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Travel
Assistance and Insurance |
Travel assistance is a term used to
describe companies and organizations that offer various forms of assistance
when you are traveling in other countries but not travel insurance benefits.
Typically, your credit card company will offer such assistance for being a
card member. Some companies like American Express offer extensive services
depending on the type of card you have with them.
Travel assistance services typically include such things as
help in locating lost luggage, providing for a paid translator in case of an
emergency, helping you get a prescription refill if you have lost your
prescription or medicine, helping you find replacement eyeglasses, referrals
to doctors and lawyers, and passing on an urgent message to someone back
home. If your wallet or purse is lost or stolen, they will help you get
emergency money and a new credit card immediately while still overseas. They
may offer to report your other stolen credit cards to the respective
companies. Besides travel assistance provided by credit cards and other
travel companies, there are a few independent travel assistance companies
that, for a membership fee, will provide some of the above services plus
provide emergency evacuation if required as part of your membership fee.
Note: All travel
insurance companies offer various travel assistance services as well.
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If you are a member of a website
that links people in various countries, like
Virtual Tourist, and you have corresponded via email or
phone with someone in the country you are visiting, they will
also be able to help you in some emergency situations.
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Travel
insurance is generally short-term insurance
available specifically for travel-related emergencies and expenses. A few
companies have yearly travel insurance policies for those who do extensive
international travel. If you are traveling internationally, you should
definitely get travel insurance that will cover at least medical expenses
and medical evacuation. Also if you are doing any adventure travels.
Other options include trip delay, interruption and cancellation coverage,
lost, damaged or stolen luggage or other personal items (although your home
insurance may also cover these situations). There is also death
insurance to cover transporting your body home or burial expenses if buried
in another country.
Note: The one thing you
should never buy is flight insurance, especially at an airport. Check
with your credit card company as many of them automatically insure you if
you pay for the flight with their card.
Illness
Before Boarding and at Sea.
What you should know about Norovirus, staying healthy and trip insurance.
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You can go
directly to the following sections on this page
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General
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Insurance |
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Travel Insurance |
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Name |
Notes |
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U.S. State Department Insurance List |
As a
public service to U.S. citizens traveling aboard, the U.S. State
Department has an extensive list and links to Air Ambulance, Med-Evac
and Travel Insurance companies. (They do not endorse any of them but
merely provide a list to choose from.) |
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Access America |
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AIG Travel Guard |
also known simply as TravelGuard |
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American Express Global Assist |
Provides trip planning as well as
emergency assistance when you are 100 miles or more from
home. |
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ColumbusDirect |
Single travel insurance as
well as annual travel insurance, and backpacker, ski, business,
adventure, over 64 and pre-existing medical condition travel insurance. |
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CSA (Select your state in the USA) |
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Expedia Customer Service |
Only provides assistance with tickets,
reservations and other problems with their products and services. |
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Gateway Plans |
Coverage on short term or
long-term to U.S. citizens traveling aboard, foreign nationals traveling
to the United States and people traveling country to country. |
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Global Travel Shield |
Underwritten by AMEX
Assurance Company. |
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Health Care
Abroad |
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International SOS Assistance
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International
Student Insurance |
Students
only. |
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Lonely Planet |
Limited to Australians. |
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SafeMex |
In Mexico, Central & South
America, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, the assistance services
are coordinated through their own network of local providers. In all
other countries services are provided on a referral basis. |
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Travel Assistance International |
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Travel Guard |
also known as AIG TravelGuard |
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Travel Insured International |
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TravelSafe |
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Travelers Aid |
Assistance
to travelers in need. Booths are located in many airports. |
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Travelex |
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Travelocity
Customer Care |
Only provides assistance with tickets,
reservations and other problems with their products and services. |
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Travelocity
Travel Protection |
This is their travel insurance
product. |
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Worldwide Assistance |
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Assistance |
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Travel Assistance |
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Name |
Type
Company |
Notes |
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Traveler's Emergency Network (TEN) |
Travel Assistance Company |
An international
membership organization that provides travel assistance services for an
annual membership fee. |
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American Express Global Assist |
Credit Card Company |
Provides trip planning as well as
emergency assistance when you are 100 miles or more from
home. |
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Expedia Customer Service |
Online Travel Agency |
Only assistance with ticket and
reservation related problems |
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International Association for Medical
Advice (IAMAT) |
Non-profit organization
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They provide members with
information on worldwide health risks, immunization requirements for all
countries, and, if you get sick or injured, to provide you with contact
information to find a western-trained English-speaking doctor in
the country you are visiting. |
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Travelers Aid |
Travelers Aid |
Assistance
to travelers in need. Booths are located in many airports. |
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Travelocity
Customer Care |
Online Travel Agency |
No general travel or emergency
assistance, just normal customer service for purchases. |
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Travelocity
Travel Protection |
Online Travel Agency |
This is their travel insurance
product. |
U. S. State Department
Overseas Citizen Services |
United States
Bureau of Consular Affairs |
Emergency
help for U.S. citizens when traveling in other countries. |
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Illness |
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Illness Before Boarding and at Sea.
What you should know about Norovirus, staying healthy and trip
insurance. |
- Norovirus is a highly
contagious gastrointestinal illness whose symptoms are
vomiting and diarrhea. It strikes 23 million Americans each
year with outbreaks at public places like schools, hotels,
and nursing homes, as well as cruise ships.
- It is spread through
contaminated food and by poor hygiene. From the time you are
exposed to the time you show symptoms is about a day and a
half and you will be contagious for at least another 3 days.
There is no preventative medicine for it.
- If a person who is sick
doesn't wash their hands and touches something, like an
elevator button or door handle or railing, and you touch the
same surface and then happen to put your fingers to your
mouth, you are likely to get it also.
- To prevent a passenger
bringing norovirus on board a ship, some cruise lines, such
as Holland America ask passengers before they board if they
have been sick. If so, they are interviewed by the ship/s
medical staff and if they believe you may have norovirus you
may be denied boarding. Unfortunately, they do not ask
you these questions before you get the the ship, so you can
see a doctor who could ask you the pertinent questions.
Holland-America turns away about half a dozen passengers a
month that are suspected of having norovirus or some other
contagious disease. See
CDC facts About Noroviruses on Cruise Ships.
- Trip Insurance.
Your trip insurance may not cover your expenses for being
denied boarding due to being suspected of having norovirus.
Ask and get something in writing as to whether or not being
denied boarding due to suspected norovirus is covered by
trip interruption or other provisions of the policy.
If it is, make sure you have this in writing including words
such as "covers denied boarding due to suspected norovirus
disease." If the policy does not cover it, see if you
can find another insurer that does cover that.
- How To protect Yourself.
Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water as often as
possible. Soap and water is better than alcohol-based gel
hand sanitizers but take some of them along too. Also
take along anti-diarrhea medicine like Imodium AD, Lopex,
Dimor, and Pepto (generic
Loperamide).
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