The importance of purchasing Travel Insurance

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It's a beautiful September morning in Minnesota, and I am flying to Orlando for a convention.  The skies are clear all the way to Orlando there are no weather delays on either end, so my trip should go smoothly right?  Yes, EXCEPT our plane has a mechanical problem.  We are already 1 hour and 45 minutes late, still sitting at the gate in Minneapolis and the next direct flight to Orlando is at 1PM, and that flight is booked full.

 

For me this isn't a big deal, I have nowhere special I have to be, the convention starts tomorrow so I am relaxed and typing this article. What would this have meant, if I had to be some place today? What if I were departing on a Florida cruise later today?  If I don't arrive in Orlando with enough time to catch my ship, vacation disaster is right around the corner.  The flight attendant just announced that the airline recognizes some passengers are connecting to cruise ships sailing today, and that they are putting forth their best efforts for a speedy and safe departure.

I think we would all agree on these couple items:

• First and foremost SAFETY, we trust the ground crews to make the right decisions.  They are professionals and their goal is to always keep passengers safe.
• Mechanical problems will happen, that's just a fact.
• Weather will happen, that's a fact too.
• Health issues occur
• We want to be positive and believe everything will go as planned.

Now that we have recognized some possible issues that might occur as we travel, the question here is do you plan for these as possibilities or roll the dice and react if they become a reality?  In the situation today, here's how it might play out.  Depending on how you booked the elements of your trip (air/cruise/transfers), and what you booked, here are some of the possible  scenarios:

 

1. Access America Travel Insurance. No matter how you booked the different parts of your trip, IF you booked an independent, third party travel insurance like Access America, and you included all the elements of your trip, air/transfers/cruise in your insurance purchase.  Relax you made the right choice!  At this point you might want to pull out your insurance card and give the 800 number a call. Alert them you might have a possible "situation", but other than that relax.  Take note of what they suggest you do from this point on.  Once you have alerted the insurance company, they will typically monitor your flight for it's departure.  Most insurance policies cover you for these instances, and any expenses that might be incurred due to flight issues are going to be the responsibility of the insurance company, it's in their best interest to get you to the ship quickly, so expect speedy and accurate service.
   
   
2. Cruiseline Insurance with Air.  If you booked ALL elements of your trip (air/transfers/cruise) with the cruiseline and purchased their insurance, I would pull out that insurance card and give the company a heads up.  Relax... you also made the right choice!
   
   
3. Cruiseline Insurance without Air.  If you purchased the cruseline insurance, and booked your air independent of them, fasten your seat belt, it's going to be a bumpy ride and financially painful. Cruiseline insurance does not cover flight issues when the air is not booked through them.  If you booked through a travel professional give them a call to alert them of your possible situation, they will begin preparation to get you to the next port to catch the ship, any costs incurred will be your responsibility. You can at this point choose to let the cruiseline handle your flight to the next port or do it yourself, but the most important item here remains the same, financially you are responsible for the costs incurred to get you to the ship.

As a travel professional, I have been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of many wonderful travel memories, as well as some of the deepest moments of concern and sorrow as our clients travel the world.  From a broken leg "On the road to Hanna", speeding ticket in Germany, a diabetic coma on the Amazon, a heart attack in Turkey, and a death in Italy.  Travel insurance isn't just for old people, and it isn't just in case someone gets sick.  Travel insurance is for everyone anytime they travel.