InsureMyTrip Blog

Ed. Note: This post is the second part of a two-part fable.  The original installment can be found here.  If you’re following along to try to guess the number of travel preparation mishaps made by this family, answers appear in bold at the end of this post.

When we left our traveling family, just about every aspect of their holiday plans had gone painfully awry.  It would be both easy and false to try to wrap this story up with a neat bow and say that travel insurance could have prevented this family from experiencing any of the stresses they encountered.  Sadly, travel insurance can’t stop snowstorms, it can’t help you clear security properly, and it can’t turn back time to help the kids get to the sledding hill on time.  However, it is an important step in preparing for holiday travel, and it can make the inconveniences of botched plans a little easier to swallow, especially at a time of year when patience for disruptions is in such short supply.
If this family had been properly prepared for their trip, the story might have looked more like this:

Once upon a time, Mom, Dad, Sally, and Billy were on their way over the river, through the woods, and across the country on an airplane to Grandma’s house for the holidays.  They had already shipped most of their gifts directly to Grandma’s, but there were a few last-minute items that needed to be brought on the plane with them.  Realizing that they wouldn’t fit in the carry-on luggage, Mom snapped quick pictures of each gift with her smartphone, then packed them in her checked bag and slipped the  receipts for each present into her purse, just in case anything went wrong.

The family called the airline before leaving the house, and since their flight appeared to be on time, they set out for the airport.  Dad was adamant that they be in the security line three hours in advance, just to make sure there was plenty of time to get through the holiday crowds.  As Mom helped the kids out of the car, she noticed that Sally was carrying her purse.  Quickly, they went through the contents and left the larger bottles of hand lotion and nail polish in the glove compartment of their car, keeping only the items that would be sure to pass the 3-1-1 test.

Once they’d cleared security, the family found a flight status board, which showed that their plane was now delayed.  All of Sally and Billy’s wishing for snow on the sledding hills had paid off – a bit too much, in fact.  A snowstorm had brought the deep drifts they wanted; but it had also brought the airports near Grandma’s house to a standstill.

No aircraft but Santa’s sleigh could possibly fly in or out of the area until the snow had stopped and was cleared from the runways.  After a few hours of waiting, the flight was officially cancelled.  Mom immediately called their travel insurance company and explained the situation.  The representative she spoke with helped arrange comfortable lodgings for the family at a nearby hotel and reminded Mom that if she needed to feed the family at a restaurant, their travel insurance policy would help pay for those expenses – as long as Mom and Dad remembered to keep their receipts.  While the family went to the concourse to eat dinner, the travel insurance company continued to work on getting them booked on another flight.

Although they did have to sleep at the hotel that night, they were grateful for comfortable beds.  Dad spent some time that evening making sure that they had all the documentation they would need to file a claim with the insurance company, feeling relieved that their policy would be able to cover the cost of the hotel stay and the food and toiletries they’d had to buy to get through the night.  The family was able to catch an early morning flight to Grandma’s, thanks to the rebooking help they’d gotten from the insurance company’s travel assistance line.  They got there just in time for the first tasting of the hot cocoa, and while the kids hit the sledding hills, Dad called the travel insurance company yet again to make sure that they were covered for the extra gifts that had been lost with the family’s luggage.  Thanks to Mom’s quick thinking in bringing photos and receipts for all the packed items, he was assured he would have enough information to file a claim.  Better yet, Grandma had the wonderful idea of printing copies of the pictures and wrapping them for the children, so they could see the gifts Mom and Dad would be replacing for them when they got home from their trip.   It wasn’t exactly what everyone had hoped their holiday would be, but at least they were safe, warm, and together, with the majority of their gifts tucked beneath the tree and the peace of mind that they wouldn’t have to add the costs of all the travel disruptions to their post-holiday bills.

As always, we wish everyone safe and happy travels – whether you’re off to Grandma’s for the family sledding party, or heading someplace warm and sunny for your seasonal cheer.  When you’re making your preparations, please consider adding travel insurance to your must-have list this year.  If you have any questions about choosing the policy that’s best for your family, call our Customer Care Center at 800-487-4722.

For those who were keeping track of the travel mistakes made by our traveling family, we counted at least seven: 1) Packing gifts in checked luggage; 2) Wrapping the gifts before packing; 3) Not checking flight status before going to the airport; 4) Not leaving enough time to clear security; 5) Not preparing for security with appropriate footwear and abiding by the 3-1-1 rule; 6) Throwing away food receipts; 7) Not having documentation of valuables in lost luggage.
Can you see any other ways our family might have been better prepared?  Leave a comment and share your best holiday travel tips.

The holiday season can be stressful for most of us, what with all the shopping, cooking, wrapping, and planning to make sure every last detail is just perfect for every member of the family.  When travel arrangements get added to the equation, it’s even more stressful – and more important to be thoroughly prepared.  Small mistakes can add up to big disappointments.  See how many travel preparation errors you can spot in this holiday tale, then check your answers and find out how things might have gone more smoothly in Part II of the story.

Once upon a time, Mom, Dad, Sally, Billy were on their way over the river, through the woods, and across the country on an airplane to Grandma’s house for the holidays.  They had carefully packed most of their gifts into their checked luggage and were eagerly anticipating the next day’s family sledding party and annual hot cocoa competition.  In the rush of last-minute preparations, they arrived at the airport with just an hour to spare before their flight, each lugging a large carry-on bag and suitcases brimming with wrapped presents, ready to place under the tree at Grandma’s.

As they struggled through security, taking precious moments to wrestle with Billy’s double-zippered snow boots and Sally’s Hello Kitty purse of treasured nail polishes and hand lotions, Mom and Dad began to worry that they wouldn’t make their scheduled flight.  As it turned out, the family didn’t need to worry about the time.  All of Sally and Billy’s wishing for snow on the sledding hills had paid off – a bit too much, in fact.  A snowstorm had brought the deep drifts they wanted; but it had also brought the airports near Grandma’s house to a standstill.

No aircraft but Santa’s sleigh could possibly fly in or out of the area until the snow had stopped and was cleared from the runways.  As the hopeful family waited anxiously, the hours ticked by.  Their flight was delayed, then cancelled.  They had no choice but to wait in the rebooking lines to see if they could possibly find another way to Grandma’s house.  As still more time passed without a new arrangement, the children began to get hungry and tired.  Mom did her best to arrange the waiting-area chairs in the airport as makeshift beds for Sally and Billy, then went to find some fast food near their gate.  As she gathered up her purchases, she spilled soda all over the tray, the napkins, and her receipt.  Wondering what else could possibly go wrong, Mom dispiritedly threw the ruined items in the trash.  She couldn’t help wishing they could just go somewhere else to eat, sleep, and sort out their disappointments in the morning.

By the time the family finally got to Grandma’s house the next evening, it was too late for the hot cocoa competition; all that remained were a few lonely marshmallows.  The sun had set on the sledding hills, and the cousins and aunts and uncles had all gone home to hang their stockings.  Grandma warmed the cold dinners that had waited on the holiday table, then put the children to sleep in cozy beds at last.  Mom and Dad sat dejectedly looking at the empty space beneath the Christmas tree while Dad tried to call the airlines to track down the family’s luggage, which had been lost in all the confusion.  At the airline’s request, Mom painstakingly tried to recall exactly which gifts had been wrapped and stowed in the suitcases, wishing she’d kept the receipts instead of balling them up with the excess gift wrap and throwing them away.

Upstairs, as the children slept quietly in their beds, Grandma went into the attic to find the trunks of old toys she’d saved since her own children were small.  From the assortment of keepsakes, she filled up the stockings, knowing that Santa has to come on time, even if the luggage doesn’t.  It wouldn’t be the perfect holiday anyone had envisioned, but with Grandma’s help, Mom and Dad could at least watch Billy and Sally open something on Christmas morning.

Stay tuned for Part II…

We’re pleased to welcome to the InsureMyTrip blog a friend of ours, renowned travel blogger Johnny Jet!  Johnny has graciously agreed to share with us his perspective on one of our travelers’ most popular fall vacation destinations.

For many, Italy is a favorite vacation destination and it’s definitely one of mine. If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me where they should go on their maiden Italian voyage, I would be a very wealthy man. Instead of you lighting up my cell phone, I figured I would share my opinion here.

Ideally, you should try to hit Italy’s big three (Rome, Florence and Venice) sometime in your life. So if you think this is a once in a lifetime trip, then I would recommend you start off in Venice and make your way down to Rome (through Tuscany).  You can sign up for a tour if you don’t want to have to think about your every move – I hear Trafalgar and Perillo offer excellent tours.

But after you are done with that trip, you’re going to need a vacation from your vacation so add on a few extra days and go to my favorite place in Italy; the island of Ischia. Ischia is Capri’s little known sister island, despite the fact that she’s three times bigger and a lot less expensive. Many travelers consider it a slice of heaven and I’m sure after your stay, you will too.  Ischia is a volcanic island that’s six miles (10 km) wide and four miles (7 km) long. It’s located in the Tyrrhenian Sea between the Gulf of Gaeta and the Bay of Naples. It’s famous for its warm mineral springs and incredible vistas.

To get there from Rome is easy. Just take a high-speed train from Rome to Naples, which takes an hour.  When you get to Naples, jump in a taxi to the Molo Beverello Port, a 10-minute ride away. Drivers charge tourists a flat rate of 15 euros (US $21) but my local Italian friends say that if you tell the driver ‘tariffa predeterminata’, the fee is just 10 euros (US $14) including luggage.  There are multiple ferry companies offering transit to Ischia so look at the ferry schedule on the departure board and give your business to the one leaving the earliest; they usually depart every 30 minutes. Tickets cost 16 euros (US $23) each and the ride is just under an hour. Tip: Naples is still notorious for crime. Be sure to take off all your jewelry, including the fake stuff, and safeguard your belongings.

The island is a popular destination in the summer, attracting mostly mainland Italians and Germans. In fact, there are so many Germans that almost all the signs and menus are in both Italian and German; many of the locals speak both languages, too. One of Ischia’s best attributes is that few Americans visit. Don’t get me wrong! I love my fellow citizens, but it’s so much more authentic to be surrounded by locals. For me, being surrounded by Americans when I’m abroad diminishes some of the mystique of foreign travel.

Good to know: Like in Capri, most hotels in Ischia are seasonal. They open in early April and close at the end of October. The population in Ischia is 70,000, but in the summer, this number rises to 90,000. The island gets a total of five million visitors a year, many visiting just for the day.

There are plenty of hotels and bed and breakfasts to choose from for every budget. Just be sure to make advance reservations in high season. I recently stayed at the five-star Hotel Terme Manzi. It’s expensive but has the island’s best restaurant located on its premises. But a few years ago, I shacked up at the three-star La Ginestra for just 80 euros (US $114) a night and that included breakfast and dinner like most hotels on the island.

While you are in Ischia, you’re probably just going to want to relax at the beach and eat good food (and gelato!) while recovering from your whirlwind trip exploring Italy’s treasures. But you really should try to visit these three places:

-The Negombo Health and Beauty Center is a natural thermal spa on the Tyrrhenian Sea surrounded by beautiful gardens. It’s a 10-minute, free shuttle ride from the hotel and a perfect place to unwind.

-La Mortella Gardens, located on a volcanic gorge, has over 3,000 different species of tropical flora from around the world. The views and waterfall make it a perfect place.

-At Fumarole Beach, you can not only swim but the locals cook dinner at night underneath the sand! They don’t use a grill but rather the vapor from the volcano. That’s how close to the surface it is.

Tips:
-Don’t spend 2 euros on a small bottle of water. Instead, find out where the closest grocery store is and stock up. I bought a large bottle of water for under US $1 (0.63 euro).

-I wouldn’t rent a car but depending on your motor skills, I would entertain the idea of getting a Vespa, even though they can be dangerous. I do recommend taking the public bus, which connects to the major towns and costs under $2 USD. Just be sure to buy tickets in advance from either a newsstand, bar, travel agency or tobacconist.

As you can probably tell, I love Ischia and it holds a special place in my heart. And it’s not just because it’s where my grandparents emigrated from in the 1920s. After experiencing the food, views and people, I suspect that you will feel the same way. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee it!

Happy Travels,

Johnny Jet

JohnnyJet.com

Facebook: /Johnny.Jet

Twitter: @JohnnyJet

John E. DiScala (a.k.a. Johnny Jet) travels around 150,000 miles and visits over 20 countries each year. He and his website JohnnyJet.com have been featured over 2,000 times in major publications, including USA Today, Time, Fortune and The New York Times, and he has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, FOX News Channel and PBS.  JohnnyJet.com has been named “one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel” by Budget Travel Magazine, while  the L.A. Times calls it “one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet.” Outside Magazine touted Johnny for having one of the world’s best “dream jobs”. He writes for Frommers.com, The Huffington Post, LAX Magazine and has written for USAToday and ABC News.  Sign up today for Johnny Jet’s free weekly travel newsletter at JohnnyJet.com.

It happens every year: the first official hurricane of the Atlantic season.  Somehow, even though we know it’s probably coming, it always takes us a bit by surprise.  As travelers, we do our best to be informed and prepared before it hits, and yet, when the first hurricane becomes a reality, there’s still that moment of mind-racing questioning, in which we ask ourselves: Do we have everything we need?  Is this going to change our plans significantly?  And if it does change our plans, does our travel insurance cover that?

As Hurricane Irene gathers strength, we encourage all travelers to re-acquaint themselves with their travel insurance policies.  (If you haven’t already purchased one, you won’t be able to get any coverage for Irene, but it may be advisable to take this storm as a sign of things to come and snap up an insurance policy for any upcoming trips you’re planning — since the chances of a one-hurricane season are pretty slim.)  Below is a quick reference guide to some of the hurricane-related topics we’ve covered on this blog recently, so you can refresh your memory on anything of which you’re unsure.  As always, we recommend that you call our Customer Care center at 800-487-4722 with specific questions related to your individual policy.

Read more about these topics on the InsureMyTrip blog:

Delays and Cancellations
Damage to your accommodations
Damage to your home or the surrounding area
Unique concerns

We’re pleased to welcome a guest writer to our blog today.  Eileen Ogintz is a travel writer who runs the wonderful site Takingthekids.com, which is an indispensable resource for families planning to travel with children.

Taking the Kids and Getting Travel Insurance
By Eileen Ogintz

For once I kept my mouth shut. I resisted the temptation to say “I told you so!”

When I heard about the couple’s honeymoon plans — a Caribbean resort during hurricane season – I suggested travel insurance.  I worried about a storm derailing their plans.

But they were too busy with the wedding to consider insurance that they were sure they wouldn’t need. None of us could have anticipated a power outage at Los Angeles International Airport that grounded all flights for several hours on the day they were leaving, causing them to miss their connecting flights and, ultimately, the first two days of their honeymoon. Their bags didn’t arrive until two days after they did.

The travel snafu ultimately forced them to spend several hundred dollars on airport hotels, meals and clothes — money that travel insurance would have refunded. Travel insurance may also have been able to get them rerouted and on their way more quickly.

Too many people think travel insurance is for seniors with serious medical problems. Not anymore. Not with volcanic ash, blizzards, hurricanes, terrorism and old-fashioned family emergencies causing travel plans to implode. These days, I like the idea of having a fairy godmother watching over my shoulder when I travel, even if I have to pay for it (typically 4-8 per cent of the trip.)

Even in the best of times, traveling with kids can be as unpredictable as hurricane season. A broken ankle, appendicitis, even an ear infection can force parents to delay departure. In other cases, families have to return from vacations early because of emergencies at home. Think of travel insurance as a way to protect your investment in your trip.  It can pay for hotels if you are stranded like so many were after last year’s holiday blizzard in the Northeast or out of pocket medical expenses—as it did for me when a scratched cornea sent me to the ER.  On a ski trip, my travel insurance picked up nearly $1,000 in costs that my medical insurance didn’t cover. Had it been necessary, the travel insurer would have arranged for medical evacuation and covered all of the costs if we’d needed to change our flights to return home earlier.

The key: Assess your needs before you sign on the dotted line, and read the fine print. Will your kids be insured free?  Once, we were delayed overnight without our bags when our connecting flight was canceled. I was annoyed to discover that, because our bags were returned to us within 24 hours, our travel insurance didn’t cover the essentials we had to buy.

Still, I think  travel insurance is worth it, especially if you’ve invested a lot of money up front — like for a cruise, for plane tickets to Hawaii, or for a ski condo during a holiday week — or if you’re visiting a country that might not have the best medical care.  It’s worth it for the peace of mind too, just knowing you don’t have to worry if your elderly mom gets sick and you have to return home or if your backpacking college student needs medical care far from home.

Most families opt for a package plan that will cover any costs incurred if they need to cancel or disrupt their trip because of a medical emergency, a hurricane, or a terrorist act. The insurance should cover the cost of changing your flight, as well as the unused portion of your vacation, if an emergency forces you to return early. If you’re traveling solo with a child and become sick or injured, some of these policies will even provide for a chaperone for your child.  But you can buy insurance just for what you need—medical evacuation, for example.

As for the honeymoon couple, their airline ultimately gave them some vouchers to make up for the inconvenience. They had a terrific time — once they got there.

Copyright 2011 Eileen Ogintz

For more on Eileen’s adventures and misadventures, visit www.takingthekids.com Her TakingtheKids  family travel guides are  newly updated and available for the NOOK and Kindle with individual sections starting at 99 cents.

When asked what the most common concern of travelers might be, during Hurricane Season, most of our reps immediately answered; “They’re worried that they can’t get where they’re going.”  Inclement weather can, of course, close airports and other travel hubs, or cause a domino-effect of delays and cancellations rippling outward from affected cities and wreaking havoc with the plans of travelers even in areas with clear blue skies.  During Hurricane Season, it’s not hard to understand why travelers would be somewhat nervous about getting from Point A to Point B, or at least getting there in a timely fashion.

If  you’re concerned about hurricanes affecting the travel forecast in your city of departure, your destination city, or really, anywhere — that ripple effect is a tough reality of air travel — then travel insurance is one of the best investments you can make.  We suggest you become familiar with these types of coverage:

Trip Cancellation: This coverage, which is included in all of the package policies sold on InsureMyTrip.com, will help you recoup any pre-paid, nonrefundable expenses related to your trip if you cancel your plans due to a delay of 24-48 hours or more (make sure you understand what the specific time frame is for the policy you choose).

Trip Delay: Again, this protection is included in our package policies, and allows you to file for reimbursement of unexpected expenses you might incur as a result of a shorter (but still significant) delay– usually 6 hours or more.  If you need to purchase meals, for example, or pay for overnight lodging to avoid sleeping on the airport benches, travel delay coverage can help cover those incidental costs.

Of special concern is the possibility that your home or destination – -and logically, your travel plans — might be damaged by storms.  While many policies do state that a home or destination rendered “uninhabitable” by a hurricane would be a covered reason for cancelling your trip, we also urge travelers who are especially concerned about this possibility to look into CFAR.  CFAR, or Cancel for Any Reason coverage, would allow you more flexibility to change your plans as you see fit.  In some cases, minor storm damage to your home or destination might mean that you’re uncomfortable traveling, but may not meet the definition of “uninhabitable.”  If you happen to have purchased CFAR, you’d be able to cancel and receive reimbursement for your travel expenses in that scenario, while you may not receive the same benefit from a standard package policy.

It’s understandable for travelers to feel nervous about making plans during Hurricane Season, but the good news is that most of the major concerns you probably have can be addressed with a simple purchase: the right travel insurance policy for your needs.  We encourage you to speak to one of our licensed Customer Care Representatives,who can assist you in finding that policy, so you can secure your travel plans with confidence.

One of the reasons we’re so adamant about trying to stay in touch with our customers is that it’s often the experience of one traveler that helps us better serve the needs of all travelers.  One person’s experience can sometimes help us to uncover unique questions and concerns about travel insurance that might help somebody else in choosing the right policy for their trip.  That’s why, for many of our Customer Care Representatives, the most memorable Hurricane Season stories are the ones that involved slightly less common questions from travelers.

“I had clients call who were in Mexico at the time of a storm, and their hotel mandated that everyone had to evacuate.  Luckily they made it to the airport before it was shut down, so they were able to get home.  They used their trip interruption coverage to help recover their costs.” Lynne, Customer Care Training and Communications Specialist

Why it was unusual: Although Lynne’s clients were told by their hotel manager that they had to leave the property, there was actually no mandatory evacuation from the city in which they were staying.  While some travel insurance plans state that a mandatory evacuation is a covered event, many travelers could be confused by what a “mandatory evacuation” really means.  In this case, while the term didn’t apply, the travelers were still able to recoup the expenses involved in cutting their trip short, because uninhabitable accommodations — i.e., a hotel that’s closed and evacuated due to the storm — are often covered as reasons for trip interruption.

Confused?  Here’s what to ask: What happens if  a hurricane hits while I’m on vacation, and I can’t stay in my hotel any longer?  What kind of coverage would I have if I left early?

“This is kind of an unusual one, but it’s something I think people should really be aware of.  I spoke to some travelers who were supposed to be spending the night on a sailboat while the hurricane was coming through.  They were covered, fortunately, because it was a charter boat – but I want to make sure people know that they have to ask questions about getting coverage for something unique like a stay on a sailing vessel, because it’s not the type of thing that is covered by every standard policy.” –Darryl, Customer Care Representative

Why it was unusual: Cruising might be a popular travel choice, but spending just one or two nights on a private boat isn’t for everyone.

Confused?  Here’s what to ask: If there is anything about your travel plans that you think may be somewhat unconventional — unusual accommodations, adventure sports, wilderness experiences, whatever it may be — please share that with a Customer Care Representative.  You may want to say something like, “I’m not sure if this is significant, but I’m planning to spend the night on a raft going down the Nile…what happens if the river floods unexpectedly and I can’t fulfill my plans?”  As Darryl’s experience with the charter-boat passengers illustrates, there may be specific coverage readily available for certain things, while others may require a bit more research, or may not be covered at all.  It’s best to know well in advance of your trip whether or not your exotic plans can be protected by travel insurance, so there are no surprises in the midst of your adventure.

“I do remember speaking with an insured that had purchased (one of the policies offered on InsureMyTrip.com).  There was a hurricane warning and she was able to cancel her trip and receive the cost of the trip back.  She wanted us to know how extremely happy she was that she had spoken to a knowledgeable customer care specialist who had suggested purchasing one of the policies that offered cancellation due to a hurricane warning. “ –Nancie, Customer Care Representative

Why it was unusual: As Nancie points out, not every package policy will cover you if you decide to cancel your trip based on a hurricane warning alone.  Many of them stipulate that a hurricane must actually occur, and cause certain complications for travelers, for coverage to kick in.  However, we do have some plans that extend the cancellation coverage to travelers who want to change their plans based on a warning, so this particular customer was fortunate to have made an informed choice.

Confused?  Here’s  what to ask: If you really feel that you’d be among the people who would want to cancel due to the threat of a hurricane, then it’s absolutely worth asking one of our Customer Care Representatives to explain to you about not only policies that will cover cancellation due to a hurricane warning, but also Cancel For Any Reason coverage, which provides a broader spectrum of protection and may be the most comfortable choice for some travelers.

The bottom line: We can never know too much about your travel plans.  The more information you provide to us as we’re helping you research your options, the better able we’ll be to provide you with a policy that truly meets all of your unique needs as a traveler.  Call one of our Customer Care Representatives at 800-487-4722 to receive personalized service and answers to all of your travel insurance questions.

Ed. Update: This is Part Three in our series of re-posting information from previous years that may prove useful to travelers throughout the 2011 hurricane season.

Bri, Marketing

Picture it: you’ve booked a dream vacation in some exotic locale, complete with a rental cottage in a remote, secluded spot.  There’s some hurricane activity in the area, but the airports are open, so you and your companions pack your rainy-day survival kit and optimistically board your plane.  You touch down, pick up your rental car, drive two hours to your getaway…and find that the hurricane has gotten there before you, leaving shattered windows, flooding, and a damaged roof.  At this point, many travelers call us, asking, “Is there anything I can do?” (more…)

Ed. Note: May 22-27, 2011 is National Hurricane Preparedness Week.  As part of our series of archived information from past blog posts regarding the best travel insurance tips for hurricanes and other inclement weather, we offer the following post on what to know if a disaster hits home.  Given the current news about devastating tornadoes, floods, and various kinds of damaging weather throughout the United States, it seems a timely piece of information.  Here’s hoping all our travelers, and their loved ones, stay safe and well.

Bri, Marketing

Often, when people think about travel insurance policies, they consider what kind of coverage they might need if something happened near their destination, or if there happened to be some issue with their transportation, whether by land, sea, or air. Rarely does anyone consider what would happen if they woke up on the morning of their planned departure to find their basement awash in flood water, or their local airports shut down by a hurricane, blizzard, tornado, or locusts.  (Hey…it could happen.) (more…)

Ed. Update: As of 5/19/2011, NOAA has released its predictions for the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season.  With an “above-normal” season predicted, we thought it might be helpful to re-run some hurricane season advice from years past so travelers can be sure of understanding exactly what travel insurance coverage might be most useful during the next several months.  As always, if you have specific questions, please don’t hesitate to call our Customer Care Center at 800-487-4722, or connect with us via email at customercare@insuremytrip.com.

John, Product Underwriting Manager

InsureMyTrip call center reps have heard it all, from vacation high points to travel disasters, but there is one type of call we’ll never get used to: the one from a distraught traveler who says “You mean if I had bought travel insurance, this would have been covered?”  Too frequently, hurricanes and other natural disasters shut down airports and cause people to miss out on their vacation plans.  Besides the disappointment and inconvenience of having to cancel a trip you’ve looked forward to, we know that there is a financial aspect involved as well.  After saving up for a big vacation, no one wants to lose that investment to circumstances they can’t control. (more…)