Is Viking Travel Insurance Worth It?
Key Takeaways
- Viking insurance provides 100% coverage for cruise cancellations for any reason in the form of a cruise credit. It also has adequate coverage for Emergency Medical expenses, which is rare for a cruise line policy.
- Viking travel insurance often isn’t worth it for most cruisers due to its excessively high premiums, which can reach as high as 13% of your cruise according to our pricing analysis.
- Viking cruise insurance has significant coverage gaps compared to third-party insurance, including inadequate Medical Evacuation coverage, no coverage for travel purchased outside of Viking, and no coverage for missed connection flights that make you late to the port.
- Viking customers have mixed reviews on its travel insurance, due to issues with Viking’s claims processor, Trip Mate.
- Comparing cruise insurance quotes can help ensure you’re getting the right coverage for your Viking cruise.
What Is Viking Trip Mate Insurance?
Viking Trip Mate, underwritten by Generali and administered by Trip Mate, is an optional cruise insurance plan that you can add for an extra fee while booking, or any time up until your final payment. It includes a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) waiver that reimburses 100% of your cruise cost, along with comprehensive travel insurance that covers everything from lost bags to medical emergencies on board.
What Does Viking Travel Insurance Cover?
Viking offers one of the strongest cruise protection plans available directly from a cruise line, including 100% cancellation protection and adequate protection for emergency medical expenses.
It covers:
- Trip cancellations for a covered reason: Viking will reimburse up to 100% of your prepaid, non-refundable expenses in cash for travel purchased through Viking, in case you need to cancel your trip for a qualifying reason. This includes illness, sickness, or injury of you, a business partner, a traveling companion, or family member, among many other reasons.
- Cancellations for any other reason: If you need to cancel your cruise for a non-covered reason, Viking will reimburse up to 100% of your prepaid, non-refundable purchases made through Viking in the form of a Viking cruise voucher.
- Trip interruptions for a covered reason: If you need to interrupt your cruise for a qualifying reason, like illness, injury, or death of you, a business partner, traveling companion, or family member, Viking will reimburse up to 150% of your cruise cost. It will also cover the cost of your return travel.
- Medical and dental emergencies: Viking reimburses up to $100,000 per person in case of a medical emergency during your trip, which meets our recommended coverage for cruises. You also get up to $750 per person toward dental emergencies.
- Medical evacuations: Viking covers up to $200,000 in expenses for transportation to a hospital of your choice, including within the U.S., in case of a medical emergency. Note that, while this is high for a cruise line policy, it still falls below our recommended limit of $250,000.
- Pre-existing conditions: Viking waives pre-existing conditions if you purchase a policy within 15 days of your initial cruise deposit and your policy is in effect for at least 180 days for the waiver to apply.
- Evacuations due to disasters or unrest: You can get up to $25,000 per person for food, lodging, and security in case of a disaster or civil, military, or political unrest.
- Travel delays: Viking offers up to $1,500 for hotel nights, meals, transportation, and other expenses for delays over 12 hours.
- Air flight accidents: You can get reimbursed up to $25,000 per person for death or dismemberment due to an accident on an airplane.
- Lost and damaged baggage: You’re covered up to $3,000 for baggage lost, stolen, or damaged during your trip, including passports and visas.
- Baggage delays: Viking will reimburse up to $1,000 to purchase clothing and essential items and to wash clothes in case your bags are delayed by more than 24 hours. It also covers expenses to track your bags and have them delivered to you.
How Much Is Viking Travel Insurance?
The cost of Viking travel insurance depends on the cost of your cruise and ranges from about 7% to 13% of the total cruise cost based on our sampling of cruise itineraries. This can be quite expensive compared to third-party cruise insurance, which typically ranges between 4% and 10% and averages around 6% according to our cruise insurance cost report.
| Trip cost | Premium | Cost/day | % of trip cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9-day France River Cruise | $6,898 | $898 | $100 | 13% |
| 15-day British Isles Cruise | $15,998 | 1,698 | $113 | 11% |
| 13-day Arctic Explorer Cruise | $30,990 | $2,598 | $200 | 8% |
| 27-day Canada & Northwest Passage Cruise | $69,996 | $4,898 | $181 | 7% |
The more your cruise costs, the more reasonable the cost of Viking travel insurance. Premiums for Viking cruises over $30,000 constitute around 7% of the cruise cost, which is more comparable to the pricing of top cruise insurance plans on Squaremouth.
Tip: If your cruise cost falls below $20,000, combining the travel protections on a Chase Sapphire card with standalone medical travel insurance may provide similar protection at a lower cost.
How Does Viking Travel Insurance Compare to Third-Party Insurance?
Viking travel insurance is generally very expensive compared to third-party cruise insurance and has coverage gaps, especially for medical evacuations and travel purchased outside Viking.
| Benefit | Viking Trip Mate Insurance | Tin Leg Cruise | Seven Corners Cruise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of premium | 11% of cruise cost* | 7% of trip cost* | 8% of cruise cost* |
| Trip Cancellation | 100% of cruise cost | 100% of trip cost | 100% of trip cost |
| Trip Interruption | 150% of cruise cost | 150% of trip cost | 150% of trip cost |
| Trip Delay | $1,500 after 12-hour delay | $2,000/person after 6-hour delay | $1,000/person after 6-hour delay |
| Missed Connection | No coverage | $500/person after 3-hour delay | $1,500/person after 3-hour delay |
| Baggage Loss/Damage | $3,000 | $500/person | $2,000/person |
| Baggage Delay | $1,000 after 24-hour delay | $500/per person after 24-hour delay | $500 after 6-hour delay |
| Emergency Medical | $100,000/person ($400,000 max) | $100,000/person | $250,000/person (secondary) |
| Emergency Evacuation | $200,000/person ($800,000 max) | $250,000/person | $500,000/person |
| Flight-Only AD&D | $25,000 (airplane only) | No coverage | No coverage |
| Cancel For Any Reason | 100% in the form of a cruise credit | Optional add-on, covers 75% of full trip cost | Optional add-on, covers 75% of full trip cost |
How Viking Travel Insurance Stands Out
- 100% CFAR coverage: Viking reimburses up to 100% of your non-refundable, prepaid cruise costs for CFAR as a cruise credit. Third-party cruise insurance only covers 75% of your trip costs for a similar premium.
- Strong baggage coverage: Viking offers much higher coverage for lost and delayed bags than third-party cruise insurance.
- High airplane accident coverage: Viking also offers higher coverage for accidental death and dismemberment (though it only applies to airplane accidents rather than the full trip).
- Low pricing for people over 75: Viking’s premiums for older seniors can be competitive with third-party cruise insurance since its premiums don’t increase with age. This is especially true for cruises over $30,000, which fall on the lowest end of the price range.
How Viking Travel Insurance Falls Short
- High pricing for people under 75: For people under 70, Viking cruise insurance is far too expensive for what it offers. Our top cruise plans for seniors cost 7% of the trip for a 65-year-old, versus up to 13% for a Viking cruise plan.
- Caps on Emergency Medical coverage: While Viking’s Emergency Medical coverage is sufficient, it’s capped at $100,000 per person and $400,000 for the cruise. Our minimum recommendation is $100,000, and our top cruise insurance plans offer up to $500,000 per person.
- Insufficient Emergency Evacuation: Viking’s Emergency Evacuation coverage falls below our recommended coverage of $250,000, while our top cruise plans meet this recommendation.
- Doesn’t cover travel purchased outside of Viking: While third-party cruise insurance covers 100% of your trip costs, Viking’s plan only covers airfare and hotels booked with Viking. This could result in a serious shortfall for anyone who doesn’t want to book everything through Viking.
- CFAR is refunded as a cruise voucher: Viking CFAR reimbursement comes in the form of a cruise voucher that includes blackout dates and an expiration date. Third-party cruise insurance reimburses CFAR as cash.
- No missed connection coverage: Unlike many third-party plans, Viking’s plan doesn’t reimburse you for the cost of catching up with your cruise in case you miss a connection.
- Covering other cruise-related disruptions: Viking doesn’t cover other cruise-specific disruptions, like missed ports of call, virus outbreaks, or loss of power, food, or water.
Many frequent cruisers on Viking recommend purchasing annual travel insurance, which can allow you to insure multiple cruises for an overall lower cost.
How Easy Is It To Submit a Claim With Trip Mate?
Viking customers report mixed experiences with submitting claims through Trip Mate, which has a 3.2 rating on TrustPilot. About 44% of reviewers report very positive experiences, with claims that were processed quickly and strong customer service. However, nearly the same percentage of customers offer 1-star reviews. Common complaints include:
- Claims are being denied without a clear explanation
- A drawn-out claims process that requires extensive documentation
- Rude and unhelpful customer service representatives
- Long wait times and poor communication
- Difficulty escalating claims and getting answers to questions
Policies purchased on Squaremouth are backed by our Zero Complaint Guarantee. Our licensed claims adjusters will help mediate with your provider if you feel that a claim was denied unfairly.
Should You Get Viking Travel Insurance?
Viking travel insurance has strong coverage and can be a good fit for some cruisers, but it’s not a good fit for most due to its high premiums and coverage gaps. It might be a good value for some older travelers, particularly those taking very expensive voyages, since pricing doesn’t increase with age.
However, the majority of travelers will be better served with third-party cruise insurance, which covers more of your trip and provides adequate Medical Evacuation coverage. Regardless, you should compare quotes on Squaremouth to make sure you’re getting the best coverage for your cruise.
Viking Cruise Insurance Pros & Cons
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What Is the Best Travel Insurance for a Viking Cruise?
IMG iTravelInsured Choice Cruise is our most popular cruise plan and is the best value if your trip costs less than $20,000. Tin Leg Cruise provides a great balance of coverage versus price for cruises over $20,000. Seven Corners Cruise is a strong choice for remote Viking expeditions thanks to its very high limits for Medical Evacuation and Emergency Evacuation.
FAQs: Viking Travel Protection
Viking uses Generali Travel Insurance to underwrite its travel insurance policy. Generali is a top insurance provider with an A+ (Superior) A.M. Best rating, which means it’s very reliable at paying out claims. However, claims are administered by a separate company, Trip Mate, which doesn’t have as strong of a customer service track record
Yes, you can add Viking cruise insurance after booking your cruise, up until your final payment, which is due 180 days before your cruise date. However, you can only qualify for its pre-existing condition waiver if you purchase coverage within 15 days of your initial cruise deposit. Generally, the sooner you purchase travel insurance for your cruise, the better.
Yes, Viking travel insurance should cover COVID-19 as long as it wasn’t diagnosed before you purchased the policy.
Viking travel insurance will cover pre-existing conditions if you purchase coverage within 15 days of your initial cruise deposit. Once this window closes, the policy will not cover pre-existing conditions that were treated or diagnosed within 60 days of your lookback period.
Viking travel insurance only covers flights and hotels purchased through Viking. Any travel purchased outside of Viking is not covered.
Viking travel insurance will not reimburse you if Viking cancels or alters your cruise, since its policy only applies to cruises that you choose to cancel or interrupt. However, you may be eligible for a refund under Viking’s general contract in case of a cancellation.
Viking travel insurance only covers shore excursions booked through Viking if you choose to cancel or interrupt your cruise. It doesn’t cover shore excursions booked from a third party, and it won’t cover your excursion if Viking chooses to skip the port due to weather or other issues.