Royal Caribbean refuses widow cruise refund

10 News is getting results for a local widow who contacted us, after Royal Caribbean refused to give her a cruise refund, even though she had travel insurance.

“That’s why I reached out to you guys. I felt like I wasn’t going to get anywhere,” says Maurene Leggett.

Just two days after the story aired on 10 News, Maurene Leggett is getting the refund that’s she’s been waiting for, for months. The money is still not coming from the cruise line.

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10 News gets results: Widow gets cruise refund

Maurene Leggett fights back tears as AAA gives her the refund that she hasn’t been able to get from Royal Caribbean.

“Here is your check in the full amount, including travelers insurance,” says AAA spokeswoman Jessica Brady as she hands the check for $3,451.94.

“I didn’t think it was ever going to happen, that’s why I called Channel 10” Leggett says.

RELATED STORY: Widow warns: Trip insurance may not cover emergency

10 News first told you Monday how Maurene and her husband, Charles, booked a March cruise through AAA, knowing he was battling colon cancer. She bought the travel insurance through Royal Caribbean and expected to get her money back, when Charles had to be hospitalized a few weeks before the cruise.

“It took almost 3 months before I even knew I got denied,” says Leggett.

In that time, Charles, passed away.

Royal Caribbean insists the insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, which is in the fine print, and offered future cruise credit.

10 News reached out to AAA.

“At this point, it’s not AAA’s responsibility to give her the money back, but we do strive to do what’s right for our members and our clients. After hearing her story, we couldn’t not give her money back. It was just the right thing to do,” says Brady.

“AAA, thank you! I can’t even express to Channel 10, you have all treated me so good, which made me feel like you guys are family. I appreciate it,” Leggett says.

10 News has been reaching out to Royal Caribbean since Monday and still hasn’t heard back.

AON, the cruise line’s insurance company tells 10 News that it’s up to Royal Caribbean to handle it.

If you need 10 News to investigate a story, call: 727-577-TIPS (8477) or email tips@wtsp.com.

AAA says it’s important for travelers to do their research about insurance. “Know the type of travel insurance you need, see you get the right policy for your needs. It’s important for the consumer to convey those needs, and it’s important for the agent or whoever you’re working with to understand them and pull the right policy for you,” says Brady.

“The medical coverage you can purchase, and that will cover you if you have medical needs abroad. That can be a cheaper policy for some it could be $50 per person. If you’re looking for coverage for canceled flights or lost baggage, that’s going to be a little more expensive but that will cover you for that as well. Then there’s the ‘Cancel for any Reason,’ and that’s the main clause were looking for here, because that is just that cancel for any reason no matter what it is,” Brady says. “Sometimes it’s a very expensive policy, so they see that and say ‘oh no, that’s too expensive I don’t want to,’ assuming the problem or whatever issue they think is going to occur will not happen, and then it does and they don’t have the right coverage,” Brady says.

The Better Business Bureau offers the following advice: As with any type of insurance, knowing and understanding what’s covered and what’s not is paramount.

Before you finalize your vacation plans, be sure you have given careful thought to whether you need to purchase travel insurance. There are circumstances that could cause you to cancel your trip, return home early or force you to seek emergency medical treatment while traveling. Travel insurance may provide the extra protection you need. Better Business Bureau is advising travelers to weigh the pros and cons of travel insurance before going on an extensive trip.

Before you purchase coverage, check your homeowner’s or medical insurance policies to avoid any overlap. For instance, expensive items such as your camcorder, laptop computer or jewelry may be covered by your homeowner’s insurance should they be stolen while you are traveling. If the airline loses your checked luggage, they are required to reimburse you for your bags (up to a certain dollar amount). Or, if you become sick or injured while traveling, your personal medical insurance may pick up the cost of your medical bills.

Some of the different types of insurance available include:

Trip Cancellation/Interruption (TCI) – If your plans suddenly change and you have to cancel or end your trip early, TCI will cover you for this. But it will only reimburse you for reasons on the insurer’s acceptable list, such as injury, sickness, or death of yourself, a family member, traveling companion or business partner. Some policies will cover only medical reasons and some will not cover pre-existing medical conditions. It’s important to read the fine print.

Emergency Medical Evacuation – If you are going on an adventure vacation or to an area that is far from modern medical facilities, it may be a good idea to buy this coverage. If adequate treatment is not available at a local hospital, you would be transferred to the nearest acceptable medical faculty.

Baggage Loss – This coverage reimburses you for lost, stolen or damaged bags. As you are packing, make a list of everything you are taking with you. If your bag is lost, you may be reimbursed for some contents, but not all. Baggage-loss protection is only necessary if you are carrying more than $2,500 worth of items in your bags. Be sure to check your homeowner’s policy.

BBB recommends travelers take the following into consideration:

Read the fine print. Know exactly what coverage you are getting and what is covered. Policies and insurance firms differ in what they cover.

You may not need to buy it right away. Travel insurance can be purchased days before your trip. Check to see if the policy you are considering requires you to purchase within a set time period after you’ve booked your travel. For trip cancellation insurance, you won’t be covered if you buy the policy after you’ve become ill or natural disaster has wiped out your vacation destination.

Not every trip needs travel insurance. If your total trip is a couple hundred dollars in airfare, travel insurance probably isn’t worth it. But if you’re taking the trip of a lifetime and spending thousands, travel insurance is a good consideration.

Don’t fall for high pressure sales tactics. Don’t let someone pressure you into buying travel insurance right away. You are the only one who can decide if you truly need it.

Pay with a credit card. Protect yourself further by paying for travel related expenditures, including insurance, with a credit card. Ask your credit card issuer if there are additional protections that come with your credit card. Some travel insurance may be built into your credit purchases.