Travel Insurance and Hurricane Irene

Were your plans disrupted by the recent hurricane? Travel Insurance Select may be able to help if your policy was purchased prior to Sunday, August 21, 2011.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption is covered if Inclement Weather caused delay or Cancellation of your Trip.

The Travel Delay benefit will cover the cost of necessary additional accommodations if your plans are delayed for 12 hours or more due to Inclement Weather.

For more information, call us at 800-937-1387.

Tips for International Students Studying in the U.S.

Planning to study in the U.S.? The State Department has lots of helpful information for you.

1. See tips and watch a video about how to apply for a student visa.
   
   
2. Read the informative "If You Want to Study in the United States" booklets (available in Arabic, Chinese, English, Español, Français, Kazakh, Persian, and Russian).
   
   
3. Learn all the ways you can get ready for your trip by reading travel tips, housing information, financial planning advice, and more.

The State Department also requires (or strongly recommends, for some visa types) getting health insurance and says, "If the university or college you attend does not offer a health insurance plan, it is extremely important that you obtain coverage of your own to protect yourself against potentially very high medical costs." Even if your school offers a plan, it will usually allow you to purchase a less expensive plan somewhere else as long as it meets certain requirements.

If you're looking for a low-cost student health insurance plan that meets most the requirements for most schools, check out Study USA-HealthCare. Join the thousands of international students across the US who enrolled online in Study USA-HealthCare and got their waiver forms the next day. Enroll now or call 1-800-937-1387 for more information.

Travel Insurance: An expense or an investment?

The real cost of flying can be quite shocking when you sit down to consider all of the extra costs that go along with your air fare. Between booking fees, extra baggage fees and having to pay for in-flight snacks, pillow and blankets, the costs can really add up.

While some costs seem like a waste of money (was the one-hour usage of that flimsy airline blanket
really worth $7?), there are some that are well worth the investment. One expense that really pays off is travel insurance, which, for just a small amount, can cover unexpected expenses you might have on your trip.

Many consumers skip this option because they view it as just another fee. However, before you make the choice to skip travel insurance on your next trip, consider the following benefits.

Recoup cancelled flight expenses

Most airlines will charge you a fee if you have to reschedule your flight after you pay for your initial reservation. The fee that goes with this service typically will run you about $150. And, on top of that, you have to rebook your flight within 12 months of the original date or you will lose your airline credit. This is a big fee to have to pay simply because you fell ill right before your trip.

Travel insurance often waive these fees so you are able to reschedule your flight without having to shell out extra dollars.

Recoup missed hotel stay expenses

Many hotels now require an advanced notification of cancelled reservations. This means that if you miss your flight and are stuck in an airport, you will have to pay a fee or pay for the room when you don’t get to take advantage of the accommodations.

Travel insurance often will take care of these fees so you don’t have to become even more disgruntled by vacation mishaps.

Recoup other non-refundable vacation expenses

Airfare and hotel reservations aren’t the only “non-refundable” expenses that you can encounter on vacations. Often, if you pay for amusement park, museum or zoo/aquarium tickets in advance, you are unable to exchange unused tickets for a refund. These attractions can cost quite a bit, especially when you have an entire family that you have purchased tickets for.

Thankfully, many travel insurance policies will refund consumers for these and other non-refundable vacation expenses. This will help you get back most of the money that you have invested in your vacation so you aren’t out a bunch of money and are able to afford to rebook your trip for a later time.

Study USA-HealthCare™ Introduces Increased Coverage for International Student Health Insurance

USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services has long offered international students affordable student health insurance while they study abroad through Study USA-HealthCare™. With recent increases in benefits and coverage options, students will now have even greater coverage while away from home, including:

•     Emergency medical evacuation coverage has increased from $30,000 to $500,000
•     Medical expense coverage per incident for Plan A has increased from $200,000 to $250,000
•     Repatriation of remains has increased from $10,000 to $100,000

Study USA-HealthCare™ provides 24-hour assistance services and the use of any doctor or hospital for J1, F1, M1, B1, and H1 visa holders. Cheaper than most domestic health plans, Study USA-HealthCare™ meets your school’s requirements and costs as low as $1.28 a day.    

With online enrollment, you’ll receive instant confirmation and ID card.

For more information on Study USA-HealthCare™ and its available rates, visit us online at: Travel Insurance Services.

About USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services / Study USA-HealthCare™
Serving individuals, groups and businesses that travel worldwide (pleasure, business, education and more) for over 35 years, USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services (http://www.travelinsure.com) is an independent broker specializing in individual and custom-designed group plans for international, domestic, U.S. and foreign residents. Study USA-HealthCare™ is marketed and provided exclusively by USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services, Walnut Creek, California. Study USA-HealthCare™ is underwritten by The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania.