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5 Tips for Keeping your Baggage Safe

May 13, 2011 By Damian Tysdal

5 tips for keeping luggage safeIf you’re worried about your bags being stolen or lost by the airline, you’re not alone. The amount of baggage lost at airports spiked significantly last year, thanks in no small part to a string of natural disasters and flight disruptions. News stories of bags being stolen from the baggage claim carousels are further cause for concern.

While the airlines report they recover nearly all the bags that are reported missing, that’s small comfort to those who’ve had their travel plans affected.

The following tips will help you protect your bags:

  1. Don’t check your bags unless you have to. Sure, the space in those overhead bins is tight, but if you are a light packer and can carry your bag on the flight, you can keep an eye on it. Plus, you won’t have to pay those annoying bag fees imposed by many airlines.
  2. Keep your valuables with you. The airlines don’t compensate you for the loss of many items, including laptops, valuable documents, cameras and more.
  3. If you check your bags, don’t dally after you disembark. Trot right over to the baggage claim to be there as soon as the bags start rolling off. That way, you can snag your bag before a thief does.
  4. Buy the loudest, most colorful bag you can find. Why? Criminals go for the common bags because they don’t want attention drawn to themselves. Just about everyone in the airport has a plain black bag, right? So, how are you going to stop someone from walking off with yours?
  5. Travel with cheap luggage. Designer bags are often worth more than the stuff packed inside, but a $700 bag is a pretty good clue there may be pricey items inside too.

Travel insurance with baggage protections provides better coverage than what the airlines will offer if they lose your bag. Plus, you’ll have coverage for unexpected costs if your bag is delayed a day or two – something the airlines are not required to do.

Filed Under: Learning

Parents Hunting Summer Travel Bargains, Don’t Despair

May 12, 2011 By Damian Tysdal

Parents Hunting Summer Travel BargainsWhile high gas prices and the sluggish economy may be giving parents cause for concern over whether they will be able to afford a summer vacation in 2011, take heart. A number of hotels, tour operators, resorts, and cruise lines are currently offering ‘kids are free’ promotions – especially for children under age 12, but often for older children as well.

  • Hotels deals: check Holiday Inn, Aston, Hayatt, Westin, and Sheraton resorts for deal information.
  • Resort deals: take a look at Comfort Suites in Paradise Island, Bahamas, and the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
  • Tour deals: an assortment of ‘kids stay free’ packages are available with Apple Vacations and Cheap Caribbean.

Of course, a number of travel insurance plans also included kids free when they are traveling with adults as well. See the family travel insurance buying guide and the 3 best family travel insurance plans.

Filed Under: Learning

U.S. Department of Transportation Expands Airline Passenger Protections

May 11, 2011 By Damian Tysdal

Airline Consumer Protections The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently announced an updated set of airline passenger regulations that will go into effect in August of 2011. The intent of these rules is to build out the few passenger protections established in December of 2009.

  1. Airlines will now be required to refund baggage fees if the bag is lost. This seemed like a no-brainer to us, but apparently it wasn’t required before.
  2. Airlines will now be required to prominently disclose all potential fees, including fees for baggage, meals, cancelling or changing reservations, and upgraded seating. What’s changed? The airlines were previously not required to include government taxes and fees in their fare quotes.
  3. Airline compensation to passengers who are bumped off oversold flights is now increased. See what the airlines owe you now. What’s changed? Bumped passengers who are subjected to short delays (arriving within 1-2 hours of their original arrival for domestic flights and 1-4 hours for international flights) are entitled to double the price of their tickets up to $650; passengers subjected to longer delays will receive reimbursement of four times the price of their tickets up to $1,300. Inflationary adjustments every two years are also built into the rules.
  4. Non U.S. airlines are required to limit lengthy tarmac delays. The ruling established a hard four-hour time limit on tarmac delays for international flights of U.S. and foreign airlines (with some exceptions for safety, security or air traffic control reasons). What’s changed? The tarmac ruling previously applied only to U.S. carriers. It’s now expanded to foreign airlines operating in the U.S.

Filed Under: Learning

Airlines with the Best Exchange Fees

May 10, 2011 By Damian Tysdal

Airlines with the best exchange fees

When airline exchange fees were first introduced, way back when, they were quite reasonable (usually $25 or $50). Today, however, exchange fees are much higher and really, there’s very little reason for the price hike. After all, online exchange of this flight for that flight should cost the airlines very little. Instead, the fees seem to be designed to penalize travelers who have to change their plans. Or worse, they seem to be designed to force stuck travelers into purchasing higher-priced tickets.

The best airline for reasonable change fees is Southwest airlines, but JetBlue and Frontier come very close:

  • Frontier recently reduced their itinerary change fees from $100 to $50 for both same day flights and future flights.
  • JetBlue charges a fee of $100 per flight change when the change is made prior to the scheduled departure day. Same day flight changes cost $40 per person and you must travel the same day as your original itinerary.
  • Southwest is alone (and quite proud of it considering their latest advertising) in imposing no fees, which means when you cancel a non refundable ticket, you retain the full dollar value as credit toward a future Southwest flight.

Presumably, when you buy a cheap ticket, you fully plan to participate in that travel, but stuff happens. Of course, if you’re forced to cancel a trip, having travel insurance protection means a full refund your out-of-pocket cost for airline tickets.

Filed Under: Learning

A cautionary tale about credit cards and wallets

May 9, 2011 By Damian Tysdal

A cautionary tale of credit cards and walletsThis story recently caught our eye: A Cheap Broad’s Travel Tips: A Cautionary Tale by Barbara Rice. It describes a woman’s struggle getting her credit card accounts secured after being robbed of her wallet on the Eiffel Tower.

Tourists are easy marks for thieves who have lots of practice and know the area. They’re not just scouting for cash either – that’s easy. The market for stolen credit card numbers is big business in the age of the Internet. Stolen credit card numbers are quickly sold to other countries and thousands in purchases can be piled up over the Internet in mere seconds – often before the traveler even knows it’s missing.

The above-mentioned article describes how best to be prepared if and when a thief strikes, and this is valuable travel information. Some of the tips are familiar to most travelers. Specifically:

  • don’t wear expensive jewelry when traveling
  • keep wallets in deep pockets, not in shallow pants pockets
  • even better, keep your wallet in a zippered compartment and keep the zipper zipped
  • when you withdraw money from an ATM, block the view of your transaction with your body or have your traveling companion stand with you to watch for those who may be taking too much interest in what you’re doing

Additionally, travelers should have the 24-hour global assistance numbers of their credit card and bank card accounts. Each major credit card company and bank has a hot-line if you have to call from outside the U.S., and if you also have your account numbers, they can put a lock on those accounts and often re-issue new cards and have them sent to you.

In short, we found the list of tips at the end of this particular article useful. Of course, our recent post on Tips for Safe Summer Travel mentions some of the same tips, but you can never be too careful about your wallet at home or on the road. In addition to being smart and careful while you travel, some travel insurance plans provide identity theft services, which can help when your identity has been stolen, and passport/credit card services for replacement documents and emergency cash.

Filed Under: Learning

Canadian Snowbirds Warn Others to Read their Travel Policies

May 6, 2011 By Damian Tysdal

Canadian snowbirds warn others to read their travel policiesA retired Canadian couple, George and Margaret Garbutts, from Calgary recently visiting Arizona for the winter found their travel insurance plan didn’t help them when they needed it and they warn others to carefully review and understand their travel insurance policies.

The issue occurred when George experienced a medical emergency: an emergency appendix surgery at Yuma hospital and the requisite hospital bill (almost $28,000) that followed. The couple thought their travel insurance policy would take care of their medical bills but because George had been treated for an undisclosed pre-existing condition, the insurance company was not liable to cover the medical costs.

Even pre-existing conditions that have nothing to do with the medical emergency can cause your medical coverage to be invalid. This includes even minor pre-existing conditions, which is what George and Margaret discovered. George has been prescribed an inhaler after an X-ray to rule out heart disease indicated he had lung disease.

Now, while this story affects a Canadian couple and (presumably) involves a Canadian insurance company, the rules are true for American travelers as well. Travel insurance plans have an automatic exclusion for pre-existing conditions, which means they do not cover costs related to a pre-existing condition. If you’ve had a medical problem or been treated for a medical condition during the insurance plan’s look-back period, then it’s important to disclose that fact when you make your travel insurance purchase if you are to ensure that your travel policy will cover medical problems on your trip.

See our explanation of look-back periods and pre-existing condition waivers for a better understanding of what you need to know prior to purchasing your travel insurance plan.

Filed Under: Learning

Tips for Safe Travel this Summer

May 5, 2011 By Damian Tysdal

Tips for safe summer travelMany Americans who have avoided travel over the past few years are showing more willingness to travel this year. If you haven’t traveled in some time, take a few minutes to update yourself on what’s changed in travel lately.

Check the rules – they’ve changed

Travel between the U.S. and our border countries – Canada and Mexico – is different since changes were enacted due to concerns over homeland security. For decades, travelers needed only their driver’s license to cross the borders, but this is no longer true. U.S. citizens will need a valid passport to re-enter the U.S.

Of course, if boarding a plane this summer, it’s always a good idea to check the What to Know Before you Go provided by the Transportation Security Administration as well.

Have a plan for problems that can occur

Travel experts have long recommended having a copy of vital documents, such as your passport, driver’s license, credit cards, and health insurance cards even when traveling inside the U.S. If your wallet or purse is stolen, you can refer to those copies to cancel and re-issue bank cards and make a useful police report. These copies should be kept in a safe place that is separate from the originals (i.e., not in your purse or wallet). Ideally, having them scanned and available digitally, in the form of an e-mail is the best.

Of course, having a plan and having some backup is best. All good travel insurance plans come with a multi-lingual support hot-line that can help travelers locate medical care, arrange alternative or emergency transportation, track lost luggage, and more.

Know your routes before you leave

A common taxi scam is taking the ‘scenic route’ to drive up the fare. One of the best ways to protect yourself from common scams like this is having a map and knowing the route before you leave. Call the hotel concierge for information about the trip as well, so you know how much it should cost and how long it should take.

Filed Under: Learning

Interest in Travel Insurance on the rise

May 4, 2011 By Damian Tysdal

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.

Filed Under: Learning

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About this website

My name is Damian, and I started this website in 2006 to help travelers understand travel insurance.

The site features company reviews, guides, articles, and many blog posts to help you better understand travel insurance and pick the right plan for your trip (assuming you actually need travel insurance).

I am also a licensed travel insurance agent, and you can get a quote and purchase through this site as well.

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