InsureMyTrip Blog

Bill, Customer Care

I was watching a national news network the other day and started thinking about what would happen if I had put money down on a trip and then was laid off – like so many thousands are in these trying times.

As most people know, when you make a down payment on your trip it’s a good idea to get travel insurance in case you can’t travel due to sickness or injury. But what about your work place and employment? What if you are laid off or have an involuntary termination?

I’m glad to be working in an industry where I can help people cover their losses concerning their non-refundable trip costs.

Many people may not realize this, but package policies will cover these work related scenarios. Depending on the policy, you must have been employed from 1-5 years with the same employer (usually full employment). The termination must be unforeseen, so you must have purchased the policy before anything happened.

In addition, you are covered with many of the policies if there is a permanent transfer of employment of 250 miles or more. Almost all have cancellation coverage due to “direct involvement in an acquisition or merger by Your/Their employer, provided You/They are an active full-time employee of Your/Their employer at the time of such acquisition or merger”.

Some policies also allow an option to purchase cancel for work reasons coverage.  (Basically, you’re covered if you’re directly involved in the merger or acquisition and you didn’t know you’d be required to work when you purchased your plan. )

In these uncertain times, it’s good to know that your travel coverage does more than just cover you for the flu! Also, never forget the all-inclusive “cancel for any reason” benefit!

Vikki, Public Relations

As I watched the news reports of the U.S. Airways plane that crashed in New York’s Hudson River, I realized that I have officially become a travel insurance geek.  Don’t get me wrong. I was absolutely amazed and stunned by the  pictures of people standing on the wings of a partially submerged plane surrounded by rescue boats. And I was incredibly concerned and sympathetic to how scared and cold these passengers must be. But as soon as it became clear that they would all be fine, I also found myself wondering if travel insurance would or could help in this nightmarish production.  As soon as I got to work the next day, I asked some of our resident experts if coverage would apply in this instance and this is what I learned:

• First, consider how the event impacted your trip in terms of insurance coverage.
• Has your luggage been recovered or is it at the bottom of the Hudson River? A travel insurance policy can provide coverage for lost or damaged baggage.
• Most Trip Cancellation Package Policies provide a travel delay benefit that provides reimbursement for such things as meals, accommodations, and transportation made necessary by the delay.
• Clearly, the plane crash caused a major trip interruption to the passengers onboard. Some policies provide trip interruption coverage due to a mechanical breakdown, some do not.

So what’s the bottom line? Travel insurance won’t prevent accidents from happening, but it can help you if one does. If you have travel insurance, review the terms of your policy carefully to determine what coverage and benefits you are entitled to. Remember, not all policies are created equally, they vary by company and plan.  If your policy reads like a foreign language to you, contact our expert Customer Care team for more information.

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.

Melissa, Operations Analyst

Would you cancel your trip if one of the following situations happened?

• one of your friends passed away
• a family member passed away
• one of your children were ill
• a close family member was ill
• your pet passed away or was injured
• you lost your job
• you had to change jobs and could not get the same vacation time
• you got sick or injured and the doctor says you can’t travel
• you were in an accident on the way to a cruise departure
• you became pregnant before the trip and now can’t travel
• a close family member is expected to give birth while you are away
• there was a terrorist incident in the city you are traveling to and you no longer feel safe traveling there
• bad weather prevents your plane from taking off and you miss the trip
• a hurricane destroys your destination or your home
• the weather forecast is not ideal for your trip type (no snow is in the forecast for a ski trip, rain during the week you rented a beach house, etc)

Some circumstances on the list above would be covered for trip cancellation with every policy on our website. Unfortunately, several others are not normally covered unless additional coverage is purchased.

Some insurance companies now offer that additional coverage: called “Cancel For Any Reason”.

The Cancel For Any Reason benefit is only available with certain policies for an additional fee but, it will really allow you to cancel for any reason.  There are some guidelines to follow and each policy is different, so be sure to read the benefit thoroughly.

Before you buy travel insurance, make sure that the policy you choose will cover your main concerns.  If you have questions, call Customer Care for help at 800-487-4722.

Peter, EVP

The recent terrorist events in Mumbai remind all of us of the risks that are spread around the world. Indeed the world has become a smaller place and such incidents highlight the dangers within the global community. As we plan our travels for the upcoming year, it is important to know that travel insurance provides meaningful coverage which can help mitigate some of the traveling risks and fears.

A few items to remember: Most trip cancellation package policies provide terrorism coverage allowing you to cancel your trip if a terrorist incident occurs in any of your itinerary cities within a specified period (7 to 30 days depending on the Insurance Company) before your departure. In addition, some policies provide a “Cancel for any Reason” benefit thus allowing you to cancel your trip for whatever reason that you wish to exercise. Finally, should you be in a city that is experiencing terrorists activities, most trip cancellation package polices provide a trip interruption benefit which pays the additional cost to return home on short notice and also extends to cover the unused portion of your trip cost.

Be sure to check plan certificates for details, or contact Customer Care at 800-487-4722.

Safe Travels Always

Melissa, Operations Analyst

Skiing / Snowboarding
White Water Rafting
Scuba Diving
Motorized Water Sports
Spelunking / Caving
Bungee Jumping

The sports above are just a few popular activities travelers look forward to while on vacation.  Every travel insurance policy has excluded activities.  Many times, the excluded activities are what you are actually concerned about when you are buying travel insurance.

Before you buy your travel insurance policy, remember to read the excluded activities carefully and purchase additional coverage if necessary. If you’re at all not sure, call Customer Care (800-487-4722).