Interest in Travel Insurance on the rise

May 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Interest in Travel Insurance on the riseWith the recent earthquake in Japan, civil unrest in multiple regions of the world, and a recent rash of travel delays caused by massive wind, hail, and tornadoes across the southern regions of the U.S., interest in travel insurance protection is on the rise.

Travel costs have gone up in the last five years, partly due to rising gas prices, and the end doesn’t appear to be in sight. Many people have put off expensive travel over the past few years in favor of ‘staycations’ (vacations at home with family) due to fears of the economy, unemployment, and slow job growth. Those who are currently making travel plans may find that adding the cost of travel insurance to the tab is worth the cost simply to avoid the huge financial bills that can occur on vacation.

Any good comprehensive travel insurance policy comes with a 24-hour assistance services number staffed with representatives who can provide travel assistance, help navigate a medical emergency, and provide assistance and reimbursement for canceled or delayed plans in addition to problems with accommodations.

Travelers wanting financial protection may opt for these coverages

In addition to having a help hot-line at your fingertips, travel insurance can provide reimbursement for unexpected travel costs that can wreck your travel budget. Protection for financial losses due to stolen baggage, missed connections, and travel delays are included in many comprehensive travel insurance package plans.

If you plan to rent a car on your vacation, avoiding the high charges imposed by rental car companies if the car is damaged is also crucial – especially since this type of coverage is not typically provided by your own auto insurance coverage or the coverage provided by your credit card.

Of course, it’s important for those traveling abroad to consider any pre-existing medical conditions along with medical coverage because U.S.-based health insurance does not extend outside the American borders. If you or someone traveling with you gets ill or injured on the trip, you could face a large medical bill very quickly.

Having travel delay and missed connection coverage can help in instances when a tornado crashes through the airport you planned to flight out of or land at. The airlines don’t provide any help when the situation that caused the delay is a natural act, but travel insurance protection for these situations can mean the difference between sleeping on the floor of the airport and having a hotel room and meals reimbursed.

How much does it cost to Travel to Europe?

May 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

cost-travel-europeTraveling to Europe can be costly or cheap depending on your means and how you want to travel. First class travel is going to cost you a bundle, while traveling in budget class will save you a ton. Traveling frugally doesn’t mean you have to rough it. Travel to Europe these days can be quite affordable, more so than in the past. Seeing Europe, doesn’t have to be just a dream, but can become a reality.

Airlines
Round-trip airline tickets to Europe are ranging from $1000 to $1500 during high season and can be as low as $500 during off season (September through May). Right now there are two competing airlines, Continental and U.S. Airways, which are undercutting most other airlines on many flight routes to European countries. If you dig around on the Internet a bit, you may come up with a good deal. There are many websites that have a feature which compares different airlines, different flight times and different routes all to your benefit. If you find a good deal, go ahead and lock it in, the further out the better, so you will be assured the price and a seat, and your departure won’t be impeded.

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is quite inexpensive these days, so this is one cost you won’t have to stress about. If you’re booking ahead, trip cancellation insurance is a must. You don’t want to get stuck at the last minute being out all the vacation money you’ve invested because you had to cancel your travel plans. These cheap travel insurance policies will protect you for a number of covered reasons for trip cancellation. Being stuck with a huge emergency care bill will really stress you out, so make sure you get covered with (ravel medical insurance as well—just in case of an accident.

Lodging
Many European countries offer inexpensive hostels if you’re up for sharing space with strangers that range from luxurious to the barest of the bare for around $8 a night. If you prefer a bit more privacy and a more low key stay, you can get comfortable motel accommodations for around $120 a night during high season and even cheaper during off season. If you stay a bit away from the city center or historical areas the cost will always be much less, but you trade easy access for the lower cost.

Food
Just as there are large disparities in the cost of flights and lodging—the same can be said for food. Depending on the European country you are visiting and the way you like to eat, the cost will be reflective. Some people can eat on $20 a day in Turkey, while having to spend a $100 a day in France. If you are going to be spending more of your budget on lodging, then you may want to plan on spending less on nice meals out and go for a loaf of fresh bread, cheese and some fruit eaten in your room.

What is the cheapest way to travel to Europe?

May 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

cheapest-way-travel-europeThe cheapest way to travel to Europe is going to depend on where you are to begin with. If you are in the United States, then the cheapest way to travel is to fly. There are many ways you can save on airfares to Europe by following a few simple tips.

  1. Use sites like Kayak.com. Sites like Kayak.com offer a feature that searches multiple airlines, multiple dates and multiple flights at once to find the best rate on the Internet. These sites can save you a lot of money if you don’t have a specific date in mind, but rather a general idea of when you want to travel. You can watch the site over a period of weeks and snag a flight when it is the most affordable.
  2. Contact a travel agent. Let them know you are looking for the cheapest way to jump the puddle to Europe and they can keep an eye out in their pooled airfares for you. They are experts in travel and know how and where to look for good deals.
  3. See what airlines are competing for your business. Some airlines undercut certain travel routes to Europe. Keep an eye out for what is going on in the airline industry for a clue about when the right time is to purchase a ticket.
  4. Buy as soon as you establish a departure date.  If you buy early on you can sometimes save a bundle, but this can be a gamble, if flight prices drop. You’ll miss out on better deals. Sometimes paying a little more to make sure you have a seat when you want it is the cheapest way to go.
  5. Travel in Europe’s off-season. If you wait to travel between September and May your flight price can drop by as much as half. The other advantages will be that you save on accommodations, there are not nearly as many tourists as there are during high-season, you get to have a more relaxed vacation and some of the attractions that charge fees, lower these as well. So, if you decide to go during the slow season, then you will get the cheapest price on most of your trip expenses including the flights.

No matter when you travel to Europe or how much you are willing to spend to get there, you mustn’t forget to get a cheap travel insurance policy before you go. An inexpensive travel medical insurance policy will save you a ton of headaches and money should you have an accident or get injured during your travels. If you are looking for the cheapest way to get to Europe, then you probably don’t want to pay out of pocket and up front for emergency, hospital and doctor’s care or for a medical evacuation flight back home if you should need it. Travel insurance will be the least of your worries and expenses.

Budgeting for a Trip Abroad: Travel Insurance

November 24, 2007 By

The financial benefits of travel insurance for your next trip

Consider the following scenarios:

You’re at the beach somewhere warm, sunny, and exotic. You’re just there for a few short days—one of those special last-minute internet deals. You go out a little farther from the shore. Suddenly, you hear a menacing sound, some sort of low-pitched stringed instrument going “Da-dum…da-dum…[faster] da-dum da-dum da-dum—” No, it’s not Jaws, just your imagination. But in your sudden panic, you flail a little going back into shore, and your foot comes down into the sand hard. You feel a sharp pain. You stepped on a fishhook and it looks like a deep puncture wound. At first, you think that you can just limp back to your hotel, clean out your wound, and resume your activities in tropical paradise. But then you remember you haven’t had a tetanus shot in years. Since you were only going to be away for a few days, you didn’t get any travel insurance. Several hours and several hundred dollars later (assuming there’s even a hospital in your island paradise), you’re back on the beach, just in time to leave.

Or, you’re traveling from Portland, Oregon to New York with a connection in Chicago. Your connection time is long enough that you’re confident you’ll make it. It’s a business trip, and your suit is in your checked luggage. But your plane is delayed leaving Portland. Upon arriving in Chicago, you sprint to make your connection, because your meeting starts a couple of hours after you get to New York and you can’t be late. You make it, but your luggage doesn’t. The airline delivers it to your hotel…after you’ve flown back to Portland. Later, the hotel claims they don’t have it. Somewhere, someone is enjoying your favorite suit.

Or, you’re getting married in a few weeks, and you book a 3-week honeymoon in Tahiti. You both wanted the best of everything for this once-in-a-lifetime romantic getaway. You booked a resort that offers daily massage, snorkeling and scuba diving. Your honeymoon costs more than your wedding, and you can’t wait. Sadly, on the night of the wedding, your father has a heart attack and winds up in critical condition at the hospital. At first, the doctors aren’t sure if he’ll make it or not. He does recover and is able to go home after bypass surgery, but you’ve stayed by his side the whole time, and your honeymoon will have to be postponed.

In any of these situations, travel insurance would have saved you anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Whether you need medical care, luggage replacement, or trip cancellation insurance, travel insurance is typically only a few dollars per day of your trip (with additional fees for especially risky activities). Some trip cancellation insurance allows only specific reasons for cancellation, so check ahead of time—it might be a good idea to get the kind that allows you to cancel for any reason. It’s a smart financial decision to pay a few dollars up front rather than risk losing a serious chunk of your savings in addition to your honeymoon, your favorite suit, or your precious time on the beach.