InsureMyTrip Blog

Bri, Marketing

You may have heard that the TSA has issued a new set of regulations for airlines and passengers, which went into effect on November 1, 2010.  While most of the news coverage about the switch has been focused on what will be happening from now on as you navigate the process of booking your flight and being cleared through security, we’ve noticed that the TSA itself is recommending that passengers who already have flights booked for departure dates after 11/1 take some action to be sure they’re cleared under the new Secure Flight guidelines. (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…)

Bri, Marketing

It’s not uncommon for me to find, as I catch up daily on the blogs and news feeds of many in the travel industry, that there are people out there who have significant questions about travel insurance.  They range in specificity and validity, from the “Isn’t that some newfangled hoax?” variety to the “I’m puzzled, I’m frustrated, and I’m contacting a consumer advocate” category.  As with almost any industry or product imaginable, there are those who swear by travel insurance and those who steer clear.  I usually try to simply gauge the severity of the buzz around any particular message board or comment section and then move on to other things — often, other helpful consumers are already lighting up the same conversational arenas with very good answers or steering the chat in another direction before I can compose a response, and anyway, the best defense is a good offense. (more…)

Bri, Marketing

I couldn’t help but notice that the NY Times recently ran an article about the frustrations travelers are experiencing lately, as airlines find ways to avoid taking any kind of responsibility for delays and cancellations that severely disrupt people’s plans.  As I read the article, a little voice in my head kept saying, “…but if you have travel insurance, you might be covered….”  But alas, the Times piece doesn’t mention travel insurance at all. (more…)

Some important travel insurance terms you should be familiar with:

1. A.M. Best Ratings — Industry watchdog A.M. Best rates and assesses insurance companies’ financial strength and ability to meet their obligations to policyholders. InsureMyTrip.com features a user-friendly monitoring tool for consumers to check the A.M. Best Ratings of all the leading U.S. travel insurance companies before you purchase coverage.

2. Unforeseen — means not anticipated or expected and occurring after the effective date of the policy.

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Becky, Insurance Analyst

Imagine this.  You’ve finally departed for that two-week vacation you have been planning for months.  It’s two weeks away from work, and you are looking forward to some relaxation and some fun.  But then something unexpected happens.  On the plane ride you are seated near someone who is coughing, and obviously ill.  You arrive at your destination and learn you are being quarantined.  It could happen.  Just this week the State Department alerted Americans that China is imposing a seven-day quarantine on passengers arriving with a fever or flu-like symptoms in order to prevent the spread of swine flu.  (more…)

Vikki, Public Relations

Working in the travel insurance world as I do, you’d think I’d have a pretty good understanding of all things travel insurance. Actually, I guess I know more than I realize, but sometimes I’m slow to fully appreciate some of the neatest things about these products. For instance, coverage for natural disasters.

Over the past few weeks we’ve seen folks snowed in and flooded out in the Midwest, Mt. Redoubt erupting in Alaska, and of course that devasting earthquake in Italy. I know that for people with planned trips to these areas there are a number of covered reasons for cancelling them such as:

• (more…)

Jill, Customer Care

Traveling overseas and need an insurance policy at the request of an Embassy? The site for you is InsureMyTravelVisa.com.  When you purchase a policy on this site you will be faxed a letter as proof of insurance that you can bring to the embassy. The policies offered have all the requirements that the embassies want. The letter states the requirements as well. And the best thing is that these policies are often quite inexpensive.

Melissa, Operations Analyst

The InsureMyTrip Holiday Party has been postponed until after the new year because of…

Snow!

Living in New England, sometimes, snow happens.  We all look forward to our annual Holiday Party and will just have to wait a couple more weeks.

This made me think just how many people travel over the holiday season to visit family and friends.  If you are one of those holiday travelers, I am sure you have thought about flights possibly being canceled or even missing your trip because of snow.

Every travel insurance company treats this scenario differently.  Some companies state that if inclement weather is in the forecast, then it is not unforeseen and therefore, not covered if the insurance is purchased after the weather has been predicted. Other companies state that as long as you buy the insurance before the day of departure, flights are not delayed, and airports have not announced closure, then you would have coverage for either travel delay, cancellation, or interruption (depending on the company).

The best advice: before you buy your travel insurance policy, and if snow delays are your main concern, call us at 800-487-4722. We’ll help you make sense of your options.

Melissa, Operations Analyst

Price is a factor when you are purchasing travel insurance.  On our site, you can compare the policies (and prices) side by side.  When doing this, you will find that the prices are very different when looking from one policy to another.  Many believe, if you pay more, you will get more.  However, that’s not always the case with travel insurance.

Where to begin?
I usually start by comparing the 3 least expensive package plans to the most expensive plans and then, I compare the benefits and weigh the cost.  Everyone’s travel insurance needs are different.  Some travelers like to have a lot of travel medical & evacuation coverage and some don’t think this benefit is necessary for their trip.  Other travelers want coverage for lost/damaged luggage and to some, this type of coverage is not so important.

Before you buy travel insurance, make sure that your main concerns for purchasing the insurance will be covered.  If you need help our Customer Care staff is here for you (800-487-4722).  Just explain your main travel concerns and they will do their best to find a policy which meets your needs.