The best cruise travel insurance of 2018 revealed

Dreaming of clear blue skies and ocean for days? For many Australians, cruises are an affordable getaway offering round-the-clock entertainment and the added benefit of visiting multiple destinations in one trip. Unfortunately, it’s not always smooth sailing and complications on board could see you forking up cash you’d rather be spending on piña coladas.

That’s where Mozo’s 2018 Experts Choice Awards come in, revealing the best Cruise Travel Insurance on the high seas so you can set sail with confidence.

The Mozo experts were all hands on deck comparing 271 international travel insurance policies from 71 providers to find the best policies for your summer cruise.

“Our Mozo Experts Choice Awards are there to showcase the best policies offering features specific to cruises so you can be confident knowing you’re getting great cover,” said Mozo Data Manager, Peter Marshall.

World2Cover, which was also named Travel Insurer of the Year, won two awards in this category, whilst Simply Travel Insurance, Southern Cross Travel Insurance and Travel Insurance Saver took out one gong apiece.

“The winners of the awards share a common agenda: to provide you with the highest level of cover for the types of complications that can occur on a cruise,” said Marshall.  

Mozo experts had a baseline level of cover which cruise travel insurance policies had to meet to be considered for the awards. Policies had to include unlimited medical, $7,500 of luggage cover per traveller and at least $15,000 in cancellation cover.

“With repatriation costs through the roof, you really can’t afford not to have insurance,” said Marshall.

Five must-have cruise insurance features

• Medical cover. Contrary to popular belief, sea sickness and sunstroke pose a more immediate threat than falling overboard in shark-infested waters. In fact, 63% of cruise passengers report that they or someone they know had become sick onboard. Seeing a medical professional on a cruise is often expensive since it isn’t covered by medicare, so your travel insurance provider can reimburse you for these costs.

• Cancellation cover. If you don’t make your cruise due to uncontrollable circumstances such as a cancelled flight to the departure port, your travel insurance policy might cover the cost of the cancellation.

• Evacuation cover. It may be the worst case scenario, but if you have to be transported off the ship because of an unforeseen accident, illness or injury that can’t be treated onboard, the best quality travel insurance will cover the cost of the air ambulance evacuation.

• Delay cover. Weather is unpredictable and cruising in rough conditions is not safe, so it’s not uncommon for cruises to delay departure until the forecast improves. Top notch cruise travel insurance will cover you for any necessary purchases you have to make during the waiting period that you wouldn’t have had to otherwise, such as a hotel room or food.

• Baggage cover. It’s not just airlines that lose luggage, it could happen on a cruise too. Great travel insurance will not only cover the value of the lost luggage, but the expense of purchasing new clothes, shoes and toiletries onboard as a result of it.

To see the full list of award winners and find the best policy for you, see Mozo’s 2018 Experts Choice Cruise Travel Insurance Awards, or use our travel insurance comparison tool to compare providers and see how much you could be saving.