When you book a cruise you're offered the option of travel insurance, for a fee - either directly through the cruise line or a third-party provider. But does it cover you in the case of a bizarre disaster like Costa Concordia?
Yes, says Carol Mueller, spokeswoman for leading travel insurance provider Travel Guard, which had at least three customers on the Concordia.
So how did those cruise passengers benefit?
While thousands of evacuated Concordia passengers waited for Costa Cruise Lines to offer assistance, the insurance company helped its customers with their individual requests to relay messages back home, replace ID (for those who left their passports on the ship) and get quickly on flights back home, Mueller says.
"That's all a service we provide in all our plans. It's unfortunate they had to ask for it in this situation," Mueller says.
Some of the Concordia customers will likely file baggage claims with the insurer for lost personal effects, Mueller adds. Costa Cruise Lines and parent Carnival Corp., in a statement yesterday, said they also "will be addressing personal possessions lost on board."
Trip cancellation in standard policies is for specific reasons including health and weather.
What's not covered is if you have a future cruise booked and are now having second thoughts in the wake of the Concordia catastrophe.
But there's insurance for that too. Those who upgrade to Cancel for Any Reason protection can, in fact, cancel for any reason, says Chris Harvey, CEO of Squaremouth. According to Harvey, even if you cancel on whim, you'll receive a refund up to 75% of the trip cost. But, he adds, to qualify for this benefit you need to have purchased a travel insurance policy within 14-30 days of making your initial deposit.
Cruise lines sell insurance too, such as Royal Caribbean's CruiseCare.
Mueller suggests you read the fine print, check restrictions and discuss with your travel agent whether a cruise line or third-party plan is right for you.
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