In general, does travel insurance cover jury duty for missing a cruise?

[ontheweb]

This came up in the ask a cruise question forum, and I thought it might be better asked here.

[CDNPolar]

I am Canadian, and I can only speak to my insurance.

 

The insurance in Canada that I purchase does have a "called to Jury Duty" cancellation reason.

 

However, it is my experience and that when I was last called for jury duty, I went to the call and filled out the form asking for deferment of my date due to booked and paid for travel, and it was granted by the judge.

 

Not sure how that works in the USA.

 

For me, I would only exercise the cancel option on the insurance if my request for deferment was denied.

[CDNPolar]

I am Canadian, and I can only speak to my insurance.

 

The insurance in Canada that I purchase does have a "called to Jury Duty" cancellation reason.

 

However, it is my experience and that when I was last called for jury duty, I went to the call and filled out the form asking for deferment of my date due to booked and paid for travel, and it was granted by the judge.

 

Not sure how that works in the USA.

 

For me, I would only exercise the cancel option on the insurance if my request for deferment was denied.

 

Additionally, in Canada, this only gets you deferred to a future date to be called again.  It does not remove the obligation.

[GeezerCouple]

This is what I just posted on that other thread:

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Here is what our travel insurance policy states, explicitly, about jury duty:

 

"...

“Other Covered Reasons” means:

a.  You or Your Traveling Companion being hijacked, quarantined, required to serve on a jury

(notice of jury duty must be received after Your Effective Date), served with a court order to

appear as a witness in a legal action in which You or Your Traveling Companion is not a party

(except law enforcement officers);

..." [emphasis added]

 

Needless to say, other insurers may handle this differently, and perhaps our insurer handles it differently with other types of travel insurance coverages.

 

This is but one example of why it is *SO* important to read the full terms and conditions (T&Cs) of the specific policy that one is considering!  Many (most? all?) travel insurers give a short period of time (e.g., several days) for one to read in more depth or perhaps ask questions of others, during which one could request the policy be cancelled and money refunded. 

 

GC

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[klfrodo]

My TravelSafe policy which I just purchased the other day includes the same as above that @GeezerCouple posted.

 

As a side note, my county of residence utilizes electronic jury pool notification and information system. I receive notification by mail, then you log into the system. The system allows you to electronically delay your jury duty date up to a month, I believe on a 1-time basis.

[jclinard]

I have also been called to jury duty in Nevada during a time when I had a pre-booked cruise.  The summons provided instructions on how to defer service, which I did.  

[notley-cruise]

For UK, having pre booked travel plans is sufficient reason to defer jury duty.