Tip: Get just enough insurance for vacations at sea

Planning a winter getaway by sea? Make sure you're insured for emergencies. But there's no need to be overinsured.

Insurance-comparison website Squaremouth (squaremouth.com) notes that not having medical-evacuation insurance can ruin not only your vacation but also your finances forever. Squaremouth says the cost of an accident or health emergency requiring an airlift from the ship and transportation to medical facilities is the responsibility of the traveler if they are not covered by medical-evacuation insurance.

While some travelers take out a short-term policy with medical-evacuation coverage of a million dollars or more, Squaremouth's chief executive Chris Harvey says, "It is rare for an evacuation to cost more than $100,000." His advice: A policy with $100,000 to $500,000 of medical-evacuation coverage should be sufficient. According to squaremouth .com, policies run 5 percent to 10 percent of the total cost of the trip.