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Travel insurance ideas for canceled flights

On 7online.com (WABC) Thursday, April 10, 2008 | 5:43 PM
Eyewitness News NEW YORK

Hundreds of flights canceled over last week.
(WABC) -- Is there anything you can do to protect yourself from canceled flights?

An estimated 250,000 travelers have been stranded this week alone.

Eyewitness News' Kemberly Richardson took a look at travel insurance and if it's worth your money.

Despite the current shaky state of things with the airline industry, there's something many travelers say they wish they had purchased but never thought they'd use. Travel insurance.

Some experts say insurance can be just what you need to get to your final destination but there are lots of do's and don'ts.

"Never, never books insurance through the company you are traveling with. If the tour operator goes belly up or the cruise goes belly up and you bought insurance with them, you've lost the insurance too," said Pauline Frommer with Pauline Frommer Guides. Frommer says instead, buy insurance from a third party.

Put in a few details and get instant quotes. The price of your ticket may also dictate whether you buy insurance.

Travel plans down the road? Make sure you have a policy which covers default. With a growing number of airlines going bankrupt, recently Aloha and ATA, buying insurance directly from your travel agent is also a good idea but remember to read the fine print and watch the price quotes.

To find out terms and conditions and exclusions of different travel insurance policies, Click Here (note from Steve: This link goes to TripInsuranceStore.com's "What's Covered" page). (Copyright ©2008 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Should you get cruise insurance? Yes, but ...

If you're clear about what's not covered, insurance can be a life saver

By Jana Jones Cruise writer Updated: June 15, 2007

... The Trip Insurance Store is an online insurance agency that also allows you to book your protection right from the site, but offers so much information in such a clear and concise manner that we found it to be one of the best Web sites we have ever visited. Not only can you compare the coverage of several travel insurance providers side by side, each covered component is described and explained in a manner that makes it easy to understand. We applaud and appreciate that, since the choices and conditions can be overwhelming. Another thing we liked about the Trip Insurance Store is that there are live agents you can call toll free to clarify any questions you might have.

Click here for Jana Jones' article

Getting a handle on hurricane season

Travelers face tough choice between good deals, scary weather

By Rob Lovitt Travel writer, MSNBC contributor, Updated: 7:03 p.m. ET May 31, 2007

For more information, check out TripInsuranceStore.com ... which offers side-by-side comparisons from several providers.

Click here for Rob Lovitt's article

Do you need travel insurance?

Advice on when and when not to buy various coverages

By Peter Greenberg
TODAY Travel Editor
Updated: 9:32 a.m. CT March 27, 2007

On Page 3, "Resources:
TripInsuranceStore.com offers comparisons and testimonials from users, and you can also sign up for a plan though the site."

Click here for Peter Greenberg's article

Pack Your Bags, Hedge Your Bets

By Laurie Berger, Special to The Times

Los Angeles Times - January 22, 2006, Travel Section

... It's best to comparison shop. Several sites, including www.TripInsuranceStore.com, make it easy...

Click here for the article

Travel Insurance at a Glance

By The Frommer's Staff November 15, 2005

To travel to some destinations abroad, some insurance is always a good idea (such as trip cancellation, for instance). To others, medical evacuation insurance may spring to mind (in countries with limited medical facilities, for instance). Be sure to consider one or more of the following possibilities and prepare accordingly.

Check your existing insurance policies before you buy travel insurance to cover trip cancellation, lost luggage, medical expenses, or car rental insurance. You're likely to have partial or complete coverage. The cost of travel insurance varies widely, depending on the cost and length of your trip and your age. More dangerous activities may be excluded from basic policies.

To compare policies and prices, visit reliable online sources like www.TripInsuranceStore.com.

How to Find The Best Cruise Deal

Khalsa News Network - Punjab, India, April 28, 2005

... Get the policy from an Insurance Agency, not a Cruise Agency. Check out www.TripInsuranceStore.com; one can get a comparative quote.

Travel Insurance

Budget Travel Online, Friday, April 15, 2005

... Get the policy from an Insurance Agency, not a Cruise Agency. Check out www.TripInsuranceStore.com; one can get a comparative quote.

Click here for the article

Cancellation Waivers Versus Insurance

by Laurie Berger

L.A. Times - March 27, 2005, Travel Q & A

Comparison shop. Travel insurance is not bulletproof. There is a dizzying array of policies on the market, wrapped in enough fine print to give anyone brain freeze. Get buying tips, and compare plans at www.TripInsuranceStore.com ...

Click here for the article

Fine Print: What Makes Insurers Balk

Travel insurance is a terrific safety net, but you should always remember that even the best nets come with holes

by The Staff

MSNBC Sept. 8, 2004, September issue, Budget Travel magazine

"Log on to www.TripInsuranceStore.com, to compare plans; what they cost, cover, and pay out varies widely.."

Click here for the article

Rest Insured

by Everett Potter

Ski Magazine, January 2004 page 50/

"You can compare prices and policies at www.TripInsuranceStore.com, a one-stop shopping site."

Buying Peace of Mind

More people are getting travel insurance. Here's what it covers, what it doesn't and why you might want it, too.

By Joanna L. Krotz

Town & Country Travel, Fall 2003

Page 75:
Compare Policies, Benefit By Benefit
On-line resources now make it easier to check the fine print. Broker sites like www.TripInsuranceStore.com offer instant quotes from reliable insurers.

Page 76:

Picking A Policy
To find the best plan, mix and match options at on-line brokerages like www.TripInsuranceStore.com.

Many Changes to Trip Insurance Since 9/11

ALFRED BORCOVER
Published September 21, 2003
Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune

...Consumers can comparison shop travel insurance vendors on such Internet sites as www.TripInsuranceStore.com. "What these sites do is allow you to put in all your trip parameters, and then it will show you who gives you the closest to the coverage you are asking for and what the pricing would be for your particular trip..

Third-party insurance is a wise option. If you purchase a cruise line's or tour operator's own insurance and the company goes belly-up, you're stuck. Paying for your trip with a credit card also is smart. If you've charged your trip to a credit card and the company defaults, you can recoup your money through the federal Fair Credit Billing Act, which permits you to dispute the charge. Avoid purchasing cancellation waivers if they are offered by cruise lines or tour operators. Cancellation waivers are not regulated by state departments of insurance and may not protect you.

Click here for the article

Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune

Kids, Summer and Health Insurance

READER'S DIGEST May 2003, page 193

Before sending the kids off to camp or on teen trips, check your health insurance policy. Some plans won't cover emergency-room visits outside your area. Others won't cover helicopter evacuations. If your plan has restrictions, ask the camp or tour what it covers, says Lori Donnelly Elm, a medical claims specialist. If summer programs leave your child unprotected, visit www.TripInsuranceStore.com for information about supplemental short-term travel insurance, which costs around $50 for 30 days.

Weighing the risks amid the SARS crisis

By Dawn Matus (INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE)
Friday, April 4, 2003

TOKYO: ...Travelers worried about contracting SARS on the road may want to check their insurance. Steve Dasseos, who owns the online travel insurance company www.TripInsuranceStore.com, advises people to find out whether the illness would be covered under the medical portion of their policy, and also to familiarize themselves with exclusions, which can be numerous.

"To avoid any unpleasant surprises, people should definitely find out exactly what coverage the company they are considering will have for SARS," Dasseos said.

With more infections and deaths due to SARS being reported each day, the number of travelers to affected areas in Asia is sliding. But for people who do travel in the region now, there is an upside: bargain prices. Travel agencies are offering discounts to lure buyers, and even as airlines cut flights in response to falling demand, some are also advertising special fares.

Dawn Matus is a journalist in Tokyo.

Missing a flight just got riskier, but travel insurance could give you a little more security.

By KELLY GREENE

Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

"As of Oct. 1, the major airlines started requiring passengers with nonrefundable tickets to notify them if you don't plan on taking a scheduled trip. In the past, you would simply get a credit for up to a year. But now, you must immediately rebook a new flight and pay a $100 change fee. If you don't call before your flight, the ticket loses all its value....

There are a few things to watch out for, says Steve Dasseos, a travel insurance broker in Minneapolis who sells about 225 policies a week to cover (just) nonrefundable tickets through his Web site (www.TripInsuranceStore.com). If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you need to buy coverage as soon as possible after you book the trip. Most insurers have a tight window of as little as six days after you purchase your plane ticket for doing so. And if you're traveling with a large family group, make sure you read the fine print. Some insurers say that you can cancel only if something happens to an immediate family member or your caregiver, no matter who else is traveling as part of the group; others say the entire group can cancel if anyone in the group needs to back out. Some companies even use different rules for different plans, depending on their cost, he adds."

Kelly Greene is a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and for Encore, the Journal's guide to life after 55.

What If Your Airline Or Cruise Firm Fails?

September 1, 2002
Personal Business -- The Wall Street Journal Sunday.

By ERNEST BECK

"Do online research...check insurance brokers such as www.TripInsuranceStore.com to compare prices and policies."

What Price to Travel With Peace of Mind?

By ERNEST BECK

August 4, 2002
Personal Business -- The Wall Street Journal Sunday.

"... and insurance-broker sites for comparing policies and benefits: www.TripInsuranceStore.com

"Another tip: shop around. Trawl the Internet for policies and prices, and use insurance-broker sites -- such as ... www.TripInsuranceStore.com -- that compare policies. Mr. Hunter of the Consumer Federation also advises being wary of buying insurance from travel agents. "Go directly to the source -- the insurance company or a broker, where you can get competitive bids," he says.

Flight Insurance Offers Reassurance

By Andrea Coombes, CBS MarketWatch.com
July 10, 2002

"On the flight insurance I sell, it covers you for as many flights as you take from the time you leave home till the time you return," Dasseos said. "Some of the others are cheap because it only covers you per flight."

"Business at www.TripInsuranceStore.com increased after the LA Airport shutdown, said Steve Dasseos, the site's owner. But it's important to buy the insurance before you start your travels, Dasseos said. Flight insurance bought after the first leg of your journey won't apply to that trip.

Check on Insurance Coverage Before Kids Head Off to Camp

By LYNN ASINOF
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

June 20, 2002

"But there are lots of exclusions, like injuries from extreme sports, says Steve Dasseos of www.TripInsuranceStore.com, Minneapolis. So read the policies carefully to make sure you are getting coverage you need."

Click here for the article

Want the right travel insurance plan for your trip? Make one easy toll free phone call to Steve, Tara, Deanna, Becky, Teresa or Mary at 1-888-407-3854 (US & Canada) or 507-214-3854. 8 am - 10 pm Eastern time. Fast service.

Ready to Order? It's easy (and safe) to do online or over the telephone - just call Steve, Tara, Deanna, Becky, Teresa or Mary toll free at 1-888-407-3854 (US & Canada) or 507-214-3854.

PS - Steve has some Free Gifts for you just for visiting TripInsuranceStore.com

PPS - Steve also has a blog called "Who Else Wants To Understand Travel Insurance? Read it here. Or, you can  Subscribe Here