davidkelsey0573

If you are getting ready to book a trip with a cruise or land tour company, be aware that there is a reprehensible policy that permeates the travel industry relative to travel insurance. if in the process of booking you are asked if you want to purchase their travel insurance and include it in your booking, be aware of what you’re committing to. The typical travel industry policy is that once you have purchased that insurance, you have anywhere from 10-14 days to cancel it to get your money back for the insurance amount shown on your guest statement. If you cancel any time after that brief period has elapsed, you lose the entire amount allocated for the cost of the insurance.

For example, we booked a tour with Tauck land tour in February of 2023 and included their insurance when booking. That was a bad mistake as we thought the cost of the insurance would be part of the overall insurance policy regarding getting full or prorated refunds over time as the departure date grew nearer. Wrong. After 10 days Tauck keeps your money – the amount shown for insurance in your initial statement. While this insurance cancellation policy is stated on Tauck’s web site, we missed it, and the person who took the booking never mentioned it. So, we got stuck paying for their insurance policy when we had to cancel the trip in June, one month before the final payment was due and four months before the trip would have begun.

Note that we received no benefit whatsoever for the money spent on this insurance policy.

Unfortunately, this practice is not confined to Tauck in the travel industry. The only company we know that has a guest-friendly policy is Regents Seven Seas Cruises. Their policy is when you book and include their insurance, you have until the due date for the final payment to cancel the insurance - you are billed for the remaining balance only, that is the insurance cost is removed from your statement.

More companies in the travel industry need to follow Regent’s example. It’s fair, guest friendly, flexible, and simply good business practice. Current industry practices are unacceptable and invite the possibility of federal government intervention and regulation

janisj

Welcome to Fodors. OK -- I am a bit confused "While this insurance cancellation policy is stated on Tauck’s web site, we missed it"

What is your complaint? It appears they did not misrepresent anything. They spelled out the policy but you overlooked it. If they are transparent why should there be any Federal intervention? Just read the information before paying . . .

davidkelsey0573

There is a difference between complaining and suggesting ways in which customer communications and relationships could be improved. We found the statement on the web site well after the booking had been made. We are not suggesting the company misrepresented anything. We could have been told on the phone when we made the booking about the policy; we were only asked whether we wanted it. We could have been sent the policy itself when we were asked if we wanted travel insurance. The money has been forfeited, and we have been educated as to how this works. Regents lets you cancel insurance up to the day before the final payment is due. Our failing was in assuming that was industry standard practice. Wrong. My post is not intended to complain, it's intended to educate others so as not to make the same mistake. It seems you missed that entirely.

schmerl

It is usually NOT a good idea to buy your travel insurance through the company that runs your trip.
We get our own travel insurance with Allianz. Our trip during covid was cancelled and Allianz refunded the money we paid for our insurance for that trip. They said they don't usually do that, but did during covid. At other times, they allow you to use that insurance on another trip within a certain time period that is reasonable.