| The sinking of the MV Explorer in the Antarctic is | | | | is such a good example on why travel insurance is |
| a dramatic example of what can go wrong on | | | | so necessary when going on holiday. Most people |
| holiday but, thankfully, these incidents are very | | | | tend to think about losing a bag or suffering a |
| few and far between. But as more travellers | | | | delay at the airport but travel insurance covers so |
| venture into more remote areas on the planet, | | | | much more. The list is almost endless. Passengers |
| there is an element of risk that will invariably | | | | will be eligible for reimbursement of the rest of |
| attach itself to such holidays so using reputable | | | | their holiday by having to curtail it short, any |
| tour operators and having adequate travel | | | | hospital costs from injuries sustained should be |
| insurance cover is an absolute must. But returning | | | | covered with repatriation included where |
| this incident for a moment. Like the Titanic, the | | | | necessary, personal belongings will be covered, |
| MV Explorer had next to no warning. The iceberg, | | | | legal costs should also be covered for any |
| or growler as it is called when in a submerged | | | | subsequent litigation and any lasting injury or |
| state, was invisible, it was dark at the time and | | | | death as a result could be covered by the |
| the outside conditions below freezing. So the odds | | | | personal accident part of the policy. Thankfully, |
| were heavily stacked against both ship and | | | | this type of incident is rare but it does happen |
| passengers. The evacuation and subsequent | | | | though the Tsunami in Indonesia and Thailand in |
| abandonment of the ship was handled extremely | | | | 2005 falls into this category as another example |
| well resulting in no loss of life at all and is a credit | | | | of where it paid to have travel insurance. It won't |
| to the well organised and professional ship staff. | | | | stop the incident occurring but will significantly |
| But what of the passengers? With very little time | | | | ease the distress and pain in the aftermath. |
| to prepare, they had to leave most, if not all, of | | | | So when deciding on purchasing travel insurance |
| their belongings onboard, brave the inhospitable | | | | on your next trip, do think of the bigger picture |
| polar seas, and, though not uppermost in their | | | | rather than the loss on an ipod. Travel insurance is |
| minds, curtail their holiday and return home. | | | | a bit like an iceberg. With an iceberg the damage |
| To be honest, this is a small price to pay for | | | | is done by what you don't see, whilst travel |
| surviving such an ordeal, but they will now be | | | | insurance comes into its own in the sections that |
| seeking some form of compensation from both | | | | you don't normally read. |
| the Tour operator and their travel insurance. This | | | | |