Airport

Current Travel Stories

travel

AirBnb et al – Guess who’s watching

Cruise Ship Horrors – Literally ………..

US Govt Travel Advisory Update – Israel and Gaza

You can’t burn mud ……

Medical Tourism – MS Treatment in Mexico

Too Fat to Fly ………..

Manchester Airport Drop Off Lanes

Road Trips – Past, Present and Future

Sydney’s New Airport

Dangers of Flying – Nosebleeds

 

What is Cancellation Travel Insurance? 

travelCancellation Travel Insurance

Cancellation travel insurance is normally a part of most standard travel insurance policies  that provides cover when a trip needs to be cancelled or interrupted due to unforeseen circumstances.

This type of cover is designed to protect travellers from losing money on non-refundable expenses such as flights, accommodations, and other prepaid travel arrangements.

The policy will specify when cancellation can occur, for what reasons and what items are refundable. Special conditions will apply to cruise travel insurance.

Coverage typically includes reimbursement for cancellation or interruption due to various reasons, such as:

  1. Medical Emergencies: If you or a family member becomes ill or injured and cannot travel.
  2. Death or Serious Illness of a Family Member: If a close family member passes away or becomes seriously ill, forcing you to cancel or cut short your trip.
  3. Natural Disasters: Coverage may be provided if your travel plans are disrupted due to natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, or floods.
  4. Job Loss: Some policies may cover trip cancellations resulting from unexpected job loss or job-related issues.
  5. Terrorist Incidents or Political Unrest: Coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions due to unforeseen political events or acts of terrorism.
  6. Jury Duty: If you are required to serve on a jury and it conflicts with your travel plans.
  7. Travel Supplier Bankruptcy: If a travel supplier, such as an airline or cruise line, goes bankrupt, leading to the cancellation of your trip.

It’s important to carefully review the terms and conditions of any cancellation travel insurance policy, as coverage can vary among providers.

Additionally, there are often specific conditions that must be met for a claim to be valid, so travellers should be aware of these and understand the limitations of their coverage. It’s advisable to purchase travel insurance as soon as you book your trip to ensure maximum coverage.

Trip Disruption

Travel insurance policies will normally provide some benefits relating to a trip disruption occurring as a result of events outside your control as well. The level of benefits and their inclusion does normally depend on the type of insurance policy taken out.

Cover and Benefits can Include

  • Cancelling your trip
  • Missed departure from country of originating flight
  • Delay of Flight
  • Having to abandon your flight
  • Additional Transport Costs as a result of abandonment
  • Cutting short a Trip
  • Substitute Accommodation
  • Missed Departure of Flights other than Originating Flight

Difference between International and Domestic Travel Insurance?

travelInternational and Domestic Travel Insurance

International and domestic travel insurance differ primarily in their coverage areas. Here are the key distinctions between the two:

  1. Coverage Area:
    • International Travel Insurance: This type of insurance provides coverage for trips that involve travelling to foreign countries. It is designed to offer protection for unexpected events, medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and other potential risks that may occur while you are abroad.
    • Domestic Travel Insurance: This insurance is tailored for trips within your home country. It typically covers similar aspects as international travel insurance, such as trip cancellations, travel delays, and medical emergencies, but within the borders of your own country.
  2. Medical Coverage:
    • International Travel Insurance: Provides coverage for medical emergencies and expenses that occur while traveling internationally. It may also include medical evacuation coverage to transport you to a suitable medical facility.
    • Domestic Travel Insurance: Offers coverage for medical emergencies that happen during domestic trips. Medical evacuation might still be included, but it would involve transporting you to a medical facility within your home country.
  3. Trip Cancellation and Interruption:
    • International Travel Insurance: Protects against trip cancellations or interruptions that occur due to unforeseen events such as illness, death, or natural disasters either at home or at the travel destination.
    • Domestic Travel Insurance: Provides coverage for similar trip cancellation or interruption scenarios, but limited to events occurring within your home country.
  4. Lost or Delayed Baggage:
    • International Travel Insurance: Covers the loss, theft, or delayed arrival of baggage during international trips.
    • Domestic Travel Insurance: Offers similar coverage but applies to baggage incidents within your own country.
  5. Travel Assistance:
    • International Travel Insurance: Often includes 24/7 travel assistance services, which can help with issues like finding local medical facilities, language translation, or emergency cash transfers.
    • Domestic Travel Insurance: May also include travel assistance services, but they would be focused on resources within your home country.

When choosing between international and domestic travel insurance, consider the nature and destination of your trip.

If you are traveling internationally, it’s crucial to have coverage that extends beyond your home country to address potential challenges that may arise in a foreign setting.

If your travel is limited to within your own country, domestic travel insurance may be more suitable.

Benefits of Buying Domestic Travel Insurance

The benefits of buying travel insurance for domestic trips include coverage for unexpected events such as flight cancellations, lost luggage, and medical emergencies. Here are some key benefits:

  • Coverage for Unexpected Events: Travel insurance can cover prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if something unexpected happens during your travels, like a cancelled flight or lost luggage.
  • Medical Coverage: While your health insurance is more likely to work domestically, travel insurance can bridge coverage gaps by covering medical treatment costs if you are hurt or fall sick on vacation, including emergency medical evacuations.
  • Trip Interruption Insurance: Travel insurance can provide trip interruption coverage, which can reimburse you for the unused portion of your trip if it’s interrupted for a covered reason.
  • Peace of Mind: Travel insurance can provide peace of mind by protecting your investment in the trip and providing assistance in case of emergencies.

In summary, travel insurance for domestic trips can provide coverage for a range of unexpected events, including medical emergencies, trip interruptions, and lost luggage, offering travellers peace of mind and financial protection.

What Factors should be Considered when Choosing Domestic Travel Insurance?

When choosing a domestic travel insurance policy, several factors should be considered to ensure adequate coverage. Here are some key factors to keep in mind:

  • Coverage Needs: Assess your specific needs for the trip, including medical coverage, trip cancellation, and baggage protection.
  • Policy Inclusions: Review the policy to understand what is covered, such as medical emergencies, trip interruptions, and any exclusions that may apply.
  • Cost: Compare the cost of the policy with the coverage provided to ensure it aligns with your budget and offers value for money.
  • Provider Reputation: Research the insurance provider’s reputation, including their claim settlement ratio, customer service, and financial stability.
  • Policy Limits and Deductibles: Pay attention to the policy limits and deductibles to understand your out-of-pocket expenses in case of a claim.

In summary, when choosing a domestic travel insurance policy, consider your coverage needs, the policy inclusions, cost, provider reputation, and policy limits to make an informed decision.

What is Business Travel Insurance?

travelBusiness Travel Insurance

Business travel insurance, also known as corporate travel insurance is a type of insurance coverage designed to protect individuals who are travelling for business related purposes.

It provides financial protection against a range of risks and emergencies that can occur during work-related trips.

Business travel insurance is usually purchased by employers or business travellers themselves to lessen the financial impact of unexpected events.

This type of insurance is important for companies that rely on business travel to expand their global presence, as it protects them against major financial losses resulting from unexpected issues during trips.

Business travel insurance premiums are influenced by factors such as the traveller’s age, trip duration, and coverage limits, and typically cost about 6% of the total travel costs.

Here are some key features of business travel insurance:

  1. Trip Cancellation and Interruption: Covers non-refundable trip expenses in case the business trip is cancelled or interrupted due to covered reasons such as illness, injury, or other unforeseen events.
  2. Emergency Medical Expenses: Provides coverage for medical expenses incurred due to illness or injury that occurs during the business trip. This may include hospital stays, doctor’s fees, and prescription medications.
  3. Evacuation and Repatriation: Covers the costs of emergency medical evacuation or repatriation to the home country in the event of a serious illness or injury.
  4. Travel Delay: Reimburses additional expenses incurred due to unexpected travel delays, such as accommodation and meal costs.
  5. Baggage and Personal Belongings: Provides coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage and business equipment during the trip.
  6. Business Equipment Coverage: Extends coverage to business-related equipment and devices that are lost, stolen, or damaged during the trip, such as laptops or other work tools.
  7. Personal Liability: Offers coverage for legal expenses and damages if the business traveller is held liable for causing injury or damage to the property of others during the trip.
  8. 24/7 Assistance Services: Many business travel insurance policies include assistance services such as travel assistance hotlines, medical advice, and coordination of emergency services.

Business travel insurance is crucial for protecting both the employer and the employee from unexpected expenses and disruptions that can occur while traveling for work.

The coverage and benefits may vary between insurance providers, so it’s important to carefully review the policy terms and conditions to ensure it aligns with the specific needs of the business traveller and the company’s travel policies.

What are the common exclusions in business travel insurance policies?

Common exclusions in business travel insurance policies include:

  1. Self-inflicted injuries: Travel policies exclude coverage for any injuries caused to the policyholders due to self-harm, including suicide.
  2. Illegal activities: Losses caused by illegal activities, such as operating a motorcycle or scooter without a valid license, are not covered.
  3. Medical tourism: Travel insurance typically does not cover medical expenses related to elective procedures or medical tourism, such as a facelift or a tummy tuck.
  4. Pre-existing conditions: Travel policies generally do not cover pre-existing conditions of the policyholders, if the insurance considers the condition to be high risk and could incur medical costs overseas.
  5. Engaging in reckless activities/behaviour: Participating in high-risk sports and activities, or engaging in reckless behaviour, may not be covered by travel insurance.

It’s important to carefully review the policy wording to understand the specific exclusions of a business travel insurance policy.

Baggage Travel insurance

travelBaggage Travel Insurance

Cover for personal baggage is included in all mainstream travel insurance policies, whether they are single trip insurance or annual travel insurance plans.

Some insurance policies that are more specialized such as cruise travel insurance or golf holiday insurance may provide additional or separate types of cover, normally to include additional equipment.

Typically, baggage is covered in the sense of it being normal suitcases that are checked in and out of an airport or train station, as well as carry on luggage.

Cover will normally include loss or damage to the baggage itself, as well as what is inside the baggage such as money and travel documents and other valuables.

It is important to note that there are likely to be specific limits per item within the travel insurance policy as well as limits on specified valuables as well.

There is also an expectation by the insurance company that the individual responsible for the baggage will take all reasonable precautions to make sure it is not left unattended or damaged in such a way that could have been prevented.

The various limits for baggage and specific items will be detailed in the insurance policy document and form the basis of any acceptance or rejection of a subsequent claim.

Baggage Travel Insurance Claim

In the event of baggage being stolen or lost it is important that the local police are notified, and that a police report is issued to you and a copy sent to the insurance company.

The insurance company may also want a written report from your travel provider that details the reported loss.

The insurance company is also likely to want proof of ownership and value of any items that are claimed to have been lost or stolen. This can sometimes be quite a contentious area if items are quite old or to difficult to establish proof of value.

An insurance company will accept something such as a receipt for proof of both ownership and value. In other situations, it might be necessary for the policy holder to have a valuation done before travelling to prove how much something is worth.

It is worth making the point that it is always a good idea to consider if it is really necessary to travel with items of real value or items that are difficult to replace.

If there is a claim for a loss or theft of a smartphone, cell phone or any type of device that has a service provider attached to it, the insurance company will want proof that the service provider has been contacted and asked to discontinue the service. This is to make sure that no additional charges occur onto the theft or loss has happened.

If money or travellers cheques have been lost or stolen, the insurance company will want evidence that this money was withdrawn or bought prior to the loss or theft occurring.

Damaged Baggage

Quite often baggage can be damaged or lost in transit during a plane flight, and this is one of the most common claims under travel insurance policies.

Property Irregularity Report

If this happens and is noticed during  baggage reclaim, it is important that the policyholder obtains what is known as a property irregularity report from the airlines in order to prove the loss or damage occurred and is a valid claim under the policy.

It is also important to keep the luggage tags which were attacked to the boarding pass when the luggage was checked in.  This can be a useful document when submitting a travel insurance claim. It is also a good idea to photograph the damage that has been caused to the baggage and ideally use a digital timestamp.

If compensation is going to be claimed from the airline itself then there are normally strict date guidelines as to how long someone has in order to submit a claim. This can often be a short as seven days and needs to be strictly adhered to.

Lost or Delayed Baggage

If the luggage or package is not at  baggage reclaim and appears to have been lost or mislaid, again the airline may be responsible. It is important to notify this to airline staff in the baggage hall before leaving the hall or the airport and take a note of the baggage reference number and to get a copy of the subsequent airlines report.

Baggage Claims

Lost or damaged baggage may be claimable under an airline compensation scheme, or maybe recoverable under your travel insurance policy. What is important to note is that it cannot be claimed under both, as that would effectively be an act of fraud.

It is possible that the insurance company would request or instruct you to try and collect off the airline first, and then only claim under the policy if that proves difficult to do.

It is also possible that the insurance companies may just settle your claim and then try and reclaim the money from the airline on your behalf.