Travel Insurance Services

New Travel Insurance Glossary Simplifies Travel Insurance

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:37:40 -0700

We’ve all been there. You need to renew your health insurance plan, or your tour operator recommends trip cancellation insurance for the safari you are planning. But when you look at the plan benefits, you don’t get it and your eyes glaze over. "Pre-Existing Conditions? Beneficiary?" What does this stuff mean?

Insurance, including travel insurance, has a language of its own. It is easy to get lost or overwhelmed. If you’re new to purchasing travel insurance, or just unsure of what you’re buying, this new Travel Insurance Glossary will help you understand some of the common industry terms.

Travel Insurance Service, industry experts since 1973, just published the Travel Insurance Glossary as a service to people considering travel insurance. Written in simple language, it will clarify and help you have confidence that the coverage you purchase is really what you want and expect.

Beijing 2008 Olympics Links

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:01:16 -0700

The Olympic Games afford us a refreshing and inspiring opportunity to see citizens from all over the world coming together and interacting in peace through sport. With the 2008 Summer Games only two weeks away (the games run August 8 - 24), we thought you'd like some helpful and fun Olympics links--see our list below. Most people will enjoy the games via TV and the Internet as virtual travelers. And for those of you lucky enough to be traveling to China for the Games, it is still not too late to sign up for travel medical insurance.

- Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
- Schedule of Events
- Learn about the Sports that are part of the Games--origin, history, equipment, rules, and list of events.
- Official Website of the International Olympic Committee
- Get sports and life advice from Olympic Trainers at Olympic Personal Trainer.
- Play the official mini game, where you can compete virtually in High Dive, Archery and Weightlifting.
- Take the Host City Challenge. Here you can test your knowledge of cities that have hosted the Olympics.
- U.S. Television Coverage--Get TV and online coverage schedules and view results of events.
- Learn how to pronounce some basic Chinese phrases at Learn Chinese.
- Take a photo tour of Beijing, courtesy of National Geographic.
- Wikipedia Beijing entry
- China Internet Information Center's History of Beijing

Coming Soon to an Airport Near You: A Fee to Check Your Baggage

Thu, 22 May 2008 12:48:53 -0700

American Airlines, citing skyrocketing oil prices and the current economic environment, has decided to charge passengers $15 for checking a bag beginning June 15. The second bag will cost you $25. Other airlines are expected to follow suit. Read more in Peter Pae's story today in the LA Times: American Airlines to Charge for Checked Baggage.

So what's a traveler to do? Other than try to cram everything in into your carry-on and risk popping the zipper, or fork out the extra cash and grin and bear it, we thought it might be time to revisit some tips for packing more efficiently. Independent Traveler offers some great advice in this Packing Tips article and with this Interactive Packing List. Traveling-light guru Doug Dyment maintains a complete guide to packing well on his detailed and informative site One Bag , including his road-tested One-Page Packing Checklist.

And don't forget 24/7 baggage insurance for your next trip, in case your carefully packed bag is delayed, misplaced, or stolen anytime during your trip.

Climb Every Mountain, But First Explore Adventure Travel Insurance

Mon, 12 May 2008 14:58:43 -0700

If skiing, skydiving or climbing The Matterhorn are your idea of relaxing vacation activities, or if you’re planning a couples bungee jump during your honeymoon, first be sure you're covered in case you get hurt. Some health and life insurance plans exclude coverage for Adventure Sports (also called Hazardous Sports, Hazardous Activities or Extreme Sports). Read the Exclusions section of your policy to check if it excludes these, or talk with your insurance agent.

Typical sports that may be excluded:
- Jet, snow and water skiing
- Mountain climbing (not hiking but the kind using ropes)
- Skydiving
- Bungee jumping
- Whitewater rafting
- Surfing
- Parasailing
- Motorcycle driving
- Spelunking (cave exploration)

When planning travel, think in advance if you may be doing any of these Adventure-type activities. If so and you don’t have good coverage elsewhere, a travel insurance plan with a Hazardous Activity Option can be an affordable solution. With this coverage, WorldMed short-term travel medical insurance starts at about $40 for two weeks, and Voyager��annual travel insurance starts at around $70/year.

Our Kathy Barlow discussed this topic last month with KVTA talk show host Maria Sanchez in an adventure travel insurance radio interview .

ATA and Aloha Bankruptcies Underscore Need for Travel Insurance

Thu, 3 Apr 2008 10:30:59 -0700

This week, passengers were hit hard with the realities of airline bankruptcies. Monday, Aloha Airlines ceased operations and today ATA Airlines followed suit. Thousands of travelers were left stranded and scrambling for flights. This not only causes stress to the travelers, but it will cost many of them lost prepaid trip monies for tours they may miss out on, and added money they're shelling out for alternate flights.

But travelers who planned ahead and bought a travel insurance plan that includes travel-supplier Financial Default coverage can rest assured that they should recover lost costs.

Early in their trip planning process (usually 15-21 days after making their first trip payment), travelers can buy trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance that covers Financial Default of airlines, cruise lines, and tour operators. They must buy the insurance before bankruptcy is declared. This coverage is available in our Travel Insurance Select's Elite and Plus Options.

Business Travel Insurance Easy with Customized Annual Plan

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:32:25 -0800

Protecting traveling staff is now a quick, once-a-year task for the corporate travel buyer, corporate travel planner, or executive assistant. Voyager is versatile, annual travel insurance for those who travel several times each year (on business, for personal reasons, or both). It’s particularly nice for buyers at small to medium-sized companies that may not have a business travel accident, or annual medical evacuation plan (especially one that covers the risks of international travel). Voyager covers staff any time they are 100+ miles from home, so it works well for domestic or international trips.

Buyers can quickly choose low to high limits for: Medical Expense, Medical Evacuation, and Accidental Death. And there's a Hazardous Sports coverage option for staff people who may go skiing or motorcycle driving during the next sales retreat. The plan is fully customizable to each company's or traveler's needs, so the pricing varies, but for most ages starts at $69/year for Voyager Basic, a fully insured, annual medical evacuation plan. Voyager Plus and��Elite are more comprehensive and include varying levels of Medical Expense coverage. Patricia Peairs of St. Helena, Oregon is happy to have an annual plan option. She is thrilled with the price and says, "It sounds too good to be true." Voyager is quality coverage underwritten by an A+ rated underwriter.

Do a quick Voyager quote to see all the options or buy instantly online for up to 25 people. Larger groups can contact Sandy Franchebois.

Make Sure Cheap Travel Insurance is Really a Good Deal

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 07:56:41 -0800

Consumers can comparison shop for almost anything on the Web---from gourmet foods to hard-to-find collectibles. People often search out the best prices on travel products, including travel insurance. But when it comes to cheap travel insurance, how can a consumer make sure he’s getting a good value for the cost?

It’s smart to find a good price for any purchase, but not if it’s the wrong solution for one’s circumstances. Here’s some advice for those looking for cheap travel insurance from the experts at Travel Insurance Services, specialists in travel insurance for thirty-five years.

First, think about the reasons you want travel insurance. What travel risks are you concerned about? Then, search to find a product that meets your needs and your budget. After narrowing down your options, read the document that provides the details of the coverage (may be titled the Description or Outline of Coverage, or the Certificate of Insurance) to confirm the risks that concern you are covered. You should find the full text of these documents on the Web site. Consider these travel risks....

Currency Conversion Refunds for International Travelers

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:02:50 -0800

If you travel and use your credit card outside the U.S., listen up. Travelers who used their U.S.-issued Visa or MasterCard credit or debit cards, or their Diners Club credit card outside the U.S. between Feb. 1, 1996 and Nov. 8, 2006, may be due a refund of some currency-conversion fees. This due to a proposed settlement of federal litigation between cardholders and the card companies about these fees.

Depending how much you spent abroad and how well you documented that spending, you could be due anywhere from a flat $25, to as much as 3% of your foreign transactions. Visit http://ccfsettlement.com/ for information.

Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance -- What Reasons?

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:58:27 -0800

With the onset of winter, many of us huddle inside and make plans for the year, including travel plans. It takes our minds off the pelting rain or the mounting snow in the driveway--or at least keeps us from having to shovel the snow right this minute. Hmmm, this year will it be a spring Caribbean Cruise with the family, a week in Tuscany during the fall grape harvest, or could we be in Beijing, live and in person this August to witness the Olympic gymnastics competition?

More travelers include travel insurance in their planning, especially trip cancellation insurance that covers pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs. Before, you could only buy coverage for a named list of reasons for your cancelling a trip--most commonly you or a family member’s illness preventing you from going. The popular new benefit called "Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance" has changed all that and makes the list of reasons infinite.

So why might you cancel your trip? What are the most common "what ifs" why people decide to buy Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance? Counting down our top ten, here’s what our customers say....

Business Travelers: Be Aware of FAA's New Restrictions for Batteries in Carry-on or Checked Baggage

Mon, 7 Jan 2008 14:49:39 -0800

As providers of business travel insurance, we look out for the safety and convenience of those who travel for work. To that end, business travelers (and some personal travelers) should know that starting January 1, 2008; the FAA has in place new rules about having some types of lithium batteries in checked and carry-on baggage. This is largely in response to recent recalls of batteries prone to explosion, and it includes lithium batteries that power some laptop computers and other devices.

The rules are technical and get into the amount of lithium content in each battery. To prevent an unexpected travel delay, travelers should be familiar with the rules that vary for installed and spare batteries, and for items checked and carried on. Yahoo's Working Guy, Christopher Null, wrote a helpful post about the restrictions, and here's the announcement from the FAA itself.

Ski Travel Insurance For Bumps in Your Winter Sports Trip

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:40:24 -0800

You’re itching to go---the trails are corduroy at Killington, there’s champagne powder at Aspen, and it's finally dumping at Tahoe. Or will this be the year you'll shred at Innsbruck or après ski at St. Moritz? When days grow short, the carvaholic in you needs to get some turns in. But not just weekend jaunts this year. You are breaking out the calendar and planning some real ski vacations.

Before you do, it's smart to make sure you’re covered for a wipeout. Best not to bankrupt yourself or the parents in case of that compound fracture. Or what if you’ve shelled out cash in advance, and then you end up cancelling your trip? Are you out those funds?

Ski travel insurance is easy to buy and can save you from a large expense.

Ten Reasons Travelers are Glad They Bought Travel Insurance

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:01:33 -0800

Most people don't hesitate to insure their life, their car or home. But what about the trip they've planned and purchased? They may have budgeted for it or tapped savings to pay for it, so shouldn't they spend a little extra to protect their travel investment? Or, what if someone suddenly needs medical care while traveling outside the country? Will a primary health plan cover it, or should they also carry travel health insurance?

Travel Insurance Services, specializing in travel-related plans for over thirty years, shares these ten situations when travelers are glad to have travel insurance.

More Choices to Meet Travelers Needs with Travel Insurance Select

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:53:32 -0700

You don't expect to cancel your trip or to have a medical emergency while traveling, but it happens. That's why Travel Insurance Services recently introduced its newest version of Travel Insurance Select, a versatile trip cancellation insurance plan with a choice of benefits and services.

Simply choose the right option for your needs and budget. Popular Cancel for Any Reason option gives you trip planning flexibility.

New Annual Travel Insurance for Frequent and Business Travelers

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:52:27 -0700

Travel Insurance Services Introduces Voyager, the versatile, annual travel insurance with medical coverage for multiple trips each year (business, personal, or both). Travelers, or their corporate travel or HR departments, will enjoy the convenience of buying coverage only once a year.

Easily customize with low to high limits for: Medical, Medical Evacuation and Accidental Death; Hazardous Sports option. Voyager Basic is the answer for a fully insured, annual medical evacuation plan.

International Student Health Insurance for a Student-Sized Budget

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:12:06 -0800

Study USA-HealthCare reports an all-time record number of students buying study abroad insurance this month. The buzz about its great rates and generous coverage is spreading among students in the international student and study abroad communities, who often find the plan a significant cost savings over other options.

With tuition, fees, books, lodging, and daily living expenses, a college student quickly learns how to live on a tight budget, and eats his share of pizza and mac and cheese. Any savings can help, like buying low-priced international student health insurance that can be a better value than many other plans.

Cruise Insurance: What if You Get Sick on the Ship?

Thu, 1 Mar 2007 12:25:21 -0800

A surprising percentage of cruise passengers pay a visit to the ship's doctor and not always for a sunburn or hangover. Travelers planning a cruise should take a few simple steps ahead of time to prepare for the possibility of getting sick or hurt.

Cruises are great. Get on board and enjoy the scenic ports of call, entertainment, pampering, and incredible food. That is usually the case. But according to Travel Insurance Services, specialists in travel-related insurance plans for over thirty years, cruise passengers get hurt or sick often enough that they should be prepared for the possibility. This can include having cruise travel insurance that covers illness, injury and medical evacuation.