Brits 'won't be put off' by Christmas travel strikes

travel insurance

A potential Christmas-time strike by British Airways (BA) workers will not see Brits put off travelling all together, it has been said.

According to a spokesperson from the Association of Independent Tour Operators, while many people may be put off travelling with BA itself in the future, people will continue to go on holiday this festive season despite the industrial action.

"People just get fed up with the fact that if you go with BA there is probably more chance than any other airline that there will be strikes," they said.

Back in late October, joint general secretary of Unite Derek Simpson announced that the union is set to ballot its BA cabin crew members over possible strike action, due to contract changes proposed by the airline.

Before taking a Christmas break, tourists should look into getting travel insurance for their holiday - and if they plan on taking more breaks in the new year, then an annual holiday insurance policy could prove a good buy.

Reservations about finding cheap hotel rates online

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You find a great hotel rate online and hit the button to book it. But did you read the "terms and conditions" section? If you didn't, that great rate could cost you hundreds of dollars.

Like airfares, some lodging reservations are nonrefundable or subject to penalties if you cancel your stay. Although online travel sellers such as Orbitz and Expedia recently removed some cancellation penalties, plenty of innkeepers still charge them. And the practice may be growing.

Through this year, claims that involved nonrefundable lodging expenses were up 17 percent from the same period last year at Travel Guard, a travel insurance company based in Stevens Point, Wis.

Here are some things to keep in mind when booking or changing lodging reservations:

KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT

More than 80 percent of hotels charge a late-cancellation penalty, according to a survey released last year by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. A deadline of 4 or 6 p.m. on the day of arrival or the day before, with one night's rate as the penalty, seems common at major chains.

Policies tend to be stricter at small B&Bs than at big hotels, and with good reason, says Bill Carroll, senior lecturer at the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University in Ithaca. Cancel your reservation at a four-room B&B at the last minute, and the innkeepers lose 25 percent of the night's income, compared with just one-half percent at a 200-room hotel, Carroll says.

DO THE MATH

Many hotel chains offer discounted rates described as "advance purchase" or "fully prepaid." These bookings usually are nonrefundable, so if you cancel, you may owe the full price of your stay. Is getting 10 percent or 15 percent off your room worth the risk? And is that charming B&B worth risking hundreds of dollars if you get sick before your trip?
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* John Fisher John Fisher
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* Jeremy Jordan (musician)
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CONSIDER INSURANCE

For a premium that typically runs 5 percent to 8 percent of your trip cost, you can buy a bundled travel insurance policy that, among other coverages, will refund your otherwise nonrefundable hotel deposits if you cancel for a covered reason.

Does your cruise travel policy cover piracy?

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Mounting concern over piracy’s threat to global cruises should be a wake-up call to all cruise travellers. World cruise passengers are encouraged to seek travel insurance capable of covering losses due to a cancelled or diverted itinerary or even a hijacking attempt if they sail on risky African routes.

Cruise companies Seabourn, MSC, Fred. Olsen and Peter Deilmann have all announced changes to upcoming sailings that are aimed at keeping passenger ships away from global hotspots where piracy is becoming rampant. And most cruise companies cite unsafe routes between otherwise friendly ports of call as the main reason for rerouting their ships.

The number of attacks on ships by pirates in 2008 well exceeded 2007, and by October 2009, had already exceeded the 2008 total. Despite the presence of world navies, pirates are getting bolder, attacking oil tankers and cruise liners.

Not all travel insurance providers are aware of the implications of increased piracy for the cruise industry. Cruise ships on lengthy world voyages often travel through the Gulf of Aden as a convenient bridge between the Mediterranean and Asia, even though this stretch of the Arabian Sea in the Horn of Africa is a favourite hunting zone for pirates. Many travel insurance plans don't specifically cover for loss due to acts of piracy.

If you are going on a cruise, check that your travel insurance covers piracy.

Manulife buys travel-insurance broker

travel insurance

Manulife Financial Corp. yesterday said it has acquired Pottruff & Smith Travel Insurance Brokers Inc., one of Canada's largest travel-insurance brokers, with about 90 employees in Woodbridge, Ont., and Ste-Therese, Que. The price was not disclosed. Already a major player in the sector, Toronto-based Manulife said the deal "strengthens our existing operations and provides momentum to move our fastest-growing affinity markets business segment to higher levels." Privately held Pottruff & Smith specializes in leisure-travel products through its broker network, serving clients including Transat AT and AirMiles. It is also a major third-party insurance administrator. "This gives us the opportunity to more fully integrate our travel-insurance operations, plus provides a stronger platform for our long-term growth as a travel insurer serving millions of Canadians," said Paul Rooney, chief executive of Manulife Canada.

AA Travel Insurance Says Holidaymakers Should Not Travel Without Insurance this Year

travel insurance

AA Travel Insurance has come forward and noted that all holidaymakers should avoid taking any trips this year if they do not get travel insurance. Although this is the kind of advice that is good no matter what the market is like, this year experts are saying that this advice counts double.

Due the the recent problems in the airline industry, like the collapses of XL Airways, Sliverjet and Zoom, many passengers have found themselves without refunds and without a flight. Since the economy is still looking bad for the airline industry, passengers need to find a way to protect themselves from these collapses, and travel insurance could be just what they need.

Airlines, like British Airways, have been having a fair amount of trouble this year - not only with growing debt, but with staff as well. British Airways could be looking at a strike this coming holiday season, which could leave a lot of passengers with no flight due to cancellations. The announcement of the possible strike came just after British Airways showed off its plans to change working conditions and offered redundancies and pay freezes in November.

This was something that the British Airways cabin crew was not happy with, and thus, the strike ballot was called for. As of now no one is sure if there will be a strike or not, which has left a lot of passengers unsure of what they should do. Travel insurance is something that can help holiday travelers sleep better at night, knowing that they are covered.

A spokesperson for AA Travel Insurance said that the airline industry is faced with many problems this year. Travelers have to be able to protect themselves from failing airlines, and travel insurance is just the ticket they need.

Ensemble Travel® Group Names Access America Travel Insurance Partner of the Year

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RICHMOND, Va.--(Business Wire)--
Access America, the U.S. travel insurance brand of Mondial Assistance, has been
named "Business Services/Insurance Partner of the Year" by Ensemble Travel®
Group. Ensemble members in the U.S. recognized outstanding supplier performance
in 11 different awards categories during its 2009 international conference held
at the Fairmont Banff Springs in Canada.

The 2009 Ensemble Travel Group U.S. Preferred Supplier Awards were based on the
results of an online survey taken of members in August. In most of the
categories, members based their selections on three key performance areas:
quality of customer service (timeliness and accuracy of communications and
documentation, ease of the booking process, and overall problem solving), level
of agency support (local sales rep, co-op funds, group support, marketing
guidance, product training, and commitment to agency sales channel), and client
satisfaction (product delivery, fulfillment of client expectations, and repeat
bookings).

"We truly appreciate the recognition that Ensemble Travel Group members have
given us in naming Access America their Travel Insurance Partner of the Year,"
said Jason Rice, Vice President of Sales at Mondial Assistance USA. "We value
our relationship with Ensemble and we look forward to continuing to provide
service, assistance and peace of mind to their traveling clientele."

About Access America

Access America is the consumer travel insurance brand of World Access Service
Corp, a Mondial Assistance company. Access America travel insurance* and
assistance products are purchased by millions of travelers each year, through
leading travel suppliers including resorts, airlines, travel agents and through
our website at AccessAmerica.com. Mondial Assistance is a global leader in
specialty insurance and emergency assistance services. Four percent of the
world`s population or about 250 million people are served by Mondial Assistance
businesses around the globe. In the United States, Mondial Assistance is a brand
name of World Access Service Corp. As one of 29 business units, the U.S.
operation serves major travel suppliers, health insurers, credit card, and
entertainment companies with insurance products, international travel
assistance, and concierge services. Mondial Assistance is part of the Allianz
(NYSE:AZ) group of companies. For more information please visit:
www.mondialUSA.com.

*Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company, rated "A-"
(Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 or 52.401. Access
America is a brand of World Access Service Corp., a company of Mondial
Assistance. World Access Service Corp. is the producer and administrator of this
plan.

Access America
Daniel Durazo, 804-673-7175

Affinion Group Challenges Traditional Pay-Per-Trip Model of Travel Insurance Plans

travel insurance

Affinion Group Challenges Traditional Pay-Per-Trip Model of Travel Insurance
Plans
Launches "Everyday Travel Insurance" Which Can Automatically Provide Travel
Insurance Coverage to Individuals and Families Any Time They Travel More than
100 miles from Home.

NORWALK, Conn., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Affinion Group, a global leader in
customer engagement solutions and one of the ten largest travel and leisure
agencies in the US, today unveiled an alternative to the traditional model of
pay-per-trip travel insurance. By launching an ongoing subscription-based
model for the purchase of travel insurance plans, dubbed "Everyday Travel
Insurance," Affinion has created a perpetual travel insurance plan that can
automatically cover insureds and their families any time they travel more than
100 miles away from home.

This newly-offered insurance plan covers all forms of travel, whether by car,
air, train or boat, and can be purchased for either individual or family
coverage. According to the United States Travel Insurance Association's
travel insurance market survey from 2006-2008, Americans spent more than $1.58
billion in 2008 on all types of travel insurance. Additionally, according to
the US Travel Association, almost one third of adults have taken at least five
weekend trips in the past year, generally without a travel insurance plan to
with help reimbursement for a cancelled hotel reservation, stolen baggage,
unexpected medical expenses/emergencies or 24 hour assistance services.

"Whether it's a weekend visit to the beach or an amusement park, driving the
children to college, or visiting relatives over the holidays, we're aiming to
provide a travel plan to individuals and families to cover all of their travel
routines," said Tom Rusin, CEO of Affinion North America. "We're challenging
the notion that travel insurance should only cover the stand-alone, more
expensive trips, and providing an affordable option so that anyone who even
occasionally travels more than 100 miles from home can have consistent
coverage."

"Everyday Travel Insurance" can provide insureds with automatic travel
coverage any time they are traveling more than 100 miles from home. The
program, which is currently being tested with leading financial institutions,
is offered with the following:

-- $1,000 trip Cancellation coverage
-- $1,000 trip Interruption coverage
-- $500 - lost/stolen/damaged baggage and travel documents coverage
-- $1,500 travel delay allowance (up to $150 per day)
-- 24/7 Assistance Services

-- Additional services for emergencies that can happen during a trip


"Everyday Travel Insurance" is reasonably priced for individuals and families,
and is available in 48 states, excluding North Dakota and Vermont.*

For more information, please visit www.affinion.com.

About Affinion Group
Affinion Group is a global leader in providing comprehensive customer
engagement and loyalty solutions that enhance or extend the relationship of
millions of customers with many of the largest and most respected companies in
the world. Affinion partners with these leading companies to develop and
market programs that provide valuable services to their end-customers using 35
years of expertise in customer engagement, creative design and product
development. These programs and services enable the company's marketing
partners to strengthen their customer relationships, as well as generate
significant incremental revenue, as well as strengthen their relationships
with their end-customers, which can lead to increased acquisition of new
customers, longer retention of existing customers, improved customer
satisfaction rates and the increased use of other services provided by our
marketing partners. Based in Norwalk, Conn., the company has approximately
3,500 employees throughout the United States and in 10 countries across
Europe, and markets in 14 countries globally. Affinion holds the prestigious
ISO 27001 certification for the highest information security practices, is PCI
compliant and Cybertrust certified. For more company and investor information
visit www.affinion.com.

*This is only a brief description of the coverage(s) available. The Policy
will contain reductions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions.
Insurance underwritten by National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh,
Pa., a Pennsylvania insurance company, with its principal place of business at
175 Water Street, New York, NY 10038. Is currently authorized to transact
business in all states and the District of Columbia. NAIC No. 19445. Coverage
may not be available in all states. Travel assistance services provided by
Travel Guard.

HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC Partners with Travel Insured

travel insurance

HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC (HCCMIS), a leader in online health insurance products for international travelers and expatriates, today announced its new alliance with Travel Insured International. Travel Insured International is a provider of travel insurance services such as trip cancellation, trip interruption and travel assistance services.

“We are very excited to announce our affiliation with Travel Insured International. In spite of the economic downturn, the international traveler and expatriate’s need for health insurance products continue to grow,” said HCCMIS President and CEO Mark Carney.

The joint product offerings will provide HCCMIS with access to Travel Insured International’s existing online distribution channels including travel agents, affinity groups, airlines and other travel partners. It will also provide Travel Insured International customers with a comprehensive product line allowing them to offer travel health coverage in addition to comprehensive travel protection programs.

Travel Insured International’s product portfolio will now include eight additional health and life insurance policies for individuals and groups which are administered by HCCMIS. These insurance policies are ideal for those traveling, living, and studying outside their home country. The international insurance policies offered by Travel Insured International under the new alliance include:

• Atlas Travel Series – a short-term health policy for individuals traveling outside their home country

• CitizenSecureSM – annually renewable major medical insurance with a term-life insurance option for individuals and families

• StudentSecureSM – health coverage for international students and scholars studying abroad

• IC+ International Term Life – term life insurance policy for individuals living outside the U.S. for up to 10 years

Other products offered by HCC Medical Insurance Services include: Atlas Group, Atlas Professional, CitizenSecureSM Economy, GroupSecureSM.

Pack your flip-flops and travel insurance

travel insurance

Just about the time the second wave of the H1N1 virus hits, many of us will be thinking about giving the north the frigid finger and booking a holiday in a hot place. That'll happen after several mornings of scraping icy windshields or trying to find that missing glove or scarf from last year.

Escaping the frosty temperatures doesn't mean you can dodge the illness. You can expect the virus to be lurking in crowded airports, on planes and in hotels. Sure, you can take the usual precautions, sneezing and coughing into the crook of your elbow, carefully washing hands and practising the knuckle bump instead of a handshake or hug. And getting the vaccine when it becomes available.

But there's one thing many of us often overlook in our haste to beat it to beaches and deserts: travel health insurance. We might be vigilant about arranging pet sitters and finding the most flattering bathing suit, but not so much at protecting the hard-earned investment in a precious holiday.

A 2008 Ipsos Reid poll conducted for RBC Insurance suggests the topic is not considered as sexy as the bikini you might buy for the trip. Here are a few highlights:

-Nearly 40 per cent of Canadians never purchase health insurance when travelling on holidays to the United States, where medical costs are some of the highest in the world. (If you've ever seen Michael Moore's documentary Sicko, you might change your mind.) According to the study, a four-day stay in a U.S. hospital for an appendectomy could cost $39,400 US, with only $1,600 Cdn covered by a government health insurance plan (GHIP). A one-day stay in a U.S. hospital for a broken arm and wrist could cost $32,600, with only $400 covered by a GHIP.

-In a similar study done the year before, it was found that 64 per cent have never purchased travel health insurance when travelling in Canada because a majority-- around 75 per cent --believe their provincial health insurance plans would cover everything. (Provincial plans often exclude X-rays, dental work, ambulance transportation and prescription drugs.) One example cited the cost of an air ambulance with a full medical team travelling from Calgary to Toronto; the $28,000 cost would not be covered by a government health insurance plan.

-Nearly 30 per cent have never purchased travel insurance when travelling outside of Canada or the United States, skewing toward 18-to 34-year-olds. Another common misconception is that certain credit cards that have travel health insurance cover all costs incurred for illness or injury while travelling. It's wise to read the fine print because this is often not the case.

Martha Turnbull, president of the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada, is a nurse and works as a claims assistant in the travel division of RBC Insurance. I asked her some travel insurance questions relating to H1N1, but the answers would apply to most infectious illnesses.

Q. With all the news about the second round of H1N1, would a traveller who has already booked a trip and bought travel medical insurance be reimbursed if they want to cancel because they are worried about contracting the illness?

A. Typically, no. People can't cancel because they are worried. It has to be a defined situation. In this case, it would be best to ask your travel agent. Most insurance policies would change the dates of travel. Or, if the policy had a "cancel for any reason" clause, the person might be entitled to some money back, but not all of it. It depends on the insurer.

Q. In June, the World Health Organization deemed H1N1 a pandemic. Will travel health policies still cover the illness?

A. I haven't heard of any instances (where it won't). I can only speak for RBC. (The pandemic classification) does not void any part of the policy.

Q. If I'm advised not to travel and stay in bed when I become ill at a destination, will I be reimbursed for the cost of my extended days in a hotel, plus other expenses incurred?

A. Each company would look at it differently. If someone was ill and was unable to travel home, they would be covered for hotel and food. This is an important point.

Trip cancellation or interference and health coverage will cover the cost to change travel arrangements.

INSURANCE FAST FACTS - Cost of insurance is usually based on no pre-existing health issues, length of trip and age. here's a couple of cost scenarios for travel health insurance, from rBC.

A deluxe package includes: cancellation and interruption coverage; emergency medical coverage; emergency medical transportation; baggage and personal effects coverage; flight accident and travel accident coverage. - Family of four, both parents under 60:

Trip: Seven days in Hawaii Value of trip: $4,000

Policy premium for deluxe package: $380 - Snowbird couple, both aged 65 trip: 60 days in Jamaica Value of trip: $6,000

Policy premium for deluxe package : $1,442