• 30
  Dec
  2009

• Destination Thailand: Insurance Stickies

  
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Thailand is indeed an amazing place that provides amazing value for money. With the right kind of travel insurance, you can set your worries aside and immerse yourself in the culture and natural beauty that Thailand is known for.

However, Thailand is also known for another kind of beauty: the female kind. Sex tourism forms a large part of the country’s attraction to tourists, especially males. While illegal in Thailand, prostitution is regulated by the government to a large extent.

Now, one thing to remember is that your international travel insurance will not cover sexually transmitted diseases, and so, if you have a problem after visiting a “lady” in Thailand, the treatment will not be covered under your plan.

In Thailand, prostitution is also an illegal activity, and your policy will not cover any condition that arises out of your indulging in illegal activity as well. So, there’s a double whammy that prevents you from getting reimbursed if, unfortunately, you contract a disease from a “lady” in Thailand. So remember that it is better to play it safe than be sorry.

Travel tip: Obvious, but it probably needs to be repeated anyway. Always, always insist on using a condom.

• 23
  Dec
  2009

• Travel Insurance 101: The Basics

  
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You’re all set to go on that fabulous overseas trip, but one thing’s nagging you: You’re not quite sure about travel insurance. What kind would you need? What coverage should you look for? How do you choose a company? These are common questions that a person might have, and let us try and answer some of these.

Firstly, you will need travel insurance—there’s no two ways about it. However, some international companies and organizations—the World Bank, for instance—offer certain employees international coverage. Check whether you are one of those. If not, you must start looking for a plan as soon as you purchase your tickets, if you’d want to include trip cancellation benefits.

As for the coverage needed, consider the travellers: Are they young or old? Do they have any pre-existing conditions? Also consider the relative cost of healthcare at the destination—that will help decide whether you want a comprehensive or scheduled benefits plan.

If you are an active group, you must consider adding hazardous sports insurance, even if it is not on your itinerary. Things can get pretty impulsive on a vacation. When purchasing insurance, remember to check the insurance company’s A.M. Best ratings. Choose a company with a rating of at least an A.

Travel tip: All other things equal, buying insurance from a company that has offices at your destination might work well for claims.

• 18
  Dec
  2009

• This Holiday, Ask Santa for the Best Travel Insurance!

  
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The holidays are here, and it’s the perfect time to travel for students—long vacations, cold weather, and the spirit of the holidays are all enough reasons to travel—with student travel insurance, of course!

Why is travel insurance even necessary for the penny-pinching student? Because travel insurance can, for less than the cost of a cup of coffee, ensure that travel does not turn into a sour experience that empties out the already thin pockets of the student.

When purchasing student travel insurance, some of the benefits to look for include benefits such as emergency care, ambulance services, emergency medical evacuation, and accidental death and dismemberment. And remember that you might want to purchase hazardous sports coverage if you plan on participating in adventurous sports, or even if you are not sure.

As far as trip cancellation benefits go, read the fine print to know the covered reasons for cancellation. Also remember that if you will primarily be backpacking and will be staying at hostel, you might not require trip cancellation benefits.

Travel tip: Remember that the cost of your student travel insurance should roughly be around 8% of your trip cost. If it’s much higher than that, you might want to look for alternate insurance.

• 16
  Dec
  2009

• Strike Out Worries with Trip Protection Insurance

  
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The recent 12-day strike announced by British Airways staff will throw the travel plans of a million passengers off track, with the exception of passengers with trip cancellation insurance, who will breathe a bit easy.

A typical issue that arises when airline employees go on strike is: What will happen to my travel plans? Usually, the airline will make alternate travel arrangements. However, if the number of travelers is large, that may not be possible. Moreover, most airlines will not cancel flights until the last minute, and that is when they offer some compensation. Hotel bookings are also not compensated for by the airline.

With a trip cancellation plan such as the Air Ticket Protection plan, your ticket costs are covered 100% for situations such as the insolvency of an airline, and for flight cancellations due to a strike resulting in the complete cessation of flights.

However, in this case, most insurers will not reimburse costs of tickets purchased after the strike was announced. Some will not reimburse tickets purchased after the unions and management met on November 2, to sort out the wage issue. If you have trip cancellation insurance, and are planning travel on a British Airways flight between December 22 and January 2, call your insurer.

Travel tip: If reaching your destination on time is very important (as during Christmas), book a flight to reach the destination a day early. Delays and strikes are less likely to hurt you.