Travel Insurance Blog

Review Evacuation Insurance from Medjet

Evacuation can be very expensive. We have seen costs as high as $150,000 for evacuation from a cruise ship or a distant place back to a hospital in United States. When buying a typical travel insurance policy, many people don't realize that the "included evacuation" that is part of a package plan will only evacuate you to the nearest hospital. For many travelers this is not satisfactory.

Medjet is one of the few evacuation companies that will evacuate its members back to the United States, to the hospital of your choice. You can get more information and an Evacuation Insurance Quote from Medjet here.

People tell us that medical emergencies are rare and not worth the cost. We have a sampling of how many evacuations Medjet performed recently:

  • Amarillo, TX to Baton Rouge, LA
  • Arequipa, Peru to Philadelphia, PA
  • Athens, GA to Wilmington, NC
  • Atlanta, GA to Houston, TX
  • Arusha, Tanzania to Nairobi, Kenya
  • Boston, MA to Birmingham, AL
  • Boston, MA to Philadelphia, PA
  • Bermuda to Nashville, TN
  • Destin, FL to Jupiter, FL
  • Florence, Italy to Chicago, IL
  • Geneva, Switzerland to Encino, CA
  • Gunzenhausen, Germany to Aberdeen, WA
  • Houston, TX to Dallas, TX
  • Jackson Hole, WY to New York, NY
  • Kiev, Ukraine to London, UK
  • Knoxville, TN to Rochester, MN
  • London, UK to Temecula, CA
  • Mammoth Lakes, CA to Memphis, TN
  • Marungu, Tanzania to Nairobi, Kenya
  • Nairobi, Kenya to Atlanta, GA
  • Nairobi, Kenya to Dallas, TX
  • New Delhi, India to Dothan, AL
  • New Delhi, India to Parkridge, IL
  • New York, NY to Birmingham, AL
  • New York, NY to Boca Raton, FL
  • New York, NY to Neenah, WI
  • Oranjestad, Aruba to Philadelphia, PA
  • Quebec City, QU, Canada to Fremont, CA
  • Rochester, MN to Knoxville, TN
  • Sallanches, France to Salem, MA
  • San Miguel, Mexico to Little Rock, AR
  • Sitka, AK to Seattle, WA
  • Show Low, AZ to Mesa, AZ
  • Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to Fontana, CA
  • Urbana, IL to Parkridge, IL
  • Venice, Italy to Seattle, WA
  • Zambia-(Lusaka) to Johannesburg

The cost of this coverage is based on the length of your trip, and if you are looking for coverage for just yourself or your family. Annual coverage is available for an unlimited number of trips, each up to 90 days or less for $205 (individual) and $325 (family). Evacuation plans can be compared here.

I consider medical evacuation to be mandatory. If you get immunization before going to a developing country, why wouldn't you also ensure that you have evacuation arrangements made, just in case you get injured. Do you want to be treated in a hospital in a developing country? Even in developed world countries, number 1 cause of death is infections. Also, you have friends and family members in United States that will assist you with the recovery process.
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posted by From Rio to Paris @ 11:23 PM 0 comments  

You Bought Travel Insurance and Your Airline Declared Bankruptcy. You Are Covered, Aren’t You? Think Again.

Airlines these days are struggling. Every day we hear news about airlines reporting poor profits due to factors such as high gasoline prices, high labor costs and renewed threats of terrorism. One after another, airlines are lining up in front of Congress asking for subsidies or in front of bankruptcy judges asking for relief from creditors.

Traveling post-9/11 has propelled many of us to rely more on travel insurance than ever before. Many travel insurance companies offer good, reliable coverage, including trip cancellation and emergency medical. But what happens if your trip is scheduled for several months from now and in the meantime your travel supplier (airline, cruise line, tour operator) declares bankruptcy? You may or may not be covered. It depends on the specific travel insurance plan you have.

For instance, many travel insurance companies have blacklisted airlines who have publicly expressed financial troubles. With the list getting longer and longer it is important to check if the airline you are traveling with will be covered by your travel insurance company.

Before going any further, the latest list of travel suppliers that may not covered for "financial default" can be found here: Airline/Cruise Line Bankruptcy.

Information about all major travel insurance companies can be found here: Travel Insurance Companies.

Several things to consider when shopping for travel insurance are:

  • Does your plan include default of travel supplier coverage?

    Make sure you are covered for bankruptcy in the first place. Look for policies that include coverage for "financial default of travel provider." This coverage is provided usually in the event of a complete suspension of operations due to financial circumstances whether or not bankruptcy is filed. Employee strikes may also be covered under this provision.


  • Did you buy travel insurance within the eligibility window?

    Most plans require you to purchase insurance within 15 days of your trip deposit. (Others may require 10 or 21 days so don't wait too long or you will not be covered.) It is also common to have to wait for 14 days after purchasing to be able to file a claim for reimbursement. The reason for this is insurance companies want to make sure you bought insurance for precautionary reasons and not on-the-fly as soon as the 5 o'clock news announced your airline has completely shut down its operation. Keep in mind that insurance is a high target for fraud. Generally insurance companies have customer's interests in mind. If you go with a company that is reputable you should receive concise answers to your questions from knowledgeable and friendly staff.


  • Lastly and most importantly you want to make sure that your travel supplier (airline in this case, but can include cruise or tour company) is on the list of covered companies with your travel insurance of choice. A good travel insurance company will inform their customers of what companies they have blacklisted.


A useful website where you can read policy details of over 100 insurance plans is Total Travel Insurance.com. Total Travel Insurance is the only comparative website that allows you to compare prices from all major travel insurance companies and at the same time lets the traveler know if you will be covered for bankruptcy before buying.

Alexander Velinov, president of Total Travel Insurance, says, "I always knew that it would be difficult to get coverage for small airlines. I never anticipated that large airlines such as United and U.S. Airways would be on the not-covered for financial default list of most insurance companies. That is why we decided to add this important feature to our web site. We want the consumer to have all of the information before buying, instead of getting bad news when filing a claim."
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posted by From Rio to Paris @ 9:00 AM 0 comments  

Escape Wisely. Know When To Buy Travel Insurance

You finally got your week off from work and your travel agent is working hard on finding you the best deal. Now, before you can rest assure you realize that you need travel insurance. The big question then becomes ‘When do I need to buy travel insurance?”

What most people do not realize is that many insurance companies allow you to purchase travel insurance up until 24 hours before your departure. That being said, if you have any pre-existing medical conditions you need to purchase travel insurance as early as when you put down your first deposit on your trip. “Most of our plans will insure for pre-existing medical conditions if you purchase within 10-15 days from when you either paid your trip in full or made a deposit. It is also important to buy insurance early if you want to be covered for terrorism at departure or destination as well as financial default of travel provider,” says Kara Cayman customer service manager at Total Travel Insurance. Remember that if you buy the insurance after the 10 to 15 day window you’ll still be covered in the event that a medical emergency occurs. What would not be covered are any emergencies incurred from your pre-existing medical conditions.

Pre-existing medical conditions is a broad term and affects not just the traveling parties. It also affects immediate family members. If you have an immediate family member that is ill, you may be able to cancel your trip in case your family member gets worse or passes away unexpectedly.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you are traveling on a frequent flyer mileage trip, insurance company will not reimburse you for your airfare costs since there is no out-of pocket expense. You will still be covered for medical, lost luggage, missed connection and travel delay as well as accidental death & dismemberment and common carrier accident insurance.

The tricky part is to know what determines your first deposit date when traveling on a frequent mileage flight. In this case, the first time you made your payment toward any tax charges for your frequent flyer trip is considered the first payment.

Alex Velinov, president of Total Travel Insurance, says, “I tell my customers to always remember the earlier you buy, the longer and better coverage you will have. If you did not buy insurance within the first two weeks of your deposit date and subsequently a family member got sick or your travel provider filed for bankruptcy, you will not be covered. If you did not buy early, you should buy at least 24 hours before departure. When you buy insurance on the day of your departure, you are not covered for the departure leg of your trip. Coverage does not go into effect until midnight of when application was received by the insurance company. When buying on the day of your departure, you are better off buying one of our post-departure (trip interruption) plans, it will save you money.”
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posted by From Rio to Paris @ 10:30 AM 0 comments  

Thinking About Getting Travel Insurance But Are Totally Intimidated By All the Dry Terms?

Pre-existing conditions, primary medical coverage, secondary medical coverage, and initial trip deposit - “What do they all mean?” Sounds familiar? Relax. Soon after reading this your only worry will be planning your next vacation.

Now let’s take a look at what each term signifies. A pre-existing medical condition is any medical sickness you’ve been suffering from prior to your travel. For example, if you or your traveling companion(s) have been suffering from diabetes or are wearing a pace-maker this would mean you have a pre-existing medical condition.

Pre-existing medical conditions are covered by any one of our “Total Travel Protection” plans as long as you purchase travel insurance within a certain time frame of when you book your trip. Some companies allow up to 21 days from your initial trip deposit. Remember that “initial trip deposit” is either a) the first time you put a deposit down or b) when you paid for your trip in full.

“If you’re like me, the only time I remember to get travel insurance is as I’m packing, usually less than a week from my departure,” said Alex
Velinov, President of Total Travel Insurance. “Last minute purchase of insurance will still cover you for emergency medical but not for any emergencies related to your pre-existing medical conditions.”

Primary coverage always covers you from the first dollar up. On the other hand, plans that offer secondary medical coverage will save you money, but only cover you after your own private health insurance paid most of the medical bill. Be sure to find out if your insurance will cover you where you will be traveling to. Typically, when traveling abroad you are outside of your network and often are not covered. Don’t have any insurance that will cover you when you’re traveling the world? Then, primary insurance is your only option.

When searching for a basic plan that will cover usual trip concerns like trip cancellation, interruption, lost luggage, trip delay or missed connection - your best bet is to get a “Total Travel Protection” plan; which will cover it all. You even get a fair amount of life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance in case of the God-forbid unforeseeable. These days you can buy a policy for a pretty good price. Premium is calculated based on your age and the cost of the trip that you would like to insure. If you are over 60 years old expect to pay a higher premium price than let’s say your daughter and her fiancé.

Insurance can get very confusing, especially if you are new to it or have a unique situation at hand. Total Travel Insurance is a unique website that offers you the opportunity to research different travel insurance companies, products and coverages. You can complete a quote and see prices and coverages side by side. Kara Cayman who is Customer Service Manager at Total Travel Insurance says, “Our website is really easy to use. The advantage you get from this site is the vast choice in finding an ideal plan for your vacation. Not only do we allow travelers to compare the most plans from all major travel insurance companies but we also specialize in helping each traveler with their own unique traveling situation. Travelers are welcomed to call up or email with any questions they may have prior to purchase.”
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posted by From Rio to Paris @ 10:00 AM 0 comments  

Don’t Let Fear of Terrorism Put a Stop on Your Travel Plans

In the up and coming tragic anniversary of the September 11, 2001 bombings, travelers are unnerved at the prospect of going away. Terrorist attacks in the island of Bali, in Madrid, Spain and more recently in Israel and Russia have put a damper on many travel plans. Sadly, terrorism has become a world-wide concern, but there are options available to help travelers protect themselves and their families. Travel insurance offers a refund of your trip cost in case of a terrorist act in the city that is part of your itinerary.

Total Travel Insurance is an online site that offers tools to research different insurance products and coverages such as terrorism at departure/destination and allows you to receive a free quote from all major travel insurance companies. When it comes to terrorism insurance, there are three main coverages that insure a safe trip: Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance.

Insurance companies offer protection up to 100% of your trip cost under coverage of Trip Cancellation, if you need to cancel your trip in case of terrorism. Coverage starts at midnight from your purchase date and covers you up to your date of departure. Travelers should keep in mind that there are many other valid reasons that exist for canceling a trip.

Trip Interruption covers you in the event your trip gets interrupted and you are forced to head back home prematurely. Up to 150% of your total trip cost is protected since unscheduled flights are more expensive than scheduled ones.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance, often known as AD&D, offers coverage in case of an accidental death. Coverage begins at $10,000 and can go up to $1 million.

Visit Terrorism Travel Insurance for more detailed information.

Alex Velinov, President of Total Travel Insurance, says, “You have to be careful when purchasing travel insurance because not all companies offer terrorism insurance coverage and not all companies offer the same level of protection. Often, you need to purchase insurance within 14 days of your initial trip deposit to qualify for this coverage”.
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posted by From Rio to Paris @ 9:30 AM 0 comments  

New, Easy-To-Use, Web-Friendly Travel Insurance System

System Fusion, LLC – an insurance software development firm is proud to announce a new release of its travel insurance web site – TotalTravelInsurance.com. Total Travel Insurance is a web-based system that offers quotes from every major travel insurance company. In this release, five insurance companies and thirty travel insurance plans were added. New products include travel medical insurance, evacuation insurance, flight insurance and rental car insurance.

With over 50 plans that can be quoted and compared, Total Travel Insurance is now one of the most comprehensive research tools available on-line. This web gem is ideal for all safety concerned travelers nation-wide and visitors to the US. Total Travel Insurance allows you to compare from a large range of insurance products: from comprehensive trip insurance plans that protect all aspects of your trip, to special purpose plans that protect just your health, or your flight.

Alex Velinov, president of Total Travel Insurance says, “The consumer is at the control. The consumer completes six simple questions and receives a list of plans that they are eligible with prices. The consumer can then research each company, product, coverage and plan. They can compare prices and coverages any way that they prefer. We do not ask for any extra information or email address until they are ready to buy.”

Kara Cayman, Customer Support Manager says “We all want to have a worry-free trip. We want the most insurance coverage for the smallest price. With our system, you get to compare prices and purchase the plan that best suits your needs. With over 15,000 satisfied customers, we have sold plans in all 50 states, Canada, and travelers from numerous foreign countries such as India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Our system is so easy to use, that even my grandmother, who is not a computer expert, was able to complete a quote and purchase a policy from us.”


About Total Travel Insurance
Total Travel Insurance is a New York based travel insurance agency. We are licensed to sell travel insurance, flight accident, life insurance and health insurance products. Please visit our web-site at http://www.totaltravelinsurance.com/.


About System Fusion
System Fusion, LLC is a software development firm specializing in providing solutions for the Insurance industry. The company was founded in 2001 by a team of insurance experts with over 15 years of industry experience each. Its products and solutions currently serve several major insurance carriers across many computer platforms. Please visit our web-site at SystemFusion.com.
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posted by From Rio to Paris @ 9:00 AM 0 comments  

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