That means many travelers were left stranded, scrambling to find a flight home.

In a gesture of good travel karma, Travel Guard has announced that it will provide their emergency travel assistance services to all travelers affected by Aloha Airlines’ announcement that it has ceased operations.

Travel Guard has offered to help stranded travelers rebook flights on other air carriers, arrange for extended hotel stays for those currently stranded at their destinations, and even help with other emergency travel needs.

Travelers wishing to take advantage of these complimentary emergency travel assistance services can call AIG Travel Guard’s 24-hour emergency hotline at 1-888-637-1739, or visit www.TravelGuard.com

As an industry that is still growing, especially in the United States, there are more and more travel insurance companies emerging all the time. As of right now, there are roughly 2 dozen companies that market, administer, and issue trip and travel insurance coverage. They range from big-corporation spin-offs like AIU’s Travel Guard, to independent upstarts that have entered the market in the past 15-20 years, like CSA Travel Protection and Seven Corners.

Even though are a several companies to choose with many different policies, there are ways to help you figure out the best one for your trip. At the end of this article, we’ll provide you with some links to comparison sites that let you compare rates from all major companies at the same time.

What exactly do the insurance companies do?

The job of the individual travel insurance companies is simple: they design the product (the policy), they market and sell it, then administer and issue the policy. But it doesn’t end right there. They are also there for a very important reason; possibly the most important when it comes to insurance: support.

Imagine you are traveling in Laos on a 3 week honeymoon. While embarking on a cycling day-trip through the countryside, your new wife takes a tumble and breaks her wrist. What now? You are in the middle of a foreign land, where you do not speak the language, don’t know anyone, let alone the best hospital to take her to. Not to mention how you get her there. This is where good support plays a part.

The insurance companies have support centers with trained insurance professionals that can answer your question; before and after the purchase. They will handle claims and claim questions as well. They provide assistance in foreign countries, help you find a hospital, and even to get through language barriers. They can arrange special transportation if the nearest hospital is not adequate.

The ability of a travel insurance company to provide great support is a very important factor in making your buying decision.

How do I know these travel insurance companies are reliable?

I have written another post on this specific topic; how can you know that you are buying travel insurance from a reputable company? There are a few trustworthy organizations that give credibility to the different trip insurance companies; here is a brief review of them.

The official rating company in the insurance industry is A.M.Best. A.M.Best is a full-service credit rating organization dedicated to serving the financial services industries, including the banking and insurance sectors. They have ratings for every reputable and trustworthy insurance company; on a letter scale (A+, B-, etc.) This a good place to check when you are not sure about a certain company.

The US Travel Insurance Association (UStiA) is a group whose mission is to, “…foster ethical and professional standards of industry conduct, cultivate effective state and federal government relations, inform and assist members, and educate consumers.” Representatives from various travel insurance related companies act as Officers, and travel insurance companies and related companies can pay a membership fee and be listed as members. UStiA does not rate companies, but their membership, and therefore inclusion in the group, helps credibility.

How can I compare rates from the different insurers?

There is actually a very simple way to compare different plans from the different travel insurance companies. In the “old” days (10+ years ago), booking airfare was a very different process than it is today? People typically used a travel agency, or spent hours on the phone with customer service representatives from United Airlines, Northwest Airlines, TWA, and others. You would writing down the different times, connections, and fares. Then you would compare all the prices; and figure out when you wanted to leave, when to return, etc. Sound familiar?

Then along came Expedia, Travelocity, and the other online travel sites. They took the role of travel agent, and made it easy for us to look at all the available airfares from several airlines, and compare prices side-by-side. Much easier, right?

The same thing exists for the travel insurance companies. Instead of using an agency, or calling the individual companies, you can go to comparison websites and see all the different plans, compare the coverage, and even compare quotes (NOTE: in the travel insurance industry, you are able to get instant, accurate quotes for your travel insurance premium. You don’t need to submit your information and wait for an email or call; you can get a quote for travel insurance in less than a minute.)

The other nice thing is that you can instantly purchase and bind coverage, right online. Using a credit card, travelers can get a quote and purchase their policy instantly. The companies generally mail the policy out to you, but you will also receive an email with all the important policy information. You can print this out and get right on the plane.

Related Links
How do I know my travel insurance company is reputable?
3 Steps to finding the right travel insurance
Who has the best coverage for lost luggage?

Travelinsurancereview.net is an independent website that reviews all the different travel insurance companies. With over a dozen companies offering over 100 different plans, finding the right plan for your trip can be very confusing. Individual companies only show the benefits of their products. Our articles discuss the benefits of all different companies and all different products.

Full reviews of each plan are updated all the time

If you do want information about a specific company or insurance plan, the Reviews page is constantly being updated. Here you will find an easy-to-read grid with all the different plans, with links to full reviews. To the right you will also see a link where you can get an instant quote. This take you to a comparison site, where you can enter your trip details and get an instant quote comparison.

Read the actual testimonials from others

Looking at the reader testimonials, you can see that Travelinsurancereview.net is answering the right questions. Readers are able to read informative articles, company reviews, and plan details. When your questions are answered, feel confident making your travel insurance purchase.

Most travel insurance policies include something called “free-look” period, which gives you a certain amount of time to return the policy for a refund. This allows travelers to purchase the plan they like, and spend some additional time reading through it and finalizing their decision.

Most free-look periods are between 10-15 days

Most policies offer a free-look period of between 10-15 days. This means you can buy the policy, return it for any reason (within that time), and receive a premium refund. There may be some small administration fees, but they are usually only $3-$5, and it is well worth the peace of mind knowing you can take your time reading through the coverage.

There are a few conditions of using a free-look refund

If you return the policy for a refund within the free-look period, you will receive that refund pending the following conditions:

• you must return the policy prior to departure
• you have not made any claims on the policy

Compare quotes for travel insurance using a comparison site

Several sites let travelers compare quotes for all different travel insurance policies at the same time, just like Expedia.com lets you compare airfares (see How to Compare Quotes with a Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

Travelsafe offers a few different package plans, and Premier is their high-end product designed specially for upscale travelers. In addition to the standard benefits, Premier includes higher levels of coverage and even extra coverage types.

As with most package plans, Travelsafe’s Premier insurance policy includes coverage for:

• trip cancellation
• trip interruption
• travel delay
• baggage loss and delay
• medical expense/emergency assistance
• emergency medical evacuation with hospital of choice
• AD&D
• 24 hour emergency assistance hot-line

Premier includes extra coverage for the most complete plan available

In addition to the standard coverage listed above, Travelsafe’s Premier plan includes Cancel For Any Reason coverage for 90% of the non-refundable trip cost. This is much higher than the usual 75% cancel for any reason option that other plans offer as options. The Premier plan also includes rental car coverage and medical coverage of $1,000,000. Finally, the Premier plan is not age-rated.

Online quotes and purchasing made easy

Travelers can easily get quotes for Travelsafe products at Travelsafe.com, and even buy their policy online using a credit card. They offer their Premier plan, as well as other travel insurance plans including Vacation, Custom, and Insure-A-Flight.

Use a comparison site to shop around

Another option is to use a comparison site (see How to Compare Quotes with a Travel Insurance Comparison Site) where you can get a quote for Travelsafe products as well as several other companies’ products, and choose the best one for you. The policy costs the same whether you buy from a comparison site or directly from the carrier.

Travelex is know for their international traveler financial services such as currency exchanges, travelers cheques, transfers, and travel insurance. They have actual locations throughout the world, which helps their visibility and trust level. In regards of 1-stop shopping, it is hard to beat Travelex for international financial needs.

TraveLite is a comprehensive plan for everyday travelers

Travelex has a couple basic plans with several upgrade options. TraveLite is the most basic, providing $50,000 in emergency medical coverage.

As with most comprehensive plans, Travelex’s TraveLite includes coverage for:

• trip cancellation
• trip interruption
• travel delay
• baggage loss and delay
• medical expense/emergency assistance
• emergency medical evacuation

TraveLite also includes the new JournEase program benefits

The JournEase program, included with both TraveLite and Travel Plus plans, is a benefit package that includes extra coverage. These are unique coverages, and provide extra value. They include:

• Event Ticket Secure- Reimburses you for unused event tickets to theatrical, concert and sporting events purchased while on your trip that you are unable to use due to a covered reason within the JournEase Program Guide.
• Identity Secure- Provides a vast array of assistance services and covers many of the expenses you incur to restore your identity.
• Medicalsummary.com- Secure Internet-based health information service.

Online quotes and purchasing made easy

You can get quotes for Travelex products at travelex-insurance.com, and read more about the benefits.

Using a comparison site to shop around is smart (see How to Compare Quotes with a Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

CSA Travel Protection is a very reputable company selling travel insurance. They recently consolidated several different policy choices into two, simpler package plans: Freestyle and Freestyle Luxe. Freestyle is their basic plan which offers great overall coverage for most travelers. Freestyle Luxe is an upgraded plan that offers higher coverage amounts and a couple extra benefits.

“Just give us the best plan”

CSA made the choices simpler for travelers seeking trip insurance. They found many travelers simply saying, “just give us the best plan”, and they answered by putting together a comprehensive plan called Freestyle, and an upgrade plan called Freestyle Luxe.

Just like CSA’s Freestyle plan, the Freestyle Luxe travel policy includes coverage for:

• trip cancellation
• trip interruption
• travel delay
• baggage loss and delay
• medical expense/emergency assistance
• emergency medical evacuation

In addition, Freestyle Luxe provides these policy upgrades

• higher baggage coverage (from $1,000 to $1,500)
• higher baggage delay coverage ($200 to $500)
• higher medical expense coverage ($50,000 to $250,000)
• higher medical evacuation coverage ($250,000 to $1,000,000)
• higher collision damage waiver coverage ($25,000 to $50,000)
• higher AD&D flight only ($100,000 to $200,000)
• AD&D travel accident $50,000
• pre-existing condition coverage
• supplier bankruptcy and default coverage

Freestyle Luxe gives travelers higher levels of coverage and additional benefits

The upgrade to Freestyle Luxe gives travelers significantly higher coverage amounts in 6 areas: baggage, baggage delay, medical expenses, medical evacuation, rental collision damage waiver, and flight AD&D. The policy also adds coverage for travel accident AD&D, pre-existing medical conditions, and supplier bankruptcy or default.

Online quotes and purchasing made easy

Travelers can easily get quotes for CSA Travel Protection products at csatravelprotection.com , and even buy their policy online using a credit card. They offer both Freestyle and Freestyle Luxe.

Use a comparison site to shop around

Another option is to use a comparison site(see How to Compare Quotes with a Travel Insurance Comparison Site), where you can get a quote for CSA products and compare them side-by-side with other similar plans. This is the best way to find the right plan and get the best prices. The policy costs the same whether you buy from a comparison site or directly from the carrier.

Travelsafe is a long established company with an A- A.M.Best rating, meaning they are very reputable. A division of the Chester Perfetto Agency, Inc., Travelsafe has been in business since 1971.

They offer a variety of products, but their Vacation insurance is their most popular product, and is perfect for most travelers.

As with most package plans, Travelsafe’s Vacation insurance policy includes coverage for:

• trip cancellation
• trip interruption
• travel delay
• baggage loss and delay
• medical expense/emergency assistance
• emergency medical evacuation with hospital of choice
• AD&D
• 24 hour emergency assistance hot-line
• “cancel for any reason” option available

Travelsafe offers innovative “cancel for any reason” coverage

An option offered with the Vacation plan, “cancel for any reason” allows the traveler to cancel their trip, up to 2 days prior to departure, and receive a 75% reimbursement of pre-paid, non-refundable trip payments. This option costs more, but gives travelers great flexibility.

Online quotes and purchasing made easy

Travelers can easily get quotes for Travelsafe products at Travelsafe.com, and even buy their policy online using a credit card. They offer their vacation plan, as well as other travel insurance plans including Premier, Custom, and Insure-A-Flight.

Use a comparison site to shop around

Another option is to use a comparison site (see How to Compare Quotes with a Travel Insurance Comparison Site) where you can get a quote for Travelsafe products as well as several other companies’ products, and choose the best one for you. The policy costs the same whether you buy from a comparison site or directly from the carrier.

One way to buy travel insurance is to go directly to the source, the travel insurance company. Groups like TravelGuard, CSA Travel protection, and TravelSafe all have websites where you can sign up and buy a trip insurance policy online. This works just fine…if you know what you are looking for.

Many travelers do not know what they need without comparing different policies. It just makes sense. Most planned purchases require some research…if for no other reason than to get the best price.

Find the right plan and get the best price

Travel insurance comparison sites give you quotes from all the different companies at the same time. You can also compare the different coverages, benefits, and “small print” in the insurance policies.

Is it cheaper to buy directly from the insurance company?

No. Travel insurance comparison sites are agents and earn a commission on each policy sold, just like your local agency that insures your home or car. If you buy directly from the travel insurance company, they simply keep the portion of the premium that would go to an agent. Since the price is the same either way, you might as well use a comparison website and find the best policy at the right price.

“Shopping for travel insurance with comparison sites is like shopping for plane tickets at Expedia.com”

(see How to Compare Quotes with a Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

“Cancel for any reason” coverage is a new product that gives travelers more flexibility

This is a relatively new product to come to the market, and it shows how travel insurance companies are tailoring their products to the customer’s needs. Two companies offer policies with “cancel for any reason” options: Travelsafe and M.H.Ross, who operates Tripinsurance.com.

Coverage costs extra, but provides peace of mind

Cancel for any reason coverage costs extra money, but many travelers like the flexibility of being able to cancel their trip without taking a total loss financially.

Cancel for any reason coverage will pay 75% of the non-refundable trip cost. Even though it is only partial refund of payments, it is better than a total loss, and many travelers spend the extra money for the peace of mind.

Be aware of the small print with “cancel for any reason” coverage

There are some conditions for cancel for any reason policies. This policy option covers 75% of the non-refundable trip costs. Cover requires that:

• the plan be purchased within 15 days of the trip deposit
• you select the “cancel for any reason” option when purchasing the policy
• all pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs are insured
• your trip is canceled 2 days prior to the departure date

(see How to Compare Quotes with a Travel Insurance Comparison Site)