Bonku asked:


I bought a British Airways return airline ticket from London to Chicago (USA) and travelled this month - december 2007. Unfortunately I lost my wallet in a taxi. Am I covered by travel insurance just by purchasing the ticket with my MasterCard?

Philip

orangecrush asked:


I travel often but have never bought travel insurance. I always rent cars and buy the full insurance coverage from the rental. I don’t own a car or any auto insurance. I am somewhat familar with non-owner insurance options and the claimed coverage from the credit card companies. But why buy two insurance coverage when one can pay for both?

Do you know of travel insurance coverage that includes rental car insurance?

Edgar

Amy Nutt asked:

Are you leaving the country for a vacation or holiday? Do you travel once a year and want to make sure you have insurance to cover anything that can go wrong. Some travelers will tell you to avoid travel insurance if you have enough money to cover your trip, but in reality something always goes wrong and having travel insurance can be a great help. If your vacation is less than 120 days and you only travel once a year consider purchasing single trip travel insurance and you will be ready in case of that emergency.

Many different travel insurance companies specifically carry single trip travel insurance. Single trip travel insurance will provide compensation if your need emergency medical service or your trip is canceled. Travel insurance usually carries additional benefits such as compensation if your luggage is lost or damaged or legal assistance if needed. The benefits available with your travel insurance will vary from one company to another make sure you read your insurance agreement before leaving on vacation to know exactly what issues are covered. With single trip travel insurance you can rest assured that someone will be able to assist you in the event of an emergency during your vacation.

Before you purchase single trip travel insurance it is important to do your homework. The cost for single trip travel insurance will vary among companies you want. In order to find the best deal in single trip travel insurance it is recommended you research at least three different companies and compare their insurance benefits. Most companies will provide you an instant quote and benefit statement online, all you need to do is provide your travel dates and destinations. Some companies even provide a travel insurance benefit for children free as long as there is one paying adult over the age of 18.

Each insurance company’s plans will vary slightly but generally you should get at least $10,000 in emergency medical insurance and $3,000 for trip cancellations. Make sure that the amount of trip cancellation insurance you purchase will cover all your expenses in the event you need to cancel your vacation. The insurance company should also provide you with a period where you can cancel the insurance for a full refund, this is usually 15 days after you purchase the insurance. Generally you should purchase single trip travel insurance at the same time you book and pay for your trip but be cautious on expending the money right if you expect your travel plans to change.

Even for the most seasoned traveler things will go wrong. It may be a plane that can not take off due to an emergency, a lost suitcase, or a medical issue while visiting the outer regions of a remote island. Do not take the chance that you will be stranded without any assistance or money to take care of your medical issues. Single trip travel insurance is your best travel companion and with a little research very reasonably priced.

Maurice

Simon Christopher asked:

No one likes to think that bad things will happen while you’re on holiday, but it becomes a reality for lots of travelers every year.

The right travel insurance policy can reduce the impact that injuries, illnesses, delays and lost property have on your precious holiday time. Finding the right travel insurance policy, unfortunately, is not as easy as ticking off the box next to “Do you want travel insurance?” at the travel agent. In fact, that could be the most expensive cover with the least benefits. According to Direct Line insurance, buying your travel insurance through your travel agent could cost you up to five times as much as you’d pay if you take the time to research and buy your own travel insurance policy.

Doing that requires a little knowledge beforehand though. It’s important to understand the types of medical situations that are typically covered by a holiday travel plan, and which tricks to watch out for that could leave you without the cover when you need it most. Here’s a quick guide to what to watch for when you’re comparing holiday travel insurance.

1. Watch the excess.

Excess is the amount that you must pay before your travel insurance kicks in and picks up the remainder of the cost. On the typical travel insurance policy, there’s an excess of £50 which is often counted against each incident. A few count an overall excess - they might require that you pay the first £150 of all insurable expenses on the trip no matter how many incidents are involved. This can be a vital difference. If, for instance, you stumble and fall, breaking a leg - and your expensive digital camera, along with your eyeglasses - some insurers may count that as three separate incidents, and charge you an excess for each of them, although they all stemmed from the same incident.

Solution: Consider getting a policy with an overall excess.

2. Watch the cover.

Read through the policy carefully so that you can be sure that the most important items are covered. Many policies don’t cover you for the most common losses and injuries while you’re on holiday. For instance, nearly all policies exclude injuries that happen while engaging in “winter sports”.

Solution: If you’re going on a skiing holiday, go over the policy, and if necessary, take out specific “winter sports cover” because it’s better to be safe than sorry.

3. Cover your baggage.

Your baggage should be insured for at least £1,500, but keep in mind that many items you commonly carry may not be covered. It’s typical for baggage insurance to exclude cover for sunglasses, mobile phones, cameras, watches, baby buggies and other expensive pieces of equipment. It’s also typical for insurers to set an upper limit for how much they’ll pay toward the loss of any one item. If your upper limit is £75 and you lose your £800 laptop, you’ll be out of luck.

Solution: Look at getting separate cover for any expensive items that you plan to take with you.

4. Cover your pre-existing conditions.

If you have pre-existing medical conditions that flare up while you’re abroad, you may find yourself responsible for all expenses related to them. Pre-existing conditions are also the most common reason for travel insurers to reject your policy. If you have a condition like angina or high blood pressure, a history of heart problems or diabetes, you might be wise to look into travel cover that takes those conditions into account and will cover you regardless. You may pay a bit extra for the premium and have a higher excess, but the peace of mind will be worth it.

Janet

Adrian Adams asked:

Although some nay-sayers may call it a fatalistic way to go about planning your vacation, the truth is: you can never be too careful when traveling. Even when you’re heading only one state away from where you live, the unexpected can happen at any moment - that’s why it’s unexpected! How can you protect yourself from these potentially harmful incidents? The most secure way to do this, wherever you travel, is through the purchase of travel insurance.

Unexpected emergencies can and do happen, and when they do, often the results can be very expensive and financially draining. Medical emergencies in a foreign country can see you paying thousands of dollars for hospital treatment, while missed or canceled flights can cost hundreds for replacement ticket. While credit cards can sometimes cover the expense, the fact is that you’ll still be paying out of your own pocket when it’s all said and done.

Medical emergencies can happen at any time, from a sprained ankle, to heat stroke, to food poisoning ‘ and often, these kinds of emergencies are unpreventable. Should you be taken to another country’s hospital or medical clinic, consider this: you’ll have to pay for emergency vehicle transportation to that hospital, you’ll lose whatever money you put forth for your vacation, you may have to pay for emergency transportation to another location ‘ whether it’s elsewhere in the country or home ‘ and you’ll be paying for whatever medical services you received. If you did not have travel insurance, you could be looking at bankruptcy or severe debt when the trip is over ‘ but with travel insurance, all those expenses could have been covered.

There is also the possibility of trip cancellation or interruption. If you have paid for a package trip to Florida that includes theme park passes, a hotel, and return flights ‘ and one of your family members is hospitalized several days before you were supposed to leave ‘ a good travel insurance plan can help cover the cancellation charges, ensuring that you don’t lose money due to an unforeseen emergency.

Trip interruption can occur if, for some reason, your flight is delayed and you miss your connection or a departing cruise ship. Instead of paying out of your own pocket to get the trip back on track, the travel insurance plan will cover those expenses. Hotel arrangements will also be taken care of, and in many cases, the cost of vacation time that you missed due to the interruption will also be reimbursed!

Whether it’s a medical emergency at home or away, or an incident due to surrounding factors that you couldn’t control, a travel insurance plan will ensure that you don’t lose the hard-earned money you paid for that vacation. After all, you’ll probably want to travel again to make up for lost time ‘ and if the insurance plan pays for those unforeseen expenses, you’ll still be able to have that vacation you always dreamed of!

Nathaniel

Harvey McEwan asked:

When planning a holiday, you’re most likely preoccupied with thoughts of the enjoyable aspects of your upcoming trip, rather than all the potential mishaps that might occur. Unfortunately, however, the unexpected can always happen – which means it pays to cover yourself and your family before going away.

Whether you’re heading away for business-related travel, or going on a romantic cruise, an action-packed adventure or a weekend city break with your family, you need to secure travel insurance that will cover any possible misfortune. It’s the only way you can rest assured that your relaxing holiday really will be just that - relaxing.

Travel insurance comes in a variety of forms, from simple personal injury cover or more comprehensive protection against theft, lost or damaged possessions, to any other mishaps that may occur regarding personal property. You can even buy specialised travel insurance for extreme sporting holidays, such as winter sport trips, where you may have an accident that requires special cover.

Taking the hassle out of searching for travel insurance

Whatever type of trip you’re planning, it’s important to seek out the right policy and, for many people, at the right price. This can often seem a daunting task, as there are hundreds of different companies out there, all offering many types of travel insurance. So how can you accurately determine your travel insurance needs and find the policy that fits? And does it have to take hours of tedious searching to find it? These concerns are all too common when it comes to securing travel insurance. Yet there’s one simple answer: travel insurance comparison.

Searching for insurance is often seen as a time consuming and monotonous task – but it doesn’t have to be. Thanks to insurance price comparison websites, it’s now easy to conduct a simple search and compare many different insurance companies and travel policies in just moments – saving hours of time, not to mention money. That means you can spend more time planning out how you’re going to spend your holiday.

Ultimately, travel insurance is essential – not only to protect you in the face of mishaps during your travels, but also to set your mind at ease, enabling you to truly enjoy your holiday knowing that you’re covered. And with travel insurance comparison you can now discover just how simple it is to secure a suitable policy. So sit back and relax while a travel insurance comparison site does all the work in sourcing the right travel cover for you.

Matthew

Helen Thermopolis asked:

For those who love to travel, there is no age limit set after which they can’t travel. Many people pick up traveling, especially in the old age to revive enthusiasm or as a long delayed sabbatical. In fact in the later years of life, traveling becomes a way to discover things which would have passed you unnoticed. So if you are senior person, looking for opportunities for traveling, the importance of safety take a completely new meaning. Therefore senior travel insurance can provide you the required backup when you are on the exploration of your new found world.

The risks involved while traveling for senior citizens make is obligatory for people above 65 years of age to opt for travel insurance. The over 65 senior travel insurance is carefully devised to compliment the needs of people in the age group of 65-89 years. For senior citizens there are various policies such as single trip, annual trip and long stay. Senior travel insurance usually covers medical expenses, loss of luggage and other important travel documents, damage of property, injury expenses, delays etc.

There are companies which offer you extensive coverage for senior travel insurance. Premium payable for senior travel insurance will be high that what you had to pay for in your younger years. Evaluate your travel insurance plans carefully and avoid any insurance which do not offer benefits relating to pre existing conditions. Check carefully with regard to transport expenses required to travel back in face of any injury in foreign land. Senior travel insurance become indispensable if you have a severe or chronic illness, driving a car in foreign land, staying as a renter or are traveling with any expensive equipment or jewelry.

If you are over 65 then make sure to disclose your medical condition so that you are able to get coverage for it. You will find more and more insurance companies offering you with single trip insurance rather than annual medical insurance. The reason being, the insurance company will know where you are going and about the costs associated. Don’t forget to take a senior travel insurance quote before you actually decide. And most importantly do not consider traveling without having travel insurance.

Senior people can get complete peace of mind when they are traveling. Senior travel insurance offers 24 hour assistance when they are in any part of the world. Planning for a delay or risk is way over your list, but taking senior travel insurance will give a realistic foundation to enjoying your travel. With senior citizen travel insurance no land is too far.

Shannon

Sami Fab asked:

If you are an occasional traveler you’ll probably buy your insurance from the travel agent. But if you travel more than twice a year, it is much more cost effective to have one insurance lasting all year round, than buying one every time you travel.

Think ahead, plan ahead. Annual travel insurance easily pays for itself with just a couple of trips. But not all insurances are worth the same and as always cheapest is not necessarily the best. More on this later.

Annual travel insurance is not compulsory but it gives you the peace of mind case of illness and loss or damage to property and many other events. Where is the best place to buy annual travel insurance?

1. Your bank is probably the first place you’ll try. Banks have in recent times become highly competitive and in order to retain your business, may offer better rates. For example my bank has upgraded my checking account to a premium account and for that I pay $20 per month.

As a result I get several privileges including free, worldwide, comprehensive travel insurance. But here is the best part … I get all this free travel insurance not just for myself but also for any member of my family traveling with me including my parents and siblings.

I said free because I am already getting other benefits which are worth a lot more than $20 per month if I were to buy them individually. I also save a lot of time as I never have to look around for insurance. So don’t ignore your bank.

2. Credit card companies also offer similar insurances, with some added advantages. In case of theft or loss of your credit card, they will supply you with an emergency one, often within a few hours.

In addition to travel insurance offers, there is another advantage in checking your credit card company’s terms. If you book your travel using your credit card, pretty much all card companies give excellent cover against many of the things that can go wrong.

Some credit card companies also have specialist travel departments which not only give you travel discounts but also give you even better protection, i.e. better travel insurance and at a much lower cost. But note that all insurance offers exclude you making a claims, for the same item, to multiple sources even if you do have multiple insurance cover.

For example, let’s say you have bought travel insurance separately and you have bought your travel ticket using your credit card. If your luggage is lost, you can almost certainly make a claim to either of the two sources but not to both at the same time.

The reason is that the insurance companies have suffered massive fraud in recent years. Allowing multiple claims simply encourages fraudsters to have multiple insurances and make multiple false claims.

For example, they can take an already damaged suitcase on a long journey knowing that it will fall apart. They can then claim damage and loss of property from multiple insurers.

3. Insurance companies are a popular and obvious source for annual travel insurance. If you drive a car or have home insurance get a quote from your insurance company. Remember, because you are already a customer, your car insurance often entitles you to a very good discount.

Here’s a tip: if they don’t give you a competitive insurance, tell them that you will be looking else where for a good package. Let them know you will be looking for a package that includes great home insurance, excellent travel insurance and also good car insurance.

Listen, fear of loss WILL make them bend over backwards for you and if they don’t? Here’s another tip: When you talk to any other source to get your competitive travel insurance, make sure you mention your other assets that you could be insuring with them, such as your car, home, home contents, etc.

This won’t work with travel companies but works absolutely beautifully with most insurance companies. I have done it many times and saved myself thousands of dollars, yes thousands, over the last few years.

The insurance industry is massively competitive. For once, this works in favor of the “little guy” (you and me), so let’s use it.

4. Certain types of home insurance may also give annual travel cover. Do look into pretty much any insurance cover you have. Some home insurance policies include some forms of travel cover including loss or damage to your property while away from home.

Tip: even if you live with your parents, ask them to check their policy for you. You will be amazed to see that even “your” property is covered while away from home.

Just one word of caution: do not assume what is covered or the level cover. If you are not sure just ask the insurer. If the cover they describe seems even better than what you expected based on the policy document, then do ask them to put their clarification in writing.

Why? When any major loss occurs, the insurer will send a local expert to assess the damage. These guys are called loss adjustors. Their job is to save money for the insurance company. And I tell you from bitter personal experience, they take no prisoners.

They will screw you down to the ground, if you don’t get things in clear black and white writing. Just do it. It takes minutes to request clarification in writing but can save you thousands of dollars when you have one of these mean loss adjustors arguing with you over the policy.

5. You can also buy last minute travel insurance from travel agents and airlines at the airport. Expect to be taken advantage of, heavily! Needless to say, this is one of your most expensive options. Just avoid ending up with this option, see to your insurance long before you need to travel.

Now here’s the thing. Travel insurance policies are not all identical. As well as considering price, you absolutely must read the terms and conditions carefully. For example, the upper age limit of some insurance companies may vary.

Some companies may limit the number of annual trips, whilst others may have no limit at all. Look, most travel insurance policies cover a range of events and claims. But as they say, the devil is in the detail.

The problem you will definitely face with some really cheap policies from unknown and possibly disreputable companies is what they put in the fine print. You know what I’m talking about? … all those tiny little statements they put on the back of the form? Or if you are buying insurance online (and you should), notice all those pages of really small text they ask you to agree to?

Well, that’s where they bury lots of little conditions and limitations. Most people don’t read all the terms. Do yourself a huge favor and on this occasion, do read it all. If the insurance policy terms are full of “weasel words” or complex language, just move on and do not buy.

All insurance companies are quick to point out how many millions you can claim in “total”, in case of a serious accident. But they all limit the amount per item within your claim. So claims for loss of cash will be capped and so will claims for electronic devices, clothes, etc.

This means that with the cheaper policies you will have a really low limit. For example, if you claim for a mobile phone and an MP3 player, you may find that the limit on personal electronics is not enough to even pay for “one” of those devices, let alone both. Don’t wait for an unfortunate event to show you the flaws in a dirt cheap policy. That is the worst time to find out and it is a time when you need the most help.

What must all policies cover?

1. Loss or damage to property and cash

2. Flight delays or cancellation

3. Accidents

4. Sickness

5. Your expenses when an event ocurs

6. Your potential liability to other people

7. Legal services

In comparison to your total costs, annual travel insurance is only a very small item. If you are covered for any eventuality, you’ll have less to worry about, which will translate to more relaxation and enjoyment.

Jared

Michael Contaro asked:

Life is full of unexpected events- this is the basic principle which drives the insurance industry. One doesn’t really know what will happen next year, next month even tomorrow. Life is especially more riskier for people who frequently travel, and a travel insurance can really be a good thing to have. It will at least leave something for oneself, ones family and loved ones in the case of unfortunate events during traveling.

One might be skeptical in getting travel insurance simply because he thinks that it is a waste of money which can be used for something more urgent or important. However, we can never really say what will happen and it is good to be insured. In the events such as accidents, trip cancellations and lost luggage, insurance policies can really be handy. Getting vacation insurance is the first step that should be taken when planning a trip.

Types of Travel Insurance Policies

Travel insurance is availed by people who are concerned about the events that may unfold during a trip. Its not a sign of paranoia, its a mere sign that one faces the reality that he doesn’t control his life and the events that may happen.

Package

Travel insurance packages are usually designed to cover single trips. This type of insurance policy is very ideal for tours, cruises, air trips, renting vacation homes, whether they are for business or personal traveling in foreign or domestic areas.

These travel packages are usually pre bundled by the insurance companies and they provide travel coverage such as cancellation of trips, interruption of flights, delays of travel, lost of baggage and personal effects, delay of baggage, emergency evacuation, assistance for travelers and medical expenses. One can also avail optional policies which will cover accidental deaths.

These packages are usually rated against three factors ones age during application, the cost of one’s trip and the duration of the trip.

Medical

Travel insurance plans can also be designed to cover ones medical expenses if needed during the trip. There are also group health insurance plans which can be availed by a group. However, most of the insurance plans available today will only cover medical expenses in trips which are done inside the ‘coverage areas.’ It’s best to be able to ask the insurance provider regarding these things before availing a medical travel insurance policy.

Accidental death during flight

Many insurance providers give accidental flight death insurance as a part of their insurance policies. Sometimes, they give it as an option.

Listed below are some tips on how one can go about availing quality and suitable travel policies for his trips.

1. Before getting a new travel insurance policy, one should double check his existing insurance policies. There might be some coverage with regards to traveling in the existing policies that one possess and it would be a waste of money to pay for something that has already been covered.

2. Know what is the best type of insurance is best for the trip. Getting a travel insurance is really dependent on the situation of the destination and the other factors that come into play such as one’s age and health conditions.

3. Know the policy. One should know whether things like international coverage, emergency evacuation, accidental death, remains repatriation and family travel insurance are covered by the policy..

These are some tips on how to avail travel insurance. The point is life is unpredictable and it’s better to have insurance especially for travel purposes. Insurance is a real must when traveling.

Tony

Kirthy Shetty asked:

If you’re having a retired life and are looking out for a holiday package then, don’t overlook your insurance cover. It’s indispensable to get yourself insured while you travel so that if you happen to fall sick or break down due to some illness you don’t have to incur a huge medical expense in a foreign country. Avert any astronomical medical expenses. Enjoy your vacation. Look out for your options under Senior Citizen Travel Insurance cover.

• Discount Airfares, Holidays & Vacation Packages

Online travel planning and flight-booking. Purchase airline tickets online, find vacation packages, and make hotel and car reservations, find maps, destination information, travel news and more.

• Travel Information, adventure, travel and luxury tours

African safari with Abacus African Safari vacation - romantic and exciting african safaris adventure travel, exotic honeymoon, family tours or luxury safaris.

• Sales Courses

UK sales training and courses for business and personal sales development. Improve your sales skills with our industry recognised courses.

• Mortgages UK

UK based mortgage supplier offering first time buyer, variable rate and fixed rate mortgage quotes.

Such Insurance covers any illness or accident whilst traveling? You’re at the right place; special insurance policy such as a Senior Citizen Travel’s offers a good insurance cover for senior citizens in the age 65 to 89 years.

Other Travel Insurance covers available are:

Single Trip Insurance:

Cheap holiday insurance is available as and when you need it. Single trip cover is simple to arrange and offered at fantastic prices online.

Annual Travel Insurance:

Ideal for families, annual cover can often be cheaper than arranging single trip insurance every time. Best of all, it means you only have to think about it once and every time you go away you can relax in the knowledge that you’re protected.

Backpackers Insurance:

The longer the trip, the higher the risk of mishap and the more you’ll need to be backed by excellent cover in the event of an emergency.

Online backpackers travel insurance won’t blow your budget and covers a wide range of trips - from a month’s jaunt around Europe to your next global adventure.

Business Travel Insurance:

Business travel can be stressful, infinitely worse if something goes wrong. Stay stress-free with our cost effective and tailor made business travel insurance packages.

Golf Insurance:

Golf insurance is vital, and not only for the reasons you may imagine. In addition to the risk to themselves, golfers can accidentally cause injury to others and even damage to property. An excellent insurance deal may make your next game less expensive!

With Senior Citizen Travel Insurance avail annual multi-trip policies for people up to the age of 79. Over 65 tour insurance policies are designed for mature and retired people in UK looking for good all round holiday cover at a competitive price. Try your online route for more options.

Lee