Whether you are traveling for business or for fun, Consumer Reports recently published an article warning travelers that they face increased risks from hackers and cyber criminals who want to steal your money and your identity.

A new report indicates the hospitality industry – the hotels, resorts, and tour operators – is a tempting and sometimes easy target for data thieves. According to the report, 38% of data breaches around the globe in 2010 involved hospitality companies.

Global hotel and resort chains are especially vulnerable to hackers due to their lack of security for guest data, including credit card numbers and even passport information. The high availability of this information on hundreds of worldwide online reservations guarantees a traveler’s exposure is far greater than normal.

What can you do to protect yourself?

While it’s always preferable that a travel retains his or her personal identity, some travel insurance plans offer Identity Theft protections, cash reimbursement, and services to restore your identity when compromised. See the passport and credit card services offered by travel insurance companies too.

Take a look at the Guide to Online Security from ConsumerReports.org for steps to protect yourself.

It’s important for travel insurance consumers to understand that travel insurance, like any other type of insurance, is an evolving industry.

What do you mean by ‘evolving’?

Before 2001, for example, acts of terrorism were specifically excluded from all plans, but now many policies will refund trip costs for destinations hit by terrorists within 30 days of your visit. In most cases, civil unrest and riots are not covered for trip cancellation benefits, but some plans do provide security evacuation benefits to get you out of harm’s way. As businesses worldwide have begun to work together on a global scale, the threat of kidnapping, ransom and extortionhas evolved and so have the available travel insurance protections.

OK, so what’s the problem then?

Unfortunately, many consumers expect to be able to purchase a travel insurance plan whenever they want and have it cover any travel risk they encounter.

Recently, one commenter was frustrated that they couldn’t purchase hurricane trip coverage when the hurricane was already named and mandatory evacuations were being discussed. That’s not really fair, is it? It’s like trying to insure your vacation home from wildfires when the wildfire is heading across your neighbor’s pasture toward your door.

So, how do we understand our policy?

The key is understanding your policy and what it’s designed to cover. To accomplish that, you have to spend a little time reviewing the terms and conditions of the policy. Here, we provide reviews of the policies to help you choose those that will meet your travel needs, but reading the plan certificate is the only way to understand the full coverage included with the policy. The plan certificates are available online at the travel insurance website and we provide links to those as well.

How do we know we’re getting the right travel insurance?

With all the scary headlines – volcano eruptions, earthquakes, hurricanes, and more – travelers can get a little focused on the news and fail to remember the more common risks of travel, such as the need for medical care if you get sick or an evacuation if you have a serious accident. The bottom line is if you’re willing to spend thousands of dollars on a trip, it makes sense to spend a few more to ensure a refund of that money if something happens before or during that trip.

The Department of State recently published an  excellent guide for students abroad, describing what documentation to take with you, what to do in an emergency, and more. This is excellent information for Fullbright scholars, students on cultural exchange and Gilman Scholarship programs.

When traveling far from home, it’s important for students and parents to ensure that the student has health insurance and evacuation coverage at a minimum. Sure, you don’t expect to spend your time in the doctor’s office or hospital, but if you get sick or hurt on your trip, a trip to the local emergency room can run into the tens of thousands of dollars and a medical evacuation could cost over $50,000.

Check out this Medical Information for Americans Abroad brochure for more details.

Student Travel Insurance Plans

Here are just a few travel insurance plans designed specifically with students in mind. These plans are designed to meet the requirements of university and study-abroad programs:

• Liaison Student from Seven Corners – ideal coverage for students for up to 12 months (renewable for additional semesters). Coverage for spouse and children, comprehensive major medical and affordable premiums.
• Study USA HealthCare from Travel Insurance Services – for U.S. and non U.S. students, this is basic medical coverage for those who are studying abroad.
• Student Health Advantage from IMG – annually renewable, comprehensive major medical coverage for students to meet visa requirements. Includes coverage for political evacuations and a universal prescription drug discount program.
• Patriot T.R.I.P. Student from IMG – travel protection for a student’s non refundable trip costs, including deposits, flights, and more. This is a cost-conscious travel insurance plan with essential coverage for U.S. students.
• Global Student USA from HTH Worldwide – major medical for non U.S. students in the United States for educational or research purposes. Offers good medical maximums and reasonable deductibles in addition to a few global travel benefits.
• Global Student USA Preferred from HTH Worldwide – major medical with high limits for non U.S. students in the United States for education or research positions. Includes coverage for in- and outpatient treatment, intensive care, hospital room and board, and more. Global travel medical benefits as well.
• U.S. Student Abroad from HTH Worldwide – essential major medical coverage up to $100,000 for U.S. students traveling outside their home country. Global travel medical benefits, including emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, and bedside visits.
• Plus Scholastic from FrontierMEDEX – provides emergency medical evacuation and repatriation for students and faculty who are traveling over 100 miles from home. Ideal for those who have health insurance and need evacuation coverage.

Of course, these are just the plans specifically marketed to and for students. Many of the travel insurance provider’s travel medical plans will be adequate for students as well.

We get many questions about coverage for seniors and travelers concerned about their ability to get travel insurance or travel medical insurance after a certain age. So, we put together this post to list the travel insurance plans available to those who are 50 and older. Take a look at the plans for U.S. citizens and non U.S. citizens outlined here.

In addition, we heard from one of our colleagues at CheapFlights.com and they’ve put together a set of travel tips on getting senior discounts, including links, phone numbers, rules and more.

We hope this information helps all senior travelers get back on the road – safely, of course.

For U.S. and non U.S. Senior Citizens

• Patriot executive from IMG is designed for frequently traveling executives up to age 75. It provides medical coverage with a fixed deductible (waived for accidents) and it’s available for individuals or groups of five or more. It includes some trip protections as well.
• Reside from Seven Corners is designed to provide worldwide medical coverage for up to one year for travelers leaving their home country and those up to age 74. Up to two kids under age 9 are free with two covered parents.
• Liaison Silver from Seven Corners is excellent travel medical coverage for active travelers over age 50, providing a few travel insurance package benefits and low premiums for dependent children and grandchildren.
• Worldwide Trip Protector from Travel Insured International is international major medical coverage for travelers up to age 86 and over.

U.S. Seniors

• Liaison Silver from Seven Corners provides travel medical coverage up to a $1,000,000 maximum for seniors traveling abroad. It includes discounted premiums for dependent children and grandchildren too.
• TravelGap Excursion from HTH Worldwide offers choices of medical limits and coverage for trips up to six months long for travelers up to age 85. This plan requires travelers to have a primary health plan back home.
• TravelGap Voyager from HTH Worldwide offers single-trip travel medical for trips up to six months long for travelers up to age 75. This plan does not require a primary health plan.
• Global Citizen from HTH Worldwide is annual international major medical health coverage for world travelers up to age 75. It includes global travel benefits such as evacuation, repatriation, and AD&D too.
• TravMed Abroad from FrontierMEDEX offers full medical and evacuation coverage benefit limits up to age 85. This is comprehensive, short-term travel medical and evacuation coverage with worldwide travel assistance services. Available with an annual option.
• The Complete Plan from MH Ross provides premium travel insurance coverage for travelers up to age 75 and trips costing as much as $100,000 per person.

Non U.S. Citizens

• Inbound Guest from Seven Corners is offered at four plan levels with two over-70 levels. It provide for hospital expenses, surgical expenses, ambulance services, prescription drugs and more.
• Visit USA HealthCare from Travel Insurance Services offers strong medical coverage for non U.S. citizens up to age 70 traveling inside the U.S. This is single-trip coverage for up to one year of international travel.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, travel insurance companies want travelers to note this reminder of their coverage and advice:

• Save all your receipts – for hotels, meals, taxis, etc.
• Save any documentation/proof of flights delayed or cancelled.
• Carefully review your travel insurance document.

In order for a travel insurance claim to be paid, the travel insurance company will need these documents. Keep a copy at home for yourself, just in case.

Remember that to be eligible for coverage for weather delays, cancellations, and interruptions as a result of the hurricane, your policy would have to have been purchased and in effect prior to the naming of Irene (after that point, it becomes a ‘known’ event).

Check your policy for the minimum hours required for trip delay. Travel delay benefits typically include reimbursement for hotel expenses, meals, and transportation.

Trip interruption benefits are typically available if your flight is cancelled completely, and may include reimbursement for the lost portion of your trip plus any additional costs to rejoin your planned itinerary.

Mandatory evacuations are covered by some plans and provide reimbursement for unexpected travel costs, depending on your plan. See the terms and conditions for your travel insurance, or review the description of coverage sent to you when you enrolled for an explanation.

See more tips on filing a successful travel insurance claim.

As hurricane Irene barrels her way toward the eastern shore, airlines have already begun canceling flights and moving planes and equipment out of harm’s way.

Irene is likely to force flight cancellations across the eastern seaboard and delays throughout the weekend, so the effect on U.S. air travel will be huge and it will in all likelihood ripple across the country’s airports.

While JetBlue was early to the scene in letting customers make flight changes, many airlines have begun issuing travel waivers and allowing passengers to change their travel plans without financial penalty.

Updated hurricane Irene Travel Policies for a number of airlines are available here:

• American Airlines
• Continental Airlines
• Delta
• Frontier Airlines
• US Airways

For airlines not listed here, please check the airline website as this type of warning is usually available right on the website’s home page. Also, if you’re traveling on Friday or through the weekend, please keep an eye on the changing flight schedules.