thank you! I did not read the whole document. In the later half of September we have a 21-day trip to Heritage Club, Oceanwatch and several days of hotel stay in Charleston. I am thinking Heritage Club will likely reopen after Dorian goes through but Oceanwatch may not. I hope MVC makes a timely announcement on status of the resorts after Dorian goes through. In the meantime we hope everyone in the area is safe with Dorian going through.

I've been looking at some HHI webcams, and based solely on those, it doesn't appear HHI is getting it too bad.

 

[VacationForever]

I've been looking at some HHI webcams, and based solely on those, it doesn't appear HHI is getting it too bad.

Our flights go in and out of Charleston. Roads out of Charleston will need to be cleared to be able to drive to HHI. We are quite confused and unsettled at this point on what will happen to our trip.

 

[JIMinNC]

Our flights go in and out of Charleston. Roads out of Charleston will need to be cleared to be able to drive to HHI. We are quite confused and unsettled at this point on what will happen to our trip.

If your trip is latter half of September you should be just fine. Info I have is some trees down in HHI, but those blocking roads are being quickly cleared. Rain/flooding is less than expected. Based on past experience, I would expect this weekend will be recovery/re-opening and by the weekend of Sept 14-15 HHI should be pretty much back to normal. The center of the storm is going to pass a bit closer to Oceanwatch, so that one may have somewhat more impact. Is HHI first for you? When do you arrive? If you aren't staying in Myrtle Beach and Charleston until late in the month, I expect them to be OK. Even in MYR, it looks like the center is going to pass at least 40-50 miles off-shore. The key for MYR will be if the western edge of the eye wall clips the coast or not.

 

[VacationForever]

If your trip is latter half of September you should be just fine. Info I have is some trees down in HHI, but those blocking roads are being quickly cleared. Rain/flooding is less than expected. Based on past experience, I would expect this weekend will be recovery/re-opening and by the weekend of Sept 14-15 HHI should be pretty much back to normal. The center of the storm is going to pass a bit closer to Oceanwatch, so that one may have somewhat more impact. Is HHI first for you? When do you arrive? If you aren't staying in Myrtle Beach and Charleston until late in the month, I expect them to be OK. Even in MYR, it looks like the center is going to pass at least 40-50 miles off-shore. The key for MYR will be if the western edge of the eye wall clips the coast or not.

Based on the current 11am EDT NOAA map, Dorian - center of the hurricane, clips Charleston, i.e. partial landfall.

We will be flying into Charleston on the Sep 19th, spend one night in a Marriott hotel, one week in HHI, one week in Myrtle Beach and 5 nights in Charleston, back home on Oct 9th. I get a feeling the HHI portion will still be good but may need to shorten it and fly home after HHI.

 

[JIMinNC]

Based on the current 11am EDT NOAA map, Dorian - center of the hurricane, clips Charleston, i.e. partial landfall.

We will be flying into Charleston on the Sep 19th, spend one night in a Marriott hotel, one week in HHI, one week in Myrtle Beach and 5 nights in Charleston, back home on Oct 9th. I get a feeling the HHI portion will still be good but may need to shorten it and fly home after HHI.

The center of the storm is already past Charleston and moving away. I believe the eye wall never came on shore. There has been minimal flooding in Charleston and I haven't read about any sustained winds above tropical storm force. This is nothing like Matthew where the eye wall was right on the coast. By the 19th, HHI should be 100% and by the time you get to Oceanwatch a week later, they should be fine, too. Your five nights in Charleston is a month from now, so they will almost certainly be open for business. On shore in SC, this is no more than a strong tropical storm and is not the kind of storm that shutters hotels and resorts for weeks. Charleston Harbor is not even going to reach flood stage according to Weather Channel just now. Coastal NC will be hit a bit harder.

See current 12:30pm EDT radar capture below. Moving NNE.

 

[JIMinNC]

Another radar view:

The eye wall may just be skirting offshore Georgetown, SC which is about 50 miles northeast of Charleston

 

[VacationForever]

The center of the storm is already past Charleston and moving away. I believe the eye wall never came on shore. There has been minimal flooding in Charleston and I haven't read about any sustained winds above tropical storm force. This is nothing like Matthew where the eye wall was right on the coast. By the 19th, HHI should be 100% and by the time you get to Oceanwatch a week later, they should be fine, too. Your five nights in Charleston is a month from now, so they will almost certainly be open for business. On shore in SC, this is no more than a strong tropical storm and is not the kind of storm that shutters hotels and resorts for weeks. Charleston Harbor is not even going to reach flood stage according to Weather Channel just now. Coastal NC will be hit a bit harder.

See current 12:30pm EDT radar capture below. Moving NNE.

View attachment 13850

Thank you! There are also 2 other systems developing in the Atlantic and we hope that they head up north quickly...

 

[NJMOM2]

We are using a combination of 2020 and borrowed 2021 points for our Feb 2020 Maui stay. If we buy the MVC coverage when we pay the 2020 maintenance fee in a few months, will the Feb 2020 trip be covered? Do we have to pay for 2021 also at the same time? How does all that work?

Yes! You also have to insure you're 2021 Use Year for full coverage of maintenance fees. I would believe if you only have 2019 Use Year covered all of the other items in the policy would be covered by the 2019 policy.

 

[NJMOM2]

I read thru the link for the Travelex policy kindly provided by Steven Ting and I found not one word about reimbursement for maintenance fee coverage in the event that you are ordered to evacuate. If it isn’t described I could easily see the carrier denying the claim. Your experience suggests otherwise. For those of us that drive to our destination resorts, flights, hotels, baggage claims mean nothing. That seems to be the bulk of the coverage. Please elucidate. Thanks.

Quotes from 2019 policy:


Trip Interruption Benefits: The Company will reimburse the Insured up to the
Maximum Limit shown in the Schedule for Trips that are interrupted due
to the Unforeseen events shown above for:

(a) Unused portion of non-refundable pre-paid insured Trip Cost and/or

property upgrades to the Trip, and
(b) additional transportation expenses incurred by the Insured, either

(1) to the Return Destination; or
(2) from the place that the Insured left the Trip to the place that the
Insured may rejoin the Trip; and​

(c) additional transportation expenses incurred by the Insured to reach the

original Trip Destination if the Insured is delayed and leaves after the
Departure Date.​

However, the benefit payable under (b) and (c) above will not exceed the cost
of economy airfare or the same class as the Insured’s original ticket, less any
refunds paid or payable, by the most direct route.


Definition of Trip Cost:


“Trip Cost” means the amounts paid to the Property Management Company
and/or the Travel Arranger for the Trip. Trip Cost also includes pre-paid, nonrefundable
airfare and rental car charges booked independently of the
Property Management Company and/or Travel Arranger.
Any Maintenance Charges (1) accumulated or deposited from previous years
prior to purchase of the Plan; or (2) borrowed from future use-years or use
rights; are not covered, unless the Insured is enrolled in a Policy for each
specific use-year or use rights term desired and premium has been received by the Company.

 

[JIMinNC]

My understanding is the 2020 plan would cover the trip, and the value of the 2020 points used on the ressie, but you would also need to purchase 2021 coverage for the value of the 2021 points to be covered.

Yes! You also have to insure you're 2021 Use Year for full coverage of maintenance fees. I would believe if you only have 2019 Use Year covered all of the other items in the policy would be covered by the 2019 policy.

Something else just occurred to me...we won't be paying our 2020 fees until after they are billed in Oct or Nov, but we booked our Feb 2020 trip with a mix of 2020 and 2021 points in early March 2019. We didn't buy insurance for 2019, but the trip using those 2019 points has already been taken. Since the trip is already booked, will our Feb 2020 trip still be covered, even if we don't buy the 2020 and 2021 insurance until the 2020 MF is billed?

 

[Fasttr]

Something else just occurred to me...we won't be paying our 2020 fees until after they are billed in Oct or Nov, but we booked our Feb 2020 trip with a mix of 2020 and 2021 points in early March 2019. We didn't buy insurance for 2019, but the trip using those 2019 points has already been taken. Since the trip is already booked, will our Feb 2020 trip still be covered, even if we don't buy the 2020 and 2021 insurance until the 2020 MF is billed?

I think the only thing that could trip you up would be a preexisting medical condition at the time of buying the travel insurance. Those are waived after 60 days of having the coverage, so as long as you purchased the 2020 and 2021 policy years 61+ days before traveling, you should be good. Of course, this is just one non-insurance-expert's opinion provided on the internet.

 

[Passepartout]

Something else just occurred to me...we won't be paying our 2020 fees until after they are billed in Oct or Nov, but we booked our Feb 2020 trip with a mix of 2020 and 2021 points in early March 2019. We didn't buy insurance for 2019, but the trip using those 2019 points has already been taken. Since the trip is already booked, will our Feb 2020 trip still be covered, even if we don't buy the 2020 and 2021 insurance until the 2020 MF is billed?

I'm sure that if you look at the policy, it's term of validity will be prominantly printed either at the top or near the signature page.

Jim

 

[MissRumphius]

Does the policy cover any Marriott stays booked through II? I read the policy provided by StevenTing (thank you Steven!) and I am still unclear. The definition is “Trip Cost” means the amounts paid to the Property Management Company and/or the Travel Arranger for the Trip. My expectation would be no, but I was in Hilton Head the week after Dorian and the gentleman conducting the owners meeting brought it up.

 

[NJMOM2]

The way I understand it is, if you used your insured Marriott timeshare to exchange into an Interval exchange the trip is covered. The logic is you insuring the Use Year that you own no matter how you use it. Why would that be null and void if you exchange it?

 

[dioxide45]

I don't believe it covers II getaways though.

 

[VictorB]

As I understand it (and I could be wrong), you would have to buy a policy for 2021 to cover the points you borrow. We banked 2019 points for a 2020 vacation and was told it would only cover 2019 unless we paid another $99. The Travelex person said the policy has a max value of $4,000 per policy but that the "actual cash value would be determined at the time of loss." They indicated that in the even of a cancellation, it would only cover Maintenance Fees. PLEASE correct this understanding. Would a more commercially available policy cover more? We had a 100% refund of cash (not points) paid for a cruise we could not take for my health issues at the time.