TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICY HELPS CRUISE PASSENGERS LEAVE WORRIES AT THE DOCK

Allianz Global Assistance’s Medical Director, Dr. William Brady, MD, recommends buying travel insurance to help protect yourself in the event of serious health emergencies*

Gourmet dinners, gentle sea breezes and exotic, warm weather ports of call often come to mind when enjoying a winter cruise. Those positive experiences, however, can quickly be overshadowed with such mishaps as missed flights, mechanical malfunctions, onboard outbreaks of illness and accidents on cruise excursions, according to Allianz Global Assistance (www.allianztravelinsurance.com), the leading world provider of travel insurance and medical assistance.

A national survey of travelers, including cruise passengers, found that 63 percent reported that they or a travel companion had become sick while on vacation.

Dr. William Brady, MD, Allianz Global Assistance’s U.S. Medical Director and Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Virginia, says, “most ship doctors provide prompt medical care, but for serious health emergencies, passengers may need to be transported to the nearest appropriate medical facility for treatment.”

“When you’re lounging on the sun deck, it’s easy to forget you may be hundreds of miles from the nearest properly equipped medical facility,” says Brady. “And while you may be in perfect health, you can never predict when you might break an ankle, suffer a heart attack or catch the flu.”

Accidents cannot only happen on board, but can also occur on cruise excursions, adds Brady, where activities may be sponsored by a cruise line, but are not without risk. Cruise lines may not be responsible for the actions of independent excursion companies. So before taking a cruise excursion, it’s important to know things like:

• is the local excursion provider insured, licensed and properly trained?
• has the cruise line evaluated the reliability of the local excursion provider?
• have the cruise line and/or the local excursion provider disclaimed liability for injuries that passengers might sustain during excursions?

Whether it’s a medical issue or a travel delay, a travel insurance policy from Allianz Global Assistance can provide peace of mind, especially for travel outside the U.S., where many hospitals may request cash payments in the thousands before treatment even begins. Many U.S. health insurance policies (including Medicare and Medicaid) may not cover international travel; those that do may not cover the cost of medical evacuation.

For more information on Allianz Global Assistance and the policies offered for travelers, please visit: http://www.allianztravelinsurance.com or Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/AllianzTravelInsuranceUS.

Allianz Global Assistance USA

Allianz Global Assistance USA (AGA Service Company) is a leading consumer specialty insurance and assistance company.  We insure 16 million customers annually and are best known for our Allianz Travel Insurance plans. In addition to travel insurance, Allianz Global Assistance USA offers event ticket protection, registration protection for endurance events and unique travel assistance services such as international medical assistance and concierge services. The company also serves as an outsource provider for in-bound call center services and claims administration for health insurers, property and casualty insurers, and credit card companies.

* - Terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions apply to all plans. All plans not available in all states. For a complete description of the coverage offered under your plan, carefully review your letter of confirmation and certificate of insurance. Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: Oakbrook Terrace, Ill), rated “A-“(Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: Richmond, VA), rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101-C series or 101-P series, depending on the insured's state. Allianz Global Assistance and Allianz Travel Insurance are brands of AGA Service Company. AGA Service Company is the licensed producer and administrator of this plan and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage because of the affiliation between AGA Service Company and Jefferson Insurance Company.                                              

Media Contact: Daniel Durazo

804.673.7175

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