TravelinsuranceKit.info

It is something that we all need if we are planning to take a trip overseas. Travel insurance will cover most costs in the event of a delayed or canceled trip, death or illness and lost baggage.

The situations that are commonly covered by travel insurance are emergency medical assistance, death, a canceled trip and damaged baggage. You can generally take out travel insurance for any or all of these options, although it may not always be necessary. Make sure you understand exactly what your policy does and does not cover.

If you are traveling overseas, always check your existing medical insurance to see whether it covers you away from home – you may not need to take out extra travel insurance. And you may not need to take out as much travel insurance if you have a major credit card – most credit cards include some kind of basic travel or trip cancellation insurance.

So if you do need travel insurance, where do you get it from? Most cruise lines, travel agents, airlines and tour companies will provide adequate and comprehensive travel insurance. If you are taking a cruise, it may be easier to let the cruise line handle it – they may also be able to offer you a lower rate as they can buy group rate coverage.

Some insurance won’t cover pre-existing medical conditions or participation in dangerous activities such as skiing or mountaineering. Decide whether you need this type of insurance before you travel – most insurance companies won’t allow you to add so-called dangerous sports coverage to your policy once you are actually there.

The cost of travel insurance can be a lot higher if you are traveling to certain countries that are considered to be risky or unsafe. These “travel advisories” are maintained on a list by the US Department of State. American citizens are still forbidden to travel to Cuba and obtaining travel insurance to go there is almost impossible.

Some insurance policies will cover acts of terrorism while other policies won’t – always check the small print or contact your insurance company if the policy isn’t clear. Check whether your policy covers you in the event of natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes – especially if you are traveling to certain parts of the world.

If you are traveling to a country where riots, civil disturbances, strikes or other outbreaks are likely to affect your travel plans, look for travel insurance that specifically covers those possibilities – many policies exclude them.

And airlines reserves the right to cancel your flight and offer you a full refund in the event of civil war, hostilities, riots or other things determined to be “acts of God”. As far as lost luggage is concerned, airlines insure your luggage against loss or damage to some degree – you can take out extra insurance if you want to.

If you are traveling as part of a group – often defined in the travel industry as 10 people or more – it is almost certainly easier and cheaper to take out group travel insurance. As long as your group is traveling together, it should qualify.

And so-called “family plans” are often less expensive when it comes to travel insurance for families traveling together – family may include extended family such as cousins, grandparents and various in-laws.

Like most insurance products – travel insurance can be confusing. It’s certainly worth taking out the right insurance – at the right price – so you can actually enjoy that long awaited trip.



By: Casey Yew

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With fuel prices now beginning to quietly climb down from their lofty prices they’ve been set at for the past few months at least now we can look forward to petrol being under £1.00 for the first time in a long time. But whilst we may be able to afford our journeys in our cars the same cannot be said for airlines of which many have folded or gone bankrupt forcing many holiday makers to be left in the lurch.

A number of high profile cases of airlines in America and the UK folding under the pressure of raised fuel costs has left many people either without a flight to go on holiday or worse, stranded at the airport trying to get a flight home. One such case was the recent collapse of popular budget airline XL Holidays, who folded under the pressure at the end of the summer holidays with many customers still on holiday and unable to get home.

Whilst this was a terrible thing to happen at the end of your holiday (or a good thing if you didn’t want to come home!) many people were left with no replacement flight as they had booked their flights independently through cheap flights websites where they pick and choose their flights and are subsequently not covered by ATOL agreements that come with package deals which would cover your flights even if your provider were to collapse.

With the outrage over the recent events it’s becoming abundantly clear that optional extras like fully comprehensive travel insurance policies are essentials for future holidays. Whilst UK travellers are covered to some extent for medical costs when travelling in the EU it would not cover the closure of your chosen flights company. A dedicated holiday insurance policy would cover this as well as other mishaps like delayed flights (leading to late hotel check ins) and lost luggage.

Some companies cover more than others and so some companies may cover activity holidays where some may cover ski holidays too, it’s advised that you compare travel insurance policies of most insurers to make sure you get the right amount of cover for your particular holiday.

Don’t make the mistake many people have and travel uninsured, remember that cheap holiday may quickly become the most expensive one you’ll ever have if the airline closes up shop when you’re away or weeks away from jetting off.



By: Andy Adams

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If you are an occasional traveler you’ll probably buy your insurance from the travel agent. But if you travel more than twice a year, it is much more cost effective to have one insurance lasting all year round, than buying one every time you travel.

Think ahead, plan ahead. Annual travel insurance easily pays for itself with just a couple of trips. But not all insurances are worth the same and as always cheapest is not necessarily the best. More on this later.

Annual travel insurance is not compulsory but it gives you the peace of mind case of illness and loss or damage to property and many other events. Where is the best place to buy annual travel insurance?

1. Your bank is probably the first place you’ll try. Banks have in recent times become highly competitive and in order to retain your business, may offer better rates. For example my bank has upgraded my checking account to a premium account and for that I pay $20 per month.

As a result I get several privileges including free, worldwide, comprehensive travel insurance. But here is the best part … I get all this free travel insurance not just for myself but also for any member of my family traveling with me including my parents and siblings.

I said free because I am already getting other benefits which are worth a lot more than $20 per month if I were to buy them individually. I also save a lot of time as I never have to look around for insurance. So don’t ignore your bank.

2. Credit card companies also offer similar insurances, with some added advantages. In case of theft or loss of your credit card, they will supply you with an emergency one, often within a few hours.

In addition to travel insurance offers, there is another advantage in checking your credit card company’s terms. If you book your travel using your credit card, pretty much all card companies give excellent cover against many of the things that can go wrong.

Some credit card companies also have specialist travel departments which not only give you travel discounts but also give you even better protection, i.e. better travel insurance and at a much lower cost. But note that all insurance offers exclude you making a claims, for the same item, to multiple sources even if you do have multiple insurance cover.

For example, let’s say you have bought travel insurance separately and you have bought your travel ticket using your credit card. If your luggage is lost, you can almost certainly make a claim to either of the two sources but not to both at the same time.

The reason is that the insurance companies have suffered massive fraud in recent years. Allowing multiple claims simply encourages fraudsters to have multiple insurances and make multiple false claims.

For example, they can take an already damaged suitcase on a long journey knowing that it will fall apart. They can then claim damage and loss of property from multiple insurers.

3. Insurance companies are a popular and obvious source for annual travel insurance. If you drive a car or have home insurance get a quote from your insurance company. Remember, because you are already a customer, your car insurance often entitles you to a very good discount.

Here’s a tip: if they don’t give you a competitive insurance, tell them that you will be looking else where for a good package. Let them know you will be looking for a package that includes great home insurance, excellent travel insurance and also good car insurance.

Listen, fear of loss WILL make them bend over backwards for you and if they don’t? Here’s another tip: When you talk to any other source to get your competitive travel insurance, make sure you mention your other assets that you could be insuring with them, such as your car, home, home contents, etc.

This won’t work with travel companies but works absolutely beautifully with most insurance companies. I have done it many times and saved myself thousands of dollars, yes thousands, over the last few years.

The insurance industry is massively competitive. For once, this works in favor of the “little guy” (you and me), so let’s use it.

4. Certain types of home insurance may also give annual travel cover. Do look into pretty much any insurance cover you have. Some home insurance policies include some forms of travel cover including loss or damage to your property while away from home.

Tip: even if you live with your parents, ask them to check their policy for you. You will be amazed to see that even “your” property is covered while away from home.

Just one word of caution: do not assume what is covered or the level cover. If you are not sure just ask the insurer. If the cover they describe seems even better than what you expected based on the policy document, then do ask them to put their clarification in writing.

Why? When any major loss occurs, the insurer will send a local expert to assess the damage. These guys are called loss adjustors. Their job is to save money for the insurance company. And I tell you from bitter personal experience, they take no prisoners.

They will screw you down to the ground, if you don’t get things in clear black and white writing. Just do it. It takes minutes to request clarification in writing but can save you thousands of dollars when you have one of these mean loss adjustors arguing with you over the policy.

5. You can also buy last minute travel insurance from travel agents and airlines at the airport. Expect to be taken advantage of, heavily! Needless to say, this is one of your most expensive options. Just avoid ending up with this option, see to your insurance long before you need to travel.

Now here’s the thing. Travel insurance policies are not all identical. As well as considering price, you absolutely must read the terms and conditions carefully. For example, the upper age limit of some insurance companies may vary.

Some companies may limit the number of annual trips, whilst others may have no limit at all. Look, most travel insurance policies cover a range of events and claims. But as they say, the devil is in the detail.

The problem you will definitely face with some really cheap policies from unknown and possibly disreputable companies is what they put in the fine print. You know what I’m talking about? … all those tiny little statements they put on the back of the form? Or if you are buying insurance online (and you should), notice all those pages of really small text they ask you to agree to?

Well, that’s where they bury lots of little conditions and limitations. Most people don’t read all the terms. Do yourself a huge favor and on this occasion, do read it all. If the insurance policy terms are full of “weasel words” or complex language, just move on and do not buy.

All insurance companies are quick to point out how many millions you can claim in “total”, in case of a serious accident. But they all limit the amount per item within your claim. So claims for loss of cash will be capped and so will claims for electronic devices, clothes, etc.

This means that with the cheaper policies you will have a really low limit. For example, if you claim for a mobile phone and an MP3 player, you may find that the limit on personal electronics is not enough to even pay for “one” of those devices, let alone both. Don’t wait for an unfortunate event to show you the flaws in a dirt cheap policy. That is the worst time to find out and it is a time when you need the most help.

What must all policies cover?

1. Loss or damage to property and cash

2. Flight delays or cancellation

3. Accidents

4. Sickness

5. Your expenses when an event ocurs

6. Your potential liability to other people

7. Legal services

In comparison to your total costs, annual travel insurance is only a very small item. If you are covered for any eventuality, you’ll have less to worry about, which will translate to more relaxation and enjoyment.



By: Sami Fab

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Although insurance has been in existence, in one form or another, for the past two – three millennia, starting with the Babylonians in circa 1750 BC, Travel Insurance is a relatively new insurance, with respect to other insurances like Life Insurance, Property Insurance, Car Insurance, etc. In the past two centuries, travelling for business and leisure has been growing exponentially and providing a multitude of services for travellers has become a huge business. Due to the ever increasing number of travellers and the many problems encountered by travellers within their own country and abroad, insurance companies came out with comprehensive Travel Insurance Packages for intrepid travellers, businessmen who travel regularly, and for families and groups. Besides these comprehensive Travel Insurance Packages, insurance companies also came out with Cheap Travel Insurance Packages for budget travellers, backpackers, and those travelling alone or in a group, but on a shoe-string budget.

A comprehensive Travel Insurance Package covers almost all risks and includes all facilities and many services and assistance like medical assistance in case of accidents and injury, including air lifting to hospitals if required through an Air Ambulance, hospital expenses, compensation and assistance for lost or stolen baggage, lost documents, booking cancellations, etc. All these services and assistance come at a cost, which is the premium charged for the insurance package. But this does not mean that the Cheap Travel Insurance Packages are useless or should not even be considered. Cheap Travel Insurance means that the package covers the essential and most common risks like medical assistance required, accidents, etc, but some cheap packages may not include some risks covered in the comprehensive packages, and which may not be required or essential for the policy purchaser.

Many insurance companies may also charge a lower premium for comprehensive Travel Insurance packages, based on their assessment of the risks and calculations. This does not mean that these Cheap Travel Insurance packages are not as good as the ones that charge a higher premium for the same package. Offering cheaper travel insurance by an insurance company may be due to its own internal assessment of travel trends, risk factors, calculations, and experiences with previous policyholders and policies issued. Offering of Cheap Travel Insurance and charging a lower premium may also be due to the competition in the insurance industry to entice customers to purchase their Travel Insurance packages.

Whether you opt for comprehensive Travel Insurance or Cheap Travel Insurance, one should always enquire about the risks covered, services provided like online help and call facilities, and assistance provided in case of emergencies and problems. If you are travelling overseas to another country, you should also inquire about the assistance that is provided overseas in case of medical emergencies, cancelled flight and hotel bookings, etc.

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For more information on Travel Insurance or Cheap Travel Insurance Packages, please do visit our site or write to us.



By: Amelie Mag

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Vacationing at least once in a year has become an integral part of many people’s lifestyle and as such the travel insurance has gained in importance like never before.

Just try to imagine the gravity of an emergency situation where you have to deal with an emergency medical situation due to an illness or an accident or injury. Any of these situations can throw you into a panic if you are not adequately prepared. And this preparedness comes from having travel insurance.

So next time you start planning for your next vacation, also include the cost of the travel medical insurance into your budget. Remember, without travel insurance your planning remains grossly incomplete. Even if you consider yourself in a perfect state of health, you cannot predict when accidents or sickness may befall you. Travel health insurance helps you to be on the safe side, so that you do not get hit with a huge medical bill.

Here is some basic information about travel insurance that will help you be well prepared for anything unexpected during your travels:

* Travel insurance in general does not just cover your medical expenses abroad, but also extends coverage to lost luggage and other personal belongings including passports and money. Repatriation costs are also included in the coverage and the costs incurred due to cancelled or delayed flights are also covered by the travel insurance. If you happen to damage items belonging to a third party, you get liability coverage from your insurance company. If you want all these expenses covered by your travel insurance coverage, you should purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

* Most travel insurances generally cover trip cancellation, trip delays, medical and dental expenses, emergency medical transportation, lost luggage, missed connection, itinerary changes, accidental death, any kind of default on the part of airlines, cruise lines and tour operators.

* It is recommended that you buy your policy directly from the insurance company, rather than having it as an add-on to your travel package from your travel agent. This will give you considerable savings on the cost of the travel insurance and you will be able to buy a policy with more comprehensive features.

* Do not judge a policy on the basis of its price alone. A cheap policy does not necessarily mean it is a bad policy. On the other hand the more expensive policies may lack some of the more important features. So shop around on the internet, compare the travel insurance quotes and find a insurance product that caters to all your needs while traveling abroad.

* Last of all, do not take any travel policy for granted; go through it in detail, take note of the disclaimer and make sure that you do not get cheated on the important provisions of your coverage.



By: Susan Jan

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