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Are there special travel insurance options for travelers with disabilities?

August 12, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

travel-insurance-travelers-disabilitiesMore and more people with disabilities are traveling these days, because there are adequate handicap facilities in many countries around the world. Most airports have the necessary facilities to enable disabled people and their families to travel with minimal hassle. Similar to ordinary travelers, people with disabilities may also meet with misfortunes while there are traveling, and they may end up needing medical care and emergency services. To ensure that they get adequate financial protection during their travels, disabled travelers should purchase a good travel insurance policy.

Not every insurance provider offers travel insurance policies for disabled people. Disabled travelers are required to purchase policies that provide special coverage for them. All the coverage that are available to ordinary travelers are included in a travel policy for the disabled, and these include emergency medical services and transportation, cancellation and curtailment, loss of luggage and belongings, personal liability, death and dismemberment, and others. On top of these, disabled travel insurance also covers for loss or damage of disability and mobility equipment, hire of disability and mobility equipment, and replacement of essential medication. Some insurance providers also offer insurance for care givers. If policy-holders are not satisfied with the amounts of compensation that are offered with certain coverage, they can pay extra to upgrade coverage of their choice. Disabled travel insurance policies are more expensive than policies for ordinary people, because they include a number of additional coverage.

Disabled travelers can opt for a single trip travel insurance policy or a multi trip travel insurance policy. A single trip policy provides coverage for the entire duration of a trip, and it cannot be used again after the trip. This type of policy is the most affordable, and it is suitable for people who do not travel frequently. Those who are planning to travel more than two times a year should get a multi trip policy, because it is cheaper than the total cost of two or more single trip policies. With a multi trip policy, travelers will be covered for any number of trips they make within a year.

It is advisable that disabled travelers purchase travel insurance from established insurance companies or specialized disabled travel insurance providers. Such providers will suggest the right coverage for disabled travelers after thorough evaluation of their physical conditions, and they have the experience and commitment to provide excellent emergency services. Also, they provide efficient claims services, which make it easier for policy holders to get financial recovery.

Filed Under: Learning

Are lawyer fees covered under travel assistance services?

August 11, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

When a traveler is involved in an accident overseas, they might be unsure of what to do, and what proper channels to go through settle any litigation afterwards. It is important that when traveling abroad all travelers adhere to the laws and standards of the country they are visiting. If you are involved in an accident or need legal assistance, travel insurance may be able to help point you in the right direction.

Travel assistance services provide valuable travel information and services, as well as travel insurance for travelers, and they can be very useful when accidents happen during travel. A travel assistance services provider will offer pre-trip information, non-medical services, and a travel insurance policy that covers for medical costs, emergency transportation, and repatriation. Pre-trip information usually includes visa and passport requirements, immunization requirements, embassy referrals, cultural information, foreign exchange rates, and general travel advice. Such information is helpful to travelers when they are planning their vacations, and it ensures that their trips will be worry-free and enjoyable.

The non-medical services that are offered by a travel assistance provider include emergency support services such as translation and interpretation, legal assistance, and emergency travel arrangements. Legal assistance is especially important because it can help travelers get out of legal trouble or gain financial recovery for lost belongings. Instead of providing legal assistance, some travel assistance companies offer insurance coverage for legal fees. Legal expenses can be very high in foreign countries, and it is always a good idea to get financial protection against such expenses.

The travel insurance policy from a travel assistance services provider will ensure that travelers will get adequate compensation for certain unexpected losses that may be sustained during their trips. When travelers become ill or meet with accidents that result in serious injuries during their vacations, they will definitely need medical assistance. With medical coverage, they can be assured that they will get sufficient compensation for the high medical expenses that are incurred. Some travel assistance companies also offer coverage for dental treatment, prescriptions, and medical case monitoring.

Coverage for emergency transportation and repatriation is also very important. If a traveler gets involved in a serious accident, he or she will need emergency transportation to a nearby medical facility. Such transportation can cost thousands of dollars in a foreign country, but it can be recovered if the traveler has emergency transportation coverage. If the injuries are so serious that the traveler needs to be transported back to his or her country immediately, repatriation insurance will cover the total cost of transportation.

Filed Under: Learning

Are there discounts available on hotel rooms for people with travel insurance?

August 11, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

hotel-room-discount-travel-insuranceThe idea of traveling to new places has always captured the hearts and souls of the adventurous. The allure of the open highway or jet-setting off into the distance is ever present, but does come along with its own set of challenges. New places and environments present new health and safety concerns. It is imperative that all travelers prepare themselves in the event of an accident or a sudden illness when traveling abroad. By investing in travel insurance, travelers can be reassured that they will be able to access proper medical care, compensation for lost or stolen property, as well as a number of other benefits, depending on their coverage. A travel insurance policy can provide financial protection for travelers, and it will ensure that they will have peace of mind throughout their vacations.

When people purchase travel insurance, they usually think of coverage for medical expenses, cancellation, and loss of luggage and belongings. Very few travelers will consider taking up insurance for accommodation, but such insurance can be beneficial, especially for those who are planning to stay in expensive hotels. Accommodations can cost up to hundreds of dollars a day, and they make up a substantial portion of travel investments. In the event that a traveler has to cancel their trip, they will lose the money that they have paid for their accommodations. Therefore, it is important for them to apply for accommodation coverage when they purchase their travel insurance. Some travel operators and airlines offer discounts for accommodations and tours, but insurance companies are not known to give such discounts to travelers.

Accommodation insurance is usually not offered as part of a standard travel insurance package plan. In fact, some insurance companies do not provide such coverage. Nonetheless, the cost of accommodation will be compensated as part of the financial recovery for trip cancellation, which is a form of coverage that is included in most travel plans. There are also insurance providers that allow travelers to purchase accommodation coverage as an option. Those who have reserved rooms in expensive hotels should get special coverage for accommodation, or even upgrade the level of coverage, so that they will receive adequate compensation when they cancel their trips, or they cannot stay in the hotels for some other reasons.

When travelers are getting coverage for their accommodations, they should compare quotes and deals from a few insurance companies before they make their purchases. They should not just look for cheap travel insurance plans, because some low-premium policies may not offer substantial coverage. The quality of the policy and the claims service of the insurance provider should also be taken into consideration. Travelers should make it a point to buy travel insurance from reputable insurance companies, because such companies have the necessary experience to deal with emergencies and claims efficiently.

Filed Under: Learning

Airline lost luggage do they have to reimburse me for personal items?

August 10, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

lost-luggage-reimburseOne of the most troublesome aspects of traveling is the possibility of lost luggage. Travelers who never invested in the benefits of a travel insurance policy may want to reconsider their stance on the matter, because it may be worthwhile when their luggage gets lost. In 2009, it’s reported that more than 2 million bags were mishandled by airlines in the United States. While some luggage is eventually found and returned, others are never recovered. Losing luggage can be more than an inconvenience to travelers, some possessions are invaluable and the loss of personal effects can be devastating to the owner.

Assuming that the airline had lost your luggage, it’s normal that you should be cursing your luck. After you have calmed down a little, you should be wondering if you are going to be reimbursed for your personal items. Technically, the airline has to reimburse you for the lost items but the matter is not as easily resolved as you would like. Firstly, you have to go to the baggage claim office to make a report for the lost luggage. Then, things can get tricky.

In the case where you need to buy some necessities like clothes, different airlines have different policies on the matter. Some airlines may require that you wait at least 24 hours after you have made the lost luggage report before you can make purchases for new clothes and some airlines decline to compensate for clothing if your flight is inbound. As for other personal items like tooth paste, shampoo, and soap, the airline may be obliged to provide compensation.

Generally, it’s not easy to get compensation for your personal items if your luggage is lost. For domestic travelers, the maximum liability is $3,300 for a lost luggage and it’s only $640 for international travelers. To make your claim, you will have to produce the receipts for all the items in your luggage, which can be a pain in itself. Then, there’s the waiting period when you case is being reviewed. According to industry insiders, airlines don’t really give so much haste and urgency in these matters because they would rather that you forget, and move on.

To be safe, you may want to think about obtaining excess valuation for luggage, which is actually type of secondary travel insurance. For just a dollar, you will get extra insurance of $100 on domestic flights. The ceiling is coverage of $1,700 and you only have to pay an extra $17. It’s certainly not a bad deal at all!

Filed Under: Learning

Cancel for any reason travel insurance

August 9, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

cancel-for-any-reason-travel-insuranceMost travelers go to great lengths to plan for a trip, making sure that everything is perfect. Whether it’s a holiday or business trip, there are lots of things to consider, including choosing the accommodation, the mode of transport, the places to visit, and which type of travel insurance policy to invest in. A trip can be expensive, especially an overseas destination. Air tickets have to be purchased in full, and deposits are required when you make a booking for any type of accommodation.

Sometimes, the best plans can be thwarted by the unexpected and it is in the best interest of all travelers to be proactive and use travel insurance to protect themselves while traveling. Nowadays, most travel insurance covers for the cancellation of a trip due to serious circumstances, including various forms of disaster in the area of your destination, or the death of a family member. What happens if you want to cancel your trip just because you don’t feel like you will enjoy going to that place or your boss decides to send your colleague on that business trip? In most cases, normal travel insurance doesn’t cover for such reasons.

Then, what you need is cancel for any reason travel insurance.

No one wants to walk away from their vacation or business trip with a negative experience, unfortunately, there are circumstances beyond our control that can negatively impact a trip, make sure that in the event of an emergency, you have taken the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your investment. Cancel for any reason trip insurance allows travelers to cancel their trips for any reason at all. Typically, insurance companies offer cancel for any reason insurance as an upgrade so you will still have to obtain basic travel insurance first.

Depending on your travel insurance company, you have to buy your cancel for any reason travel insurance within a stipulated period of time after you have initially confirmed or paid for your trip. With most cancel for any reason policies, you have to cancel your trip at least 2 days before your scheduled departure. If all the conditions have been satisfied, you can expect to receive reimbursements of up to 75% of your total prepaid non-refundable trip deposits or payments.

Cancel for any reason trip insurance is very convenient because you don’t have to offer any reason for the cancellation of your trip. While it costs a little a little more, it’s really worth it because sometimes, people may want to cancel a trip for some reasons which may not be considered catastrophic. Cancel for any reason trip insurance offers unparalleled flexibility to travelers, giving them the option of canceling their trip for any reason, or no reason at all!

Filed Under: Learning

Can I cancel my travel insurance policy while on my trip?

August 9, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

cancel-travel-insurance-policyNowadays, most travelers will obtain travel insurance before they go on a vacation, so that they can get compensation for expenses that are incurred because of unexpected situations, such as illnesses, accidents, theft, and lost luggage. While a travel insurance policy provides security for travelers, it will not bring any benefit if nothing unfortunate happens during a trip. Some travelers try to cancel their policies during their vacations, because they think that the places that they are visiting are safe enough, and they do not need any insurance coverage. Travelers who plan to cut short their vacations may also want to get a refund from their insurance providers.

Travel insurance providers do not allow insureds to cancel their travel insurance policies during travel, because the policies will be in effect the moment the vacations begin. Usually, they offer a “free-look period” of 10 to 15 days for both annual trip travel insurance and single trip travel insurance policies with more than 30 days of coverage. This means that policyholders can cancel their policies within 10 to 15 days of the time of purchase, provided that their travels have not commenced. Travelers may be given a full refund if no claims have been made during the “free look period”. Those who purchased single trip policies that last for less than 30 days may not be able to cancel their policies.

The “free look period” gives you time to think things over after they have purchased their policies. However, all travelers should read their policies thoroughly, especially the fine print, because they may contain information about policy cancellation, administrative fees, duration of “free look period”, and other important details. If they are not satisfied with certain terms and they wish to get policies from other insurance providers, they can ask for a refund of the premiums that they have paid. In most cases, travelers will receive a full refund, minus a small administration fee that usually amounts to a few dollars. Some insurance companies also allow policy cancellation between the “free look period” and the renewal date, but they may charge a non-refundable fee to cover lost commission that results from the cancellation. Rules for policy cancellation vary from one insurance provider to another, and travelers who wish to cancel their policies should seek advice from their insurance companies. Another way to get a refund for a travel insurance policy is to purchase coverage for trip cancellation. With this coverage, trip takers will get back the full amount that they have paid if they decide to cancel their trips. No matter what the situation, it is important that all policyholders familiarize themselves with their travel insurance policy in order to best understand the terms, conditions, and coverage that it associated with their plan. Insurance companies, both travel and standard, expect that all policyholders are reviewing the terms and conditions of their policy; for the best results, review all information provided by the insurance company and contact your insurance provider with any questions.

Filed Under: Learning

Airline delivers your lost luggage do you tip?

August 8, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

lost-luggageIt’s been the prefect trip. On the return flight, you had been reliving all the wonderful memories, joyously going through each piece of beautiful souvenir you had bought for all your beloved family members and friends. After clearing security protocol and customs, you waited at the baggage claim area to retrieve your luggage and you found yourself still waiting while everybody had gone. Checking with the airline, you were told that your luggage was lost! What could you do?

If you have travel insurance, lost luggage is covered but there’s no doubt that you would be feeling quite upset because you had spent a lot of time and energy, carefully selecting those gifts and are now at a loss for your personal belongings. During a flight, luggage can get lost and many people encounter serious problems because there may be some very important items in the luggage. Sometimes, the baggage is recovered but just as often, it can be lost, for good.

Any traveler would be preoccupied with the lost luggage issue all through the night. In the morning, you receive a call from the airline informing you that the luggage has been recovered and it’s being sent to you promptly. The next thing you know, somebody rings your doorbell and you find this smiling delivery man holding your precious luggage. Do you tip?

This is a tough question. It’s certainly not your fault that the luggage was lost. Why should you tip? If the baggage was not lost by their airline, you would have it already; travelers who have been inconvenienced by negligent airline service may not feel inclined to tip the person who delivers their luggage after a hectic and stressful ordeal, especially around the holidays. In a sense, you have every right and reason to be angry with the airline for losing your luggage. Yet, you should also understand that bags gets lost every day and this is one of the main reasons why people buy a travel insurance policy when they travel. If you are not satisfied that your luggage had been found and returned to you in the fastest time possible, you should pursue the matter through the proper channels. Taking out your frustrations on the delivery man whose job is just to send the luggage to you isn’t fair to the person who most likely had no hand in the unfortunate event. As a courteous gesture, you should offer a tip top the delivery person, especially if you are satisfied that everything is present, and intact. On the other hand, it’s perfectly understandable if you choose not to tip, because the airline would have already paid for the delivery man’s services.

Filed Under: Learning

Are there senior citizen discounts for travel insurance?

August 7, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

Senior citizens may experience greater difficulty when they are traveling. They may not be able to perform physically demanding activities, and should be cautious when adventuring and be aware of health risk that they be inherently be more prone to than other travelers. Elderly travelers are frequently more susceptible to illnesses, which can be caused by adverse weather conditions, and unhygienic food, water or living conditions. It is more likely that they will need medical care when they are traveling. Since medical services can be costly in certain countries, and non-existent in others, it is essential for senior travelers to get insurance coverage for their trips.

Depending on the travel vendor, senior citizens may be eligible for discounts when they buy certain products/services, or visit different locations. Nevertheless, seniors do not get any discounts when they purchase travel insurance. In fact, a travel insurance policy for seniors is more costly than a standard travel policy, and some insurance agents and companies may not be willing to provide coverage for senior travel. Insurance companies are wary of offering senior traveler policies because they may be an increased chance that the company will need to payout for insurance benefits if the traveler falls ill or is injured while traveling.

Senior travelers are rarely eligible for standard travel insurance. Instead, senior travelers should apply for a senior travel insurance policy that cater to their specific needs and desired coverage. This type of policy can be bought from insurance companies and specialized travel insurance providers. The rate and level of coverage of the policy are dependent on the age and health of the applicants. Usually, it is more expensive for older travelers to get insurance coverage for their vacations. Typically, a senior travel insurance policy will cover medical costs for illnesses that are developed during travel, loss of baggage by airline, cancellation of trip and hotel reservation, and accidental death.

Senior travelers who are suffering from diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, arthritis, high cholesterol, stroke, and other medical conditions have to apply for coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. Many travelers with pre-existing conditions find it difficult to get approval for travel insurance, but some insurance companies have special policies for them. These policies are tailor-made to meet the insurance needs of seniors with existing health problems, and they cover recurrence of pre-existing conditions, emergency medical evacuation, and possibly loss or damage of mobility aids.

In order to find the best travel insurance deal, you should do some comparison shopping on the Internet. Compare the quotes and features of policies from a few different companies, and then decide which policy is most suitable for you. Make sure that the insurance company you choose is reliable and has a good reputation for claims handling.

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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