Trip cancel insurance: Any experience where OTHER couple had to cancel? Pre-exisiting conditions?

....would the cancelation of our travel partners, who are not related to us and traveling from a different country to meet us at our destination, qualify for my husband and I to cancel and be refunded our lost funds?......

Probably not at least with standard policies ---- BUT, BUT, BUT -- it all depends on the fine print concerning what is covered. In your situation you need a "Cancel for Any Reason" policy. These policies exist and they are expensive so read your fine print very, very carefully if you need that. And be careful with "Any Reason" since sometimes there are exclusions for any reason. Read, read, read !!!!

This could very easily be considered pre existing I would suggest that you talk with the provider

As for your coverage you might want to look at “cancel for any reason”. It’s more expensive but might give you what you want

Really two questions: 1) will a pre-existing condition or complications of such be covered and? 2) would a traveling companions need to cancel allow you to cancel?. The agents at insuremytrip.com are good at this so call them. I am not an agent or expert but I’ve purchased and read a lot about travel insurance. All the companies I’ve used will waive a pre-existing condition IF the policy is purchased between 10-14 days of initial trip payment (tour deposit, airline ticket, etc). Companies have their own rules-most are 10 days, some as long as 14 days. If you’ve made a payment and are outside that window you may be out of luck. As far as traveling companion I believe if you purchase one policy for all of you and he is listed as a traveling companion you will be covered. But I’m not sure that is true for all companies or all products (it was for a Travel Guard policy we bought several years ago) so talk to the folks above. I am pretty sure that if you buy separate policies yours will not allow you to cancel and be covered if something happens to him unless you have purchased cancel for any reason (costly) and this is not an exclusion. EDIT: I missed the part about meeting up coming from different areas. Makes buying one policy difficult. You say their participation is “imperative”. I guess, worst case, you buy separate policies, maybe you lose some tour money. But my main reason for buying travel insurance is not to cover tour costs it’s medical coverage and evacuation coverage, so at least you’d have that important protection.

Pre-Existing Conditions are often waived if the insurance is bought within ten days of the first payment for any of the booking. The fact that you're asking suggests that this is the first time you are considering Travel Insurance. I only mention that because this is not a subject for loose, casual research. It is like buying a house or a car.

You're looking for a term like "Immediate Family members or Traveling Companions ... " I capitalized those because they would be Defined Terms that you ALSO have to read elsewhere in the policy. These policies are written in pretty plain English - it's just a matter of buckling down and READING them.

Here's one example:

“Traveling Companion” means a person or persons whose names appear with Yours on the same Travel Arrangements and who, during Your trip, will accompany You. A group or tour organizer, sponsor or leader is not considered to be a Traveling Companion, unless he or she is sharing accommodations with You in the same room, cabin, condominium unit,
apartment unit or other lodging. (This is from TripMate for Windstar Cruises.)

Note that the discussion of "in the same room" is a warning that you should mention that you are NOT sharing a room when you call the insurance company for clarifications. I know they're not the tour leaders, I'm talking about insurance companies looking for a reason to not pay out!

Cancel For Any Reason is sometimes more easily available (if not cheaper) from the Provider - but that weakens your protection in the event of Bankruptcy of the provider. That's why I usually use a third-party insurance company.

Great! So far, so good, and your comments all tell me I am on track with my research to date. Alan, thanks for pointing out I should check whether my traveling companions must cancel in order for me to do so. I had not thought of that. Even though we are traveling to Europe separately, I will still pose this question to the insurance company. Due to the circumstances, neither couple has purchased anything yet, so I am working on insurance research before anything nonrefundable is paid for.

I have been reading the fine print on several policies and, yes, the "Cancel for any reason' ones are super expensive! I have been corresponding with insuremytrip and Travel Guard, but this forum is often helpful in relaying first-hand experiences or pointing out angles to ask about.

When it comes to buying insurance versus buying a car or house, give me a real estate contract any day over an insurance policy! (ha, ha).

Thanks, again, all!
Safe and happy travels to you

You only choice is to buy a Cancel for Any Reason. And I would have a separate policy from the other couple. Insurance companies are in the business of access risk and putting a price tag on that. If you bring in a totally unrelated couple with lots of preexisting conditions, it adds a level of complication that could be very entangling if you have to file a claim. I would keep it simple. Take out a policy that covers your potential loses. And the other couple does the same.

But do talk directly with whichever insurance company about the parameters for Cancel for Any Reason. I always thought that meant actually cancel for ANY reason but when talking with a Travel Guard rep on the phone a couple of years ago it does not actually include ANY reason.

You didn't ask this at all but it sounds like you and the other couple have a definite plan in mind. I might suggest that this year you consider something that doesn't involve a lot of non-refundable pieces. Is it possible to re-work things so you have less of a financial stake up front? You've probably considered this but just throwing it out there.

Best wishes to your friend. I hope he sails thru his chemo experience and has left it in the dust by the time of your trip.

Thanks, Pam. So do we all. There are three of us couples who have traveled together many times. The husbands of the other two couples were diagnosed with cancers within two days of each other. It has knocked the wind out of all of us. Thanks for your suggestions and good wishes.