Star Citizen's Lifetime Insurance refinements designed to be 'as fair as possible'

Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium will tweak the game's Lifetime Insurance (LTI) program to be "as fair as possible" to all players as the game transitions to a new website, according to a post on the game's official website.

LTI allows players to replace their ships hull in the space sim without limitation or cost if they're destroyed or stolen.

"LTI is intended to make this more convenient for our early backers, not to unbalance the game in any way," the post explains. "Insurance does not negate the cost of repairing, rearming or docking your ship. It protects your hull in its current condition and does not allow you to explode a beaten up ship to exchange for a fresh one at no cost."

The game's new site will divide backers into three groups. "Original" backers who pledged before Nov. 26, 2012 can continue purchasing ships at "original campaign prices" with LTI until Nov. 26, 2013. "Veteran" backers who pledged between Nov. 26, 2012 and the launch of the impending website have the same advantages as "original" backers, but must purchase ships at "post campaign prices." Backers who pledge after the new site launches will receive Standard Hull Insurance, which offers the same protection but must be renewed periodically with in-game credits. They can, however, receive and give ships with LTI as gifts.

RSI will announce the "exact date and time of the new website launch ... later this month," according to the post.

Star Citizen surpassed its crowdfunding goals last November with more than $6 million in pledges divided between Kickstarter and the Roberts Space Industries website. As of this writing, it's received over $9.5 million of its original $2 million goal. It's scheduled to be released in November 2014.