Insurance

(Dive Travel Business News - May 1, 2011) -- Aggressor Fleet and Dancer Fleet expect passengers to have a safe and fun dive vacation as they leave their worries at home. However, a named meteorological disturbance can make the seas rough and adversely affect valuable dive time. This is why Aggressor Fleet and Dancer Fleet have developed "StormCheck". read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - July 19, 2010) -- Planes are running so full this summer that U.S. travelers bound for summer vacations may have to wait overnight for the next plane if they miss a flight.

Flight cancellations due to bad weather and equipment problems are compounding the seat shortage issue, creating a domino effect, putting stress on other airlines and routes, and causing missed connections to international destinations. Few options are left for summer dive travelers who've paid for a ticket but can't get to their dive destination on their original itinerary.

For the past two years, US airlines have been cutting back service, using smaller planes or cutting routes altogether in a bid to address the impact of a poor economy, rising fuel prices and fewer passengers. The U.S. airlines' belt-tightening included a 6.7 percent capacity cut in 2008 and a nearly 9 percent cut in 2009 in a scramble to better match the number of seats to a reduced number of passengers flying. As a result, load factors - the measure of how full planes are - are up. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - April 20, 2010) -- The havoc wreaked by a ash-spouting volcano in Iceland has forced many travelers worldwide to read the fine print in their Travel Insurance Policies.  Since insurers don't normally factor in a volcano's ability to shut down most of Europe as part of it's coverage, Travel Policy holders face a considerable amount of uncertainty as to whether or not they are camping in the airport instead of a hotel.

Travel Insurers have been swamped with huge call volumes from both U.S. travelers trying to get to Europe and those stranded in Europe. Is the traveler covered under its trip cancellation or interruption coverage when a volcano erupts?

To help determine whether a policy is covered or not, policy holders need to find out if the insurance provider classifies the volcanic ash cloud as a “natural disaster” or an “adverse weather” event.  read more »

(DiveTravelBusinessNews.com - Nov 30, 2009) -- UK Telegraph reporter Gill Charleton recently caused a stir in the travel world when he reported that the popular TripAdvisor website was promoting questionable tour operators. While the ground tour operators cited were located in Florence Italy, the story raises questions about unlicensed tour operators using trusted sites on the Internet to advertise their services. These ground operators lack basic public liability insurance and should something unfortunate happen, travelers using such tour operators are usually not covered under their own travel insurance.

The source of the problem lies with reviewers at the TripAdvisor.com website, and travelers in general, who are unaware that many guided ground tours are operating outside the law and without insurance. Many of these tours are picked up outside a hotel, the traveler pays cash and the company works from a cellphone, not a bricks and mortar operation. Travelers should check to see if a company is legitimate and has insurance before booking.

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 ( USA TODAY - May 28, 2009) -- There's no question the travel industry is hurting big time. As if enduring the most severe recession in generations weren't enough, the H1N1 crisis further dampened advance bookings. So the threat of rising unemployment is taken as much more than a threat by many travel executives.

Thus the emergence of a term you might not have encountered very much in the past: Job Loss Protection. It's why so many travel companies are reassuring you it's okay to book that vacation, even if you're worried about losing a steady paycheck, because your booking will be covered.

In some cases, you can purchase such protection as part of a travel insurance policy. In other cases, travel suppliers—including those that sail as well as fly—are pledging to offer assistance if you suddenly find yourself unemployed. read more »

(May 8, 2008 - DTN) -- Amid airline failures, terrorist threats, hurricane dangers and the medical ailments that afflict an aging population, travel coverage is growing more popular.Between airline issues, natural disasters, terrorist threats and medical emergencies, more people are opting to purchase travel insurance. In 2006, Americans spent roughly $1.3 billion on travel coverage, a 20% increase from 2004, a study by the U.S. Travel Insurance Association found.

Travel insurance companies say insurance can offer one-stop, less-hassle service. But most consumer advocates advise careful shopping to determine that you’re not paying extra for something you’ve already got covered.

Americans spent $1.3 billion on travel insurance in 2006, a 20% jump from 2004, according to the latest study released by the U.S. Travel Insurance Association.

Insurance got a big lift after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which shut down air traffic for days. Roughly 30% of leisure travelers buy insurance today, compared with about 10% before Sept. 11, the U.S. Travel Insurance Association reports. read more »

(May 20, 2008 - Wall Street Journal Online) -- By Scott McCartney

Summer travelers worried about getting stranded at an airport because of storms, missed connections and canceled flights have new ways to protect themselves — for a fee.

After last summer’s many travel hassles, travel-insurance companies are pushing low-cost policies that include “delay insurance,” which pays for hotel rooms and meals if you get stuck. Delay insurance is included in some policies that offer protection like refunds if you fall ill. Cost: Usually less than $50 when flying on inexpensive domestic tickets.

And airlines are now getting into the protection game, sensing they can make money off the disruption they sometimes create. Air Canada, an innovator in pricing schemes, has launched a new “travel assistance” service that provides hotel rooms and even airfare on rival carriers if you pay $25 to $35 extra per one-way flight when you buy a ticket. read more »