BHTP WaveCare Cruise Travel Insurance
Cruise travel insurance covering trip cancellation, emergency medical care, evacuation, and cruise travel disruptions.What is WaveCare Cruise Travel Insurance?
WaveCare® by Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP) is a travel insurance plan built exclusively for cruise vacations. Unlike standard travel policies, WaveCare includes coverage for uniquely cruise-specific scenarios like being stuck on a ship that loses power, food, water, or restroom facilities, or having your vessel diverted away from a scheduled port of call.
Whether you're sailing the Caribbean, exploring Alaska's Inside Passage, or drifting along a European river, WaveCare protects your investment and your health with broad, primary-basis medical coverage, high evacuation limits, and an easy "pic-and-click" claims process that lets you file right from your phone.
Underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, WaveCare is backed by one of the most financially strong insurance organizations in the world rated A++ (Superior) by AM Best.
Key Highlights:- Cruise-specific coverage protects against ship disruptions and missed ports.
- Primary medical coverage pays medical expenses without waiting for other insurance.
- Emergency medical evacuation covers transport from the ship to a hospital.
- Trip cancellation coverage reimburses prepaid cruise costs for covered reasons.
- Fast mobile claims allow you to submit claims easily with the pic-and-click process.
- 24/7 travel assistance provides worldwide support during emergencies.
- River cruise coverage protects against disruptions due to high or low water levels.
Berkshire Hathaway Wave Care Insurance Reviews
Why Choose BHTP WaveCare for Cruise Travel Insurance?
WaveCare is specifically designed for cruise travelers, offering protection that goes beyond standard travel insurance with benefits tailored for cruise vacations.
- $75,000 Primary Medical: Covers hospital care, physician visits, X-rays, ambulance, and emergency dental (up to $500) pays first, before your regular health insurance.
- $750,000 Emergency Evacuation: Includes escort expenses up to $25,000 if evacuation from ship or a remote port is needed.
- 100% Trip Cancellation: Get back up to $25,000 in non-refundable costs if you cancel for a covered reason.
- 150% Trip Interruption: Reimbursement up to 150% of trip cost (up to $37,500) if your cruise is cut short due to a covered event.
- Pre-Existing Condition Waiver: Covered when purchased within 15 days of your initial deposit with full trip cost insured.
- Fast Claims: Snap a photo, submit online, and get paid direct deposit within 24 hours of approval.
Who Is BHTP WaveCare Cruise Insurance Best For?
WaveCare is crafted for anyone whose dream trip involves a ship, a shore excursion, or a scenic river. Here are the travelers who benefit most.
Caribbean, Mediterranean, Alaska, or world cruises - WaveCare is built around cruise-specific risks like missed ports and shipboard medical emergencies.
European, Asian, or North American river cruises are prone to water-level disruptions. WaveCare's River Cruise Diversion benefit pays if your vessel can't sail.
Cruise deposits are often non-refundable months out. WaveCare lets you cancel for illness, death, weather, and many other covered reasons.
With $75,000 in primary medical coverage and $750,000 in evacuation, WaveCare offers peace of mind for travelers with higher health risk profiles.
Purchase within 15 days of your first trip deposit to unlock the Pre-Existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver a critical protection for many cruisers.
Cancel for Work Reasons is included as a covered event when purchased within the early purchase window covers employer-required work conflicts and mergers.
Port-hopping across multiple countries means your domestic health insurance likely won't cover you. WaveCare's primary medical pays directly, anywhere in the world.
Clear benefits, simple claims, and a trusted Berkshire Hathaway brand make WaveCare the go-to choice for travelers buying cruise insurance for the first time.
WaveCare’s Exclusive Cruise Coverage Benefits
Standard travel insurance doesn't speak "cruise." WaveCare does with three dedicated cruise coverages that protect you against situations unique to life at sea
What Are the Benefits of WaveCare Insurance?
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Trip Cancellation help 100% of Trip Cost up to $25,000 Trip Interruption help 150% of Trip Cost up to $37,500 Trip Delay help $1,000 Missed Connection (3 Hours) help $500 Medical Expense help $75,000 Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation of Remains help $750,000 Lost Baggage help $1,500 Baggage Delay help $200 Accidental Death & Dismemberment help $10,000 Cruise Disruption Cruise Exclusive $500 (Fixed) Cruise Disablement Cruise Exclusive $500 Cruise Diversion Cruise Exclusive $500 River Cruise Diversion Cruise Exclusive $500 Pre-existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver Covered if purchased within 15 days of the Initial Trip Deposit Date. Dental $500 Car Rental Collision Coverage $35,000 Non Insurance Service: Worldwide Travel Assistance Included Financial Default Included Cancel for Work Reasons Included
How Do I File a Claim With WaveCare Insurance?
To file a claim with WaveCare Insurance, follow these steps:
Download Form
Get claim form online
Call Support
855-487-1745
Submit Documents
Mail to Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, 1265 Main Street, Suite 301, Stevens Point, WI, 54481. NAIC# 22276.
Email Help
travel.claims@bhspecialty.com
What WaveCare Travel Insurance Does Not Cover?
Like all travel insurance, WaveCare has exclusions. Review these before purchasing so you understand what is and isn't covered.
- Adventure sports including skydiving, BASE jumping, caving, scuba below 60 feet, and motor racing.
- War or acts of war (declared or undeclared); civil disorder, riot, or insurrection.
- Pre-existing medical conditions (unless waiver purchased within 15 days of initial deposit).
- Trips taken against physician advice.
- Trips less than 100 miles from primary residence.
- Government-mandated stay-at-home or health advisory orders as a standalone cancellation reason.
- Normal pregnancy (unless caused by a complication qualifying as a covered sickness).
- Routine dental care, physical examinations, or elective procedures.
- Losses due to intoxication or drug use (unless physician-prescribed).
- Travel arranged specifically to obtain medical care.
- Cruise Disablement benefit requires confinement for more than 300 consecutive minutes.
- Baggage delay only after minimum 24-hour delay (longer threshold than some other plans).
Need Assistance Choosing The Right Plan?
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BHTP WaveCare Insurance – Frequently Asked Questions
WaveCare is purpose-built for cruise travelers and includes three coverages you won't find in standard travel insurance: Cruise Disablement (confined on a ship without essential services for 300+ minutes), Cruise Diversion (ship misses a scheduled port), and River Cruise Diversion (river cruise unable to sail due to water levels). These are included in the base plan at no extra cost.
WaveCare covers trip cancellation for a wide list of unforeseen events including illness or injury, weather, natural disaster, named storm, mechanical failure of a common carrier, strike, terrorism, military call-up, job loss, and more. The cruise line canceling the cruise on its own is generally excluded unless otherwise covered elsewhere in the policy.
>Yes, through the Cruise Diversion benefit. If your ship doesn't stop at a scheduled port of call due to inclement weather, a terrorist incident, a medical emergency involving another passenger on the ship, or a natural disaster, WaveCare pays up to $500.
Cruise Disablement pays a flat $500 benefit if you are confined on a cruise ship for more than 300 consecutive minutes (5 hours) because the ship is operating without one or more essential provisions: power, food, water, or restroom facilities. This was famously relevant in incidents like the 2013 Carnival Triumph situation.
Yes. The River Cruise Diversion benefit covers you if your river cruise cannot sail due to insufficient or excess water levels and your travel supplier provides only land-based alternative accommodations instead of the river cruise experience. Maximum benefit is $500.
WaveCare provides primary medical coverage. This means it pays your eligible emergency medical expenses first up to $75,000 before your domestic health insurance is involved. Primary coverage is particularly valuable on cruises because your domestic health plan (including Medicare) typically provides little to no coverage outside the U.S. With primary coverage, there is no coordination-of-benefits process, which speeds up claim resolution.
The Missed Connection benefit covers up to $500 if you miss a trip departure due to a flight cancellation or delay of 3 or more hours caused by inclement weather, a named storm, or common carrier delay. This covers additional transport to join your departed cruise and reimbursement for unused prepaid trip costs.
Yes. Emergency Evacuation covers up to $750,000 for medically necessary transportation from the place of injury or illness to the nearest adequate medical facility. This includes evacuations from ships at sea. Arrangements must be authorized in advance by the Travel Insurance Administrator where possible. Escort coverage up to $25,000 is included.
Yes, an optional Car Rental Collision Coverage upgrade is available. It covers up to $35,000 per policy with a $100 deductible for damage to a rental vehicle caused by collision, vandalism, windstorm, fire, hail, or flood. Both the insured and a traveling companion listed on the rental agreement are covered.
WaveCare is underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, which holds an AM Best rating of A++ (Superior).