Travel Insurance and the State Department Worldwide Alert

Following recent events in the Middle East, the State Department issued a Worldwide Travel Alert on Monday. It warns all U.S. citizens of “the enhanced potential for anti-American violence given recent counter-terrorism activity in Pakistan” and urges those in affected areas to "limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations.” Read the full alert.

Travelers looking for travel insurance with Terrorism coverage can purchase Travel Insurance Select Plus or, in most states, Travel Insurance Select Elite. The policy covers “a Terrorist incident occurring within 30 days of your arrival in a city on your trip’s itinerary.” The Elite option also includes Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage, which allows travelers to cancel their trip for any reason - including fear of traveling to a politically unstable area - and receive up to 75% of their insured trip cost. (To receive the CFAR benefit, insurance must be purchased within 21 days of initial trip deposit and the trip must be cancelled at least two days prior to departure.)

Get an instant quote for Travel Insurance Select or contact us at 800-937-1387.

Nuclear Threat in Japan leads to Travel Disruptions, Massive Evacuation

The continuing nuclear threat from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northeast Japan has led to a travel nightmare, as many try to flee the area to avoid radiation exposure.

The plant was badly damaged last Friday when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit the main island of Honshu. Narita and Haneda Airports are overwhelmed with tourists scrambling to book flights out of the country.

Airlines have issued the following updates to their schedules:

• Deutsche Lufthansa is diverting flights away from Tokyo to Osaka and Nagoya until the weekend

• Taiwan's EVA Airways is cancelling flights to Tokyo and Sapporo until the end of March

• United Continental has cancelled flights to Sendai

• Delta Air Lines has suspended flights to and from Tokyo’s Haneda airport. Its Tokyo-Narita hub continues to operate normally.

• Qantas, SAS, Alitalia and KLM airlines have temporarily moved Tokyo flights to Osaka or added an intermediate stop to Tokyo

• United Airlines and Continental Airlines are maintaining their normal schedules and monitoring the situation

• American Airlines is maintaining its normal schedule, but offers customers the option to change their travel plans.

The U.S. State Department is sending chartered planes to Narita and Haneda airports to begin evacuating U.S. citizens beginning March 17^th.  There will be a limited number of seats available, and priority will be given to passengers with medical emergencies or severe medical conditions.

Passengers will be taken to a “safe haven” and are expected to make their own way home from that point. Payment is not expected upon boarding, but passengers will be expected to reimburse the government at a later date. The State Department also warned those planning to board evacuation planes to "be prepared for a substantial wait at the airport” and to “bring food, water, diapers and other necessary toiletries."

The Travel Insurance Select plan available through USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services includes Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, and Travel Delay coverage due to the Insured’s residence or destination being made uninhabitable by natural disaster. The plan must have been purchased before Thursday, March 10, 2011, for coverage to be in effect.

Policyholders affected by the earthquake can also receive emergency travel assistance for things such as flight and hotel booking, wire transfers, message relay and more by calling 1-866-346-1803 or 1-715-342-3541 (collect). Assistance representatives have access to up-to-date information regarding airline schedules and airport closures, and can help insured passengers make alternate travel arrangements.

Earthquake and Tsunami Off the East Coast of Honshu, Japan

A large magnitude earthquake has occurred near the east coast of Honshu, Japan, on Friday, March 11, 2011, creating mass devastation and death. This also triggered a large tsunami that affected many countries. Google has created a Crisis Response site for the affected area that provides news, maps, and other resources, including a person finder tool.

The Travel Insurance Select plan available through USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services includes Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, and Travel Delay coverage due to the Insured’s residence or destination being made uninhabitable by natural disaster. The plan must have been purchased before Thursday, March 10, 2011, for coverage to be in effect.

Policyholders affected by the earthquake can also receive emergency travel assistance for things such as flight and hotel booking, wire transfers, message relay and more by calling 1-866-346-1803 or 1-715-342-3541 (collect). Assistance representatives have access to up-to-date information regarding airline schedules and airport closures. They can help insured passengers make alternate travel arrangements.

Travel Insurance That Covers Civil Unrest - and Everything Else

As civil unrest continues to spread throughout the Middle East, many travelers are losing money as they are forced to cancel international trips.

Under most travel insurance policies, civil unrest is specifically excluded. Many travelers found themselves stranded a few years back when protests shut down the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. Having believed their policies covered cancellation and delays, many were shocked when told they would not be reimbursed due to civil unrest exclusion clauses.

When traveling internationally, it is important to make sure your travel insurance policy does not make specific exclusions. USI Affinity’s “Cancel for Any Reason” benefit covers cancellations due to anything from civil unrest to just changing your mind.

In most states, “Cancel for Any Reason” is included with Travel Insurance Select's Elite Option. It can also be added to the Basic or Plus Options.

For more information, visit the “Cancel for Any Reason” page or call (800) 937-1387.

Are your road warriors underinsured?

Most business travelers will travel more in one year than the average person will in a lifetime. And standard medical and travel insurance won’t cover many of the risks your small business’s frequent travelers are exposed to.

USI Affinity has been providing travel insurance to business travelers worldwide for over 35 years. We know the unique risks business travelers face, and offer coverage that will protect you and your employees wherever your travels take you.

Our USI ASSIST program offers unique travel coverage for employees of small businesses like yours.  Our comprehensive services include:

• Emergency Travel Assistance
• Identify Theft Protection
• Personal Security Assistance
• Travel Medical Assistance
• VIP Concierge Services
• Worldwide Travel Assistance
• Security Evacuation and Out of Country Emergency Medical Expense for international travelers

And enrolling is quick and easy! There are just six short questions and coverage is guaranteed and confirmed the same day it’s purchased. And payment is accepted online!

For more information call (800) 937-1387.

Important Alert: Travel Issues in Libya, New Zealand and Bahrain

Recent political unrest and a natural disaster have led to U.S. and foreign governments advising travelers postpone trips to the three countries below:

Libya

The State Department has warned against non-essential travel to Libya due to the potential for ongoing unrest. Violent clashes between protesters and security forces continue to threaten the safety of visitors. Several other countries have issued similar warnings, and British Airways and Air France have cancelled all flights to Libya.

New Zealand

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. Considerable damage has been reported in the Christchurch Central Business District and in Lyttelton. Locals have reported experiencing strong aftershocks that are expected to continue.

Bahrain

Continuing violent protests in Bahrain have led the U.S. State department to issue a travel alert urging all U.S. citizens to postpone non-essential travel to the country. The U.K., Australia and South Korea have issued similar travel advisories.

If you need to cancel a trip, check with your travel insurance agent to see what your policy covers in the event of a natural disaster or political unrest. USI Affinity travel policy holders with Trip Cancellation and Interruption Travel Insurance can be reimbursed up to 100% of their Trip Cost if they cancel for a covered reason.

Getting Sick on Vacation Could Cost You an Extra $100,000

Many travelers underestimate just how many vacations are cut short by medical emergencies - some almost before they start.

A passenger on board a recent cruise to the Bahamas only made it as far as the Chesapeake Bay before getting ill. He was medevaced from the ship to awaiting EMS just hours after departure.

This was an unfortunate (and costly) end to a vacation, especially if the ill passenger did not have medical evacuation coverage. Many travel and health care policies provide little or no coverage for an emergency medevac, which can cost $100,000 or more.

That's why it's so important to consider medical evacuation insurance before you travel. Check out MedEvacU, a low cost annual plan for travelers and their families, to make sure your next vacation doesn't end up costing $100,000 more than you planned.

Global Travel Organizations Push for Increase in Student Travel

Tourism board representatives from around the world met in Beijing last month at the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) to discuss a campaign to promote youth and student travel.

The WYSTC included discussions on creating a global strategy for student fares, security, visas and the need for consistent data on international arrivals. The goal is to create products and policies that will help make travel more attractive, accessible and affordable for young travellers.

The youth and student demographic is worth $136 billion (US) a year to the global travel industry, and tourism organizations plan to up their marketing efforts and lobby governments to recognize the importance of investing in the younger market.

The conference will most likely result in a clever marketing campaign to entice students to broaden their horizons by traveling the world. And although young people  rarely worry about the dangers of being far from home in a foreign land, their parents most certainly will.

So, how do you protect your child when she's traveling the world? The first step is to make sure she has proper medical care abroad. Medical coverage, like Study USA-Healthcare™ from USI Travel Insurance Services is a must.

Study USA-Healthcare™ is cheaper than most domestic health plans or plans offered by your child's school.  And with coverage including medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, and 24-hour access to multi-lingual assistance services, they’ll have the help they need when you can't be there.

For more information on Study USA-Healthcare™ , or other travel insurance programs, go to www.travelinsure.com.

Cruise Ship Nightmare Finally Ended, but a Fair Warning to Others

Stuck on a cruise ship with 4,500 other cranky passengers, no air conditioning and nothing but spam on the menu. Talk about a travel disaster.

The Carnival Cruise Ship Splendor finally returned to port Thursday, three days after an engine room fire cut power throughout the ship, leaving it adrift in the Pacific Ocean.

Although Carnival is reimbursing passengers for the cost of their trip and transportation home, nightmare-cruise passengers are not always so lucky.

This past October, two days into a 12-day voyage, the crew of the Celebrity Century discovered the ship's rudder was damaged. The cruise was cancelled, stranding passengers in a small port in southern France during a country-wide transportation strike.

Many of the passengers complained that the crew of the Century were very little help, and had to rely on travel agents and their travel insurance concierge service to help them find their way around France and back home.

With USI Travel Insurance Select Elite, you can receive reimbursement if your trip is cancelled and our concierge service can help you make transportation arrangements to get back home in an emergency.

Planning a cruise? Learn a lesson from these ill-fated trips. For more information on cruise insurance, visit www.travelinsure.com/who/tourcruise.asp.

Travel Warning: Hurricane Paula Throwing a Wrench in Vacation Plans

Heading to Cancun? Hurricane Paula may have other plans for you. Although the storm is only a Category 1, it's causing significant damage in Honduras, Mexico and other countries in its path.

The storm destroyed homes and forced schools to close in Honduras today with its 75 mph winds. It should hit the Yucatan Peninsula late Wednesday night and threatens to ruin the vacations of many in the popular tourist destinations of  Cancun and Cozumel.

Forecasters warned of possible flooding and landslides and suggest tourists avoid fishing trips or water sports.

Travel Insurance Select has coverage for Inclement Weather and Natural Disasters.  If you insured your trip with Travel Insurance Select and are affected by Hurricane Paula, you can call us at 800-937-1387 for details.