Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Travel Protection Insurance -- No longer an "option"-- It's a "necessity"!


Obtaining Travel Protection Insurance has, until recently, primarily been an "option" which travelers could choose to purchase or not to purchase when planning an extended trip either within the USA or abroad.

Reprinted with permission
However, the recent civil unrest in several countries, as well as labor strikes halting air and train transportation, inclement weather, and natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes, for example, have caused travelers to become acutely aware that obtaining insurance protection against trip interruption/trip cancellation for ANY reason, now may be a necessity -- especially when traveling to international destinations far from home.  

Several years ago, as part of our commitment to providing superlative client service to our tour participants, Snobby Tours®, Inc. became licensed to sell Travel Insurance to our travelers so that they could have "peace of mind" when touring both within and outside of the USA.

We thoroughly research and compare the A.M. Best A+ rated travel protection insurance carriers and select the most comprehensive coverage -- at the most competitive rates -- for our clients. 
Reprinted with permission

Because there are any number of unforeseen possibilities which can occur which could cause one's travel to be interrupted -- or even cancelled prior to or during a trip -- Snobby Tours®, Inc. has always recommended that our tour participants have Travel Protection Insurance on our extended heritage and cultural custom Itineraries -- whether inside the USA or to international destinations.


If there is one thing that IS certain, it's that "things happen we don't expect".  Even the most careful person can twist an ankle while walking on unfamiliar cobblestone streets, or slip in the bathtub while staying in a hotel halfway around the world.  

Here are some helpful points for you to think about when you are considering the purchase of Travel Protection Insurance:

1)  As a general rule, it's best to purchase Travel Protection Insurance from a licensed travel insurance provider or directly from an insurance carrier which specializes in travel protection insurance.

2)  Ask if the insurance company is rated by A.M. Best, which is the resource for checking the insurance carrier's credentials.  (Snobby Tours®, Inc. always uses highly-rated A.M. Best insurance carriers such as Travelex, TravelGuard, for example.  These companies adhere to strict rules and ethics standards.)

3)  Is the insurance policy understandable?  Is it written in plain, concise terms?  Do you know exactly what coverage is being provided to you before and after your trip departure date?  What are all "included" events?  Are there any "exclusions"?  

4)  If you will be traveling outside of the USA, does the insurance carrier have a "global" presence with a staff that will be available to assist you 24/7, especially if you are in a country which speaks a language other than English? 

5)  Should you also purchase medical coverage even though you have private medical insurance -- especially if you are traveling outside of the USA?  What services and staff at your destination will your travel insurance carrier be able to provide regarding checking out the medical facilities, hospitals, physicians, clinics, etc. to which you may be sent at the destination?

For more information about obtaining travel protection insurance for any of our extended USA and International heritage and cultural custom Itineraries, please visit our Website at:  http://www.snobbytours.com/TRAVELINSURANCE.html

4 comments:

  1. Have to agree on the importance of travel insurance. Recently went on a ski vacation in Austria and my son broke his leg. I can't emphasize enough how you should know how to use your insurance, as well as exactly what it covers (eg, helicopter medical evacuations) before you need it. I was calling my insurance while my son was crying with a broken leg and it was just a miserable experience. Be insured and be prepared, just in case.

    -Jennifer

    www.grintravel.wordpress.com

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  2. Thank you for commenting, Jennifer. Recently, a client of ours was hiking in Switzerland. While on a mountain ridge, she slipped and broke her ankle. A medivac team had to rescue her by air-lifting her off the mountain! Additionally, rather than undergo surgery abroad, she decided to go home immediately. Definitely a nightmare, but made easier because she had comprehensive travel protection insurance coverage.

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  3. true true its appalling at times when your client ignores buying travel insurance,and then something happens to them on their holidays,being a provider of immersion experiences i have had my share of the same ,like once a client of mine on a walk from the school they were volunteering in slipped and broke her ankle in the rain and we had to carry her to the e.r only to find she didn't have insurance.we sorted it out but i guess she learnt a powerful lesson.

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  4. We're licensed to sell travel protection insurance in addition to being custom itinerary specialists (not travel agents). We've changed our policy over the past several years. Previously, we offered travel protection insurance as an "option", whether traveling within or outside of the USA. More recently, we have "included" travel protection insurance in our tour packages to destinations outside of the USA, for the very reasons you mentioned, BIAfrica. Even if our travelers have ample personal medical coverage, it is TOO much of a hassle NOT to also have travel protection insurance in case a traveler slips and falls in Tuscany, or needs to be air-lifted off the side of a mountain in Switzerland, for example.

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