Sunday, May 18, 2008

Travel Insurance Claims

For many of us going on holiday is a fun, adventurous and exciting time, however; there are some who aren’t that lucky.

Every year travel insurance companies receive numerous claims as a result of holiday disasters. Here are just a few of the more bizarre claims that insurers deal with:

1. A couple on their holiday in Malaysia had returned to their hotel room only to find that some local monkeys had scattered their clothes around the resort and the local rainforest. Fortunately, the travel insurance company paid their claim.

2. An unlucky pensioner was on a cruise holiday when a particularly strong gust of wind blew his toupee off into the sea. His insurer did pay out for the cost of his hairpiece though.

3. One really unlucky holidaymaker dropped his wallet down a drain in Natanya. However; his claim wasn’t for a reimbursement, it was to pay for the hospital treatment for his scorpion sting which he got when he put his hand down the drain to get his wallet back.

4. A family enjoying a camping holiday in a remote area in Wales were surprised to say the least that a parachutist from a local airbase had missed his target and landed on the family’s camping equipment, destroying it. The family did try to claim but as they were not covered for accidental damage the insurance company didn’t pay out.

5. Another unlucky pensioner on a cruise holiday Travel insurance a bit unwell and whilst losing his lunch over the side of the ship he also lost his false teeth. As the dentures were covered under lost baggage, his claim was paid.

6. A couple away for their wedding definitely had a day to remember as the bride’s dress caught fire after a piece of coal from the barbecue fell off. Tragedy was averted by the quick-thinking groom who picked up his new wife and threw her into the ocean. Fortunately, the couple had taken out wedding cover and they were able to claim for their ruined wedding outfits.

7. Another claim that was unable to be paid was the case of a family on holiday in Spain. A father was the hero of the hour when he rushed his daughter to the local hairdressers after she had frazzled her hair on the oven. Unfortunately, the results of the impromptu hairstyle were less than satisfying. Their claim went unpaid due to them not being covered for accidental damage in their holiday insurance policy.

8. A man who was enjoying a holiday in Greece managed to break his nose when he walked into a glass panel in a bus shelter. It turned out it was because he had been distracted by two attractive Greek girls in their bikinis. Fortunately, he was able to claim for his hospital bills.

9. Parents were very shocked to find that their children had thought it a good idea to bury their £600 camcorder in the sand. Luckily for them, the insurance company had seen the humorous side and had accepted the claim.

10. In France, a woman had her make-up bag stolen and later disclosed that she had transferred a strong haemorrhoid cream into an empty moisturiser bottle. Her claim for the stolen cosmetics was paid.

Source: articlesbase.com/finance-articles/travel-insurance-claims-416389.html





Tuesday, May 13, 2008

How To Find Cheap Travel Insurance That Suits Your Needs

If you travel around the world a lot, you should make sure you find cheap travel insurance policies. Since you travel a lot, you can get really low cost insurance plans by purchasing an annual insurance policy rather than trip by trip policies. The goal is to get plenty of coverage you might need without having to pay much for your insurance plan.

A good idea may be to watch out for overcharging travel agents. Many travel agents make up for low airfare commissions by trying to sell insurance coverage at exorbitant prices. But, there are also some travel agents that provides cheap travel insurance, particularly to their frequent customers who are interested in purchasing annual low cost insurance policies. You just need to make sure you know what you need your policy to cover. For example, even their cheap travel insurance policy should at least cover lost baggage, flight cancellations, and emergency medical expenses.

You should spend some time doing research about what you need and what is a fair price to pay for it. Then you will know if your travel agent is giving you a fair offer or if you need to buy somewhere else. The Web is an excellent place for research and comparison shopping. There are numerous websites that offers some low cost travel insurance comparison shopping options.

If you do go with an annual insurance plan, you will want to make sure you don't start your coverage date until your next trip. Otherwise you will be paying for all of the time leading up to your next trip even though you aren't traveling.

Don't forget to read the fine print on your cheap travel insurance quote. While price is important, it isn't as important as whether or not you're getting the coverage you need. If you aren't getting the coverage you need, you're better off not paying for coverage at all. When you're buying an annual plan it is particularly important to anticipate whether what you will need covered on all of your trips will be covered by the annual low cost insurance plan at which you're looking.

Most often the cheapest couple of prices won't be the plans that cover your needs. But you should still be able to find cheap travel insurance plans for traveling that covers your needs if you are diligent.

Source:EzineArticles.com/expert=Pierre_Smith

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

A Brief Guide To Taking An Active Holiday

As a student, I remember feeling like a beach holiday was not enough to keep me entertained or excited. Beach holidays are nice, but if you are thrill seeker or love to get involved in sporting activities then activity holidays are more suited for you. These are best enjoyed with a group of people, such as your friends or family. Often large companies may organise a short activity trip for team building purposes.

Activity holidays are more readily available for people of all ages; the most popular of all sporting holiday is skiing. Skiing was once a enjoyed by privileged families or groups, who were able to afford a luxury chalet and plenty of skiing lessons. Some of the popular skiing destinations include the French Alps, Canada, Croatia and parts of Italy.

Other activity holidays can also include things like mountain biking holidays in Jamaica or France, surfing in Australia or in the Maldives, paragliding, kites surfing, and canoeing or even horticulture tours. Holidays have become so diverse and creative that there are more options open for everyone with differing activity preferences.

For people looking to go on holiday but would like to take part in a quiet and less physical activity will be happy to know that there are short breaks to be taken, for things like basket making, bird watching, beer tasting, wine tasting, theatre tours, caving and ceramics holidays. Many of these activities are tailored towards people of all levels, so that anyone without prior experience in these skills can enjoy the process.

Finding out as much information as you can about these holidays, will help first-timers to get a better picture of what they can expect upon arrival. What people must expect if you have not discovered this already, is that you are more likely to spend more than what you would on a normal holiday. If you are on a budget, not to worry as there are plenty of agencies and holiday companies that offer discounts and deals for groups or individuals.

Travelling on a budget will mean doing a lot of research to find the holiday package suitable for you. Sometimes there are ways round this by approaching holiday agents; however, these agents can sometimes charge you extra for their services. Avoid taking excursions that are clearly beyond your budget as this will leave you with very little to spend for general shopping. Activity holidays tend to be more expensive you are covering for equipment but also paying for insurance.

Some holidays do not necessarily involve sports or hobbies; can come in the form of voluntary work and environmental projects. People, who are more altruistic by nature, will feel that volunteering abroad will give them the opportunity to experience a very different culture whilst helping in charity work. These can involve helping to build a school, working on the lands, and teaching, working in a hospitable or in an orphanage.

It is always good to get a good idea of the area that you choose to visit and learn about their cultural differences. Often people read up as much information and research other people's experiences as a way to get a good idea of what to expect. Voluntary programmes through agencies can be more expensive especially if you are looking to lodge with a family. Going through an independent charity will mean that you will be travelling with other people and paying for your trip only. You will also need your own spending money, but this will be minimal, as you will most likely be given food and accommodation.

Source: articlesbase.com/travel-articles/
a-brief-guide-to-taking-an-active-holiday-381001.html