There is so much that can go right with a cruise great weather, relaxing scenery, excellent excursions on shore, great food and wonderful companions. It is often hard to imagine what could go wrong and cost you a great vacation, as well as a lot of money. This is where cruise travel insurance comes in. You can buy an insurance policy that will protect your financial and vacation interests in the event of a cancellation, illness, change of plans or other delays and problems that are completely out of your control.
Get cruise travel insurance by reviewing the coverage offered by your cruise line, and comparing other plans and policies.
1. Understanding What Cruise Travel Insurance Covers
1. Find a policy that covers trip interruption. Most cruise insurance policies will cover you for any expenses that come with the interruption of your cruise.
2. Look for a policy that covers cancellations. If you need to cancel your cruise because of illness or injury, your insurance policy will reimburse you for the money you paid.
3. Consider a medical policy. Not all cruise insurance policies will cover medical expenses, but if your health insurance is not comprehensive, you might want to consider buying a policy that will reimburse you for out of pocket medical expenses.
Think about how you will pay for a hospital visit if you trip and break an ankle, for example, or if you come down with appendicitis and need emergency surgery while on your cruise.
4. Include trip delays and baggage protection. A good cruise insurance policy will cover you if your baggage is lost or you miss a flight connection that causes the cruise ship to leave without you.
5. Buy a policy that protects you during evacuations, wars and acts of terrorism.
Check policies careful before you buy. For example, some policies will reimburse you only within a certain number of days. Suppose a war breaks out in your cruise destination 30 days before you are scheduled to arrive there. Your policy might only cover wars that begin within 10 days of your arrival. These are things to check for in coverage descriptions.
6. Look for language that protects you from financial default. You might be booked on a cruise for later this year, and before your scheduled departure date the cruise line goes bankrupt. Only an insurance policy that covers this type of default will ensure you are reimbursed for the cruise.
Look for this specific coverage if you decide to buy the policy offered by your cruise line. Many cruise line specific insurance policies do not include this.
7. Consider what is not covered by most cruise insurance policies. No insurance policy will reimburse you because it rained every day of your cruise.
Do not expect to be able to file an insurance claim because it rained on your beach days or because a port of call was switched or canceled.
2. Choosing Cruise Line or Third Party Travel Insurance
1. Evaluate the policy offered by your cruise line. Most cruise lines will give you the option to purchase travel insurance at the time of booking.
2. Compare policies offered by other companies. These are often more comprehensive, but can also be more expensive.
3. Check with the United States Travel Insurance Association to get a listing of licensed insurance providers in your area. You can access their website at www.ustia.org.
4. Choose a policy that will offer all of the protection you need to be comfortable with the "what-ifs" associated with your trip.
5. Pay attention to timing. Each insurance carrier will have requirements on how much time you have to buy cruise travel insurance.
Expect to purchase your insurance at the time you book your cruise and make your deposit, or within a week or 2 after that.
How to Get Cruise Travel Insurance
Get cruise travel insurance by reviewing the coverage offered by your cruise line, and comparing other plans and policies.
1. Understanding What Cruise Travel Insurance Covers
1. Find a policy that covers trip interruption. Most cruise insurance policies will cover you for any expenses that come with the interruption of your cruise.
2. Look for a policy that covers cancellations. If you need to cancel your cruise because of illness or injury, your insurance policy will reimburse you for the money you paid.
3. Consider a medical policy. Not all cruise insurance policies will cover medical expenses, but if your health insurance is not comprehensive, you might want to consider buying a policy that will reimburse you for out of pocket medical expenses.
Think about how you will pay for a hospital visit if you trip and break an ankle, for example, or if you come down with appendicitis and need emergency surgery while on your cruise.
4. Include trip delays and baggage protection. A good cruise insurance policy will cover you if your baggage is lost or you miss a flight connection that causes the cruise ship to leave without you.
5. Buy a policy that protects you during evacuations, wars and acts of terrorism.
Check policies careful before you buy. For example, some policies will reimburse you only within a certain number of days. Suppose a war breaks out in your cruise destination 30 days before you are scheduled to arrive there. Your policy might only cover wars that begin within 10 days of your arrival. These are things to check for in coverage descriptions.
6. Look for language that protects you from financial default. You might be booked on a cruise for later this year, and before your scheduled departure date the cruise line goes bankrupt. Only an insurance policy that covers this type of default will ensure you are reimbursed for the cruise.
Look for this specific coverage if you decide to buy the policy offered by your cruise line. Many cruise line specific insurance policies do not include this.
7. Consider what is not covered by most cruise insurance policies. No insurance policy will reimburse you because it rained every day of your cruise.
Do not expect to be able to file an insurance claim because it rained on your beach days or because a port of call was switched or canceled.
2. Choosing Cruise Line or Third Party Travel Insurance
1. Evaluate the policy offered by your cruise line. Most cruise lines will give you the option to purchase travel insurance at the time of booking.
2. Compare policies offered by other companies. These are often more comprehensive, but can also be more expensive.
3. Check with the United States Travel Insurance Association to get a listing of licensed insurance providers in your area. You can access their website at www.ustia.org.
4. Choose a policy that will offer all of the protection you need to be comfortable with the "what-ifs" associated with your trip.
5. Pay attention to timing. Each insurance carrier will have requirements on how much time you have to buy cruise travel insurance.
Expect to purchase your insurance at the time you book your cruise and make your deposit, or within a week or 2 after that.