General oil slick questions and insurance

[happy cruzer]

Ok, I was just sitting around wondering/wandering :)

 

We know know how insurance works in terrorist events (like in Britain a few years ago), swine flu, Chilean earthquakes, volcanos....

 

What about the possible oil slick in the Gulf..

 

Some things possible that I can think of,

cancelled ports

delays in departure or return of the cruise

no ports visited

 

How is the oil slick included or excluded?

 

Anyone else have any wondering/wandering to add?:o

[sirwired]

Ok, I was just sitting around wondering/wandering :)

 

We know know how insurance works in terrorist events (like in Britain a few years ago), swine flu, Chilean earthquakes, volcanos....

 

What about the possible oil slick in the Gulf..

 

Some things possible that I can think of,

cancelled ports

delays in departure or return of the cruise

no ports visited

 

How is the oil slick included or excluded?

 

Anyone else have any wondering/wandering to add?:o

 

Delay in return might be covered by insurance, depending on policy. Delays in departure generally result in a pro-rata refund from the cruise line, and they will usually cover local hotel accomodations.

 

Missed ports/no ports are never covered by insurance. The cruise line will usually refund you for shore excursion, port taxes, and if they are in a good mood, provide a token OBC.

 

Lastly, if you have a cancel-for-any-reason rider, you can do whatever you want.

 

SirWired

[happy cruzer]

Very interesting. So if you have a pre paid privately booked excursion at a port stop, most travel insurance will not cover that if your common carrier i.e. the cruise ship misses the port stop?

 

I was mainly wondering how to read the policies, they mention weather, acts of god, natural disasters. What category is an oil slick?

 

Is it excluded because it assumed it is an act of negligence that you would look to the causer of the act for reimbursement?

 

Thanks.

[sirwired]

Yes, privately booked shore excursions are never covered, to the best of my knowledge. Trip Interruption coverage means you had to leave your trip (say, to receive medical assistance) and then had to pay to re-join said trip. If your ship skips its port, you haven't left your trip at all.

 

I can't say I'd put a lot of thought into that particular approach to the policy, but I don't think it would work. However, I imagine most (maybe not all) shore-ex providers would give you a refund if you missed port.

 

An oil slick would be "none of the above." It isn't weather, an "Act of God" (that phrase does not appear in U.S. policies at all, in any context), or a Natural Disaster.

 

It's excluded because it isn't included. Man-made disasters aren't on the list of covered reasons.

 

OTOH, I don't know of any cruises or flights that have been canceled as a result of the oil slick, and we can safely assume that any side-trips (such as a fishing trip) that cancels because of the slick would refund your money. (No-show's get charged, trips that are canceled by the provider are refunded; no insurance necessary.)

[cherylandtk]

Very interesting. So if you have a pre paid privately booked excursion at a port stop, most travel insurance will not cover that if your common carrier i.e. the cruise ship misses the port stop?

 

I was mainly wondering how to read the policies, they mention weather, acts of god, natural disasters. What category is an oil slick?

 

Is it excluded because it assumed it is an act of negligence that you would look to the causer of the act for reimbursement?

 

Thanks.

Short answer, yeah, most policies won't cover that under trip interruption. It might be covered under full cancellation of the entire trip in advance, but likely not by itself if just a port is missed.

 

If you will name the policy brand and type, we can point out the details.

[happy cruzer]

Thanks for the answers. I have purchased HTH and Travel Ex in the past.

 

This is a what if question, My currently booked cruises are not in the Gulf. However my home port is in the Gulf so I was thinking for my future booking.

 

I will just assume since it is not included anywhere in any of the policies I have that it is excluded. I can live with excursions not covered; I can just assume I have self insured for those.

 

Thanks.

[cruiseco]

Thanks for the answers. I have purchased HTH and Travel Ex in the past.

 

This is a what if question, My currently booked cruises are not in the Gulf. However my home port is in the Gulf so I was thinking for my future booking.

 

I will just assume since it is not included anywhere in any of the policies I have that it is excluded. I can live with excursions not covered; I can just assume I have self insured for those.

 

Thanks.

 

From TravelSafe's trip interruption coverage:

 

"n the event a cruise/tour supplier makes a change in Your Trip itinerary after Your Scheduled Departure Date, which prevents You from participating in an event/activity prepaid prior to departure and scheduled on Your Trip itinerary, non-refundable prepaid event/activity expenses will be payable up to $250."

 

Note the change in the itinerary has to happen AFTER sailing.

 

Global Alert has identical coverage.

[happy cruzer]

Thanks Cruiseco. That could be important for some of us.