Our Best Travel Insurance Tips

For years, buying travel insurance has been looked upon with question and caution. It was a great unmentionable in making travel transactions, as travel agents were afraid that the subject would compromise their deals in totality. It was considered as negative and something unnecessary. However, today travel insurance provides protection for you and family during times that are supposed to be relaxing, not stressful. Whether it's your trip, your luggage, health, or possessions, the right kind of travel insurance has come to play a prominent role for smart travelers.

According to a recent study conducted by the US travel Insurance Association, about 30% of Americans purchase travel insurance, which represents a 10% increase before 9/11. Some reasons for this increase may be peace of mind, protection against the unexpected, and concern over losing financial investment in a trip. For cruise travelers, this number increases to 70%. Many people are still relatively unaware of travel health insurance, baggage coverage, and even medical evacuation insurance. There is yet another kind of insurance that's available to air travelers that airlines have been more hush-hush about excess valuation insurance. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance is a policy you should consider, but the key here is price point. If you're flying on a budget $60 flight then it wouldn't make much sense to buy, but if you look on the other hand, a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the other side of the world, this kind of travel insurance will surely come in handy and give you peace of mind. If by chance you get sick, miss your trip, or your travel provider goes out of business, you're not left high and dry. You're covered. However, another caution you should know about is, do not buy this type of insurance from the individual travel provider, meaning if you're going on a cruise, try not to buy this insurance from the cruise ship company, because should their company goes out of business, chances are, their insurance will too, leaving you uncovered.

Baggage travel insurance is also a very useful policy, since it provides coverage for lost, damages, delayed, or stolen bags. This is especially important for those flying overseas and checking in bags. However, if you're just flying between US cities and think about things like items that are not covered like jewelry, furs, financial documents, etc. Then consider depreciation. Airlines have a 3,000 dollar liability limit, but that limit is per incident, not per bag and all based on depreciated value, and hardly anyone has ever received the full $3000.

Lastly, the "excess valuation" insurance we mentioned earlier is very important, as it provides up to $5000 in additional coverages. If your airline loses your bags, the contents of your bag will be insured, even items on the "no cover list".

Getting the Right Travel Insurance

You then wondered, what's with a travel insurance? You went online and started doing a research. You realized that getting a travel insurance is one of the top priorities when going on a vacation. But how will you be able to choose the best one? The answer: travel insurance comparison.

In getting a travel insurance, it is important for you to have some choices to be able to do the comparison. Ask some of your friends or try to find some in the internet. Then start comparing. Here's how...

   - Check the reliability of the insurance provider. Make sure that the company is licensed. This will help you avoid fraudulent illegal companies that won't pay your claim.

   - Determine the costs and time frame coverage. Of course you are after an affordable policy so it is just proper to know the price you'll be paying for. But, you should also find out if the insurance protects all your travels for the entire year or for a single trip only. From there you could decide which one suits you and your budget.

   - Look up all the emergency situations covered by the policy. Some insurance policies only cover the basic requirements but not all possible emergency situations. It is best for you to get a policy that offer maximum benefits in situations like car collision, lost luggage/passport, flight delay or cancellation, and even worse ones like terrorist attack or swine flu epidemic.

   - Lastly, be aware of the policy exclusions. As mentioned above, the policy that offers more benefits is better thus the policy that has less exclusions is just as great.

Well, you can get all these information by personally asking the insurance agents or searching them in the internet. If you choose to do the latter, it is recommended to use a search engine and find sites that compile and compare the insurance policies. But if you can't find any, you can always go to the domains of your chosen travel insurance companies.

Why Do Senior Citizens Need Travel Insurance?

They will be fully protected while they are overseas. If they are in need of medical assistance or simply any kind of assistance, their travel insurance will be there for them to solve the problem. So basically, they don't have to worry about anything when they're on a vacation. This is a very important coverage that every senior that loves to travel needs. If you are a senior citizen that loves to travel, you have to make sure that you are safe if ever an incident occurs.

    What is senior travel insurance?

Senior travel insurance is a type of insurance coverage that will protect the senior citizen if any incidents occur while they are overseas. The great thing about this coverage is that you can have a peace of mind to know that no matter what happens to you, their will be someone to help you. If you need help to find your lost luggage, or missing travel documents, there will be special assistance available for you anywhere around the world.

    Why do senior citizens need travel insurance?

Seniors don't have an idea of what can happen to them while they are traveling. If you go to a foreign country, you can accidentally eat or drink something that your body system cannot manage. If something like this does occur, your senior travel Insurance will cover and take care of you so that you can continue your vacation.

    How much is the coverage for senior travel insurance?

The premium is based on the actual age of the senior, health status, and the area they live in. There are rules and restrictions, but your insurance agent will be glad to explain to you what they are so you can avoid any delays. They can do other different types of coverage that will be perfect for you so that you will be able to find a coverage that meets your budget.

There are many insurance companies that may offer this type of coverage online. However, you must make sure that you are dealing with the right company that will provide you a coverage that is actually needed. Try not to deal with anyone who isn't licensed or registered with the Department of Insurance, as they may not provide any coverage for you if you are actually in need of help. These people only want to collect your monthly premium and will not give any service whatsoever. Don't let these con artists take your money, as they are very manipulative. It is advisable to contact your nearest Department of Insurance for more information about unlicensed solicitors. This will give you an idea of what you you should do to avoid getting ripped off.