No one wants to think of something bad happening whilst they are on their annual holiday but in some cases things do and it is at this time that taking out Travel insurance would have been a wise choice, hindsight’s a wonderful thing but pre planning is better. Ensuring that aspects of your holiday are covered and certain eventualities have been considered can mean the difference between a disaster and just an inconvenience. Travel insurance can come in various packages depending on your requirements and frequency of traveling but one thing is for certain, if you travel regularly then Annual Travel Insurance is definitely an option worth considering.
Your cover won’t just cover accidents and medical attention like so many people perceive, it can cover an array of situations that are often out of your control like Airport Staff Strikes, Travel delays and cancellation all of which are major inconveniences, especially if you travel regularly. Many policies are on offer these days and companies have tiered packages to suit the type of traveler you are, concentrating on better value for money for the regular annual traveller often making it cheaper to have annual travel insurance every year than buying it each and every time you travel.
With a chosen policy potentially covering unlimited trips per year, Cancellation cover including redundancy, Medical Expense Cover, Travel Delay, Baggage and Baggage Delay, Dynamic Packaging Insurance the cover is often far more extensive than many people initially think travel insurance is. Many policies also cover a range of hazardous sports which were traditionally excluded from annual travel cover. These days going on holiday often involves action sports experiences, and no longer are they problematic to cover, from Bungee jumping to Scuba Diving, Sailing, Motorcycling and Jet Skiing. Picking the right annual travel insurance means these sports along with many others can be covered under the same policy with no need for additional cover.
Another benefit to having Annual travel cover is that it is one less consideration whilst organising your next trip. With flights to book, accommodation to find, money to exchange and logistics to sort you can rest assure that your personal welfare is insured and external elements that may hinder your journey will be covered.
By: Tom Sangers
Posts Tagged ‘Redundancy’
The Benefits of Annual Travel Insurance For Your Summer 2010 Travel
March 2nd, 2010Travel Insurance for Vacation Rentals
December 20th, 2009
A family booked a rental cottage last summer, arrived safely and just loved the cottage. However, on the second day of their two week stay, the mom got a call to say her father was seriously ill and not expected to live. The family packed up and returned home, and sadly, her dad died a few days later. After the funeral, the renter called the cottage owner and asked what sort of refund she could expect as they had only used 2 days of their 14 day booking. The owner refused to pay any refund with the explanation that she relied on the cottage rental income to pay the costs of her cottage and it was always fully booked through the season. She was not able to find a replacement rental party at the last minute and as the rental agreement stated; if that was the case no money would be returned. Of course the rental group did not have travel insurance, which would probably have covered trip curtailment due to the illness and/or death of a close relative. The rental cost the family over $4000 and they were not able to recover a penny of that money.
Many people believe that trip insurance is only necessary if there is a flight involved; where delay, lost baggage, and the risk of the airline going bust, is covered; and medical cover is required in a foreign country. It’s not considered important, or not considered at all, to buy insurance to cover a trip taken by road to a self catering property in the same province or the same country.
Think again! Most cottage bookings are made several months in advance and many things could happen after you have booked to change your circumstances. Illnesses of any member of the traveling party, redundancy or a call to jury service are just a few of the situations that would be covered by a travel insurance policy. A few insurance companies also offer a ‘change of mind’ clause, allowing you to cancel for any reason after a booking has been made and paid in full. This normally pays out an amount sufficient to cover any cancellation fee the rental agency or owner may apply.
When you book your vacation rental property, check the property owners or agencies cancellation policies carefully. If it is not clear, ask the question. In general, most private owners and rental agencies will attempt to rebook a property if it is cancelled, and refund your money for the period they have rebooked, less a cancellation fee.
The premium paid for trip insurance becomes less significant, the more you are paying, however it is worthwhile at any price, for your peace of mind.
By: Heather Bayer
