InsureMyTrip Blog

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Today is Fat Tuesday, which gives us a good opportunity to talk about not just Mardi Gras, but celebrations in general.  It’s wonderful to experience a major carnival, street fair, or festival somewhere in the world; however, your carnival experience can also, sadly, bring with it a heightened possibility of misfortune.  Where there are large crowds of people, there are bound to be accidents and petty crimes.

Of course you’ll be careful.  Smart travelers will take every necessary precaution to protect themselves from the expected mishaps during Mardi Gras or any other festival.  But if your street smarts alone aren’t enough, you may find yourself having to file a travel insurance claim.  Here are a few tips and things you should know about the claims process before you need to navigate it.

Document your belongings.  It’s much easier to show your insurance company the value of any lost or stolen belongings if you have a record of what you’ve packed.  One smart and simple way to do this is to photograph the contents of your suitcase before you depart (or, if you’re a bit late in reading this, as soon as you arrive at your destination).  Anything that’s of particular value should also be photographed separately, and if you have a receipt for it, take a photo of that, too — just in case you lose the original document.

Don’t wait to ask for records.  Whether it’s a police report to help you document a theft, or a medical record that shows treatment of an injury, make sure to ask for these documents up front.  Too often, travelers think they’ll contact the police department or the hospital after they’ve returned home, and end up mired in endless red tape, phone calls, and emails, sometimes to no avail.  Don’t leave the premises until you have your requested documents firmly in hand or have made what you feel is a suitable arrangement to receive them.

Don’t invalidate your claim.  Did you know that your travel insurance becomes void if your claim arises as the result of something that happens while you’re drinking, using recreational drugs, or engaged in a crime yourself?  This falls under the category of using your street smarts, but it bears repeating: Don’t overimbibe, and don’t get caught up in something you’ll later regret.  While having your travel insurance claim rejected may be the least of your worries under the circumstances, it could certainly add insult to injury.

Remember that if you need to file a claim, you should contact your travel insurance provider directly using the  information provided on our Claims and Assistance page.  Above all, travel safely, and enjoy the experience.  Laissez les bon temps rouler!

August brings the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, an event which has been attracting tourism to the Black Hills of South Dakota as hordes of bike enthusiasts descend upon the location for a week of fun and festivities.  As famous as Sturgis has become, it’s not the only convergence of travel and tourism with motorcycles; our call center is accustomed to hearing from motorcycle fans who are planning to see the world from the seats of their bikes.  Travel insurance for motorcycle tours is certainly available, but as with any travel insurance purchase, it’s important to do some homework before you make a decision about which type of coverage will be best for you.

If you’re planning a motorcycle tour, whether in the continental U.S. or abroad, you may be chiefly concerned about three things: Cancellation of your trip (and the subsequent loss of any pre-paid, norefundable expenses you might have racked up securing the tour); injury; and damage or loss of property.  Travel insurance can address some, but not all of those concerns, and coverage for you will vary depending on your individual circumstances, the specifics of your trip, and the travel insurance plan and provider you ultimately choose.  Also, keep in mind that, as with many other sports and activities, if you’re engaged in a motorcycle activity as a professional, travel insurance will most likely not be available for that portion of your trip.

Cancellation of your tour. A travel insurance package policy works the same way for cyclists as it does for the average traveler.  If you have to back out of your planned trip for a covered reason — such as unexpected illness or injury before you depart — most package policies will likely reimburse you for your pre-paid, nonrefundable expenses.  That means any deposits you’ve paid for airfare, to secure your spot in a tour group,  to reserve lodgings, or to participate in any special activities that require advance reservations and payment should be covered by your travel insurance policy. If your tour is cancelled by the operator, while they will likely be responsible for returning any money you’ve provided to them for the experience, a package policy should also assist you by reimbursing you for any other nonrefundable expenses you’ve incurred for additional trip preparations.

Injury. Motorcycle riding is not considered by most travel insurance providers to be an especially hazardous activity, no matter what your mom might say.  If you have purchased a travel insurance package policy to cover your trip, it will most often include coverage for any injuries you might suffer as a result of your motorcycle tour.  We know it’s unlikely that you’ll get hurt — but isn’t it nice to know that you can purchase a travel insurance plan that will cover you if you do?

Loss or damage to property. If your motorcycle is damaged while you’re on the road,  it’s not likely that a travel insurance policy will cover the damages.  That’s generally the responsibility of the company that insures your motorcycle on a regular basis.  However, we would recommend getting in touch with that insurance company to make sure that your bike will be covered as you expect no matter where you are in the world.

Sports and Hazardous Activity Riders. If you’re purchasing a travel medical plan, rather than a standard package policy, you should definitely ask a Customer Care representative about adding a sports rider to your insurance purchase.  Travel Medical insurance sometimes works slightly differently from package policies, and it’s common for companies providing travel medical plans to require that a special rider be purchased to insure you against any possible injuries you might sustain while on your trip.

Taking your motorcycle on vacation with you may sound like the perfect way to relax and see the world, but it’s a good idea to be prepared.  Before you make a travel insurance purchase, we recommend that you call our Customer Care Center at 800-487-4722 and speak to a licensed representative who can make sure that you get all the important travel insurance benefits you and your bike may need.

We get a lot of calls and emails from travelers who are planning to spend some time in, on, or around the water while they’re on vacation.  At this time of year, especially, it’s understandable; who wouldn’t want to be enjoying the summer sun on a charter boat, or cooling off with a swim or a diving adventure?  As common as the yen to get into the water may be, though, it’s also a travel planning issue that deserves some special attention of its own — at least, as far as travel insurance goes.  During the summer and fall in particular (otherwise known as a little thing called “Hurricane Season;” you may have heard of it), there’s the very real possibility that any aquatic plans could be quickly sabotaged by high winds, torrential rains, and all-around dreadful and damaging weather.

If you’re a water-loving kind of traveler, you may be channeling Roy Scheider right about now: “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.”  That may work for you…but might we suggest a quick refresher in travel insurance instead?

Sure, we’re probably a little biased, but we do honestly happen to think that travel insurance is a good option to explore whenever you’re traveling, particularly if there’s a heightened risk that you’ll be waylaid by something like a hurricane.  Even if you’re not greatly concerned about the weather, however, there are some special considerations you may want to be aware of before you plan an aquatic adventure.  Some activities will require you to have specialized travel insurance, or may not be covered on certain policies.  Here are a few examples that many travelers probably aren’t aware of.

Charter Boats. Cruising is one thing; spending a couple of nights on a charter boat is another.  Most people assume that a boat is a boat is a boat, but it’s not always that simple.  Coverage for charter boats varies across policies and situations, and doesn’t necessarily look the same as the coverage for a cruise.   Be sure to speak with one of our Customer Care representatives when you’re researching your travel insurance purchase, and mention the fact that you’re chartering a boat, so you can get the full details on what may or may not be covered.

Scuba Diving. If you’re planning to take a dive, it’s crucial that you understand the limitations of travel insurance products before you make your purchase.  Many package policies will either exclude scuba diving altogether — meaning that if you are injured during the dive, your travel insurance supplier will not provide you with the benefits you would have had if the injury had occurred on dry land — or will only cover your scuba diving  adventure up to a certain depth.  You also usually have to be diving with a guide master in order to be eligible for travel insurance coverage for your dive.  It’s also important to know that these stipulations are only applicable to package policies; if you are purchasing travel medical insurance, you should also inquire about whether or not you’ll need to purchase an additional Sports or Hazardous Activity Rider to extend your travel insurance benefits to your scuba diving plans.

Professional Competitions and Racing. If you’re planning to take to the water for a competition of any kind, travel insurance unfortunately won’t cover those activities.  Any water sports that you undertake professionally while you’re traveling, as well as any races you may participate in, are excluded from coverage.  You can still, of course, purchase a travel insurance policy that will extend you the typical benefits for travel delays, cancellations, baggage loss, etc., to protect the rest of your itinerary; but for the time that you’ll be spending on the water, those benefits won’t apply.

If you have questions about how big a boat, er, travel insurance policy, you might need for your next wet and wild adventure, call our Customer Care Center at 800-487-4722., or contact us at customercare@insuremytrip.com.