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Travel Insurance - Why Everyone Needs Travel Accident Insurance More than 1 million pieces of luggage were lost, damaged, delayed or pilfered by U.S. airlines from May to July, 2007. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, June and July 2007 were ranked among the worst months for mishandled baggage in 20 years. And unfortunately, this number has been increasing over the past 5 years. In 2002, 3.84 reports of mishandled bags were filed per 1,000 passengers. In July 2007, this figure was 7.93. Many jobs were slashed after the industry's historic downturn a few years ago, and restrictions on gels and liquids in 2006 have caused a big increase in the number of checked bags. This leaves more bags to be checked with fewer employees. Add to this the major carriers' reliance on hubs. Connecting flights increase the probability of luggage being misplaced or not making the next flight in time either. With carriers buying smaller planes for the regional market, there have been more baggage limitations due to weight restrictions. The airline industry says the baggage problem is due mostly to delays caused by weather and an outdated air traffic control system. Analysts are saying that the problem is only going to get worse too, especially during the holiday travel season. What can you do to protect yourself? Buying travel insurance is your best option. Preferred travel insurance policies not only help you with lost, stolen, or damaged luggage, missed a flight, lost passports, etc., but also have an emergency "911" travel emergency service for emergency medical assistance, last-minute or emergency travel and flight changes, lost luggage tracking, pre-trip travel advice and more. Other ways you can help yourself are to book a direct flight. Since this is usually not an option, choose flights that have at least an hour between connections. Because of the increase in baggage problems, some people are even shipping their baggage to their destination while bringing a small carry-on bag on the plane. This option even saves you time (typically 30 minutes) as you don't have to wait at the airport for your checked bags to arrive. Make sure you obey the size and packaging requirements for personal hygiene products and medications, and anything that looks like a weapon is prohibited. Everything in your carry-on must be searchable. If you are searched, gift wrapped items will definitely be opened. Take metal items such as keys, phones, pagers, PDAs (personal digital assistants), and loose change out of your pockets. Put these in your carry-on, or in a plastic bag before you get into the security line. This keeps lines moving and you wind up having a better experience. Avoid wearing anything that contains metal, such as clothing, jewelry or other accessories such as heavy jewelry, clothing with metal buttons or snaps, belt buckles or under-wire bras. You may be additionally screened because of hidden items such as body piercings, which will cause the metal detector to go off. Pack your coats and jackets in your baggage when possible. All coats and jackets that you are carrying must go through the X-ray machine for inspection. If you choose to wear an outer coat or jacket to the checkpoint, you will need to either pack it in your carry-on baggage or put it in one of the bins that are provided. Tom Buhlinger is President of http://www.GetawayInsurance.com which offers AIG Travel Guard travel insurance in the US and Canada. Tom has traveled extensively throughout the US to major ski resorts, and knows the benefits first hand about buying travel insurance. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_A_Buhlinger |
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Travel Insurance And Other Valuable Travel Tips If you are a frequent traveler, you must know by now how important it is to get travel insurance before any trip. In the same vein, you must already be aware of the various types of policies made available to travel insurance clients. Many individuals take travel insurance for granted, but their importance is only made evident when the need for claims arises! One should always make it a point to check the policy through before choosing any type of travel insurance. Additionally, not all travel insurance policies are the same – one company's policy clauses may vary greatly from those of another company. You'll soon find out that price and coverage are not the only considerations when choosing a travel insurance policy. It's essential to inform at least two people you trust about your travel plans and tentative itineraries. They should also know about the places you plan to stay in and departure and arrival dates. Apart from travel insurance, there are a lot of other things to take care of. One of them is being prepared with your finances. Since it's never safe to take along a large amount of cash these days, make sure that you have adequate travelers checks before you depart. Keep in mind, though, that these should only be signed right before you use them and not any earlier. This is a mistake commonly made by most first-time travelers. Another very important matter that is often overlooked is ensuring that all the required visas have been acquired. Many travelers go through unnecessary inconveniences just because the visas they need are either missing or expired. Make sure, too, that your passport won't expire while you're traveling. You can get a checklist of all the important concerns related to travel from a reliable travel insurance company. Don't forget to secure photocopies of your passport, visas, airline tickets, vaccination records, and itineraries. Keep a set at home, another on your carry-on, and another in your suitcase. This way, when your important documents get lost or stolen, you won't find it too difficult to ask for help from authorities. Travel insurance can provide you with a checklist of items you need to take care of, at no extra charge. If you think that travel insurance only covers you in case of an accident, think again. Travel insurance can also cover some types of medical expenses, delayed or lost baggage, cancellation of flights, missed flights, flight delays, important personal effects, and even hijacks. Some even cover collision or damage expenses for rented cars and emergency evacuation damages. What's important is that you first look into all these and decide which items are important to you, or if there are any travel insurance aspects you could do away with. Travel insurance companies would be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding coverage. If you're not too keen on talking with an agent personally, you could first surf the Internet and compare various travel insurance packages. A simple search can be very advantageous if any untoward incident does happen during your trip. Although no one wants these things to happen, it's always better to be armed with comprehensive travel insurance. You can also find more info on Access America Travel Insurance and Columbus Travel Insurance. travelinsurance-help.com is a comprehensive resource to get information about Travel Insurance. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wade_Robins |