InsureMyTrip Blog

Bri, Marketing

In my life, there are various people who travel.  One of my oldest friends from my junior high school days racks up serious frequent flier miles globetrotting for business.  My sister, a professor of antiquities, is always flying off to some envious locale for a conference or a “research” trip (note, dear, sister, that all those photos of you posing with a glass of wine in front of a gorgeous seascape don’t quite match up to your talk of dusty library carrels and hours spent poring over engravings).  And a dear friend from graduate school invariably spends her summers, unfettered by work responsibilities, exploring various corners of the world with the kind of adventurous yen that I can’t quite muster.  I admire it, but I can’t muster it.

Aside from the business-travel guy, whose needs are covered entirely by his company, most of the travelers in my life find themselves in frequent need of travel insurance.  For my sister, it’s a need usually heightened by the requirements of embassies, host organizations, and other entities; for my adventure-traveling friend, it’s a need identified, somewhat regretfully, by a rather embarrassing incident on a backpacking trip in the Highlands.  (More on that in a moment.)  And while both of these women are quite educated, savvy creatures more than capable of researching and purchasing their own travel insurance, guess who they usually call to help them?

Luckily for both of them, they not only have me — they have my husband, who happens to be the Product Underwriting Manager here at IMT.  He’s the one who got on the phone with my sister last summer and convinced her that she was about to be penny-wise and pound-foolish in purchasing a lesser (and therefore less expensive) policy for her upcoming sabbatical.  It’s a good thing he did, too, because between flight delays and unexpected problems with accommodations, she certainly ended up needing the coverage he recommended.  As for my adventurous friend, she received the tag-team approach on a recent visit to our home.

As she was detailing the plans for her upcoming trip to Africa, I managed to gently prod her several times into proclaiming “Oh!  While I’m here, I should ask you guys about insurance.”  My husband then took over with the details, as I helpfully chimed in from time to time.  For example: “You know, he’s right about getting medical evacuation and hospital of choice.  You may not want to, say, fall over a waterfall in Africa, gash your leg severely — or worse — and end up stranded in the middle of nowhere, until some strange men pull up in a Jeep and offer to try to transport you to a hospital 20 miles or so away.”

Obviously I’m not usually so specific, but remember that embarrassing incident I referred to earlier?  This scenario at the waterfall was the spectacular ending to her Highlands adventure.  Had it not been for the kindness of (fortunately altruistic) strangers, she’d have been in a very dangerous predicament.  She knew it, too.  She left our house armed with plenty of information and several quotes for appropriate policies.

I’m certain that both my sister and my friend would be able to find travel insurance on their own, but they don’t have to.  That’s what friends (and relatives) are for.  When you need advice on any subject, research is great — but let’s be honest; if you’ve got a friend who knows something about it, you’ll ask them as well, and be more likely to feel comfortable that the information they’ve given you is correct.  And while not everyone has an old college buddy or close relative working in the travel insurance industry, you do have the next best thing: InsureMyTrip.

Our Customer Care representatives are licensed insurance specialists who don’t work on commission, so they not only know what they’re talking about, but they’ll only recommend the policies that are best for you.  They don’t have a certain number of calls that they have to take in a day, so they can give you the attention and time you need to make an informed decision.  Just like a good friend, they’re available to help you out when you need it, by phone, live chat, or email — and they’re here seven days a week.

You may not have an actual friend who works at IMT (and who can oh-so-kindly remind you of your most embarrassing travel moments), but we’d like to be your travel insurance companions nonetheless.  It’s often said that in life, it’s not what you know, but who you know.  Why not get to know InsureMyTrip?

Bri, Marketing

Much has been said, on this blog and elsewhere, about the unimaginable devastation that’s occurred in Japan over the past several days.   However, what no one seemed to anticipate, back on Day 1 of the crisis, was that we’d soon be discussing not natural disasters, but man-made ones; not earthquakes and tsunamis, but a tangible nuclear threat.  From where I sit, it seems that the entire travel community is embarking on a somewhat familiar, though entirely unpredictable moment in time — as the ongoing radiation crisis unfolds, there’s no telling how much of an impact it may have on flights, transportation, accommodations, tourism, and the confidence of travelers themselves. (more…)

After the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan on March 11, 2011, our thoughts turned immediately to how we, as travel insurance professionals, could assist in the relief efforts.  While we can’t send the whole staff of InsureMyTrip to Japan, we can at least make sure that those traveling to the region as aid workers, or to visit and help family members affected by the disaster, are protected.

We’re partnering with HCC Medical Insurance Services to offer a 20% discounted rate on the Atlas International plan, which provides medical and evacuation coverage.  This discount is available only to travelers going to Japan for relief efforts or family reasons.  In order to redeem this offer, simply enter “Japan” as your destination in our quote form.  When your results appear, choose the “Atlas International” plan, and the discounted rate will automatically be shown.

Plan highlights include:

• Medical coverage from $50,000 to $1,000,000
• Emergency medical evacuation to $500,000
• 24-hour emergency assistance
• 24-hour accidental death coverage to $25,000 (for additional stand-alone AD&D coverage, consider our Travel Accident Plan)

Please be aware that if you are seeking coverage other than medical and evacuation benefits for travel to Japan, your options may be limited at this time due to the nature of this particular event.  We urge you to call our Customer Care Center at 800-487-4722 if you have questions about specific coverage options.

We continue to hold the residents of Japan, and all those affected by the earthquake and tsunami, in our thoughts.  We wish all those heading to that region safe travels.

Editorial Update: As of 4/7/11, this offer is no longer available.  Please contact our Customer Care Center to discuss other available policies for insuring travel to Japan.

Following the news of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan today, certainly, our first thoughts have been for the people of Japan and for all those traveling within the country.  As we continue to stay updated on the news coming out of that region, and attempt to reach out to customers who may be affected, we’re also aware of the broader impact of these events on the state of general travel.

As the day progresses, news of delays and cancellations at airports, train stations, and ports of call in several locations has mounted.  Travelers whose plans include departures, arrivals, or connections through affected areas such as Tokyo and Honolulu should double-check their travel insurance coverage to be sure that they fully understand the benefits provided in case of a delay.  In general, travel delay coverage becomes effective after 6 hours and can provide reimbursement for incidentals such as food and lodging; some policies may also help with rebooking fees, though in this instance, many of the major carriers appear to be waiving those fees for passengers whose plans are impacted by the quake and/or tsunami.

In addition to delays and cancellations resulting from these events, travelers who plan to depart for Japan within the next few months may be concerned about damage to hotels and transportation hubs.  If you purchased a travel insurance policy prior to the earthquake, you may be covered for some of those damages.  For example, if your accommodations are still uninhabitable at the time of your scheduled trip, many insurance policies will allow you to cancel your travel plans.

As always, we encourage travelers who have questions about their specific policies to call our Customer Care Center at 800-487-4722.

The entire team at InsureMyTrip is greatly concerned this morning over the news coming out of Japan.  Our thoughts are with the residents of Japan, as well as any travelers who may be there at the moment.  We’re continuing to monitor the situation very closely and will update our customers throughout the day on our blog, Twitter feed, and Facebook page as any important details emerge.

Our Customer Care center is ready to assist anyone who has questions or concerns about coverage for travel to Japan and the surrounding region.  Customers who are currently in Japan should contact the emergency assistance line for their individual insurance providers; if you encounter any difficulty, you may also contact us so that we can assist you in connecting with your provider.  Those who have plans to travel to Japan imminently should make every effort to contact us with questions about their policies.

Again, we will be updating our information as necessary throughout the day; please feel free to connect with us to ask questions or share concerns.  We are here to help.

InsureMyTrip Customer Care Center: 800-487-4722 OR 401-773-9300 (Outside the U.S.)
customercare@insuremytrip.com

Editorial Update: We’ve added a related post about delays and damages resulting from the quake and tsunami.  Those who have more general questions about coverage may find this post helpful.

Bri, Marketing

Yesterday, as I was chatting with another IMT-er, he abruptly asked me the following question:

“Did you know it snows in Turkey?”

I’ll admit, it gave me a moment of pause.  Did I know that it snows in Turkey?  Well, yes, I supposed I did; after all, I knew that Turkey was not a wholly tropical climate, and I knew that it was perfectly possible for temperatures there to dip into the 30s and 40s, if not often, then at least every once in a while.  Logically, snow might follow.  While Turkey might not top the list in my mind of picturesquely frosted, wintry destinations, I had to answer that certainly, I could see how it might snow there.

“But I mean,” my colleague pressed, “a LOT of snow.  They don’t know what to do with it.  Look.”

He showed me the article he was perusing at the time, which confirmed that Turkey was in the midst of its worst snowfall in 10 years, and that as a result of the unaccustomed weather, air and road travel in and around Istanbul was nearly at a standstill.  Yes, I conceded, it was a lot more snow than I would have pictured if you asked me how much snow might fall on Turkey, especially at this time of year.  But with all the odd weather patterns the world has endured in recent weeks and months, how surprised could I really be?

It’s a fact of traveling that the unexpected will happen; in fact, I’d go so far as to say that from my personal perspective, if you’re traveling because you crave predictability, you may want to re-think your plans.  Fortunately, as I so often remind people, there’s travel insurance for many of those unexpected occurrences.  However, it seems to me that among people who tend to buy insurance for their trips, there are two camps: those who always buy some sort of insurance, because “you never know,” and those who only insure trips when they’re relatively convinced that something may happen — like buying coverage for a cruise during hurricane season, or making sure they have coverage for a flight to the Midwest in December.  For the latter group of travelers, I’d venture to guess that buying travel insurance for a trip to Istanbul in March wouldn’t have been a top priority.

Was the major snowstorm in Turkey a fluke occurrence?  Probably.  But then again, so was the now-legendary volcanic eruption in Iceland last year.  In some ways, having travel insurance seems to me to be a bit like traveling with your overly cautious grandmother.  You might scoff at her for packing all those extra umbrellas, fleece jackets, and mittens when you take off for a Floridian vacation; but when the temperatures dip to record lows and it rains the whole time you’re trying to enjoy the attractions, you’ll be awfully glad that Grandma came prepared.

Yes, it snows in Turkey — sometimes, apparently, quite a bit — even in March.  While the snowstorm there isn’t exactly splashing all over the headlines, it’s fairly likely that if you were a traveler whose plans got derailed yesterday by the wintry mess, it would have felt like big news to you.  None of us has a crystal ball to alert us to possible pitfalls; but we do have the opportunity to at least pack a little extra security.  And the really good news is that a travel insurance policy, unlike Grandma’s overstuffed carry-on bag, won’t take up too much space in the overhead bins.

Unsurprisingly, our Customer Care representatives have been fielding quite a few calls over the past few days about the escalating civil unrest in Egypt.  While we covered the basics of the State Department’s travel warning and some other related topics in yesterday’s post, we felt it was important to cover in more depth a few of the most common questions and concerns our customers are voicing at this time.

I’m planning to travel to Egypt within the next few days, but I didn’t purchase travel insurance.  Can I buy a policy now?

Probably not.  There’s a reasonable likelihood that you’d run into difficulty with your plans due to the ongoing instability there; that makes this sort of akin to trying to get flood insurance for your house when the water is already trickling into the basement.  Situations like this one are among the many reasons we always urge travelers to purchase their insurance when they are making their initial trip arrangements.

I’m supposed to be traveling to Egypt quite soon, and I do have a travel insurance policy.  Why did your Customer Care Center tell me that I can’t get reimbursed for canceling my trip?

Civil and political unrest are not included in the standard coverage under most travel insurance policies.  While there are several policies that do cover expenses incurred if you’re delayed as a result of civil unrest, most do not allow you to cancel your trip because of current instability in the region.  Any exceptions to this rule generally come into play only if there is a terrorist act in your destination city or a city on your itinerary.  However, if you happen to have purchased a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) policy, then you should be able to cancel your trip and receive reimbursement.

I’m not actually planning to travel to Egypt, but I’m thinking about booking a trip either to another country in the Middle East or with flights that may connect through Middle Eastern cities.  What kind of travel insurance should I consider?

This is the question we hope all potential travelers are asking themselves right now.  Most of the major news outlets have been reporting for several days now that it appears that political uprisings, such as the one in Egypt, have been planned in many other countries — Syria, Jordan, and Yemen among them.  It would be wise for travelers whose plans may take them to, or through, any part of the Middle East to be proactive in the face of these reports and make sure that they purchase appropriate coverage for any upcoming trips.   We highly recommend calling our Customer Care center at 800-487-4722 to discuss the best coverage options for your specific itinerary as soon as possible.

I heard that it would probably be impossible from now on to get any kind of travel insurance for trips to Egypt.  Is that true?

Happily not!  Travel insurance is intended to provide protection for all different kinds of scenarios; civil unrest is only one small piece of the whole travel insurance puzzle.  In fact, the major take-away lesson from these events is that in general, civil or political unrest is the kind of “wild card” occurrence that most likely wouldn’t be covered anyway, unless you have a Cancel for Any Reason policy.  That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get travel insurance for a future trip to the pyramids, though — far from it.  The more likely causes of travel woes — illness, injury, delays, and other relatively routine but still unforeseen events — can still befall you in Egypt, or anywhere in the world.  Travel insurance is still available to cover you for those concerns, and will continue to be available, despite the current political situation.  Although it’s hard to think about the more mundane things that can happen when something major grabs the headlines, it’s just as important now as it ever has been to think about the big picture and protect yourself against every eventuality, even the things that seem small when compared to the cataclysmic events of the past few days.

As always, we urge all travelers to carefully review their needs and call us to discuss the best options for insuring any upcoming trips, regardless of where in the world they may be traveling.  While events like the civil unrest in Egypt certainly put travel insurance in the spotlight, our goal today remains unchanged from what it always has been: to provide every possible protection for your trip, so you can continue to explore the world with confidence.

The current situation in Egypt is of great concern to us, as it is to all of our customers and travelers worldwide.  We’re keeping a very close watch over the latest information coming from all channels regarding travel to and from the region.  As of yesterday, the State Department upgraded their recommendations from a Travel Alert to a Travel Warning; the details of that warning, as well as consistently updated information about the ongoing situation in Egypt, can be found here. (more…)

It’s an annual travel industry ritual: Wave Season.  Traditionally, January marks the beginning of this highly-anticipated time, during which bargains on cruises are at their peak.  Travelers looking to get a good deal on their next seafaring vacation are already scouting the different offers at various cruise lines and travel sites. (more…)

Bri, Marketing

If you’re reading this, I suspect you, like most of us, have been keeping up with the news surrounding this weekend’s State Department Travel Alert.  For those who haven’t yet heard, here’s a quick recap, from the government’s travel security website:

“The State Department alerts U.S. citizens to the potential for terrorist attacks in Europe.  Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks.  European governments have taken action to guard against a terrorist attack and some have spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions.” (more…)