Posts made in December, 2010

Travel Insurance And Pregnancy ? Dos And Dont’s

Posted by admin on Dec 31, 2010 in Travel Insurance | Comments Off

Many women make travel plans after they become pregnant, as they know that after the baby is born they will not have the time to travel. However, it is advisable to take the precautions and not take unnecessary risks, which would harm the unborn child and the mother too. Travel insurance at any time is necessary, but travel insurance and pregnancy is a completely new ball game.

So what does travel insurance and pregnancy entail? Travel insurance will cover some of the risks involved in travelling during pregnancy. Though most people nowadays are quite casual about travelling during pregnancy, there are some risks involved. Insurance companies, in general, offer cover until the 28th week of pregnancy, but after that time, there are a few insurance companies which offer insurance cover. The premium on travel insurance during pregnancy is often more than what is payable on other insurance policies.

So what makes travel insurance and pregnancy different from other insurance covers? Almost all insurance companies classify travel insurance during pregnancy as a high-risk cover. The main reason for the high-risk classification is that a pregnant woman is more likely to pick up some infection or develop some other complication which will need medical help. Sometimes, medical repatriation may also be required. That is why; many of the general travel insurance covers for pregnancy are clear that the woman returns to base at least eight weeks before the baby is due. If this criterion cannot be fulfilled, travel insurance cannot be availed.

Here are some points to remember about travel insurance and pregnancy.

1. Most of the insurance companies, which offer travel insurance don’t cover pregnancy, as a general medical condition. You would have to check with your insurance company and find out what has to be done. Most of these companies offer travel insurance during pregnancy as an addition to the existing travel insurance policy.

2. Travel insurance is very necessary, whatever mode of transport you choose.

3. If you are flying, make sure you inform the airline at the time of booking. Some airlines ask for a fitness certificate from the doctor, while some others will not issue tickets to women with medical conditions such as venous blood clots or who have a history of premature birth.

4. Make sure that the travel insurance covers the newborn, in the instance of a delivery on board.

When you think about travel insurance and pregnancy, there are some limitations which you have to consider.

1. Most insurance companies do not offer cover for multiple pregnancies.

2. Travel insurance policies will not cover any complication during travel, if the woman has conceived with the help of fertility drugs or In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).

3. If the woman has had medical problems during pregnancy, then it may not be possible to get cover.

4. If the woman has a history of complications during conception, pregnancy or delivery, insurance cover may be denied.

5. There will often be no travel insurance cover available after the eighth month of pregnancy.

Most importantly, remember that travel insurance does not usually cover a full term birth.

Comparison Of Travel Insurance And Their Benefits

Posted by admin on Dec 30, 2010 in Travel Insurance | Comments Off

At present, travel insurance has become compulsory for travelers who travel abroad, and it helps in the emergency period, but unfortunately only few have travel insurance. The most important benefit of travel insurance is during the travel it protects the traveler from all kinds of the catastrophic situations. Travel insurance types are single trip travel insurance, annual or multi trip travel insurance, student travel insurance. People should be more careful when choosing the travel insurance policy, as choosing a wrong policy leads to waste of time and money. If you’re going for an adventure travel, read the offer documents before signing and ensure that all your needs are satisfied. Take an additional coverage for the adventurous travel like surfing, mountain climbing and trekking to avoid the risk during the travel. Policies vary widely, so it is better to compare travel insurance around if you have time, or speak to a specialist broker, trying to find a policy that covers your well-intended activity at no additional cost.

Here are some travel insurance coverage benefits and advantages of having travel insurance.

Immediate Medical Aid

During the emergency situations medical assistance service will help in travel. This service will pay for all types of the ambulance service like road, air and sea rescue ambulance and also the hospital bill. Travel insurance company pays the entire medical bill, if traveler faces any emergency medical aid.  Pays for emergency medical assistance, especially to find someone in the hospital, if the costs of ground ambulance service or, an air ambulance or rescue at sea, although you should make sure you are covered by these activities in which you are injured or become ill.

Hospital Treatment Medical Treatment

Medical treatment coverage is a familiar coverage which protects from sudden ill or injury and even you met with an accident during the trip.    Mainly this policy covers the hospital bills, but there are some exclusions and limitations of the coverage. This policy covers the medical bills of the hospital; however there are some limitations like surgery, ambulance charges. There are many limitations and exclusions involved in this policy, so check all these before signing. This is most well know advantage that if you fall ill or met with an accident during the trip or travel, you would be covered for entire medical bill as per the policy coverage you taken. Policyholders should know the hidden risk and conditions in this policy, so check for all details before getting this policy.

Repatriation

Your safe return from the foreign nation due to disastrous circumstances or sudden death of dear one’s will be take care by the travel insurance company. If you died during the trip, travel insurance takes the entire responsibility to repatriation of the body to home town.

Cancelling your Trip

When you cancel or shorten your trip with valid reason, your loss of money will be paid by travel insurance company.   Insurance company will pay the amount, only if you have reasons like dear one’s death or any emergency circumstances.

Missed Flight

Travel insurance company pays the reimbursement of amount lost due to delayed flight. Repayment of money will be done according to the hour of delay and distance of traveling.  For example  If you plan to fly from London to New York which covers the distance of 5567Kms and the flight delayed for 4 hours then compensation of 00 will be paid by the insurance company. However missing the connection flight due to delay will not be included in compensation.  Company reimburses the money which is lost due to missing of flight to unavoidable circumstances.

Personal Accident Compensation

Reimbursement of amount paid for the personal accident or disability caused during the travel.  Insurance company pays compensation according to the level of injury or disability occurred. Level of injury and disability will be taken into account to pay the compensation.

Luggage Loss

This covers any baggage with personal stuffs was lost during the trip, or If you lost any business related documents for travel.  The whole list of luggage should be submitted to the company before to cover baggage.

These are the major advantage of the travel insurance. If you need best insurance policy visit the travel insurance comparison sites to narrow down the travel insurance policy. You can also seek advice of insurance agent for more coverage details.

Which Is The Best Way To start The Travel Insurance

Posted by admin on Dec 29, 2010 in Travel Insurance | Comments Off

In today’s world travel insurance is becoming mandatory as it helps travelers in many emergency situations, but sadly all travelers don’t have compare travel insurance. Currently, travelers should have their travel insurance when they travel abroad, unluckily a few travelers are insured.   The most important benefit of travel insurance is during the travel it protects the traveler from all kinds of the catastrophic situations. Travel insurance types are single trip travel insurance, annual or multi trip travel insurance, student travel insurance. People should be more careful when choosing the travel insurance policy, as choosing a wrong policy leads to waste of time and money. If you’re going for an adventure travel, read the offer documents before signing and ensure that all your needs are satisfied. Take an additional coverage for the adventurous travel like surfing, mountain climbing and trekking to avoid the risk during the travel. Compare travel insurance using the comparison websites to corner the well suited travel insurance or seek insurance advisors help to get the policy.

Travel insurance have many advantages but here I listed the standard insurance policy coverage and benefits.

Immediate Medical Aid

Medical aid service will help in the emergency situations during the travel. This service will pay for all types of the ambulance service like road, air and sea rescue ambulance and also the hospital bill.  Medical bill is fully payable in emergency situations by the travel insurance.  Pays for emergency medical assistance, especially to find someone in the hospital, if the costs of ground ambulance service or, an air ambulance or rescue at sea, although you should make sure you are covered by these activities in which you are injured or become ill.

Hospital Treatment Medical Treatment

It is the most popular benefit in travel insurance which covers the illness and injury caused by accident while traveling. Entire medical bill would be paid by the travel insurance company, yet there are some limitations like surgical cost and ambulance cost. Get the full details about the risks and exclusions in this policy from your insurance adviser.  This is most well know advantage that if you fall ill or met with an accident during the trip or travel, you would be covered for entire medical bill as per the policy coverage you taken.  In medical treatment there are some limitations like ambulance charges, operation charges etc. Make sure that your policy covers your medical bills.

Repatriation

Travel insurance company is responsible for your safe return from a foreign nation due to any emergency situations or any sudden death of your relatives.   Insurance company takes whole responsibility for repatriation of your body, if you die during the travel.

Cancelling your Trip

Trip cancellation or cut shorten the trip for any reasons like death of dear one’s , sudden illness or any emergency issues prevail in that nation. Amount will be paid to policyholders only with the valid reasons, so read the conditions before canceling or shorten your trip.

Flight Delay

Travel insurance company pays the reimbursement of amount lost due to delayed flight. Repayment of money will be done according to the hour of delay and distance of traveling.  For example  If you plan to fly from London to New York which covers the distance of 5567Kms and the flight delayed for 4 hours then compensation of 00 will be paid by the insurance company. However missing the connection flight due to delay will not be included in compensation.  Company reimburses the money which is lost due to missing of flight to unavoidable circumstances.

Top 10 Corporate Travel Hotel Safety Tips

Posted by admin on Dec 28, 2010 in Travel Hotel | Comments Off

There are a lot of things you can do to ensure a safe and comfortable business trip when you are staying in a hotel. There are a lot of companies that take part in corporate travel savings, when a company is constantly paying for business travel for their employees they will usually try to cut costs of corporate travel by using discount hotels. Here are the top 10 tips for staying safe in your hotel during corporate travel.

1. Before your trip you should make copies front and back of all your credit cards, airline tickets, passports and important documents as well as take pictures of all your Jewelry and luggage and all valuables.

2. If possible, select a hotel which has installed modern electronic guest room locks. The majority of these locks automatically change the lock combination with every new guest.

3. If you are staying in an older hotel which still has the older guest door locks with metal key, one of first signs of how a hotel treats the issue of security is to observe how hotel room keys are controlled.

4. When registering, sign only your last name and first initial. Don’t use titles. This makes it harder to determine gender, marital status or profession. If you are a women traveling alone, you might consider booking your room as Mr. and Mrs.

5. Maximize safety and security. Select a room located between the 4th and 6th floor. Avoid rooms above the sixth floor as this is the maximum height that fire-department ladders can reach. For some fire departments overseas, and within the United States, they do not have equipment to reach hotel floors above the 6th floor.

6. Look for information in room about fire safety and read that information to become familiar with nearest fire exit/stairway. Locate nearest fire exit, extinguisher and fire pull box.

7. When inside a hotel room, for whatever length of time always use the deadbolt. If the room does not have a dead bolt or heavy-duty security clasp but does have a chain, twist it to take up the slack before latching it.

8. If you loose your key, ask for a new room or have the lock or electronic key card changed.

9. Don’t display your guest room key in public or even inside the hotel. Crooks have known to walk by casually, observe the number on the key if the number is stamped on it and make false charges in the hotel restaurant, bar or store using your room number.

10. Wear a minimum amount of jewelry, especially women. Women, wear only a simple wedding band in lieu of a diamond ring. Remove the temptation for a thief to make you their next victim.

By following these simple safety tips you can make your business travel much safer which will make the whole trip much more enjoyable. When you don’t have to worry about your valuables being taken you can keep your mind focused on the purpose of your corporate trip. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable during corporate travel be safe and secure when you are in a foreign country.

Why Travel Insurance is a Must

Posted by admin on Dec 27, 2010 in Travel Insurance | Comments Off

Travel insurance is necessary for your vacation packages and without it all your travel dreams cannot come true. Travel insurance is essential for a traveler as it covers your medical and financial expenses and losses incurred on your domestic or international travel. It’s usually arranged at the time of booking the trip and covers the exact duration of the trip.

Many travel agents offer insurance, as part of their travel packages but it will be worth for you if you arrange it on your own through an online source. You can search for a good insurance policy and choose between single and multi trip insurances. If you plan to travel once in a year, then travel insurance of single trip policy will be suitable. But if you have plans to travel frequently then you can consider taking multi trip insurance policy. Continuous insurance can be bought from travel agents, travel suppliers like tour operators, cruise lines and companies offering travel insurance.

A multi trip insurance policy is commonly referred as annual insurance travel policy and can save big money in the long run. While arranging for insurance policies for travel, be clear with what the insurance coverage is provided along with the inclusions and exclusions. Always remember to look at other things also if you look for a compromise between your travel insurance coverage and the premium to be paid. Never assume that a policy with cheap premium will not offer good insurance coverage. This may work in reverse also. A policy taken at a higher price need not cover all aspects of insurance coverage required by you.

As a traveler you face lot of problems and risks while traveling like loss of property and money, trip cancellation, natural calamities, accidents, occasionally death and terrorist attacks. You cannot prevent these risks or stop your travel plan but you can reduce the risk involved by taking travel insurance policies.

The concept of travel insurance is very simple. You pay a travel insurance premium to the company and they in turn covers for your loss of valuables, accidents and unforeseen things.

The premium you pay for travel insurance covers risks faced on travel like:

There are lots of possibilities for trip cancellation due to unavoidable circumstances and last minute cancellation will fetch you very less amount as refund. Your travel insurance covers such losses and provides the cancellation cost but the reason for cancellation must be part of the agreement you have signed with the company.

If you lose your baggage then the insurance company pays for the baggage cost but again based on the rules of your insurance contract. A travel insurance policy sometimes covers your medical expenses if incurred while traveling. But if you have got health insurance separately then you don’t have to spend again for health insurance during travel.

Generally travel insurance covers other things like accidental death, medical evacuation etc.

An important golden rule of all insurance policies is to go through the agreement carefully because most of the time you apply for insurance policies during emergencies.

Travel insurance is offered with various options for different types of travelers like student, business, adventure, international and leisure travelers. Travel insurance is also offered for participating in sports involving high risk and traveling to certain countries which have a high risk.