One couple was supposed to take a Caribbean cruise in March to celebrate their 40th anniversary, but after the wife’s cancer diagnosis worsened, the couple had to cancel.
They spent nearly $8,000 and bought travel insurance, but their travel insurance claim was denied.
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Tom and Connie Swanson have been traveling the world together since discovering Connie has stage 4 cancer, in an effort to spend as much time together.
For Connie, traveling with her husband meant, “Life. Something I can do. Lot of stuff I can’t do now.”
The Swansons booked a Caribbean cruise with Oceania Cruises through Cruises.com and spent $7,800.99 in total. Of that price, they spent $678 for travel insurance.
Originally, Connie’s oncologist had approved her for the trip, but when the cancer spread to her bones, he told her she’d have to cancel the vacation and start treatment immediately. When the doctor told Connie she couldn’t take the trip, she told CBS 2 On Your Side that she thought, “I don’t want to die.”
“I figure down the line, I’ll get better and I’ll be able to go,” she added.
Tom and Connie filed the paperwork to cancel the trip and get a refund. However, Aon, the travel insurance provider, said Connie’s cancer was a pre-existing condition and denied their claim.
“I was just angry. What do we get the insurance for?” Connie said. “What’s it for? We get it so that if there’s a problem, and there was a problem, then we’ll be reimbursed.”
Connie’s doctor even sent an email to Aon saying that her cancer was stable “60 days prior to the date” the insurance policy took effect which is the timeframe in which the travel insurance provider is supposed to consider.
For the Swansons, the experience didn’t seem fair, and if they’d known Connie’s cancer diagnosis wouldn’t have made her eligible for coverage, they wouldn’t have bought it.
“If something comes out of this, they’ll tell people – be a little more upfront about what you’re buying,” Tom said.
Connie isn’t giving up – not with the cancer and not with the travel insurance. “I’m going to get our money,” she said. “And maybe when I get better, I’ll take a cruise.”
CBS 2 On Your Side reached out to Aon after filming the interview with Connie and Tom Swanson. The company got back to the news outlet this morning and it seems the travel insurance provider has changed their minds. They will be sending the Swansons a full refund check on Monday.
Connie was right about getting her money back and now has the opportunity to take that anniversary cruise when she’s better.
