At Bluewater Travel, we cannot overstate the importance of obtaining a comprehensive travel insurance policy before embarking on a trip. Without travel insurance, lost bags, missed connections, illness, or even a change to your circumstances may ruin your holiday plans. Bluewater’s travel experts have seen firsthand how things can go wrong before, during, and after a trip. We know how beneficial travel insurance is in these unfortunate circumstances.
Imagine this: You are excited to be on your first flight to a dream liveaboard trip to the Galapagos, only to discover when you land that your connecting flight was canceled. While you were still in the air, the travel team at Bluewater has been working relentlessly to find alternative flights, but you will miss the liveaboard because none will get you to the boat on time. You are now at an unexpected destination; the airline will not provide any assistance with hotel or meal vouchers. Not only are you missing your dream holiday and have lost the money you paid for the liveaboard, but you now incur additional expenses to rearrange your travel plans.
You cannot get your vacation time and dream holiday back, but if you have comprehensive travel insurance, you will at least recoup costs, affording you more options to make alternate plans or book a future holiday.
All divers dread experiencing the above situation, and although such circumstances are often out of our control, travelers should do everything they can to protect their travel investments and mitigate the stress of travel disruptions. Read on for information about the different travel insurance coverage options and Bluewater's recommendations based on decades of travel experience around the globe.
Travel Insurance Coverage Options
As with any type of insurance, there are many types of travel insurance coverage, and it’s imperative that the policyholder understands the terms and conditions, inclusions and exclusions, and which policy best suits their needs. It can be overwhelming, so we’ll break down the standard coverage options and how they have benefited our experts and clients.
Trip Cancellation
Life happens, and should your circumstances change in advance of a booked vacation, it may no longer be reasonable or possible for you to go. The purpose of trip cancellation insurance is to reimburse a traveler for any non-refundable deposits or trip payments in the event they need to cancel the trip before it has begun. Note that trip cancellation policies typically have a set of valid reasons for canceling the trip, although there are more expensive options that may allow cancellation for any reason.
Trip Interruption
This coverage is like trip cancellation, but kicks in if something happens once you have already begun traveling. Flight cancellations and delays can quickly become a nightmare, especially if you have connections to make or a boat to catch. Or you may unexpectedly need to cut your trip short and return home in a hurry. Trip interruption coverage is in place to help you arrange flights and reimburse non-refundable trip expenses.
Sickness and Accident
Medical travel insurance can be included in a comprehensive travel insurance policy, or you may have existing insurance to cover any medical expenses while abroad. Either way, medical insurance can be a literal lifesaver, and every traveler should always have a policy in place prior to traveling. It is critical that you understand what your insurance covers and how to use it before you find yourself in a situation where you need it. It’s a good idea to make sure this insurance covers emergency medical evacuation as well. Note that not all travel insurance policies will have adequate coverage for dive accidents, so it is a good idea to purchase a separate dive accident insurance policy from a reputable company.
Lost, Delayed, or Stolen Baggage
When you show up for your trip but your bags do not, the result can be a minor frustration or a major issue, depending on your plans. Getting on a liveaboard tomorrow, and your dive gear is nowhere to be found? Your dream dive holiday just got a bit less dreamy. While this insurance cannot magically reproduce your missing luggage, it does relieve the financial burden of replacing what’s been lost.
Bluewater's Recommendations
The Bluewater team are travel experts, having extensively traveled the world and guided groups on trips to challenging locations. Trust us when we say travel insurance is the best purchase you can make to protect yourself from financial loss and relieve stress.
While travel insurance is of paramount importance, there are some other things you can do to mitigate the risk of major trip disruptions. For liveaboard trips, we strongly recommend that you plan your flights to arrive at least one day prior to the boat departure. Flight cancellations and delays have only gotten worse since the COVID pandemic, and a missed flight can cause divers to miss their entire liveaboard trip. The same goes for travelers visiting a remote resort with prescheduled transfers because if the resort only offers flight or boat transfers on certain days, arriving a day or two late can significantly disrupt your holiday.
We strongly recommend you also purchase a separate dive accident insurance policy. Dive accidents often require special treatment that may incur additional costs that are not covered by a regular travel insurance policy.
For more information about dive insurance and coverage options, read our article here.
Trip Insurance with ArchRoamRight
With the above in mind and what we have seen with the outbreak of COVID-19, we know firsthand the importance of protecting dream vacations.
Bluewater Travel has partnered with Arch RoamRight to offer travel insurance policies to protect our clients. Arch RoamRight boasts highly-rated, award-winning customer service and claims administration, placing them among the highest rated on TrustPilot and Google Reviews. You can find out more about our Preferred Partner Travel Insurance policies here.
Many travel insurance policies don’t automatically include security/political evacuation — in fact, unrest and acts of war are often listed as exclusions — but Arch RoamRight is proud to offer it with most of the plans they underwrite, including their Pro Plus plan.
Dive Insurance Providers
Here are some dive insurance providers for you to consider:
