Travel Insurance... Anyone???

Travel Insurance Anyone?

One of the responsibilities of a travel agent is to answer the question, and promote the sale of travel insurance.  Most of us are pretty good at selling a travel product, air, hotel, cruise, tour, etc., but often times selling travel insurance is a challenge.  We should sell insurance every time we make as sale, but for some folks, it might not be a wise choice for their situation.  On the other hand, if there is a sizeable travel investment, then it is foolhardy not to purchase it. 

Over the years, if I had told some of the stories that I personally know about regarding those who have purchased it and those who have not, I would be a rich man right now!!  Unlike house insurance or car insurance, it covers the travelers cost of the travel plus some other coverages like medical, delays, and emergency evacuation and is for a short duration.  The most desired coverage is if they have to cancel their trip because of a “covered” reason; typically sickness, accident, death verifiable from a physician or funeral home, they will be reimbursed for the cost of the trip.

In the news the last couple of weeks is an interesting circumstance.  A guest on an Azamara cruise in the Mediterranean, broke his hip in the middle of the night.  The ship’s physician treated him as good as he could, but it was evident that he needed surgery.  So they disembarked him and his wife at the nearest hospital in the small Turkish town of Bartin, along the Black Sea coast.  You guessed it, no one spoke English and that hospital was not equipped to do the surgery he needed, so what to do?

Well, he had no insurance, because you can’t insure “nothing”.  He had previously been on an Azamara cruise that was cut short because of a fire, and so he was compensated with a free cruise.  Luckily, a travel agent came to the rescue, and along with the assistance of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, (the owner of Azamara Cruises), a RCCL care team member got him transferred by ambulance to a better-equipped hospital in Ankara, six hours away.  Royal Caribbean’s insurance covered their transportation back from Turkey too.

Come to find out, he could have purchased insurance on complimentary cruises.  Travel Guard International does write policies on these circumstances.  Of course cancellation coverage would not be an issue, but interruptions, delays or medical emergencies could be insured with this carrier.

One of the tour operators we sell a lot is Funjet Vacations, and they have our favorite policy, cancel-for-any-reason insurance.  That is an easy sell for just about any tour cost.

Next time you travel, talk with the friendly and experienced travel agents at The Travel Factory, and we’ll tell you all we know about travel insurance.  Call for us at 698-1421 or toll-free 800-760-4040. Better still, drop in for a visit at 4150 Southwest Drive at the Plaza at Park Central between Rosa’s and Chick Fil A.