If you’re a tour operator near a port of call, excursion insurance is a must to work with cruise lines. Failing to have the right coverage will result in fewer people participating, not to mention the fact that it could leave you liable for damages in the event a cruise line passenger is injured.
Why Do I Need Excursion Insurance?
Cruise lines recommend offshore excursions to their guests as a part of their services. When recommending these excursions, operators look at a number of things, including whether or not a tour company has the right insurance coverage in place. Those who do not have the proper coverage and limits will likely be excluded from the program by the cruise lines, since this deficiency will leave them liable for damages should one of their passengers become injured.
Getting mentioned by cruise lines can go a long way toward increasing traffic to tour and excursion operators. Many passengers rely solely on advice from the cruise ship personnel when planning activities because they view them as a valuable source of information. Since guests are often unfamiliar with a given area, they may feel uncomfortable trying to explore on their own and will depend on the cruise directors to advise them of the best offshore tours to enjoy. If your business is not listed, passengers will likely visit your competition instead.
Some passengers may choose to find their own activities in which to participate; however, savvy travelers will also want to make sure a tour operator in insured before they visit. As such, you want to answer fully any questions from the individual consumers. If you are unable to provide proof of coverage, you could lose a great deal of business.
Just because you don’t have any insurance doesn’t mean you are not liable for injuries that happen. Should one of your guests become injured, you could have to pay for damages out of pocket, which in many cases could be devastating to your business. In addition, injured patrons could easily write reviews on different travel web sites letting others know you are uninsured, and this could cause them to avoid visiting your establishment whenever they embark.
When it gets down to it, a great way to enhance your presence in the offshore excursion business is to ensure that you have the proper excursion insurance in place. Doing so will go a long way toward getting recognized by the Cruise Lines, not to mention the fact that it will also help you establish yourself as reputable among those who visit.
If you have a question about why you need excursion insurance, what excursion covers or how to get coverage for exclusion insurance... feel free to contact us.
