Be careful in Bonaire (Burglaries)

[Herk_Man]

I found the comments on insuring our valuables pretty funny. I don't care how much insurance you have, it's the vacation that gets ruined. You can't replace that feeling of being ripped off and you can never go back and replace your time lost. While, I'm not saying it's true, I wouldn't be surprised to find exclusion in some policies for coverage in certainly places.

They are talking about vacation insurance. It's a special policy that covers your vacation. It's there because of the exclusions of a homeowner's policy. It is relatively inexpensive if you shop around. Covers cancelled flights, lost luggage, emergency medical attention, etc. If you go on an expensive vacation without it, you are less than brilliant in my opinion. (No, I'm not an insurance salesman.)

Now, we have to agree that getting ripped off is a very violating experience and no amount of insurance can heal that feeling. But feeling violated but getting reimbursed for your loss is a lot better than just bending over and taking it.

 

[DandyDon]

They are talking about vacation insurance. It's a special policy that covers your vacation. It's there because of the exclusions of a homeowner's policy. It is relatively inexpensive if you shop around. Covers cancelled flights, lost luggage, emergency medical attention, etc. If you go on an expensive vacation without it, you are less than brilliant in my opinion. (No, I'm not an insurance salesman.)

Now, we have to agree that getting ripped off is a very violating experience and no amount of insurance can heal that feeling. But feeling violated but getting reimbursed for your loss is a lot better than just bending over and taking it.

Uh, actually there are often a lot of exclusions, limits, and deductibles on lost property on Trip Insurance. It's a good backup along with the other coverages, especially with airline limits of loss liability being so much lower on international trips - but check your exclusions closely, like for electronics and cameras, and consider the one I keep suggesting which I consider a good idea on things that often leave the house, trip or not.

Here is how mine reads, with my emphasis...

Baggage and Personal Effects: Coverage will be provided to You: (a) against all risks of permanent loss, theft or damage to Your Baggage and Personal Effects; (b) subject to all Exclusions and Limitations in the policy; (c) up to the Maximum Benefit Amount ($2500); and (d) occurring while this coverage is in force.
The lesser of the following amounts will be paid: 1) the actual cash value (cost less proper deduction for depreciation) at the time of loss, theft or damage; 2) the cost to repair or replace the article with material of a like kind and quality; or 3) $300 per article.
A combined maximum of $600 will be paid for jewelry, watches, articles consisting in whole or in part of silver, gold or platinum, articles trimmed with fur, cameras and their accessories and related equipment.
A maximum of $50 will be paid for the cost of replacing a passport or visa. A maximum of $50 will be paid for the cost associated with the unauthorized use of lost or stolen credit cards, subject to verification that You have complied with all conditions of the credit card company.
Baggage and Personal Effects does not include:
1) animals; 2) automobiles and automobile equipment; 3) boats or other vehicles or conveyances; 4) trailers; 5) motors; 6) aircraft; 7) bicycles, except when checked as baggage with a Common Carrier; 8) household effects and furnishings; 9) antiques and collectors items; 10) sunglasses, contact lenses, artificial teeth, dental bridges or hearing aids; 11) prosthetic limbs; 12) prescribed medications; 13) keys, money, credit cards (except as coverage is otherwise specifically provided herein); 14) securities, stamps, tickets and documents (except as coverage is otherwise specifically provided herein); 15) professional or occupational equipment or property, whether or not electronic business equipment; or 16) telephones, computer hardware or software.

And I do always do trip insurance out of country, but it's a personal call. If my medical coverage was good out of country, I might not, depending on cancellation penalties and possible credits to use later.

 

[jd950]

I am glad the thieves were caught. I am a big believer in restorative justice and that sort of thing, so I think there should be an emphasis on showing them how they hurt their victims.

I was thinking perhaps someone who is down there could take them on a dive.

Maybe a deep dive?

 

[Herk_Man]

Uh, actually there are often a lot of exclusions, limits, and deductibles on lost property on Trip Insurance.

Don, you are right. But to say that insurance doesn't come without exclusions is a bit like saying nitrox doesn't come without nitrogen.

My point, which I guess I did a poor job of making, was that trip insurance will cover you for a lot of the big ticket items that your homeowner's policy will exclude. For instance, homeowner's policies normally cover theft of personal property, but frequently exclude that coverage if you are outside the country. Trip insurance should cover that.

But going on an expensive trip without trip insurance is not smart. And that was my main point.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[DIVECOZUMEL]

Here's a heads up. There were many burglaries in Bonaire last week, including us within the first 5 hours of arriving. They took our passports, laptops, video cameras, digital cameras, housings, dive watches, cell phones, cash, ipods, bags and even some clothes. They used a crowbar to break into the rooms and into the safe. We met 3 other couples on the plane back that were also burglarized and they had met others during the trip.

If you are going to Bonaire, get some travelers insurance and ask to put your passports in the hotel's safe. Make photo copies of your passport and don't keep them in your safe (our copies were taken). They don't really know how to handle stolen passports on the island, so be extra careful with those. (They tried to send us back and forth between immigration and the visitor's center until I started yelling at people. That seemed to be the only way to get any kind of help.)

It's too bad you did not know about this website before going. I have been
reading about the robberies there for years although have not read up lately.
If anyone else is planning on going check this site to see if you could find a
hotel that does not get hit.

Topics - Bonaire Talk

 

[pilot fish]

The dive shop we book some trips with likes to make a copy and keep it at the shop under lock and key while you are on a trip with them. They will destroy it when you return. That way they can fax it in case it is needed.

I don't travel with a dive shop

 

[skynscuba]

Scan a copy of your passport, make it a pdf, and e-mail it to yourself. Then you just
find someone to print it for you, if needed.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Our LDS keeps a copy for everyone on their trip! A good dive shop leader should be the go-between for your group and the resort and authorities! They have more clout because they bring the money to the resort and island! A good Dive operation is the best way to go, they work to make your trip work and know the ropes! When I lead a group I have hand outs and maps as well as rules of the road along with local info and contact information! I do like having it in PDF form!

 

[BDSC]

I don't travel with a dive shop

Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. The Bonaire trip in a few weeks is just me and a buddy. I have a Little Cayman trip in May that I put together through a shop and I'm the "trip leader" in title only. We are all experienced so what we are doing is taking the free space we earn and reducing the cost of everyones trip. I much prefer to do it that way.

 

[DiveMaven]

One easy thing you can do to help reduce the likelyhood of a burglery is to request a room on a second floor or higher. Ground floor units/houses always have more break-ins than upper floors. Whenever I travel, I always request upper floor units regardless of my destination (US or abroad).