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How to file a travel insurance claim

January 31, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

Whether you are an avid vacationer, a casual wayfarer, or someone who takes a lot of business trips, travel insurance is always a good thing to have. It protects you from delayed flights, cancelled airline tickets, loss of money or credit cards, and can even cover medical related expenses. Some travel insurance policies will even cover funeral expenses or transport of one’s body if they pass away while out of town. No matter what the need is for this kind of insurance, it is important to know how to file a claim in the event that something needs to be covered. Before going on any kind of vacation both foreign and domestic, it is essential to remember to keep and save all receipts. Most travel insurance companies require you to provide receipts in order to file a claim. These receipts can cover medical bills, rental car payments, credit card information, airline ticket receipts, and many more. Know what is covered under your policy in advance. This way, if a file needs to be claimed, you will know what is covered and what is not.

In the event that you will need to file a claim, do not panic. Think about everything that has happened, and perform an “inventory” of everything that was lost. Make sure you have all of this information written down before you file the claim so you do not miss anything. Call the insurance company and let them know you need to file a claim. Be sure you have your policy number handy for a faster filing process. Find out what kind of receipts and other documents they will need in order to make the process go smoothly. Very similar to an automobile insurance claim, an adjuster will actually take an inventory of the losses, damages, or medical issues that have been incurred. Remember that travel medical insurance is usually separate from most standard policies and typically costs extra. Understand that some travel insurance agencies will not cover lost baggage if it was simply as a result of leaving it somewhere unattended. The policy may refer to this as a lack of “reasonable care” on your part and will not cover this.

Once the insurance claim has been filed, you should receive a claim number. Most companies will also give an email confirmation as well as a confirmation via regular postal mail. Keep this information handy and with your receipts. It is also a good idea to get the name of the representative you have been speaking with, as well as their extension, in case you need to call back. Some travel related insurance companies will allow you to view your claim online. This way, you can track the status whenever you need to. If it has been a few weeks and you have not received an update, it’s a good idea to call the company back and ask about the status. Once the file is claimed and things start moving, you should receive your reimbursement check in the mail.

Filed Under: Learning

What would a travel insurance company classify as a pre-existing condition?

January 30, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

When it comes to pre-existing conditions in travel insurance, people may get confused about some of the terms and conditions. This is partly because every company has different rules on the issue of pre-existing conditions. Since there is also no standard guideline or time frame, travelers have to be extra careful to find the best coverage.

To put it simply, any illness from the simplest cold to the most serious cancer is considered a pre-existing condition by an insurance company. Here are some more concrete guidelines. If you have symptoms of a certain illness before you obtained the insurance, it’s considered a pre-existing condition. Along the same vein, any illness treated before you got the policy is also considered a pre-existing condition. When you’ve consulted a doctor about the illness, it’s considered a pre-existing condition. In fact, it’s best that you inform the travel insurance company if you have had any medication changes within that set period. Failure to report any possible pre-existing condition will result in complications if you need insurance when you are stricken by that illness.

In some cases, you don’t even have to know that you have this condition. If you discover that you were previously ill, even if you didn’t know about it, it can still be technically considered a pre-existing condition. This is why it’s important to see a doctor before you take any trips.

Most companies will only issue a travel insurance policy to travelers with a pre-existing condition only if they are considered “medically stable” by their doctor. This means that they have to be stable at the time of obtaining insurance and have not “taken a turn for the worst.” This also means that the condition is not likely to change at a point in the near future. In other words, travel insurance companies will not insure people whose conditions are likely to get worse while they have a policy with the company.

It’s important to note that few companies will offer any form of travel insurance to someone with a pre-existing condition which is still being treated. In nearly all cases, treatment must be well completed before the person applies for an insurance policy, especially if the person is not free to travel. It doesn’t matter if you can travel later. If you can’t travel now, it’s pointless to apply for travel insurance.

In the criteria of determining a pre-existing condition, travel insurance companies look at the “lookback period.” A company defines a certain timeline and if the condition or symptoms appeared during this time period, it’s considered a pre-existing condition. In most cases, this period is 90 days. Some companies have a shorter lookback period, which may be 60 days, but some actually have a lookback period as long as 180 days. If an illness occurred during this time, it must be revealed to the insurance company or any policy obtained is automatically annulled for fraud.

The declaration of a pre-existing condition serves to protect the interests of the travel insurance company as well as the applicant. If you have a pre-existing condition, it’s best to be transparent about it.

Filed Under: Learning

Travel Insurance USA

January 29, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

Millions of people in the United States take trips every year. Whether it’s just out to a local camping spot or halfway across the world, people travel for different purposes. Some people travel to some exotic location for a holiday, some people travel on business trips, and some people travel to settle somewhere else. No matter where you’re going or what you plan to do when you get there, you absolutely have to have travel insurance.

As with everything else, there are many different types of travel insurance available to fit your needs, whether you’re traveling alone or with a family. It helps to learn more about travel insurance before you go out to buy one.

Single trip travel insurance covers a specific, single trip, and it is obtained before said trip. For instance, it covers the most basic things like the cost of trip cancellation or interruption. There are some policies that cover medical travel insurance for the entire duration of the trip. This is usually obtained through the company in which the travelers are employed. There are more advanced options if the basic package is not enough to suit your needs.

Annual travel insurance, sometimes known as multi-trip travel insurance, is a bit different. Basically, anyone who knows they are going to be traveling frequently should look into this specific type of insurance. Annual travel insurance is especially suitable for people with jobs that require a lot of traveling.

Some policies actually designate a limit for days of travel or number of trips, depending on the policy and insurance company. These types of policies often offer other incentive deals, especially sports deals, so they should be looked into carefully.

Then there is also long stay travel insurance. This type of insurance policy typically last from 3 to 18 months. Long stay travel insurance is ideal for anyone who’s taking a prolonged vacation such as visiting relatives or temporarily relocating to take care of a sick family member. If you have to be temporarily moved to another place because of your job, you should take look at long stay travel insurance. These types of policies offer the same type of coverage as basic travel policies and there are more expensive policies that offer other deals or incentives.

Travel medical insurance is also extremely important. These types of policies are necessary because they cover health-related situations that may occur on a vacation. Most of these policies do not offer coverage for a pre-existing condition unless said condition was revealed to the company beforehand, but if you become sick or injured while traveling, this type of insurance covers you and offers a bit of a safety net.

No matter where you’re going or for how long, travel insurance is absolutely necessary in today’s world. You never know what could happen to you and you want to have as much protection as possible. With the multitude of companies and policies to choose from, you’ll surely find the perfect package at the best possible prices.

Filed Under: Learning

Travel Insurance UK

January 28, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

UK residents who are planning to travel to local or foreign destinations should make sure that they are properly insured before their trips. Accidents can occur anytime, and travelers will be exposed to a greater risk of accidents when they are in a strange land. Travel insurance is important because it provides compensation for expenses that are incurred as a result of accident, loss, or theft.

There are many insurance providers that offer travel insurance policies to UK travelers, and they provide a wide range of coverage to suit the insurance needs of every traveler. Standard policies usually provide coverage for medical expenses, cancellation, loss of baggage or belongings, as well as personal liability. There are other coverage options that UK travelers can avail of, and these include coverage for high-risk activities, pre-existing conditions, travel provider default, repatriation, emergency evacuation, and valuable belongings. Travelers can get these extra coverage options by paying a higher premium.

The compensation amounts that are offered through travel insurance policies vary from one insurance provider to another. While some policies may provide compensation that is as high as £10 million for medical expenses, others may just offer £2 million. The compensation amount also differs for loss, damage, or theft of baggage and personal belongings. Travel insurance policies that offer higher compensation are more expensive, and those that provide better coverage and benefits are usually costlier, too.

The most common type of insurance for UK travelers is the single trip travel insurance policy. As the name suggests, this type of policy will provide insurance coverage for a single trip, and it is the best option for individual travelers who are making only one or two trips a year. Those who are planning to travel more than two times a year should opt for the annual multi trip travel insurance policy, because this type of policy will provide coverage for every trip that a traveler makes within a year, and it is much cheaper than the total price paid to obtain several single trip insurance policies.

UK travel insurance providers also offer discount travel insurance policies for family travelers. It is more cost-effective to get a family travel insurance policy than to purchase several policies to cover every individual in the family. A family travel insurance policy can be single trip or multi trip as well. Another type of travel insurance that provides good coverage at an affordable rate is the backpacker insurance policy. Those who opt for this policy will benefit from extended duration of coverage as well as special features that provide better protection for backpackers. This policy is also suitable for travelers who intend to stay in a foreign country for a long time.

There are also travel insurance policies for senior travelers from the UK. Senior travelers are not allowed to get a standard policy because they have a higher chance of falling ill during their travels. Insurance companies feel that they are taking a bigger risk if they offer ordinary insurance to senior travelers. As such, senior travelers have to purchase a special policy that provides better medical coverage and benefits, and such a policy is usually more expensive than standard policies.

Filed Under: Learning

What is covered by travel insurance?

January 27, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

When going on a vacation, business trip, or visiting family members, the unexpected can sometimes happen. For times like this, it is important to have peace of mind when traveling. Fortunately, travel insurance is available to help prevent losses due to various situations. This type of insurance is designed to help cover different losses that can happen while traveling, and help to pay for expenses in certain situations. Each company that offers a travel insurance policy usually has different tiers of coverage. For example, some offer medical coverage in the event of an emergency, but may not cover this in certain cases such as while driving a vehicle when out of town. Often, travel insurance will cover accidental death or dismemberment, and can also cover funeral expenses or the cost of transporting a deceased person back to their home. But most people choose travel insurance for more simple reasons, such as loss of money or possessions while out of town.

A good travel insurance policy should at least cover lost luggage and lost credit cards and identification. In a case like this, the policy holder can file a claim seeking monetary compensation for any lost luggage and its contents. They can also have their travel insurance agent cancel any stolen credit cards, and assist them with recovering lost passports or driver’s licenses. A surprising perk of many travel insurance plans is that they will cover non-refundable airline tickets in the event the flight is delayed on the part of the airline. If the traveler has to cancel a trip because of an emergency or because of other plans, the policy may cover this lost expense as well. Some policies also cover delayed flights. For example, if a flight is delayed and the person traveling needs to reschedule or book another flight, the insurance plan will cover the cost of the new or transferred ticket. Medical insurance coverage is usually available, but certain terms and conditions might apply, particularly in regards to the age of the person requiring coverage and any pre-existing health conditions that may already exist.

It is very important for anyone opting to get travel insurance to understand and know what is covered, and what is not. When filing a claim, be prepared to provide documentation that will support the claim. This can include copies of actual airline tickets, rental car receipts, or receipts for items that are lost or stolen. While some policies cover lost cash, it’s always a good idea to opt for traveler’s checks instead. This way, there will be no dispute when money is lost, and it is automatically covered. For people traveling internationally, claims can be a bit tricky, so be certain to know what is involved in advance. Certain medical costs may be covered by the travel insurance, while others might need to be handled through the claimant’s actual health insurance provider. As with any type of insurance policy, fully understanding what is covered and how to file a claim in advance is the best way to ensure that you are protected as completely as possible.

Filed Under: Learning

The basics of over 65 travel insurance

January 26, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

Many travelers who are over the age of 65 have difficulty finding the right travel insurance plan. Since it is more likely that elderly people will fall ill or get injured during their vacations, insurance companies require them to purchase a special policy. Such a policy is more expensive than the regular policies that are available to most travelers, because the insurance providers are taking a bigger risk by offering insurance to elderly travelers.

Travel insurance policies for travelers over 65 provide better coverage and benefits than ordinary policies. They usually include coverage features that are specially designed to suit the insurance needs of elderly travelers. Since elderly people have a higher chance of experiencing health problems during their travels, travel insurance over 65 offers more extensive coverage for medical expenses, and it usually includes 24-hour emergency services and assistance as well. Some travel insurance providers even offer financial compensation for medications. Elderly travelers will also be insured for certain things that are covered in standard travel insurance policies, such as cancellation and loss or theft of baggage, personal belongings, and passport.

People over 65 who are suffering from existing medical conditions may be required to apply for a special coverage option when they purchase travel insurance. Coverage for pre-existing medical conditions is available in some travel insurance policies for travelers over 65, but in most cases, the elderly travelers have to pay extra to get such coverage. It is advisable that elderly travelers find out what kind of conditions are covered before they purchase a policy, because most policies only offer coverage for certain medical conditions. Usually, those who are suffering from serious medical conditions are required to pay a higher premium. It is particularly important for elderly travelers to get travel insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions when they are traveling overseas, because medical expenses in some foreign countries can be very high and local medical insurance may not provide adequate compensation.

Most of the travel insurance policies for travelers over 65 are single trip policies, but annual multi trip policies are also available for those who travel frequently. Compared to multi trip policies for younger people, a multi trip travel insurance policy for people over 65 is much more expensive, because there is a much higher chance that elderly people will need medical attention when they are traveling for an extended period of time. For those who are making more than two trips in one year, multi trip travel insurance is still a better option because it costs less than the combined cost of several single trip policies.

There are many insurance companies that offer travel insurance policies for travelers over 65, and some of these companies are specialized providers for elderly travelers. One great way to find a good and affordable travel insurance policy for elderly travelers is to use the travel insurance comparison tools that are available on the internet. These tools will provide comprehensive information about travel insurance policies from different insurance companies, and they can help elderly travelers find the perfect policy for their travels.

Filed Under: Learning

A History of Route 66

January 25, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

Route 66 was a US highway that was also called the “Mother Road” and the “Main Street of America”. It was established in the year 1926, and it soon became the country’s most important east-west arterial roads. Over the years, the condition of the road deteriorated, as it was not properly maintained. As a result, it was closed down in October, 1984 after decades of service.

Route 66 stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles, and it covered a total of almost 2,500 miles. The highway ran through Kansas, Illinois, Arizona, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, and it was one of the most popular roads in the US. In time, Highway 66 started to gain recognition in American pop culture: it was featured in music, television shows, and even movies.

It was the efforts of an entrepreneur called Cyrus Avery that led to the construction of Highway 66. The plan of developing the highway was made in 1921, but it was only in 1925 that the Congress executed the plan. It was a Chicago-Los Angeles route, and it was given the official number “66”. Route 66 was modified several times during its lifetime. It was detoured, its length was often changed, and it was also extended, so that it could facilitate faster and safer travel. The highway was extremely useful for migrants who traveled west during the 1930s. Several families and businessmen became wealthy just because their shops or offices were located on the highway. Later in the 1980s, these people were the ones who tried to prevent the highway from closing down.

Route 66 earned a number of nicknames, which included “Will Rogers Highway”. This name was unofficially given in 1952 by the U.S. Highway 66 Association. Plaques containing the name “Will Rogers Highway” can still be found in certain places along the highway.

The condition of Route 66 was getting poorer each year, and the US Government finally decided to remove the road from the United States Highway System and replace it with the more modern and functional road called Interstate Highway System. The segments of Route 66 that crossed Arizona, New Mexico, Missouri, and Illinois have been renamed the Historic Route 66, whereas the segments in southern California are now called State Route 66.

Besides serving as one of the arterial highways in the United States, Route 66 was also an inspiration to the future road engineers of America. A few years ago, the 75th birthday of Route 66 was celebrated, and the nation paid tribute to a road that contributed a lot to the development and economic growth of the western part of the United States.

Traveling by road is enjoyable, but it is not always safe. Those who are planning to travel to Route 66 during their vacations should get a travel insurance policy, so that they can claim compensation for medical expenses and other losses in the event of accidents. Getting travel insurance is definitely a good idea for those who are traveling on the road.

Filed Under: Learning

Where can I get travel insurance for the over 70s?

January 24, 2010 By Damian Tysdal

For people who have retired, life is just beginning. It gives them the time to pursue many of the things that they have always wanted to do. Senior citizens love to do some traveling every now and then. While traveling is an exciting adventure for senior citizens, it’s important for them to get travel insurance before they actually set off on their travels. Accidents and illnesses can happen to everybody, even during vacations. As people get older, their bodies get weaker and they are more prone to fall victim to accidents and illnesses, especially when they are over 70 years of age. Consequently, getting travel insurance of people who are in that age range may be quite a challenge.

There are some cases where senior citizens are forced to use up all their life savings because they don’t have travel medical insurance to cover for their medical bills while they are traveling. Obtaining travel insurance before going off for a trip will bring peace of mind. If you reach this particular age, you may also have developed some pre-existing conditions. As a result, you will need an insurance that is designed for your purpose. Many insurance companies are now offering packages that are specifically designed for people over the age of 70s.

Probably the best place to look for travel insurance for over 70s is online. There are numerous insurance companies that have a website. Check out what they can offer and select the one that is suited for you and your circumstances. There are also directories that list down different insurance companies. They would even filter your search based on your preference like location. This makes it very easy to get your travel insurance policy.

There are also some free comparison websites that can give you advice when getting travel insurance. This is actually quite helpful because you don’t need to browse through numerous insurance companies. You will get a report with quotes and benefits so you can find something very quickly.

If you have booked for vacations with travel agents, you may also check with them about travel insurance for people who are over 70. Since travel agents are experts in the travel industry, they should have connections with travel insurance companies. When selecting travel agents, it’s important to go for those who have great experience and reputation. Take note of their certification, awards, and reviews. A good agent will provide the basic and premium service to ensure optimal coverage.

Also check out some insurance companies that are within your area. Some of them may offer travel insurance packages. If you have an existing health insurance policy, ask your provide if they offer cheap travel insurance. Since you are already a client, don’t be afraid to ask for a discount.

Perhaps, a very good source to find travel insurance for the over 70s is your local government agency. Other than recommending some agencies that provide travel insurance for senior citizens, they can also provide good information to help you along.

With so many options, there’s really no reason why you cannot get your travel insurance, even if you are over 70.

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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