Helping Your Customers Understand Cruise Insurance

You’ve probably noticed customers hesitate when, during the process of booking a cruise, you ask if they have taken out a cruise travel insurance policy. You may even have had some ask things like – is that even a thing? Do I really need it? What’s wrong with ordinary travel insurance?

The reasons for taking out cruise travel insurance – some handy bonuses, some essential – surprise many people.

Cruise medical cover

The most compelling reason to take out cruise insurance is to ensure customers get an appropriate level of cover should they need medical attention while on board. Passengers often don’t realise how much getting medical treatment on a ship can cost – usually because they don’t make the connections to the added logistical difficulties.

It is worth explaining this to customers, especially if they ask. Run them through the scenario of someone falling seriously ill aboard, and the ship having to divert to port or the victim even having to be airlifted to shore. Ordinary travel insurance policies simply do not offer high enough levels of indemnity to cover these costs. Even fees for seeing a ship’s doctor are much higher than you would pay on shore.

Perks of cruise insurance

There are other benefits to taking out bespoke cruise insurance policies you can explain to customers. Cruise itineraries are prone to change, with everything from the weather to delays in port making last-minute adjustments necessary. This can scupper passengers’ plans, especially if you have paid for certain excursions or on-shore accommodation in advance.

Talk through how cruise insurance policies will usually offer itinerary change pay outs, with a fixed amount paid per destination missed. Larger liabilities are offered for significant disruptions classified as interruptions, such as a ship being stuck in port for several days.

Cruise policies also offer cover for missed excursions, which may also be claimed if you a passenger is unwell and unable to attend. On a similar theme, many policies will also offer cabin confinement cover, with a fixed fee for every day they are stuck in your cabin through illness or injury.