Darlene Kaitlin asked:

Travel insurance implies the coverage for pitfalls associated with travel. This type of insurance is intended to cover financial and other losses incurred at the time traveling. The losses may be incurred in a domestic or an international level. Broadly travel insurance coverage can be classified under the following heads:

Cancellation of a trip

Very often it happens like this that the traveler must cancel the trip because of unforeseen circumstances. It may be physical illness or any such emergency. Now, if the holiday package is already bought then he must have to face a big financial loss. It is under such circumstances travel insurance works like a savior.

Interruption during the trip

This type of travel insurance covers the damages occurred due to trip interruption. In the event a trip is interrupted because of illness or the booked hotel ceases to continue to operate or any other such occurrences, the traveler shall face a financial loss. However, if the trip is insured then he can avoid this loss.

Loss of luggage or other valuables

Since the work of a traveler is to move from here and there, he may lose his luggage or other such expensive possessions during his journey. To cover the financial damage incurred because of the inconvenience resulted from the loss of luggage one can go for travel insurance.

Default Protection

It may happen that a trip is cancelled because a carrier or tour operator is no longer in business. In this case the person who will be in the receiving end is the traveler. However, travel insurance will help him recover the losses he incurs due to the cancellation of the trip.

Other types of losses

In addition to the above, travel insurance covers delayed departure, emergency replacement of essential items, medical expenses, accidental death, injury or disablement benefit, personal liability and rental car damage, legal assistance, loss of income, high risk sports like skiing, scuba-diving, travel to high risk countries etc.

Alicia

newmom08 asked:


I will be traveling with my husband and baby to Europe and so I need really good insurance for all of us. I want to use some reliable company with good coverage including dental, medical, etc

Gary

Dtm asked:

Purchasing Travel Insurance - Your Options

There are three main options you have when purchasing your travel insurance.

1.You can buy direct from the insurer.

2.Buy through your local travel agent.

3.Buy from a travel insurance reseller usually online.

Buying directly from the insurer or through your local travel agent you will generally find that the travel insurance you buy is not discounted. You have to go directly to their office, discuss your travel needs then fill in application forms for your insurance. It can be a time consuming affair.

Buying through a reseller generally means you will save money and time. Most resellers have web sites where you can fill in your information online to find the travel insurance policy that you require. You can then complete an application form and receive your policy by mail. The resellers are offered a discount on the insurance by the insurance companies, so they can pass on some of this discount to you.

The following outlines what a reseller of travel insurance is and what it means for you.

What is a Travel Insurance Reseller?

A travel insurance reseller is a middle person between the customer and insurance company or companies.

What do they do?

A travel insurance reseller sells travel insurance for one or more insurance companies, usually at a discounted price. Because a reseller receives discounts from the travel insurance companies they can offer you cheaper travel insurance than buying direct from the insurance companies.

What are their responsibilities?

The responsibilities of a Travel Insurance reseller are:

• Help you find a travel insurance product that you need.

• Interact with the insurance company to complete your application.

• Interact with the insurance company to process any Pre-Exisiting medical and senior traveller issues. This interaction often involves a fee.

• If you need to cancel the insurance before you travel then the reseller will interact with the insurance company to cancel the policy. You may be charged for this service.

• Once your policy has taken effect the contract is complete and any interactions in regard to claims must be dealt with between you and the insurer. The travel insurance reseller is able to help you to get in touch with the insurer.

How do they profit?

Travel insurance resellers profit by passing on part of the discount that they receive from an insurance company to you. For example, a reseller may receive a 45% discount on the Travel insurance products that they sell, and they may pass on a saving of 15% to you.

So you walk away happy because you have saved 15% on your Travel Insurance product and they are happy because they have made a 30% margin on this product.

How do I know if a Travel Insurance Reseller is reputable?

In Australia all travel insurance resellers must be approved and will have been issued with a Financial Services Reform Act (FSRA) Number. Look for this number on their web site, their business cards or the Product Disclosure Statement.

Where can I find a Australian Travel Insurance Reseller?

The following are just a few of the Travel Insurance brokers in Australia:

http://www.australiatravelinsurance.com.au

http://www.travellerinsurance.com.au

Australia Travel Insurance wishes you a wonderful and safe journey.

Carol

Normandie asked:


Hi guys. I’m planning a trip to los angeles in June 2010 for 3 months and im trying to calculate the amount of money i’ll need.

The problem is, i have no idea how this travel insurance stuff works,so how much would travel insurance cost me for this period?

Any help appreciated, thanks.

Kelly

Andrew Regan asked:

As the summer holiday season approaches, you’ll want to start thinking about your holiday plans in detail. You might have already picked your holiday destination of choice, booked your flights and secured your accommodation - but have you really covered every possible aspect of your holiday plans? The chances are you haven’t yet thought about travel insurance, especially if your holiday is still a couple of months away. However, the earlier you think about buying travel insurance, the better; and buying travel insurance online is sure to help you find the most appropriate holiday cover.

Traditionally, travellers would buy insurance on the high street or via a travel agent. But the widespread proliferation of the internet in recent years means that online travel insurance sites - run by travel agents, large insurance companies and independents - have shot up in number. Buying your travel insurance online holds a number of advantages for the consumer - not least the fact that you’ll be able to think about which travel insurance option is right for you without being pressured by salespeople.

Browse any online travel insurance provider’s site and you’ll be able to compare benefits to see which policy is best for you. For instance, if you’re planning a week’s trip to Paris to sample some of France’s best art museums, galleries, and to get a taste of fine French dining, it’s unlikely you’ll need anything more than a basic travel insurance package. This will usually cover essential items, such as your passport, baggage, personal items and a limited amount of medical cover.

However, if you’re hoping to head off to the French Alps on a skiing holiday, you’ll need special winter sports cover. This will insure your expensive skiing or snowboarding equipment and, if it is a quality policy, it will protect you against any unexpected developments in your holiday, including avalanche closure, piste closure and even UK physiotherapy if you return from your holiday with an injury.

What’s more, if you opt for online travel insurance, you’ll find that your cover can insure more than just accidents and mishaps during your holiday. For instance, if you’re a scientist, journalist or researcher who’s travelling on an expedition to a dangerous region, or if you are visiting a Pacific Island at risk from volcanic eruption, or if you’re a businessman and you want to protect your business documents and samples from being lost or stolen.

With such a wide variety of concerns to think about on your holiday, it’s important that you consider your options carefully before you choose which travel insurance policy is right for you. Buying your travel insurance online allows you to do this in comfort and with ease - so why delay any longer! Get your holiday cover online and set your mind at ease.

Duane

Jenny Black asked:

If you have prior knowledge about your medical condition and need to travel abroad in spite of it, it becomes all the more important to get your medical condition insured. Since we all know that treatments abroad can prove to be very costly, it is suggested to take up travel insurance pre existing medical condition.

The pre-medical condition of a consumer means that he has been suffering from:

•Any respiratory condition; any heart, circulatory, kidney, liver or cerebral condition; any stroke or central nervous system disorder; for which he has ever received treatment.

•Any cancer for which he has received any diagnosis or treatment within the last five years.

•Any disease, illness or injury for which he has received surgery, in-patient treatment or investigations in a hospital or clinic within the last two years

While availing UK travel insurance pre existing medical condition, the consumer is suggested to divulge all the medical facts about his condition to the insurer. This is done so that in the future, the insurer cannot claim to cancel the policy on the basis of incomplete facts. Even if the consumer is on some medication for his condition, he should inform the insurer of travel insurance pre existing medical condition about it very clearly.

However to take up travel insurance pre existing medical condition, the consumer needs to be a citizen of the UK and should be registered with a medical practitioner. Only the medical conditions that have already been diagnosed by the practitioner can be covered with travel insurance pre existing medical condition.

It can be availed as a single-trip travel policy or as a multi-trip travel annual policy depending upon the frequency of travel of the consumer. This can be done through Annual Travel Insurance in UK. The duration of the policy or the cover limit can be increased if the consumer informs the insurer before the present policy expires.

With travel insurance pre existing medical condition, it is now safe to travel abroad without worrying about any expenses on the pre-existing medical situation of the borrower.

Eddie

Terry Miller asked:

Anyone planning a vacation will likely experience that almost-inevitable excitement in anticipation of a great time, but there also may be nervousness and some anxiety over events that can possibly go wrong. Though there may be a sense of exhilaration and huge relief to be taking a break away from work (and life in general), there are still a lot of mishaps that can take place prior to or during a vacation to sour those feelings very quickly. That is why you may wish to consider purchasing travel insurance, so your mind can be at ease when you do depart for the vacation of your dreams.

Travel insurance is available to cover certain occurrences that may happen during your trip such as lost luggage, sickness, and even cancellation. The further away from home you travel, the more likely you will need travel insurance. For example, there is little more frustrating with planning your ideal vacation to Paris only to arrive and learn that all your luggage was delivered in Sweden. International trips can be very expensive, so you need to protect your investment.

Travel insurance doesn’t need to be very costly if you are budget conscious. However, if you travel more than once a year, it is imperative you make the plunge and buy it. Like other insurance, you can purchase travel insurance annually so you only make one payment. Then no matter where or when you travel, you will be covered. It is a more cost effective way to travel whenever you wish without the concern of getting insurance for each individual trip. Prices vary depending on the company, but it is an expense that won’t break the bank.

Make sure you hook up with an insurance company that has worldwide locations so that if you do run into an emergency in a foreign nation you can get in touch with them quickly. Even if they are only located in the area in which you live, the company should at a minimum have a 24 hour-a-day toll free hotline for you to reach customer assistance to handle your needs. If not, avoid them.

When you do find a company you have confidence will come through, take a look at their prices and the coverage they offer. Your insurance coverage should never extend beyond your financial investment in the vacation. It is important that you are fully covered, though, so take the time to look through the terms and conditions to ensure the limits are acceptable to your vacation need. At the very least your policy should cover flight cancellation or delay, lost luggage or delay, accidents or sickness during the vacation, and finally, evacuation support due to natural disasters.

Also, consider purchasing a refundable policy just in case your plans change and the vacation is put on hold for a while. Depending on timing, deferring a trip when reservations have already been made can be very expensive.

If you take vacations several times a year, an annual insurance policy can help put your mind at rest concerning most potential mishaps during a typical trip.

Alma

kiwi90 asked:


i dont think im going to book travel insurance with my flights as ive already got a loan out and am waaaaaay over budget but i’ll get money nxt wk…instead of waiting i want to book the tickets now as the prices keep going up…is it possible?im going to greece in august…my mother said something about whatever credit card you book your ticket under that they have travel insurance that covers you anyway??is that true?

Eva

Darren Faulder asked:

Once upon a time, a very wise person was heard to say ‘If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.’ Its cliché, but then, clichés are often true. If you are going overseas, get travel cover – even the cheapest travel insurance deals are really quite reasonable when compared to the price of airline tickets – let alone the price you might have to pay if you break your leg or get all your bags stolen.

Medical Cover – Just Get It

Expensive but Crucial

No matter what cover you decide to purchase, even if it’s the budget version, it should have some sort of medical cover. However, you may want to beef this up, depending on where you’re travelling. Most basic options will not cover sports such as skiing, as the risk of injury and expensive treatment is just too high. The first important thing you need to worry about is what the treatment will cost you. A case often given is the traveller taking a trip through the United States, land of opportunity and appalling health systems. Many Americans live on a day to day basis with no health insurance – a fallback system is just not in place. This means that if a foreign national gets injured, they’re in the same position, and liable for some astronomical costs. You may think you won’t get ill – but broken bones do happen – one of these could cost you thousands and thousands of dollars. There are horror stories of people only stopping in the US for transit purposes for a few days, and having accidents which take years to pay off. Medical evacuations from the states can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Look for policies that deal with this.

A Little Squeamish?

At the other end of the scale, if you are travelling to a developing county, you probably won’t want to subject your delicate first-world body to the particular country’s public medical facilities. Even when planning a short trip to Bali, you might want to make sure your policy covers private health care. With lower standards of medical care (not least due to the fact the rules of global economics mean the highest qualified doctors often leave to pursue careers in wealthier countries), you are at higher risk of infection or other mishaps. On top of this, you probably don’t want to be subjected to the same waiting lists that the locals have to put up with. In countries with high rates of communicable diseases, such as AIDS in Southern Africa, paying the extra for private health care is a wise decision.

Don’t Even Think About It!

Well, you can certainly go wherever you like, but don’t expect to be covered by travel insurance companies if the country or region you are thinking of heading to has a specific travel warning from the Foreign Office. Hotspots such as Iraq or Sudan marked ‘Do Not Travel’ will most probably be snubbed by your insurer. You can generally check for a full list online with various sites offering up to date warnings. There may also be warnings ‘advising against travel’ (the next level down) to a whole host more destinations, including Indonesia (and therefore Bali), so it’s best to check with individual companies if in doubt. Unfortunately for you, the issue may have been politicised, and might even seem bizarre - Australia was recently listed as a risk destination for some time by countries including the UK following the Cronulla riots - but the company probably won’t want to hear your opinion on whether it’s safe. Finally, even if you travel to a country with no prior history of violence, your company may still get out of paying you – many policies will not cover any act of war or terrorism whatsoever.

Stephanie

scarlettsmom0616 asked:


My boyfriend booked a trip to Vegas for next month and I don’t think we will be dating by then. I put it under my AAA member number and he paid with his credit card. We picked the travel insurance they offered where you can cancel your trip for any reason and get a refund. Now my question is, Since he paid, can he cancel my part of the trip or since I’m the primary AAA member listed, can he only cancel his? I will still want to go.

Gregory