The Fine Print: What’s Not Covered by Travel Insurance, Warns Squaremouth
St. Petersburg, FL (PRWEB) July 22, 2013 -- Travel insurance doesn’t cover everything, and navigating the fine print in travel insurance can be difficult, even for the most seasoned travelers. The frustration of not knowing what’s covered can be easily avoided when travelers know what to look for.
Squaremouth, America’s fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, offers this quick guide to understanding what’s not covered by travel insurance.
Frequent Flier Miles
Don’t insure the value of frequent flier miles with a travel insurance policy. Most providers aren’t going to reimburse travelers for the value of the miles because it is not an out-of-pocket expense. However, many policies will cover taxes or reinstatement fees associated with the miles.
“Adding the value of uninsurables to a travel insurance policy will increase the cost of your premium without providing additional coverage,” says Chris Harvey, CEO of Squaremouth.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
Most travel insurance policies will cover pre-existing medical conditions if travelers purchase their plans within 14 days of the first booking. However, even specific pre-existing medical conditions may still be excluded from coverage despite purchasing early. These conditions can include psychological, mental or nervous disorders and pregnancy.
War and Civil Unrest
Acts of war, civil unrest and political upheaval simply aren’t covered by most trip cancellation benefits. There is an alternative. The Cancel for Any Reason benefit can reimburse travelers for a portion of trip costs without requiring an explanation of the reason behind the cancellation. However, Cancel for Any Reason can significantly increase premium while only reimbursing a portion of expenses. This benefit is only recommended for situations that aren’t normally covered in a policy.
Adventure Sports
Skydiving, bungee jumping and mountain climbing are commonly not covered by travel insurance. It’s important to remember not all providers consider the same adventure sports to be hazardous. The exclusions section of a policy will tell travelers exactly which activities are excluded from coverage, and many policies will offer optional upgrades if hazardous sports coverage is desired. If travelers have activities planned, a quick look at the exclusions will confirm whether the activities are covered.
“Insurance providers aren’t trying to deceive you with tricky language,” says Chris Harvey, CEO of Squaremouth. “You just have to know where to look to find exactly what’s not covered.”
About Squaremouth
Squaremouth is a website that compares travel insurance products from every major U.S. travel insurance provider. Established in 2006, the company has grown from $1 million in sales to $10 million in 2012. Squaremouth is headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL, with offices in Fort Wayne, IN. More information on Squaremouth and its network of providers can be found at http://www.squaremouth.com.
About our Zero Complaint Guarantee
The cornerstone of Squaremouth’s commitment to customers is their Zero Complaint Guarantee. If a customer feels their claim is handled unfairly, Squaremouth will mediate on their behalf. Any provider with a customer complaint that cannot be resolved with complete satisfaction will be removed from the website.
Squaremouth offers products from the following travel insurance providers:
Air Ambulance Card, Allianz Global Assistance, AMEX Assurance Company, Azimuth Risk Solutions, LLC, CSA Travel Protection, GeoBlue, Global Alert Administrators, HCC Medical Insurance Services, HTH Worldwide, IMG, iTravelInsured, John Hancock Insurance Agency, Inc., MedjetAssist, MH Ross Travel Insurance Services, RoamRight, Seven Corners Inc, Travel Guard, Travel Insurance Services, Travel Insured International, Travelex Insurance Services, TravelSafe, Trawick International, USA-ASSIST Worldwide Protection, and VacationGuard.
AVAILABLE TOPIC EXPERTS:
Chris Harvey
charvey(at)squaremouth(dot)com
Toll-free (800) 240-0369 x 6103
Chrisharvey.com
Jenna Gravino
jgravino(at)squaremouth(dot)com
Toll-free (800) 240-0369 x 6112
Chris Harvey, Squaremouth Inc., http://www.squaremouth.com, 727-490-5802, [email protected]
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