Travel
Insurance
is important, not only for piece of mind, but also to protect
your investment. A good policy will cover the cost of your cruise, hotel and
air if something goes wrong and you must cancel your trip. It will cover you
if you must cancel due to illness of you or your family, legal matters
requiring you to be in court, accidents on your way to the airport, bad
weather and missed connections. It will also pay for lost luggage, for the
things you must buy if your bags are delayed, protect you if your flight is
canceled, pay for catch-up transportation if flight is delayed and the boat
sails and reimburse you if your carders are involved in strikes,
bankruptcies or terrorist actions.
What would happen if you or your travel companion gets sick
or in an accident before your trip? What if a parent or child gets sick and
needs your care? What if your home has a fire or flood? What about a death
in the family. Travel Insurance should pay for your canceled trip or get you
home if something happens while you are on your trip.
Something else most people do not think about is what happens
if you become ill or are injured while on your trip? Travel Insurance will
provide reimbursement and provide funds for emergency evacuations back to
the states or your home if necessary. Most health insurance policies today
will not cover you if you are out of the US and very few if any will provide
the funds necessary for evacuation. A good policy will also help with
expenses incurred by a travel companion while staying with you and a way
home when you become well enough to travel. Some policies will cover
emergency dental care while you are on your trip. All cruise ships have
Doctors aboard today, but remember it is just like at home, you will be
charged for it. In virtually all cases the cost of medical treatment will be
put on your charge card and you will be reimbursed latter if you have Travel
Insurance. (A large balance is always best when traveling.)
While the brochures of all travel insurance policies sound
great, the devil is in the details. The wording in the policy not the
brochure is what defines the coverage. Some only cover trip cancellation due
to bad weather if all flights by your airline are delayed for 6 hours or
more. Many will not cover a cancellation if it was due to labor or terrorist
actions. Some will not cover your trip if you were treated, or medicated for
a illness in the 180 day period before the trip. These restrictions will
also apply to family members. If you or your family members have any medical
conditions a rider for preexisting conditions is a must. Along with this
rider you should consider protection for the bankruptcy of your airline or
cruise line. You want coverage from the date of purchase until you arrive
home from your vacation.
Why not buy Trip Insurance from the cruise
line? You can. But remember to read the policy not the brochure. If you
purchase your own air or intend a pre or post cruise stay not purchased
through the cruise line you are not covered. If the line goes bankrupt you
may be in trouble, or other problems may arise.
Websites to search for travel insurance are:
Read all the policies and see
which is best for you. |
