Travel Insurance Tips for Smooth Sailing

Should you insure your cruise travel plans, or self-insure and hope for the best? That is the question that most people face when booking a cruise, or any vacation for that matter. I admit we didn't even take it into consideration at the time my husband and I planned trips when we were 30-something and believed we were infallible. The importance of travel insurance only appeared on our radar when we witnessed the Coast Guard evacuate a fellow passenger from the SS Norway during our third cruise on that ship. That's why I'm sharing the information below from InsureMyTrip. Although CruiseDiva.com has been an affiliate advertiser of InsureMyTrip since it was founded, I wouldn't publish the following if I didn't strongly believe that it's sound advice from a reputable source.

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The Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster has many today doubting the safety of a shipboard vacation, but according to the Cruise Lines International Association, the world's largest cruise line association, 16 million of us enjoyed sailing the world's oceans last year. Statistically, cruises are considered one of the safest forms of travel but you can minimize vacation risks further with these trip protection tips from InsureMyTrip.com:

1. Compare, Compare, Compare: Shop around to get the best plan for your needs at the right price. InsureMyTrip.com offers side-by-side comparisons of policies and prices to help you make smart purchasing decisions quickly and easily.
2. Plan Ahead: To receive the most benefit from your travel insurance policy and be eligible for optional benefits like Cancel for Any Reason and Pre-existing Medical Conditions, purchase the policy within 7 to 15 days of your First Trip Payment.
3. Buy From a Third Party: Typically, if you purchase travel insurance directly through a travel supplier such as an airline, cruise line, or tour operator, you're unprotected if that travel supplier goes bankrupt or becomes financially insolvent, so it's always best to purchase your travel insurance protection from a third-party source.
4.Keep Your Receipts: In the event you ever have to file a claim, keep your receipts for everything from pre-paid non-refundable trip costs insured under your policy to doctor's notes, as well as any receipts incurred from a travel delay such as meals, hotel accommodations, and transportation to/from the airport.
5. 24-hour Traveler Assistance: Providing a host of critical services from processing prescription refills to managing and monitoring itinerary changes, the 24-hour Traveler Assistance program is truly a traveler's best friend. A value-added benefit included in all travel insurance plans, insured travelers can call the company-provided phone number collect from anywhere in the world and receive special assistance with a wide-range of travel, medical, business, and concierge needs.
6. Ask the Experts: InsureMyTrip.com's licensed Customer Care representatives are standing by to help you with all of your travel insurance questions or concerns seven days a week, 365 days a year. Visit us at www.insuremytrip.com or call (800)-487-4722.

About InsureMyTrip: Established in 2000, InsureMyTrip is a leading online travel insurance aggregator worldwide. Featuring insurance comparisons from the top industry providers, InsureMyTrip is a one-stop resource designed to meet travelers' comprehensive insurance needs all in a secure environment. Enhancing the insurance buying experience, InsureMyTrip features a Customer Ratings and Reviews community forum for traveler feedback, discussion and information exchange. InsureMyTrip also specializes in providing custom retail and wholesale travel insurance solutions in the education and mission travel markets. InsureMyTrip is headquartered in Warwick, R.I., with additional offices and data centers in Connecticut and Oregon.