Diamond Resorts Annual Reservation Protection Plan Yes/No?

[lindaswain]

Does anyone purchase this insurance? Last year I had two weeks that were expiring Dec. 31, by purchasing this plan for $249, it allowed me to book those week in 2020, but I had to decide and book while I was on the phone (whew!). I think the plan keeps you from losing a week in case you have to cancel before you use it.

??

 

[R.J.C.]

Reservation Protection Plan (RPP) has nothing to do with the timeline for rolling points. How could they allow you to roll any points after 31 Oct just because you bought the RPP? RPP changes the amount of time you have to cancel a booking and get a full refund of points (31 days instead of 91 days without it). Personally, I think they just used the purchase as an excuse to get something out of you for doing you a favor.

 

[goaliedave]

Reservation Protection Plan (RPP) has nothing to do with the timeline for rolling points. How could they allow you to roll any points after 31 Oct just because you bought the RPP? RPP changes the amount of time you have to cancel a booking and get a full refund of points (31 days instead of 91 days without it). Personally, I think they just used the purchase as an excuse to get something out of you for doing you a favor.

I like your post, especially the last sentance. Success in ts, business, and life requires understanding and utilizing this inference. Most people instead blindly follow procedures.

APP, if used strategically, provides the largest benefit to owners, esp platinum level. My membership gives me 5 free APP.

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[Eileen A.]

Hi Goalie Dave,

I'm a Diamond Platinum member. What do you mean your membership gives you 5 free APP? What is APP.
I know I get complimentary protection (31 days) for all reservations under 5,000 points.
I miss the days when the protection provided cancellation insurance for 1 day instead of the current 31 day policy.

Eileen

 

[goaliedave]

Annual protection plan = 1 fee covers all bookings for 12 month. You get this with platinum which if used strategically can save you 75% points.

I was wrong... i get free RPPs (not APPs) for 5 bookings per year.

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[R.J.C.]

Hi Goalie Dave,

I'm a Diamond Platinum member. What do you mean your membership gives you 5 free APP? What is APP.
I know I get complimentary protection (31 days) for all reservations under 5,000 points.
I miss the days when the protection provided cancellation insurance for 1 day instead of the current 31 day policy.

Eileen

No longer ALL reservations under 5,000 points. Changed as of 01 Jan 20 to a max of 7 reservations under 5,000 points for Platinum owners (check new loyalty benefit page on the Diamond website). Good luck guessing which 7 to use them on.

 

[R.J.C.]

Annual protection plan = 1 fee covers all bookings for 12 month. You get this with platinum which if used strategically can save you 75% points.

I was wrong... i get free RPPs (not APPs) for 5 bookings per year.

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Cheating the system is what has cost many owners benefits over the past few years (at least according to Diamond though it seems their concerns are true). Knowingly cancelling a reservation to rebook at a lower point cost is cheating the system (and probably one of the reasons many resorts no longer provide a reduction of cost for short notice bookings).

 

[lindaswain]

I should have said I had rolled unused points over from a year or more back, and those points “expired” as of Dec. 31. Purchasing the plan on Dec. 31, 2019 allowed me to use those points to book two weeks in 2020. I hate losing points...that’s what motivated me to buy the plan. I’m just not sure if I should buy it again to protect the weeks I’ve booked this year.

 

[goaliedave]

Hehe @R.J.C. ... schoolteacher or civil servant ?

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[R.J.C.]

Hehe @R.J.C. ... schoolteacher or civil servant ?

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Retired military with integrity.

 

[R.J.C.]

I should have said I had rolled unused points over from a year or more back, and those points “expired” as of Dec. 31. Purchasing the plan on Dec. 31, 2019 allowed me to use those points to book two weeks in 2020. I hate losing points...that’s what motivated me to buy the plan. I’m just not sure if I should buy it again to protect the weeks I’ve booked this year.

RPP was never designed for saving points that would expire. RPP was solely designed for allowing someone with an emergency to cancel a reservation within 91 days of check in and not lose their points (used to be up to 24 hours before check in, now it is 31 days before check in because of people gaming the system). I still believe Diamond did you a favor by allowing you to utilize those points for the following year but figured out how to make a buck while doing you said favor.