Don’t drink and cruise
US-based travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth has offered a useful warning to cruise travellers about three common mistakes that can invalidate a claim, should they need to make one.
The first mistake listed is drinking too much. Squaremouth has informed travellers that travel insurance typically does not cover an injury or illness that occurs while drunk on a cruise, even if that injury causes cruisers to return home early or miss upcoming excursions.
"Your judgment is impaired when you're drunk, so anything that occurs while you're under the influence can be automatically excluded," said Squaremouth’s claims director Brandi Morse.
Squaremouth says that travellers must back up their claim with medical documentation, and if that documentation shows the incident occurred while they were drunk, their claim can be denied.
Next on the list is not documenting losses. Squaremouth has reminded travellers that there is risk of lost or stolen baggage on a cruise ship, just as there is with any other trip, and in order to be covered, travellers should notify their cruise line as soon as possible: “Providers can deny a claim for lost or stolen items if the incident wasn't documented in a reasonable amount of time. Having the original receipts will also be an advantage during the claims process.”
Thirdly, Squaremouth warns against buying the cruise line’s insurance. According to the company, travel insurance offered by cruise lines is often designed to boost profits rather than provide comprehensive coverage for travellers. “Because cruise lines can receive high commissions from their insurance underwriters, they often take away from the coverage provided,” it explained.