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Time limit for buying cancel anytime insurance

If you want this, you need to get it within 7 to 21 days (depending on the company) from the first payment of the trip. I didn't know this.

I've bought travel insurance for the last couple trips but never even looked at cancel anytime. I made a reservation for a hiking tour just over a month ago and wanted to wait until I got the flight too, but decided maybe I should just get this done. But too late. It's outside of the time to purchase (Nationwide has one for cruises that doesn't put limitation on timing but I'm not going on a cruise. Probably ever). One policy specifically says if the airline cancels the flight, they won't cover it. Pending other fine print, if you get sick, it should be covered under the medical section but airlines canceling for whatever reason is only under the "anytime" plans, which you have to buy right away. On the plus side, whatever policy I get will now be much less expensive. Yay?

Please wash hands, and maybe don't touch anything for at least 6 weeks.

Posted by
8376 posts

KC,

. . . whatever policy I get will now be much less expensive. . .

why do you assume that?

Posted by
1792 posts

One reason might be that cancel for any reason adds about 40% to the cost of the insurance

Posted by
398 posts

Rocket- exactly! I would have rather paid more for what I wanted, but will spend less and hope for the best.

Posted by
11052 posts

We always buy the trip insurance within days of a trip booking to be covered for cancel anytime.

Posted by
759 posts

It is not just Cancel Anytime, if you want to cover preexisting medical conditions you have a very narrow window of time (varies by carrier but usually 10-14 days, I’ve seen 21) from your very first trip payment to purchase your insurance. And insurance companies take a very liberal interpretation of “pre-existing”.

Posted by
8376 posts

As the insurance companies are now going to be paying out huge amounts for all the outstanding travel policies, won't the rates for all future polices likely be going up significantly?

Posted by
26829 posts

I don't think there are actually going to be all that many pay-outs. Most people didn't buy cancel-for-any-reason policies.