Have you ever set a cruise ship cabin on fire?

Example scenario:

Even though warned, you inadvertently leave an IPod plugged into the ship's electrical outlet and the device malfunctions resulting in a major fire.

Questions:

Are you personally responsible for the damages?

Do you believe you currently have insurance that will protect against the damages and related legal expenses, if you are found liable.

Has anyone actually faced a situation similar to the scenario described above and what happened?

I have asked my insurance agent and will gladly share her "understanding" if anyone is interested. This question also applies to hotel rooms, timeshares and VRBO rooms and homes.

I would appreciate everyone's comments/expertise as I'm concerned that people that travel have more financial risk than we realize when we occupy the property of others.

one time me and the missus were having a pretty good time and...well never mind...:D

Wonder how many people are going to come out and discuss their possible negligence causing damage. That being said, there have been threads on things like people hanging clothes from fire sprinklers, and not being held responsible for damage to their cabin, adjacent cabins, and cabins below them.

My home insurance doesn't cover me for impact by asteroids.

So I think I can live with the risk of sinking a ship.

Next silly question, please :D

JB :)

That's no Bull, Mr. Bull.

Umm..... No.

No. Have you?

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I have asked my insurance agent and will gladly share her "understanding" if anyone is interested. This question also applies to hotel rooms, timeshares and VRBO rooms and homes.

I'm interested...I've got nothing else going on today, and I might learn something. Of course I don't know your insurance agent and will take everything with a grain of salt.

On the list of things I worry about, this ranks near the bottom. I am much more worried about the size of the shrimp I get in the MDR, or the whether the ship has a spot of rust somewhere on it.

The most bizarre question I have read on CC....but I have a funny feeling there is an ulterior reason for asking it. Kind of creepy.

Example scenario:

Even though warned, you inadvertently leave an IPod plugged into the ship's electrical outlet and the device malfunctions resulting in a major fire.

Modern ships are equipped, at great expense, with state of the art detection systems, linked to effective suppression equipment.

If these systems fail then the ship will share substantially in the liability. The likelihood of a "major fire" resulting from your scenario is minimal if these systems function properly.

I am not aware of any 'warning' about leaving modern electronics charging if you leave the cabin.

I'm interested...I've got nothing else going on today, and I might learn something. Of course I don't know your insurance agent and will take everything with a grain of salt.

That grain of salt is what I was hoping to explore. I put my insurance agent's "understanding" in quotes as her answer was a little less than the solid answer I was hoping to receive. Anyway, she thought that a liability is created when the property of another is damaged. She also thought that our homeowner's policy would cover (to its limits) the damage. Further, because we had the underlying coverage (the HO policy), that our umbrella policy would apply to any excess costs. As you probably know, the legal expenses and loss-of-use charges could be substantial.

What started me thinking about this issue is that over the years we have rented a variety of properties and there seems to be different damage liability treatment depending on the property. We've chartered bare boats and were required to purchase a one-time insurance policy to cover damage to the boat. I've read the cruise documents of cruise lines and nothing is even mentioned about damage caused by me. The issue never seems to be addressed when staying at a hotel or in a time share. However, if you read the VRBO contract it appears to me that one is required to put down a security deposit and is also responsible for all damage to the property ( I'm not an attorney). Obviously, it would be much more likely to cause major damage when staying in a time share or a VRBO property than a cruise ship cabin.

I apologize for making the thread's title way too provocative but I do believe that this is a serious issue that we, as travelers, should understand. Hopefully there is nothing to worry about but I've asked a number of people and have never received what I consider to be a rock-solid answer.

Any help would be appreciated.

Don't know about damage to a cruise ship specifically, but we have a $1million personal liability insurance policy that costs about $175/year. We took it out when we were renting out our vacation condo in Hawaii, then when we sold that, DH was/is on the HOA board for our community. The HOA attorneys recommend the policy for all board members. Think we're pretty much covered for "whatever".

Modern ships are equipped, at great expense, with state of the art detection systems, linked to effective suppression equipment.

 

If these systems fail then the ship will share substantially in the liability. The likelihood of a "major fire" resulting from your scenario is minimal if these systems function properly.

 

I am not aware of any 'warning' about leaving modern electronics charging if you leave the cabin.

Thanks. We just returned from a cruise (major line) and were warned several times about the electronics issue. In fact, we were also told that room stewards would unplug any device that they found left connected while passengers were out of their rooms. Truth is that we left devices connected several times and they were never disconnected.

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Your agent is correct if you are found to be legally liable and your underlying homeowners comprehensive liability is not enough your personal umbrella will cover the excess up to the pup limits. Provided this was not an intentional act !

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Thanks. We just returned from a cruise (major line) and were warned several times about the electronics issue. In fact, we were also told that room stewards would unplug any device that they found left connected while passengers were out of their rooms. Truth is that we left devices connected several times and they were never disconnected.

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Is there a reason you didn't name the cruise line?

The prob with your scenario is that I really can't see a device (electrical outlet) being used as intended (to charge an electronic) causing a liability situation. I've never been told to unplug electronics when leaving a room on a cruise or in a hotel room and have trouble seeing that being a liability situation.

If I leave the tv in my room on all night and a bulb burns out from the use, I certainly wouldn't expect them to want me to replace the tv.

Now if say you were blatantly violating the cruise ship rules like smoking in your cabin and that lead to a fire, I don't know how insurance liability would work. But since I don't intentionally do things to create damage I haven't given it too much thought.

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Thanks. We just returned from a cruise (major line) and were warned several times about the electronics issue. In fact, we were also told that room stewards would unplug any device that they found left connected while passengers were out of their rooms. Truth is that we left devices connected several times and they were never disconnected.

 

 

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Whether you follow the free style advice to unplug or not is secondary. The fact that you have been put on notice makes you the at fault party if your Samsung IPhone or similar device starts smoking.

Example scenario:

Even though warned, you inadvertently leave an IPod plugged into the ship's electrical outlet and the device malfunctions resulting in a major fire.

 

Questions:

Are you personally responsible for the damages?

Do you believe you currently have insurance that will protect against the damages and related legal expenses, if you are found liable.

Has anyone actually faced a situation similar to the scenario described above and what happened?

 

I have asked my insurance agent and will gladly share her "understanding" if anyone is interested. This question also applies to hotel rooms, timeshares and VRBO rooms and homes.

 

I would appreciate everyone's comments/expertise as I'm concerned that people that travel have more financial risk than we realize when we occupy the property of others.

This post may set a record for weirdness on CC and that is going pretty far. BTW - it sounds as if you a planning some excitement for your next cruise. Please tell us what you are currently booked on so that we can cancel those cruises.

DON

Do I have this right? You worry more how much money it could cost you than how many liv es could be lost or how many injured?:EEK:Please leave your -i-pad unplugged

My home insurance doesn't cover me for impact by asteroids.

So I think I can live with the risk of sinking a ship.

 

Next silly question, please :D

 

JB :)

Actually, your Homeowners policy doesn't cover you for impact by anything. However, it probably does provide coverage if your home is hit by an asteroid. :)

Actually, your Homeowners policy doesn't cover you for impact by anything. However, it probably does provide coverage if your home is hit by an asteroid. :)

Aw shucks. I see a typical homeowners policy from the U.S. is not likely to apply to you in England. (Oops).

Don't know about damage to a cruise ship specifically, but we have a $1million personal liability insurance policy that costs about $175/year. We took it out when we were renting out our vacation condo in Hawaii, then when we sold that, DH was/is on the HOA board for our community. The HOA attorneys recommend the policy for all board members. Think we're pretty much covered for "whatever".

You may want to talk with that attorney again. Your personal liability coverage in an umbrella policy has nothing to do with any role on an HOA board. For that the HOA should be providing members of its governing board "Directors Insurance."

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Yes your personal umbrella isn't going to cover your HOA as they exclude that type of coverage

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Modern ships are equipped, at great expense, with state of the art detection systems, linked to effective suppression equipment.

 

If these systems fail then the ship will share substantially in the liability. The likelihood of a "major fire" resulting from your scenario is minimal if these systems function properly.

 

I am not aware of any 'warning' about leaving modern electronics charging if you leave the cabin.[/quote]

 

P&O cruises warn you in writing. They also say don't charge devices when you are asleep which raises the question just when can you charge them :confused:

 

The problem is not the high quality chargers provided by the device manufacturer but the cheap ebay model which may be a forgery.