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No matter what kinds of insurance you have—home, car, medical, or travel—you’d rather not use them, right? Even if you have great coverage, it will never fully make up for the trauma of your home burning, your car being stolen, or coming down with a serious illness.

It’s the same with travel insurance; it can make your life much easier in those unpleasant situations and help you avoid financial calamity, but you’d probably rather avoid those situations altogether. Here are some travel tips to help you avoid bad experiences on your next journey.

- Wherever you are (and this applies in your hometown too) be aware of your surroundings. If something seems suspicious to you, it probably is. Take the common sense precaution of observing your environment and the people around you.

- Know the risks of the place you are traveling to before you even make the decision to go. Check the U.S. State Department website for the types of crime or other hazards that tourists in a particular country experience. In most places, the chance of being the victim of a violent crime is probably less than it is at home. However, you’ll be better prepared if you can find specific information that will help you make informed decisions while traveling. If there’s a popular scam or an area that’s known to be the site of frequent crimes against tourists, it helps to know this in advance.

- Whenever you travel to a foreign country, knowing at least a few phrases in the local language will enhance your experience. Even if you feel self-conscious, people will appreciate the effort, and learning such key phrases such as “Can you help me?” “I’m allergic to…” or “I can’t find my child” can help you deal with a bad situation. Dorling-Kindersley puts out a good series of language phrasebooks that come with CD’s. It’s possible to learn useful phrases in a few hours, perhaps even on the plane ride over. Most locals will be eager to help you if you are in distress, even if you can only communicate in charades. It is also helpful to carry a card with vital medical information in the local language.

- Be sure to fill your prescriptions before you leave, and plan in advance! Some HMOs will only give you a week or month of your prescription at a time, so if you are going on a longer trip, plan ahead and call your insurance company so that you can get an adequate supply for your vacation. Be sure to pack your medicine in your carry-on luggage. Leave it in its original container and be sure the container is clearly labeled.

- Carry a photocopy of your passport stored separately from your passport itself. It’s also a good idea to leave a photocopy at home with a friend or family member that you can reach easily if necessary. It also helps to carry a money belt with your most important things—the bulk of your cash, credit card, plane ticket home, passport—and carry just the cash you need for the day in a “decoy” purse or wallet. You can buy slender, soft money belts from most travel stores, and they will stay hidden in the waist of your trousers or skirt—accessible if you need them, but out of sight. (Fanny packs, on the other hand, are an invitation to robbery, and not terribly aesthetic either.)

- The peace of mind that you get from having travel insurance should help you to relax and enjoy your vacation, not add to your concerns. Once you’ve taken these sensible precautions—and others that you may read about in your guidebook—forget about them and have fun! Travel insurance can help you if you become ill or if your luggage is stolen, but it can’t make your trip more fun or memorable. That’s up to you.

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All insurance policies have “small print”. Even though it can be painful, it is vital to read and understand this part of your policy, because a misunderstanding can easily cause problems if you need to file a claim.

I asked Scott Perfetto from Travelsafe Insurance to name the most common “mistakes” and misunderstandings when travelers buy insurance. He responded with several, and if you want to avoid a problem later, it’s a good idea to read this now.

1. Buying a travel insurance policy after something happens: Travel insurance, like all insurance, is meant to cover sudden and unforeseen events. In order to be covered, you need to have purchased the insurance before the unforeseen events. Many travelers wait until something happens, then purchase a policy. Unfortunately, those claims are not covered.

2. You cancel your trip before you see a doctor, and expect to be covered: If you’re going to cancel due to medical reasons, you have to visit the doctor first, and your doctor must recommend you do not go. The same goes for interrupting a trip due to illness. Travel Insurance requires documentation (medical records) from your medical professional indicating the illness/reason that you are unable to travel. The medical records must indicate you visited the doctor before canceling your trip.

3. Using the wrong Policy Effective Dates when submitting a claim: Many travelers misunderstand the Departure and Return dates, use the wrong ones on their claims, and then have their claims denied. Departure and Return Dates are actually very simple. The Departure Date is the day you depart your home for your journey or trip. The Return Date is the day you return home from your journey/trip.

So, for example, if you plan on staying at a hotel close the airport the night before your plane departs, your departure date is the day you leave your house; not the day you take the plane.

There are also two effective dates associated with most travel policies:

• Trip Cancellation policies cover you from purchase* until you actually depart for your trip. (*It generally goes into effect the day after the payment is received or the date after the postmark on the application.) You need to purchase Trip Cancellation upfront, not when you’re ready to cancel your trip.
• All other coverage goes into effect on the Date of Departure.

4. Not fully understanding pre-existing condition exclusion waiver: Many travel insurance policies have an exclusion for “pre-existing conditions”; meaning any condition you had before your coverage began. Recently, companies have included a waiver for this exclusion if certain conditions are met. This usually includes the time of purchase, but it will also state a “look back” period. This is an amount of prior time that the insurance company will look to find a condition.

Depending on the look back period, a pre-existing condition with one company is not the same for another. Some look back 60 days, others look back 90 days or more. Not all travel insurance plans will waive for pre-existing conditions. It’s important to read the policy carefully to understand the “rules” for pre-existing conditions.

There are some policies that do not waive for pre-existing medical conditions under any circumstances. Make sure you ask whether your pre-existing condition exclusion waiver applies to only the policy holder, or to their immediate family as well. This is an important distinction. Travelers have fewer limitations when the policy lists only them, allowing them more flexibility. When policies also list immediate family members, the travelers are limited by the pre-existing conditions of the family, which adds loopholes and affects (limits) the benefits.

5. Mistaking an Administrator with the Insurance Company: Very often, the traveler believes they are purchasing a policy from an insurance company, when in most cases they are buying from a third party administrator. In most cases, the administrator markets, sells, and issues the policy. The insurance company underwrites the risk and is responsible for how claims are paid or denied.

6. Thinking “Cancel For Any Reason” and “Cancel At Any Time” mean the same thing: These are two optioned offered by several companies, and are different policies with their own rules.

With “Cancel For Any Reason,” you can cancel for divorce, illness of a pet, lay offs, work, etc. “Cancel At Any Time” will let you cancel whenever you like, but does have restrictions on the reasons you want to cancel.

Travel Insurance provides Trip Cancellation for “coverable” reasons which are clearly stated in your policy. “Cancel For Any Reason” is an optional insurance benefit.

Upon purchase of “Cancel For Any Reason” coverage, you can cancel your trip for any reason but you need to do this within a certain number of days, often 2 days. As long as you cancel your trip at least two days before departure, you will be covered.

Some travel insurance companies specify that you must cancel your trip at least 48 hours before departure (as opposed to “2 days”). While the two sound the same, this is an important distinction – so make sure you understand which will work best for you. It is easier to use two days as a measurement rather than counting hours/minutes from your purchase time.

7. Expecting Baggage Delay Benefits for your return home: Baggage Delay Benefits are not the same on your return home as they are on your outbound trip. This benefit allows travelers to buy the essentials they need until there luggage arrives to their destination. This might include essential toiletries or a swimming suit for the beach. If your bags are delayed on your return home, you do not receive a benefit.

8. Not saving receipts for Additional Purchases: If you are required to purchase additional hotels, meals, etc. due to flight delays or cancellations, keep the receipts. And make sure to find out from the airline why the flight is cancelled or delayed – weather, mechanical, etc.

Bonus

9. Not reading your policy: A travel insurance policy does you no good if you don’t read and understand it. Most anger and resentment over denied claims could be prevented by reading the policy. Insurance companies are extremely specific…they don’t just make up a reason to deny a claim.

Make sure you read the details before you make the purchase. Know what you are buying, and shop around for the benefits that will help you.

TravelSafe Insurance, a division of the Chester Perfetto Agency, Inc. has become a gold standard in travel insurance products through innovation, experience and excellent customer service.

Since 1971, they have marketed and administered some of the most comprehensive policies available in the industry, and are leading the way in developing new solutions for the insurance needs of individuals and families throughout the United States and Canada. Whether you are traveling close to home or around the world, TravelSafe will provide the security and peace of mind you need to enjoy your trip.

Wyomissing, Pa., December 29, 2008 — Beginning January 1, 2009, TravelSafe Insurance is offering an exclusive industry-first benefit, “On Trip” Purchase Protection which reimburses up to $300 per person for travel arrangements that are booked while traveling.

This new benefit will automatically be included at no additional cost in the TravelSafe Vacation, Premier and Prestige plans purchased on and after Thursday, January 1, 2009.

Travelers can be reimbursed up to $300 per person for the cost of unused, forfeited, non-refundable payments for shore excursions; theater, concert or event tickets/fees; or sightseeing tours or trips if such arrangements are made during the Trip (and are to be used prior to the Scheduled Return Date of the Trip) provided the trip is interrupted for a covered reason.

“It’s the first benefit of its kind and an excellent selling tool for travel agents, particularly those agents selling cruises, where onboard purchases are so common” said Scott Perfetto, president, TravelSafe Insurance.

“We work creatively and diligently to design policies that remove the exclusions and typical loop holes associated with all insurance policies. Our intent is to give as much back as possible,” said Perfetto. “We’re very excited to introduce another industry first.”

About TravelSafe Insurance
TravelSafe Insurance is one of the nation’s largest and most respected providers of travel insurance. Since 1971, this family-run business has worked hard to protect the traveler, while remaining on the forefront of innovation and product development with policy options such as the industry-first “Cancel For Any Reason” cash back benefit. With 37 years of travel insurance experience, TravelSafe offers the most comprehensive travel insurance coverage in the industry with personalized service and attention.

Click here to visit the TravelSafe website and read more.

Travel Cancellation Insurance

Travel can be very expensive and many travel products are non-refundable. Travel cancellation insurance coverage can reimburse the cost of your pre-paid trip expenses, but not all travel insurance plans include this coverage. Once you’ve paid your trip deposit (or even the full amount), any number of unexpected reasons can cause you to have to cancel your trip. Canceling your trip can cause you to lose some or all of your prepaid travel expenses, and many travelers find that travel cancellation coverage is well worth the cost.

Examples of Reasons for Canceling a Trip

Travel plans sometimes have to be canceled, and you’re better off safe than sorry when it comes to travel expenses and trip cancellation insurance. Trip cancellations may occur for the following reasons:

• a sudden injury or illness (for you, a family member, or your travel companion)
• common carrier cancellations as a result of inclement weather or labor strikes
• financial insolvency of a common carrier
• unexpected and unavoidable responsibilities at your place of employment
• jury duty
• suddenly being called into active military service
• termination of employment or a transfer of employment to a new city
• travel document theft, such as printed tickets, passport, or visa
• an act of terrorism at your location of departure or destination
• an evacuation is ordered at your home or travel destination
• and others

Rules to Expect with Trip Cancellation Insurance

Some plans include exclusions that define the overall trip amount to be reimbursed. Some plans include trip cancellation as optional coverage and require that the coverage be purchased within a specified number of days after paying the initial trip deposit. Most plans require some type of proof that backs up the reason you are canceling the trip.

Of course, each travel insurance plan is unique and you have to check to be sure trip cancellation coverage is included with the plan you choose.

Making a Trip Cancellation Claim

If you have to make a claim for a canceled trip, you may have to provide proof depending on the type of cancellation, such as providing proof of an injury or illness with a doctor’s note for example. The proof you have to supply will vary depending on your trip insurance plan and the reason for which you are canceling the trip.