InsureMyTrip Blog

As people book cruise travel, often they’re confronted with a series of options to “add on” products and services to their bookings.  Airfare deal sites, hotel sites, and cruise lines themselves may offer travelers the chance to quickly purchase a travel insurance policy along with their bookings — usually, this involves not much more effort than checking a box to accept the insurance and paying the additional fee, which is generally quite low.  It seems like a quick and easy way to purchase your insurance, without the hassle of doing research on various policies or having to shop around for coverage.

Of course, as with most things in life, if it seems too easy, it probably is.  Buying travel insurance isn’t meant to be a frustrating, convoluted process; but it IS supposed to be a process that involves a little bit of thought and self-evaluation.  No one insurance policy is guaranteed to offer the perfect amount of coverage, the right mix of benefits, and the best value for every single passenger on a cruise ship — but that’s what the “add-on” insurance is supposed to do.  You’re supposed to believe, when you check that box, that the cruise line or other supplier offering the insurance has somehow evaluated your needs and is going to give you the right kind of travel insurance coverage for your trip.  In reality, you’re going to get exactly the same policy every other person who checks that box is going to get — and it may not be right for you at all.

When travel suppliers offer insurance policies as an “add-on,” they usually have one standard type of insurance that is offered to everyone, regardless of specific individual needs.  These policies are generally crafted to offer a minimum baseline of coverage at a very low price, which makes them seem appealing to the average traveler who just wants to get his booking completed.  They also tend to favor the cruise line or travel supplier by not offering any coverage against financial default, and sometimes having a more narrowly defined set of criteria as to what constitutes a legitimate claim.

“Add-on” policies offered by travel suppliers are also nearly certain to be devoid of some of the more desirable, time-sensitive benefits many travelers look for in an insurance policy; things like Cancel for Any Reason coverage or Pre-Existing Conditions Waivers are rarely going to be included in the “one-size-fits-all” approach to travel insurance.  To get those specialized benefits, you would likely have to buy ANOTHER travel insurance policy on top of the standard-issue cruise line policy — one which would certainly offer all the benefits the cruise line is giving you, along with many other potential coverage options that could be very valuable to you.  Of course, the only way you’d be able to figure out which types of coverage you might want or need would be to look at all of the choices available — and checking the box doesn’t give you any choices.  Only by going to a third-party insurance provider, preferably an unbiased comparison company offering plans from a wide range of providers (like, ahem, maybe InsureMyTrip?), can you see what’s really available to you.

Might the cruise line’s insurance policy be just fine for some travelers?  It might.  Is there any way to know for sure whether or not you’re one of those travelers?  Only if you do your homework.  The bottom line is, you need to compare the options that are available out there and know what you want and need before you make any insurance purchase.  If you need help, our Customer Care Center is open 365 days a year to offer guidance and answer questions.  They’ll even help evaluate a travel insurance policy you purchased from someone else, to see if it’s the best fit for you.

Image by RVongher, used under Creative Commons license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

This weekend marked the 1-year anniversary of the Costa Concordia tragedy.  It’s obviously an understatement to say that looking back on the events of last January 13 is a somber exercise; our thoughts and best wishes continue to turn to the families of those lost aboard the cruise ship on that night.  However, in moving forward from tragedy, there’s often something of value to be gained in reflection and education.  One of our responsibilities, as providers of travel insurance resources, is to use events that capture the public’s attention as a starting point to gather and share information that may be helpful to others.   Sadly, as disasters can and do happen, we sometimes have to focus on providing information about the benefits of having a travel insurance policy if something goes desperately wrong during your trip.

Last January, the passengers who survived the Costa Concordia disaster found themselves in need of many things: Food, shelter, dry clothing, medical care, and transportation.  With a trip cut so abruptly and violently short, hundreds were left scrambling to care for themselves and to find a way to get home.  While the cruise line, appropriately, offered a great deal of assistance to these passengers, as did the people of Giglio, Italy, many of the passengers affected also received aid from their travel insurance providers.  In the case of an emergency, having a comprehensive travel insurance policy generally means that you have access to 24/7 assistance.  The services provided by the assistance line will encompass a broad range of capabilities, including making the arrangements for your transportation home.  Travel insurance can also help you with reimbursement for any additional costs, whether for fares, lodgings, or food and basic necessities to replace anything you may have lost in the event of a serious travel disaster.  Many of the insurance companies whose products are featured on the InsureMyTrip website offered these services, and more, to their clients stranded by the Costa Concordia tragedy.  Those who were fortunate enough to have travel insurance after the ship’s sinking had, in essence, a direct resource that allowed them to quickly make necessary arrangements for their comfort and safety, avoiding some of the chaos and confusion that naturally follows in the wake of a disaster.

As we’re all too aware, there were some passengers aboard the Concordia who tragically did not survive the events of last January 13^th.  As uncomfortable as it may be to think about insurance when discussing loss of life, travel insurance also has an important role to play in providing peace of mind even in the worst of circumstances.  Many travel insurance plans offer a service known as Repatriation of Remains, which arranges for the transportation of a traveler’s body back to his or her family after a tragedy abroad.  Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage, available through most travel insurance providers, is another important benefit that can offer some relief in the wake of a disaster such as the Costa Concordia.  It pays a specified sum of money to the beneficiaries of the policy upon the death of a traveler, similar to the way a life insurance policy may work to provide financial benefits.

While none of the travel insurance benefits we’ve discussed here could ever erase the grim realities of a disaster such as the Costa Concordia, they can provide some very tangible and much needed assistance, comfort, and peace of mind should you find yourself caught up in an unexpected emergency while traveling.  As unpleasant as it can be to think about the possibility of such a tragedy disrupting your own trip, taking a few moments to consider the ways in which travel insurance could be of assistance to you could be one of the most important trip-planning exercises you do.

If, like many other travelers at this time of year, you’re thinking about booking a cruise vacation, then it’s also a good time for you to review travel insurance and the benefits it can offer to you during your trip.  Cruising comes with a unique set of challenges that could potentially interfere with your carefully laid plans; fortunately, the right travel insurance policy will offer specific coverages that can help you get things back on track, financially and otherwise.

Unless you’re one of those lucky travelers who lives quite close to a port of call where you can just hop on your ship and start relaxing immediately, cruising is unique because it generally requires a fair bit of traveling before you really get to start your trip.  Whether by plane or some other mode of transportation, anyone taking a cruise will need to get to the ship on time, or else risk being left behind — and missing out totally on what was supposed to be a wonderful experience. Beyond taking basic precautions, such as making sure to arrive in your cruise’s departure city no later than the day before you’re scheduled to board the ship, what can you do to avoid (literally) missing the boat?  Travel insurance can’t stop your flights from being delayed or cancelled, and it can’t guarantee that you’ll be there to embark on time.  What it can do is help you recover quickly from the disappointment and stress of a missed cruise departure, so you can move forward with your plans as much as possible.

The benefits of travel insurance in the case of a missed cruise connection actually start to become evident before you even reach the dock and realize that your ship is gone.  If you’re delayed because of a late or cancelled flight, for example, most comprehensive travel insurance policies would offer you an array of benefits to help you with the associated costs — and headaches.  While specific benefits and terms vary by policy, in most cases, a flight delay of more than 5 or 6 hours would entitle you to seek reimbursement for any food, lodgings, or reasonable incidental expenses you may have incurred while waiting for the plane to take off.  Also, your travel insurance provider likely has a 24-7 assistance hotline, which you could call at any point in time to ask for assistance in getting seats on a different flight, researching other transportation options, or even finding lodgings for an overnight stay near the airport  if necessary.

If your transportation doesn’t get you to the cruise as scheduled, and the ship sails without you, your travel insurance provider may then be able to assist you in making the arrangements necessary to pick up the cruise at the next feasible port of call, so you don’t have to miss out on the entire experience.  You might also be able to file a claim for any additional expenses incurred as a result of making last-minute arrangements to meet the ship at another port.  Also, if you had pre-paid for any particular experience as part of your vacation — for example, a snorkeling adventure with a local guide at one of the ports of call — and had to miss it due to the unexpected change in your itinerary, you may be able to recoup those expenses, depending on the terms of your individual policy.

Coverage for a missed connection resulting from travel delay is just one of the many travel insurance benefits that are worth exploring if you’re booking a cruise vacation.  If you’d like more information about purchasing insurance for an upcoming cruise, or any other travel experience, make sure to speak with one of our licensed Customer Care experts at 800-487-4722.