I have waited to buy trip insurance until I had flights, tours, and hotels booked. So obtaining trip insurance within 15 days of the first booking has past. We are not going on overnight tours, just a few day tours. Last time we used Allianz when going to Portugal and were able to receive what we lost after much work. Wondering if we should stick with them and if not, who you recommend. We are both 72, in very good health. Ended up cancelling Portugal last year after coming down with Covid 48 hours before we were due to leave US. I read where you should book insurance within so many days of first booking, so wondering if this is a moot point.
Thanks for your advice.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5865 posts
You can buy travel insurance at anytime before you depart; however, it you want to buy “cancel for any reason” insurance, you need to buy that within a certain number of days so you would be too late for that option.
If Allianz paid you for your losses, it sounds like you had a “good” experience with them.
Posted by
Los Angeles
1199 posts
I read where you should book insurance within so many days of first booking
That is the case if you want to cover pre-existing conditions - you must purchase the coverage within a set time period after making your first non-refundable payment for the trip. There is usually a provision to extend coverage by paying an additional premium if you add non-refundable purchases after the initial window.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17560 posts
The rule is “within X days of the first non-refundable payment”, so if you booked something that did not require a deposit, then that date is not relevant. And as markcw stated, the rule applies to coverage for pre-existing conditions only. If you want to be able to cancel your trip before departure because of a flare-up of your chronic back condition, for example, you need to buy the trip insurance within x days (usually 14-21) of that first deposit.
A case of covid or any flu or other contagious disease right before departure does not result from a pre-existing condition, so cancellation coverage is provided even if you buy your trip insurance much later. However, you would be surprised by what counts as “pre-existing”; basically anything for which you have seen a doctor within the “look back” period (usually 180 days previous to the date you buy the insurance) can count as “pre-existing”.
And if you wait to buy the trip insurance, and then are diagnosed with something that could be serious and prevent you from traveling, it may be too late to get that condition covered.