24/7 travel insurance blog

Up to half a million people could have inadequate cover when embarking on cruises this year

As many people prepare to book their cruise holiday of a lifetime, specialist travel insurance and schemes provider P J Hayman (the company behind 24/7 travel insurance) reminds travellers of the need to purchase cruise specific insurance.

Cruise holidays are going from strength to strength in the UK with an estimated 1.75m people* expected to take this type of holiday in 2010. However, according to research from P J Hayman, 490,000 of these** could be leaving themselves without proper cover should they experience a problem.

For many people, the main draw of a cruise is the opportunity to wake up in a different port and even a different country every morning. However, differences in jurisdiction and healthcare between destinations can pose unique problems if a passenger falls ill or has an accident. Cruise insurance often has increased cancellation limits due to the higher up-front cost of this type of break compared with a standard holiday. Also, people often take a lot more luggage with them on a cruise, so there is a need for higher possessions cover with this type of holiday.

Peter Hayman, Director of P J Hayman said: “Many people choose a cruise holiday as a relatively hassle-free way in which to travel. However, with increased up-front costs, differing medical jurisdictions and often significantly more luggage, there are a unique set of risks that these travellers take.

“Most standard travel insurance policies simply do not provide the level of cover necessary to ensure peace of mind should anything happen – before or during the holiday. In addition, with up to half a million people going on cruises without any travel insurance at all, they are taking what could be a costly gamble.“

We suggest that everyone who is intending to take a cruise this year carefully review their travel insurance requirements and take out specialist cruise insurance.

* 2010 Predictions from the Passenger Shipping Association (PSA)
** According to research by P J Hayman, 28% of people did not purchase travel insurance for their last holiday.

24/7 Cruise Insurance…
A dedicated travel insurance policy especially designed for cruise holidays available to people who have been resident in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Republic of Ireland for at least 6 months in the last 12 months.

Features include:
· No upper age limit
· For cruises up to 6 months
· Cancellation cover up to £10,000
· Emergency medical expenses including repatriation up to £5 million
· Personal possessions cover up to £2,500
· 24-hour medical emergency helpline


Further details available at: www.247cruiseinsurance.com

Labels: cruise insurance