Cruise ship stranded in the Antarctic

The stranding of the cruise ship MV Ocean Nova in the Antarctic is a dramatic example of what can go wrong on holiday. No serious injuries have been reported to date but the accident has renewed debate surrounding cruise ship safety and the growth in tourism to the Antarctic. Thankfully, these incidents are still few and far between, but perhaps not so when it comes to the less explored regions of the globe. The Antarctic, in particular, has had a spate of similar incidents in the last 18 months, not least the sinking of the cruise ship MV Explorer in November 2007 when the ship hit an iceberg, which resulted in the loss of the ship and dramatic rescue of the passengers and crew. But as more travellers venture into remoter areas, there will be an element of risk that will invariably attach itself to such holidays so using reputable tour operators and having adequate travel insurance cover is an absolute must.

Such incidents are a good example on why travel insurance is so necessary when going on holiday. Most people tend to think about losing a bag or suffering a delay at the airport but travel insurance covers so much more. The list is long. Passengers in such incidents should be eligible for reimbursement of the rest of their holiday by having to curtail it short; any hospital costs from injuries sustained should be covered with repatriation included where necessary; personal belongings will be covered, legal costs should also be covered for any subsequent litigation and any lasting injury or death, as a result, could be covered by the personal accident part of the policy. Thankfully, this type of event is rare but it does happen. Travel insurance won’t stop an incident occurring but will significantly ease the distress and pain in the aftermath. So when deciding on purchasing travel insurance for your next trip, do think of the bigger picture rather than the loss on an ipod.

http://www.travelandinsure.com/