Swine Flu and Cruise Insurance

A quarter of British holidaymakers have been forced to alter travel plans as a result of the swine flu outbreak. In a survey conducted by an insurance company 25% of those responding said their holidays – both UK and abroad – had been affected by the epidemic. There has also been a vast increase in the numbers of people asking how swine flu would affect their holiday insurance policies. The two major concerns are:

1. Cancellation – whether by the individual or by the travel company and what form of compensation could be expected and,

2. Repatriation – the recent case of British students been quarantined in China has raised fears, especially for those taking cruises, that they might find themselves either stuck in port or quarantined on board a ship that was forced to stay at sea, rather than being flown home for treatment.

If you have an insurance policy that includes travel, especially if it is an annual policy, this is a good time to step back and compare the offer with those that have been revised in light of the swine flu panic – very often the older policies are not clear about treatments and repatriation in the case of an epidemic and that can end up costing you a lot of time and heartache if you fall victim before, or during, your cruise.