When planning a travel vacation or cruise vacation, the last thing that one wants to think about is trouble or cancellation.  Thus travel and cruise insurance is often left on the back burner.  However, when the time comes to purchase your vacation insurance, be sure that you compare cruise insurance and travel insurance policies to ensure that you are getting what you expect.  As always, it’s “buyer beware”!

That’s not to say that all insurance policies and companies are out to deceive you or hide the terms of insurance pay-outs.  In fact, most are very reputable.  The problem comes when trying to economize while buying insurance.  You really do “get what you pay for” in most cases – especially when you compare insurance policies.

There are often so many variables when purchasing cruise insurance or travel insurance that we can become somewhat complacent with what we are purchasing.  Again, “Buyer Beware!”  Make sure you know what’s available and what’s included in your insurance policy package.  As an example, insurance companies like Travel Guard International, America’s largest provider of travel insurance offers a wide range of benefits with their Comprehensive Coverage. Included in Travel Guard’s packages are the following benefits:

• Trip Cancellation – Providing reimbursement of 100% of trip cost if the trip is cancelled under the terms of the insurance policy.
• Trip interruption – Providing reimbursement of trip cost if the trip is interrupted as covered by the insurance policy such as evacuation due to hurricane.
• Trip Delay – Providing reimbursement for additional accommodations or travel expenses if the traveler is delayed for more than several hours.
• Lost, Stolen or Damaged Baggage and travel documents – Providing reimbursements if luggage is lost, damaged or stolen while the insured is traveling, or if travel documents are lost or stolen.
• Baggage Delay – Providing reimbursement for the purchase of essential items if your bags are delayed more than 24 hours.
• Medical Expenses – Providing reimbursement for necessary medical expenses up to one year after the illness or injury providing the insured traveler sought medical treatment while on the trip.
• Emergency Medical Transportation – Covering the cost of evacuation and transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility.
• Travel Guard Assistance – A 24 hour hotline for emergency assistance, medical referrals, prescription replacement assistance, replacing travel documents and more.
• Livetravel – Travel Guard’s round the clock travel agent service for emergency or last minute travel changes such as rebooking flights, arranging hotels and ground transportation and tracking lost luggage.
• Concierge – 24 hour worldwide access to restaurant referrals/reservations, event tickets, tee times, floral services, ground transportation and more.

As well, in many cases, travelers purchasing Travel Guard insurance within 15 days of making their initial trip payment also receive at no additional cost:

•   Pre-Existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver – protection if pre-existing medical conditions force cancellation or interruption of a cruise or trip.
• Default Protection – providing reimbursement of trip cost if the tour operator, cruise line, airline or other travel supplier declares bankruptcy more than seven days after the effective date of the policy.
• Change Your Mind – protection against cancellation fees when a trip is cancelled for any reason.

Please keep in mind that these benefits are subject to change, but at the time of this printing, are available.  The above describes a comprehensive cruise or travel insurance policy.  However, as they say, one size dose not fit all.  You need to match your coverage requirements and budget restraints.  Again, dealing with Travel Guard International, some of their popular products include:

• Cruise, Tour and Travel – Travel Guard’s most comprehensive travel insurance plan.
• ProtectAssist – Solid travel insurance for the budget-conscious traveler – and Travel Guard’s most popular plan.
• Cruise Guard – Travel insurance designed to surpass the protection plans offered by the cruise line.
• Air Ticket Protection – Protects air ticket investment against change fees, adds other assistance services.
• Student Travel Guard – A portfolio of student travel insurance plans protecting students on virtually all types from Spring Break to Semester Abroad.

We have identified, through the use of Travel Guard International’s plans and policies a vast number of cruise insurance options.  We have stated before, but at the risk of being too repetitive, I think that it is important to re-iterate.  “You get what you pay for.  Buyer beware!”

If you would like more information regarding
Travel Guard International or would like to get a quotation for cruise or travel insurance, check out our article “Travel Guard International Cruise Insurance”.  For more informative articles, check out our Article Map.  If you are looking to choose or book a cruise, our main Discount Cruises pages have plenty of merchant links with great cruise pricing.

You’ve researched for your special cruise.  You’ve found a fantastic cruise deal on-line.  You’ve booked that cruise on-line.  You’ve protected your cruise vacation investment by booking your insurance on-line.  Now all that’s left to do is to get excited!