Travel Insurance Select: New Benefits and Coverage

We are excited to introduce Security Evacuation as a new optional upgrade to Travel Insurance Select, our Trip Cancellation policy. For $99 per insured per trip, travelers will be covered for reasonable charges (up to the plan maximum of $100,000) to be evacuated from the host country due to an occurrence that results in the insured being placed in imminent physical danger.

In addition, Cancel for Any Reason coverage is now available to residents of New York. Residents of all states, including New York, may choose the Travel Insurance Select Elite option for higher coverage limits and purchase early to qualify for all Early Purchase Benefits, including Cancel for Any Reason.

(Cancel for Any Reason is no longer available as an optional Buy-up on the Basic and Plus options, and the reimbursement amount for prepaid non-refundable trip payments/deposits has changed from 75% to 70%.)

While we have made a few changes, travelers will continue to enjoy the same great benefits and services they enjoyed before with Travel Insurance Select®, including:

• Trip Cancellation - Travelers will be reimbursed the non-refundable prepaid trip payments/deposits, up to the amount insured, if they cancel prior to the scheduled departure date for reasons covered in the policy.
• 24-Hour Assistance - Travelers may call the Worldwide Assistance Center 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world for services including locating local physicians and medical facilities, arranging airfares, and more.
• Baggage Loss - Travelers will be reimbursed for lost, damaged, or stolen baggage, passports or visas up to the plan maximum.

See everything that Travel Insurance Select offers.

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to call us at 1-800-937-1387 or email select@travelinsure.com. 

The Importance of Requiring Travel Insurance Information

In any given year, we generally see several costly medical evacuations and numerous hospitalizations of travelers. Unfortunately, we discover that many people travel without the protection of travel insurance. Some are under the assumption that they are covered by their domestic insurance, while others think Medicare will provide for them while they travel abroad. For these reasons alone, it is wise for travel providers to ask for travel insurance information on a Personal Information Form.

You should ask your travelers if they have coverage for medical expense and medical evacuation while traveling outside the country. Ask for specific policy information including contact phone numbers. When you require an answer to the questions, it should result in their having to investigate their coverage  in order to discover if it is adequate. This will help protect them as well as lessen your liability should something go awry on the trip.

Your travelers will naturally look to you for assistance and guidance since they are traveling on a trip sponsored by your organization. The more you can do to be prepared, the better off you and your traveler will be. If you aren't currently requesting this information, it's a good idea to start collecting it.

If you need help with the verbiage or need a sample form, give me a call at 1-800-937-1387 or email me at linda.witt@travelinsure.com.

Is travel insurance worth the added expense?

We were recently asked that question. People want to know if travel insurance is "worth it" and if so, what to look for in a policy.

Travel insurance is just as important as any other insurance. You would never think of driving your car without automobile insurance or go without home owner's or renter's coverage. Part of the trip planning routine should be securing a good travel insurance policy. There are so many perils that may befall the person prior to departing as well as while on that long awaited trip.

In my 20-plus years in the industry, I see that the most frequently used benefit is pre-departure cancellation. When one is planning an exciting vacation, the last thing you want to think about is the need to cancel that trip. Even if you are hale and hearty and ready to go, there are things other than your own illness or accident that can disrupt those plans.

• A family member's unexpected illness or death can put an end to your well-laid plans. What happens if the operator or cruise line you are using suddenly declares bankruptcy and you are out all the funds you have paid? Travel insurance can offer relief in such situations.

• Travel insurance can be a saving grace when you are on your trip and have to return home due to your illness or a family member's illness or death. You can be reimbursed for the unused travel arrangements as well as the additional ticket cost to return to your home.

• The insurance can certainly come in handy if, while traveling, you have an accident or become gravely ill and need emergency evacuation, hospitalization, and then transportation home. Those expenses can run into thousands of dollars and many foreign hospitals will not release you without full payment or at least a guarantee of payment. The insurance company's assistance service can get involved to help facilitate the payment guarantees as well as arrange, oversee, and cover the medically necessary evacuation.

• If you are traveling alone and are hospitalized for an extended period, most policies will bring a family member to your bedside.

• There are also the simple things provided by travel insurance policies such as baggage delay to reimburse for some of the emergency items needed if you arrive and your bags don't. Or Trip Delay benefits that would provide a daily amount for additional accommodations if travel is delayed.

All of the above are some features that should be available in a good travel insurance policy. There are also policies available, at a higher premium, that will cover a percentage of your loss if you cancel for any reason at all.

There are things you should look for when in the market for Travel Insurance in addition to the benefits above.

• Be sure that it is insurance underwritten by an insurance company and not simply a waiver. Many waivers offered by travel suppliers will only offer vouchers to replace the trip at a later date with no refunded cash.

• Also be aware that most policies will not cover the financial default of the organization providing the travel.

• It is also very important that the policy you purchase offers a 24-hour assistance phone number. You need to be able to reach help if the need arises.

Travel insurance is a wise investment any time you travel away from home and especially if there are travel costs involved. It is extremely valuable if you are traveling outside the country and experience a situation where language barriers could cause difficulty in communication. An emergency medical evacuation to a medical facility or back home could be very costly. When difficulties arise, having travel insurance in place can seem a small price to pay.

So the answer to the question is: Of course!

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.

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.

What to Know Before You Go

The travel season is upon us, and the trip you are planning is no doubt something you are anticipating with great joy. However, there are a few things you may wish to remember before you pack that last bag.

• Take along a copy of your travel insurance policy with the emergency phone numbers.
• If illness should occur on the trip and a claim is to be filed, be sure to seek medical care before returning home. It will probably be necessary to verify the medical condition causing the interruption or return.
• Allow any emergency transportation arrangements to be made by the assistance company so payment may be guaranteed.
• Remember: if there should be a baggage delay, that benefit will only reimburse for those items that have been purchased, so keep all receipts in order to present with a claim.
• Baggage loss or theft must be verified by airline, police, hotel or some other authority.
• Keep any receipts that may be reimbursable. Without them the claim will be much more difficult to prove.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at linda.witt@travelinsure.com.

New Information for Trip Planners, Educational Travel, Brokers, Students, Customers, and More

Travel Insurance Services is proud to introduce new blog topics and authors!

Topics will include travel and insurance information for:

Trip Planners, Associations, and Educational Travel
Linda Witt, who has been at TIS for over 21 years, will be sharing her expertise in the unique needs of travelers and trip planners in the educational travel community. Much of her knowledge also applies to associations that have travel programs or want to offer them.

Brokers and Insurance Professionals, including Chinese-Speaking Brokers and Travel Agents
Wendy Tian Miller draws from 6 years of experience to assist insurance professionals and customers. Her posts will focus on agents and brokers, who can in turn pass important information along to their clients. 

Students and Schools
Kris Lavezzoli has worked for TIS for more than a decade, and she uses her experience to help schools navigate the confusing world of student health insurance so they can make sure their students have the coverage they need.

Customer Questions and Issues
At TIS, we receive lots of questions about all kinds of travel insurance issues. It's important to us that customers understand insurance details and feel comfortable with the policy they choose. Posts from "Customer Care" are another way for us to get these answers and explanations out to more people.

We hope the new topics are helpful to you. Feel free to ask our new authors specific questions by commenting on their posts or contacting them directly.

Of course, we'll still post general travel articles and alerts that you may be interested in. If you'd like to see a post about a specific topic, let us know in the comments!

USI Travel Insurance Services Recommended by Sunset Magazine

Travelinsure.com was recently recommended as a travel insurance resource on Sunset.com, a lifestyle guide dedicated to West Coast residents. The article stresses the importance of travel insurance, advising travelers to “make sure [the travel insurance policy] covers security-related cancellations and medical assistance, if you need it.”

We always recommend our Cancel for Any Reason option that can reimburse 75% of your trip costs if you have to cancel your trip - no matter the reason. We also have travel medical insurance options that cover medical costs, even medical evacuations.

And the word on our travel insurance services is spreading. We have also been mentioned in the L.A. Times and the Houston Chronicle.  And why not - we’re rated A+ by the BBB and have been serving travelers for over 35 years.

Want more information on what kind of coverage you need for your next trip? Compare travel insurance plans today.

Hundreds of Flights in Europe Canceled Due to Volcanic Ash

Iceland’s Grimsvotn volcano began to erupt on Saturday, sending clouds of ash into the air over Europe. European air traffic controllers say they expect about 700 flights to be canceled today, however the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation has said that the worst is over, and they expect flight schedules to return to normal by Thursday.  

Some airlines are rebooking passengers on later flights or fully refunding their fare. Travel Insurance Select has coverage for Inclement Weather and Natural Disaster, so travelers who purchased the policy before 5/21/11 and are affected by the volcano can call us at 800-937-1387 for details.

For more information on finding travel insurance that can refund the cost of a trip, go to www.travelinsure.com/what/selecthigh.asp.

 

New Study Says Business Travelers are at a Higher Risk for Health Troubles

A new study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine says that road warriors are nearly twice as likely to be obese as those who don’t travel frequently for work, and have higher blood pressure and lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

It’s easy to let healthy habits go by the wayside when you’re on the road, but staying healthy is as important to your career, and well being, as anything else.

Here are a few tips from the Mayo Clinic that will make staying healthy on the road easier:

• Wear your walking shoes on your trip to your destination and home. If you're traveling by plane, walk through the terminal while you're waiting for your flight. If you're traveling by train, take a stroll through the cars.
• When you arrive, check out the nearest fitness facilities. If there isn’t much to choose from in the way of traditional facilities, make do with what you have. Go to local parks or trails, climb the stairs, or use an online aerobics program.
• Set a workout schedule as soon as you arrive, and stick to it. Exercise at the same time of the day as you do at home, if possible. Sticking to your normal routine may also help you adjust to time changes.

And make sure you’re covered if you need to see a physician while you’re traveling. USI Affinity’s Corporate International Insurance Solutions has options that cover the cost of medical care across the country and internationally.