How to pay for travel insurance for a couple’s sudden marriage – Insurance Newsnet

Adam Geinitz And his fiance, Jeremy, was planning to go to him. Puerto Rico Last September. Despite weather reports indicating the possibility of storms, the couple left their home. Colorado Anyway, for their destination wedding.

But during their stay new yorkThe storm intensified into Hurricane Fiona. And it became clear that they do not fly to them Puerto Rico That evening, the couple contacted their travel insurance provider.

The travel insurance company promised to fund a hotel night as they planned another flight. But one night turned into two and finally, it became clear that they were not going to make it Puerto Rico at all.

That doesn’t mean a Puerto Rican wedding or honeymoon. But the alternative turned out to be even better, by most measures anyway.

The couple had an impromptu ceremony New York City Central Park. And perhaps best of all, their travel insurance policy pays for most of it.

How travel insurance came to the rescue

The Genitzes typically purchase travel insurance because of their photography equipment. A lost bag full of expensive camera gear can lead to claims of up to thousands of dollars when covered by policies that include lost baggage insurance. And for this trip, travel insurance was especially important because it was bigger and more expensive than their other trips.

“You never know what’s going to happen.” Jeremy Gainitz He says. “Since it’s our big day, we decided to take action to buy insurance, and we want to make sure everything is perfect.”

It was an estimated cost. 7,000 dollars, including both prepaid and expected costs. Because the itinerary includes overnight stays at vacation rentals, you need a vacation rental damage protection policy. And since it includes activities like swimming with sharks, they add adventure and extreme sports coverage. spent 299 dollars With a policy through an online company called Fay.

Between each day’s delay, in the last minute hotel nights new yorkchange airline fees and refund for advance payment Puerto Rico Expenses, the consideration received by the couple 3,000 dollars At a price outside of their travel insurance policy.

Puerto Rico Plans fall apart

After postponing their wedding due to Covid-19, the Genitzes plan to tie the knot at Castillo San Cristóbal, a fortress. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Shirts and shoes in the tropics will be a typical wedding with a dress code. Then they honeymoon on the island.

To get there, they flew from their homes nearby Denver on JetBlue Airlineswith location new york John F. Kennedy International Airport. using JetBlue’s With free in-flight Wi-Fi, the couple learned – while in the air – that their next flight would be cancelled. Jeremy Gainitz Instantly messaged Faye through the app.

And when they arrived, they said. JetBlue It offered little support in terms of rescheduling or compensating flights. Their travel insurance company did.

As for the canceled flight, the “travel inconveniences and snafus” component of their plans gave the couple a hard time. 200 dollars each (400 dollars (Total) When you’re stuck, cover the last minute hotel you’re staying at new york. They were able to claim it. 300 dollars per person, per day (600 dollars total) travel delay component under their policy.

Their insurer sent the money through the caller. Faye bagIt works through Apple Pay and Google Pay. The digital debit style card is intended to cover purchases that most travel insurance companies require travelers to pay out-of-pocket for ongoing expenses. Because the pair were full. Puerto RicoThey had to buy warm clothes in the coldest temperatures new york.

After spending the whole day the next day new yorkThey expected to board a Puerto RicoBusted flight – only for that one to be delayed and cancelled. Because they had another canceled flight, their travel insurance policy allowed them to be extra 200 dollars A person’s payment for them Faye bag. He sent another 300 dollars A person in travel delay coverage.

And before they knew their second flight had been cancelled, the Puerto Rico The hotel declared the property completely uninhabitable.

“At that point we thought we were going to go back. Colorado” Adam Geinitz He says.

But given the unusual nature of their situation (two flight cancellations in a row is above average), the Geinitzes have taken special notice from their insurance company, not to mention the large payouts they’ve used.

In an unexpected wedding new york

Three days after their first flight, their insurance company did something unusual: an employee called Geinitz and proposed to them. New York City Instead.

The couple agreed to exchange the wedding on the magic island in the big one Apple – Insurance benefits that cover wedding expenses such as multiple hotel nights, meals, taxis and warm clothing.

It took the couple another two days to make an appointment with the city clerk to obtain a marriage license. Since tropical keys feel equal parts impractical and out of place for a change of scenery, they used part of their travel comfort fee to buy fleece jackets. new york.

One of the workers who live Florida, also became the executor of a registered marriage. Fey flew from Florida up to new york To carry out the ceremony at no cost to Gainites. (Wedding managers usually charge between them 500 dollars to the 800 dollarsAccording to wedding planning site The Knot.) new york He also needs a witness.

“We were ready to hire Spider-Man Times Square” Jeremy Gainitz He says.

But luckily, they had a friend who was a witness in the area. And a week after that flight was canceled for the first time, the couple got married Central Park.

The wedding was done by AJ Steele (center). Faye travel insurance. (Photo by Adam and Jeremy Gainitz)

Getting the money for the canceled wedding

Apart from finding most of the sudden new york With the trip paid for, the couple said they expected to be reimbursed for most of their prepaid expenses for the Puerto Rico wedding that never happened. Here’s how:

Accommodation: The couple booked wedding packages through their hotel, which was covered under their travel insurance policy, which might not have been the case if they had booked a wedding package elsewhere.

Some of the other pre-paid reservations were refunded by the operators themselves. The non-reimbursement is covered by their insurer.

Flights: The couple’s return flight from Puerto Rico It was on. Southwest Airlines. thanks to Southwest Generous change payment policy, they fixed it Puerto Rico A return flight new york. Because it was more expensive Southwest It cost them the difference – but the travel insurance covered that cost.

What to expect when buying travel insurance

The Genitzes’ story was certainly unusual. For starters, most insurance companies will not send someone to officiate your wedding.

And because the couple’s flights were frequently overbooked and canceled, they were able to claim more than the usual amount of “travel convenience credit” and overnight hotel stays.

It also helped that the pre-paid wedding expenses were mostly found in a hotel in Puerto Rico, which allowed the Geinitzes to qualify for reimbursement. Travel insurance typically doesn’t cover wedding expenses like the venue (you’ll probably need wedding insurance for that). But because of the low-key nature of the wedding, the couple qualified for reimbursement for most Puerto Rico expenses.

Another card in their favor was the bad weather. Travel insurance policies can be incredibly thin on what is actually covered. Covered reasons can vary by policy, but typically include situations such as being called for judicial duty, the illness or death of an immediate family member, or a designated storm warning.

But often, the difference can turn off travel insurance holders. For example, most policies will cover you if you get sick, but you’ll still need some kind of proof like a doctor’s note, which can be difficult to find. Also, policies typically don’t cover the fear of getting sick (as many people canceled pre-planned trips in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic) unless you waive coverage for any reason.

And while it can cover severe weather, it can be a bit of a gray area. Most policies cover cancellations due to a “designated storm”. But if you don’t want to risk traveling to a hurricane-prone area — but the hurricane hasn’t hit yet — you could be in a tough spot.

For the Genitzes, the storm had not yet been named but their flight had actually been canceled, making them eligible.

Travel Insurance: Is It Worth It?

Considering the approximate 300 dollars He offered them a policy 3,000 dollars For the price, travel insurance was definitely worth it for the Genitzes. Like everyone else, it can vary depending on the nature of the trip, which is impossible to predict.

Travel insurance has its problems. Unless multiple canceled trips are ineligible, you’ll usually need proof even if the reason is covered. That means keeping everything safe, including receipts, doctor’s orders or flight cancellation notices.

Filing a claim can take a lot of effort, a tedious process of making phone calls and sitting on hold. Often times, claims are returned after the fact, which means you have to pay out-of-pocket for last-minute expenses. Last-minute flights and hotels can be expensive—and you may not have the money.

Even after you file a claim, there’s a good chance it will be denied, even for reasons that seem like coverage. For example, 34% of US Travelers bought travel insurance to protect themselves from issues related to the epidemic March 2020More than a quarter (27%) of those who submitted pandemic-related claims were denied. As a September 2021 A study of 6,000 US Travelers, commissioned by insurance technology company Cover Genius.

And while 3,000 dollars It was worth the price 300 dollars For the Genitzes, an expense is still an expense. Most insurers are not transparent about pricing. You often have to enter travel details and contact information before being quoted, making it difficult to compare prices.

Travel insurance costs range from 4%-12% of your total travel expenses General Global Assistance, another travel insurance provider. With the ever-increasing costs of travel, it can be frustrating to bear another expense.

Many premium travel credit cards offer travel insurance as a benefit for trips paid for with the card — and often, the coverage is equivalent to what you’d pay for separately. As long as the trip was paid for on that card and you make a claim for a covered reason, your credit card may pay you travel insurance benefits.

However, cards with such benefits come with annual fees and typically require excellent credit scores.

About Genitzes, the new york The wedding sparked love Empire state. The couple made plans to return with the family – and bought travel insurance for that trip.

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Sally French He writes NerdWallet. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @SAFmedia.

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