Squaremouth Pressroom

Travel insurance for hurricane season - what you need to know

Chris Harvey — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:17:14 +0000

St Pete Beach, FL July 08, 2008 - Tropical Storm Bertha is currently blowing in the Atlantic, and the August peak of hurricane season is coming soon.

With experts forecasting higher than usual hurricane activity this June through November, Squaremouth, America’s fastest growing travel insurance comparison web site, today announces some essential tips and terms to help customers sort through options for hurricane coverage.

Hurricane insurance tips:

1- No insurance covers absolutely everything that could happen when a hurricane hits or you need to be evacuated. New “Hurricane Warning” coverage from Travelsafe and Global Alert Administrators, for example, works only if the warning that a hurricane is about to hit comes within 24 hours of your departure date, and only if you’ve held the policy for more than 15 days.

2 - Buy the policy before a storm is named… Or you won’t be covered for losses relating to that storm. This is because insurance is based on unforeseen circumstances; once a storm has a name it’s deemed to be foreseen. (The same is true for things like airline strikes: if the impending strike becomes public knowledge before you buy insurance, you can’t make a claim.)

3 - The wording of a policy may be vague. Some policies don’t refer to hurricanes at all; coverage may fall under the catch-all category of a “natural disaster” instead. And often they’re interpreted case-by-case at claim time.

4 - Some benefits that don’t specifically mention hurricanes can help. An example is “cancel for any reason” cover, though most policies pay out less than 100% and stop within two days of departure (you’ll be covered for canceling travel plans ahead of time if a hurricane threatens; not for an emergency evacuation once the storm rolls in).

5 - If bad weather is predicted, but no warning is given… No insurance carrier will pay claims in this situation. The only option is to buy “cancel for any reason” coverage.

6 - Consider options offered by the airline, cruise or tour operator. If you’re offered an alternate trip with the same travel dates, you can’t make a claim if you refuse their offer. If the dates are different, most insurance companies will pay the claim, however, you must surrender the tickets.

7 - There’s plenty of variation in hurricane benefits from one company to the next, so it pays to shop around. But keep in mind that policies offered by the same company tend to offer similar protection against hurricanes, although the carrier’s higher-end product might afford slightly better coverage.

Hurricane insurance terms:

1 - “Accommodation at destination made uninhabitable”
In the past, even if your hurricane soaked hotel were flattened and the pool awash in filth, you’d be on the hook for a vacation as long as the airline could still fly you there. With this benefit, you may cancel if you can no longer reach the resort, it has become unsafe, or has lost electricity and running water. Only AIG defines the term “Accommodation at destination made uninhabitable” although every carrier offers versions of the same cover.

2 - Mandatory evacuation “Conditionally covered” or “Not covered”
If you’re thinking of cutting short your trip because of a hurricane, check your policy. “Conditionally covered” means you’re covered for going home early if you have a certain amount of your trip left; this varies by carrier and is usually 50 percent, or four days or less remaining at the end of an evacuation order. If you’re “Not covered,” you can’t make a claim if the hurricane missed your destination despite the order to evacuate. (If the hurricane does hit, you can make a claim under the “Accommodation at destination made uninhabitable” portion of the policy.)

3 - “Hurricane warning” coverage
Timing is everything when it comes to buying peace of mind this hurricane season. New “Hurricane warning” coverage from Travelsafe and Global Alert Administrators works only if the warning that a hurricane is about to hit comes within 24 hours of your departure date, and only if you’ve held the policy for more than 15 days.

4 - “Complete cessation of common carrier services”
If your airline has stopped flying due to the weather and you can’t get to your island, you’ve missed a cruise departure or connecting flight, or you’re stuck in an airport, most carriers will let you make a claim. The difference between policies is in the number of hours the airline is down: at least 24 hours of downtime is usually required, though some policies allow claims for any period of downtime.

5 - “Covered for inclement weather”
This benefit is a more liberal version of “Complete cessation of common carrier services” and will let you claim without the required number of hours’ downtime. This means that if a flight cancellation impacts you in some way, you can claim the loss.

If your trip includes a cruise:
If a hurricane makes you miss your departure, insurance will pay for you to catch up at the next port of call. If the cruise is canceled, any losses not reimbursed will be covered. If the itinerary is changed and you refuse an offer of an alternate route with the same travel dates, you won’t be allowed to make a claim. If the dates offered are different, most insurance carriers will pay the claim (you’ll have to surrender the tickets).

If your trip includes flights:
If your flight is canceled, depending on the policy and your trip itinerary, you could claim for an alternative flight, cancel and go home, or wait for the flight to be rescheduled and claim for expenses.

If it’s a car trip:
A small number of policies all from the insurer AIG will cover a delay if you’re traveling by car, including any expenses incurred during the delay. Or you could cancel the trip and go home.

About Squaremouth
Squaremouth is America’s fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, helping customers instantly quote, compare and buy policies from every major carrier. Squaremouth has web sites in the US and UK, and an extensive network of partner sites worldwide. The company is headquartered in St Pete Beach, FL., with offices in Fort Wayne, IN. Visit Squaremouth.com or Squaremouth.co.uk.

About our “Zero Complaint Guarantee”
The cornerstone of our commitment to customers is Squaremouth’s guarantee to remove any company from our web site until a complaint is resolved to our satisfaction. Squaremouth offers the broadest selection of insurance with an emphasis on quality and follow-up care in companies featured. We also factor in independent evaluation from the insurance industry watchdog AM Best.

Squaremouth offers products from the following travel insurance carriers:
AIG Travel Guard, CSA, Elvia, Global Alert Admin, Global Underwriters, HTH Worldwide, ITravelInsured, Medex, Medjet Assist, MH Ross, Multinational Underwriters (MNU), Seven Corners, Travel Insurance Services, Travel Insured, Travelers Liberty, Travelex, TravelSafe and USA Assist.

This article is available at: http://www.squaremouth.com/press-room/travel-insurance-for-hurricane-season-what-you-need-to-know/

AVAILABLE TOPIC EXPERT:
Chris Harvey
charvey@squaremouth.com
Toll-free (800) 240-0369
Direct (727) 490-5802
U.S. travel insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com
U.K. travel insurance - http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
International Medical Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com/international-medical-insurance

Important survey suggests Americans are shopping online for travel insurance Squaremouth CEO says

Chris Harvey — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:21:34 +0000

ST. PETE BEACH, FL June 30, 2008-A survey highlighting the use of travel insurance comparison web sites confirms Americans are increasingly comfortable sourcing and buying travel insurance policies online, an independent observer says.

Fifty-three percent of Americans in a new survey by the online community TripAdvisor say they verify quotes on travel insurance comparison web sites.

Chris Harvey, CEO of Squaremouth, America’s fastest growing travel insurance comparison web site, called the poll, which questioned 3,700 travelers worldwide and was released in mid-June, “significant and comprehensive.”

The results seem to mirror Squaremouth’s own internal data, which reveal a growing awareness by consumers that they can use vast research and comparison information available online to source the best travel insurance opportunities, Harvey said.

Sixty percent of Americans polled by TripAdvisor had bought insurance before and 35 percent intend to buy it within the year, giving “peace of mind” as the key reason for insuring a trip, according to the press release.

But consumers who opt not to comparison shop online could wind up paying more, for less than the insurance coverage they need, Harvey warned.

“Customers regularly ask Squaremouth if they should buy insurance directly from a tour operator or travel agent, but we don’t recommend it,” he said.

Tour operators usually sell policies designed expressly for them, while travel agents may represent only one or two carriers. These agents reap a high commission for every sale, which can inflate prices and result in fewer benefits than are available on the open market.

Squaremouth, in contrast, lets travelers compare policies side by side, and instantly buy from a broad range of options for trip insurance.

The TripAdvisor poll revealed 66 percent of travelers buy travel insurance at the same time as they book a trip, however Harvey said customers should know they have ample time to shop around.

Buy a policy within 14 to 21 days of putting down an initial deposit to guarantee coverage of a pre-existing medical condition. Otherwise, insurance can usually be purchased right up to the departure date.

“Customers don’t need to feel pressured by the tour operator or cruise line pushing their own insurance,” he said.

Travel insurance companies will not let you claim frequent flier miles warns Squaremouth

Chris Harvey — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:02:52 +0000

ST. PETE BEACH, FL-June 20, 2008-With this month’s decision by major airlines, including Delta, United and American, to cut capacity by double digits, experts predict it’ll get even harder to cash in on frequent flier miles.

But for those who are lucky enough to fly free this summer, a further pitfall awaits: If your first class flight to Europe ‘worth’ thousands of miles gets canceled, you won’t be able claim for it on travel insurance.

This is because travel insurance only lets you recoup nonrefundable cash losses. So don’t include intangibles like frequent flier miles or the value of timeshare weeks paid for years ago when calculating how much insurance to buy, warns Chris Harvey, CEO of Squaremouth, America’s fastest growing comparison web site for travel insurance. “You’ll needlessly increase the cost of your premium.”

Depending on the policy, however, ”you may be eligible to recoup the cost of an airline imposed change or reissue fee; plus a similar amount for re-banking frequent flier miles,” Harvey adds.

Squaremouth’s Help and Advice section offers insider advice to help you choose the right travel insurance. For more, visit Squaremouth.com.

About our Zero Complaint Guarantee
The cornerstone of our commitment to customers is Squaremouth’s guarantee to remove any company from our web site until a complaint is resolved to our satisfaction. Squaremouth offers the broadest selection of insurance with an emphasis on quality and follow up care in companies featured. We also factor in independent evaluation from the insurance industry watchdog AM Best.

This release is available at:
http://www.squaremouth.com/press-room/travel-insurance-companies-wont-let-you-claim-frequent-flier-miles-warns-squaremouth/

AVAILABLE TOPIC EXPERT:
Chris Harvey
charvey@squaremouth.com
Direct (727) 490-5802
Toll free (800) 240-0369
U.S. travel insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com
U.K. travel insurance - http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
International Medical Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com/international-medical-insurance

Aging boomers may prompt more in-flight health crises, says travel insurance engine Squaremouth

Chris Harvey — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:48:54 +0000

ST. PETE BEACH, FL, June 10th, 2008-Travel insurance comparison site offers new tips for healthy flying this summer. Most of us will fly our whole lives and never experience a medical emergency. In fact, airlines typically don’t even collect data on the numbers of passengers who become ill while taking to the skies because life-threatening situations on planes are so rare.

Last year, British Airways, one of the few carriers that publicly releases data, reported a little over 31,000 health crises among 36 million customers; the majority, fainting spells and other minor events.

But North Americans, particularly baby boomers, are flying in greater numbers than at any time in history. We’re traveling longer into our old age, and venturing further afield on increasingly exotic trips. The net effect, experts affirm, will be to boost the numbers of in-flight health emergencies in years to come.

“Even if you’re only flying for a few hours you may definitely feel it, as an older person,” said Chris Harvey, chief executive of Squaremouth.com, the fastest growing American travel insurance comparison site.

An oxygen-reduced, subtly depressurized plane simulates conditions atop an 8,000-foot mountain. So after a long flight, a healthy person may be a little lightheaded. Someone with a serious heart or lung condition, however, could be utterly winded and exhausted - or worse. Older passengers and those with pre-existing medical conditions are especially vulnerable to the impact of altitude.

“The key to having a healthy, safe flight is to prepare in advance”, said Harvey.

Put medication (in original containers), asthma puffers, and items like blood sugar meters in carry on luggage. Check wheelchairs at the gate to prevent damage. Fly at off-peak hours and avoid holidays to minimize stress. Get exercise and stay hydrated on long-haul flights.

If you’re at all concerned about your health as the date of your trip nears, book a doctor’s appointment to check if you’re fit to fly.

And be sure to line up adequate travel insurance within the proper deadline - making sure it covers pre-existing conditions, plus the potential financial ramifications of any in-flight emergency.

Tips and advice for having a healthy flight

Get medical clearance. If you’re at all concerned about a pre-existing condition, get a doctor’s note that says you’re fit to fly.

If you’re pregnant… and it’s a troubled pregnancy; or you’re the third trimester; or you’ve experienced complications like pre-term labor, abnormal bleeding or miscarriage in the past, airlines may request a doctor’s note before boarding. Double-check as well whether your policy covers in-flight health emergencies and hospitalization for complications of pregnancy, as it isn’t always so.

Know what qualifies as a ‘pre-existing condition.’ A pre-existing condition can be ‘any reason to cancel, interrupt or delay your trip that existed before you bought insurance.’ If your heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma or epilepsy is controlled though medication, and remains so within what’s called a “look back” period, this won’t be deemed ‘pre-existing’ for insurance purposes. Some plans require you to insure the full pre-paid, non-refundable trip cost to be eligible for pre-existing condition cover.

Meet deadlines. The best time to buy cover for a pre-existing illness is usually within 14 to 21 days of paying your trip deposit, although a few carriers provide pre-existing medical up to the day before your last payment. (If you don’t need coverage for a pre-existing medical condition, there is really no time limit - you can buy medical insurance up until the day you fly.

Squaremouth.com helps by laying out full details of every insurance policy we carry in an easy-to-search format, and by providing the plan’s full certificate. Plus, in an industry first, we clearly show any deadlines you need to meet in order to qualify for coverage. Our site is set up so that if you have missed a deadline for a benefit, we explain why.

About Squaremouth
Founded in 2001, Squaremouth helps travelers easily and instantly compare and buy travel insurance from every major carrier. To ensure customer satisfaction, all carriers are rated based on an internal system and also ratings from insurance industry watchdog AM Best. Companies have to maintain a zero complaint level to meet Squaremouth’s strict requirements to stay on the system. Along with its unique research capabilities and zero complaint guarantee, the site provides instant quotes, immediate purchase and instant confirmation. Squaremouth is headquartered in St Pete Beach, FL and has offices in Fort Wayne, IN. Squaremouth has websites dedicated to both US travel insurance and UK travel insurance as well as international medical insurance for any nationality traveling outside their home country. Squaremouth is also available through thousands of travel sites around the world. Visit squaremouth.com for more information.

Available Topic Expert:
Chris Harvey
charvey@squaremouth.com
Toll Free (800) 240-0369
Direct Line (727) 490-5802

US Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com
UK Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
International Medical Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com/international-medical-insurance

Squaremouth Travel Insurance Comparison Site Features New Travel Insured Product Enhancements

Chris Harvey — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:14:57 +0000

ST. PETE BEACH, FL—May 29, 2008—Squaremouth, the fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, today unveils a trio of travel insurance plans from Travel Insured International.

“The new Travel Insured product enhancements strengthen benefits for three already versatile products, and most importantly the optional upgrades cater even more to the individual needs of our clients,” Squaremouth’s CEO Chris Harvey says.

The new plans, with stronger benefits and several new options, include Worldwide Trip Protector, a comprehensive travel insurance plan for broad protection of most travel itineraries, Trip Protector Gold for luxury-minded travelers, and Trip Protector Lite and Lite Expanded for budget conscious travelers.

Each of the three Worldwide Trip Protector plans offers a menu of included and optional features to help travelers select the right coverage to fit their travel insurance needs. Available benefits, depending on the plan selected, include Kids Are Free coverage, Cancel for Any Reason and Cancel for Work Reasons options, a new Sports Coverage option, ID Theft Recovery Assistance, Pet Care coverage, Missed Port of Call and School Year Extension protection.

All Worldwide Trip Protector plans come with Travel Insured’s superior level of customer service and Worldwide Emergency Travel Assistance, which is available 24/7 by a free phone call from anywhere insured customers are traveling and in need of help.

“We are pleased that Travel Insured is expanding its product offerings to further meet potential customer needs,” Harvey says. “We are confident that Travel Insured’s new offerings will continue to be an excellent fit for Squaremouth’s clients, who have come to expect the highest level of customer service.”

Squaremouth will extend its Zero Complaint Guarantee to these additional benefits provided by Travel Insured. Harvey explains that “the company’s comparative travel insurance quote site only lists travel insurance carriers that have had no complaints from Squaremouth’s customers.”

Kevin Herlihy, National Account Manager for Travel Insured International, stated, “Squaremouth is one of the best travel insurance quote engines I have seen. We are excited to be a part of it.”

Squaremouth offers products from the following travel insurance carriers:
Access America, AIG Travel Guard, CSA, Global Alert Admin, Global Underwriters, HTH Worldwide, ITravel Insured, Medex, Medjet Assist, MH Ross, Multinational Underwriters (MNU), Seven Corners, Travel Insured, Travelers Liberty, Travelex, TravelSafe and USA Assist.

About Travel Insured International
Travel Insured International, based in E. Hartford, CT, was founded in 1993 by Peter Gehris when he acquired the travel insurance division of the Travelers Insurance Company. Backed by the solid underwriting support of Arch Insurance Company, rated “A” by A.M. Best Company, Travel Insured delivers comprehensive travel protection benefits ranging from trip cancellation and trip interruption to emergency assistance and Medevac insurance, travel accident and sickness medical expense, accidental death and dismemberment, missed connection and baggage delay or loss.

Available Topic Expert:
Chris Harvey
charvey@squaremouth.com
Toll Free (800) 240-0369
Direct Line (727) 490-5802

US Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com
UK Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
International Medical Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com/international-medical-insurance

Squaremouth Identifies Six Tips for Summer Travelers to Consider When Purchasing Travel Insurance

Chris Harvey — Thu, 22 May 2008 19:18:59 +0000

ST. PETE BEACH, FL—May 23, 2008—Squaremouth, the USA’s fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, today announced six tips for travelers to consider when considering purchasing travel insurance to protect their vacation investment this summer. Not withstanding economic conditions, travelers are set to face other hurdles including hurricane season, which is only 9 days away.

“Considering the continuation of rising gas prices, recent airline cancellation issues and turbulent weather conditions, it is even more important than ever to ensure travelers are protected during their vacation” Squaremouth.com’s CEO Chris Harvey says. “Travel insurance provides consumers with piece of mind that their investment is protected in light of very unclear and uncertain months ahead.”

Memorial Day weekend officially kicks off the summer travel season and despite ever increasing economic strains on a traveler’s wallet, it is reported by a TripAdvisor survey that nine out of 10 consumers are planning a leisure trip this summer. According to the travelhorizons survey co-authored by the Travel Industry Association (TIA) and Ypartnership, nearly 60 percent of Americans currently planning a trip this summer using a car, truck or SUV are not going to change their plans regardless of gas price increases.

Consumers with travel plans to hurricane prone destinations and international locales might especially want to consider purchasing a travel insurance policy, according to Harvey.

“Both hurricane probable areas and international destinations provide unique travel complications that travel insurance can address and remedy if needed,” Harvey states. “Particularly overseas, a traveler needs to investigate if their health insurance covers international medical care. In case of a hurricane, there are very specific rules to what is covered and when travel insurance must have been purchased to provide protection.”

On the international front, a AAA survey conducted by Global Insight reveals that 25.1 million Americans are expected to be traveling internationally this summer, an increase of 2.6 percent from 2007.

Each travel insurance policy provides different coverage for different needs, Harvey cautions. To assist travelers in identifying which product matches their needs, Squaremouth has outlined the following six tips when purchasing travel insurance:

1. List the main reasons travel insurance is needed
Consumers could save a lot of money buying policies that only provide the coverage they need. If they do not require trip cancellation, enter zero for the trip cost. This will dramatically reduce the insurance premium.

2. Make sure the benefits meet minimum requirements
Each person’s requirements will vary depending on their destination, age or health. If a person is young, healthy and going to the Caribbean, their medical requirements will be low. The opposite will apply if they are older or traveling to far flung countries. Nearly 100 percent of products provide similar cancellation coverage, so if a traveler does not require any other coverage, choose the cheapest product.

3. Purchase the policy within the time limits to get maximum cover
If pre-existing medical coverage is required, consumers will need to purchase the policy within the time limits set by insurers. Most insurers provide this coverage if the policy is purchased within 14 to 21 days from the date of their first trip payment. A few insurers provide coverage if the policy is purchased before the final trip payment. Squaremouth shows an icon next to each policy to easily identify when pre-existing medical coverage is available. Squaremouth’s travel insurance comparison site shows travelers the exact date they need to purchase their policy by in order to qualify for this benefit.

4. List reasons a trip could be canceled and make sure the policy covers them
Travelers may have a reason to purchase protection. It could be the illness or death of a relative or worries about hurricanes or terrorism. Make sure that coverage is provided for these circumstances. If reasons of concern are not listed, consider purchasing a policy with “any reason” cancellation. Squaremouth.com has a benefit column that can be changed to show the benefit most important to its clients for all policies at once. Travelers can also sort by benefit to find the best policy for their needs.

5. Do not over insure
Many people mistakenly believe paying more for a product ensures a better policy or faster claim payment. The reality is that each company and product is aimed at a different demographic. If a product seems cheap you could be hitting the sweet spot. Squaremouth.com maintains a zero complaint policy, therefore all companies on the site adhere to very strict standards for Squaremouth’s clients.

6. Check the fine print
Most people do not check the fine print as it is way too time consuming and difficult to read. However it is very important to make sure there is nothing to restrict a possible claim. Squaremouth.com has easy drill downs for every benefit on every policy so consumers do not have to wade through the certificate. The certificate is one click away at any time should it be needed.

To easily and quickly learn which policies best fit their needs, visit squaremouth.com.

Detailed information on the hurricane benefits for all policies can be found at: http://www.squaremouth.com/travel-insurance/information/travel-insurance-hurricane-&-weather-benefit.html

Available Topic Expert:
Chris Harvey
charvey@squaremouth.com
Toll Free (800) 240-0369
Direct Line (727) 490-5802
Press Room http://www.squaremouth.com/press-room/

US Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com
UK Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
International Medical Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com/international-medical-insurance

Leading online travel insurance comparison site adds more trip cancellation plans for non US residents.

Chris Harvey — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:21:05 +0000

St Pete Beach, FL May 14, 2008 — As the travel insurance market expands, more non US residents seek stable US based insurers for trip cancellation cover. Squaremouth meets that need with new products from iTravelInsured.

“We are delighted to make iTravelInsured’s products available to non US residents; they join USA-Assist as the only companies available in the USA that provide trip cancellation cover for non US residents” comments Squaremouth CEO Chris Harvey. “This is a very important benefit for the high number of travelers visiting the USA and looking for quality cover”, he adds. “We are confident that iTravelInsured and USA-Assist’s products will be an excellent fit for Squaremouth’s clients, who have come to expect the highest level of customer service.”

Squaremouth offers hundreds of products through its unique comparison engine. Debby Theis, VP of Operations adds “no other site matches the number of available products with so many unique selection tools that make the process of buying travel insurance so easy.”

Squaremouth’s visitors can obtain and compare quotes from hundreds of travel insurance products by answering a few simple questions. The site only returns products that visitors are qualified to buy which greatly simplifies the selection process. Visitors can then compare plans side-by-side, show any individual coverage benefit for all plans, sort by price, benefit or carrier and purchase plans directly with instant PDF policy documentation.

USA-Assist was created in Los Angeles, California, by a management team with over 30 years of sales experience in life, health, disability and long-term care insurance. Its mission is to provide, valuable protection and travel benefits to individuals and groups from around the world, offering appropriate coverage at a reasonable price.

GlobalTrip from USA-Assist is an International trip cancellation plan available for citizens of any country in the world, traveling outside their country of residence. It cannot be purchased by US residents but is ideal for family members visiting relatives in the USA.

Available Topic Expert:
Chris Harvey
charvey@squaremouth.com
Toll Free (800) 240-0369
Direct Line (727) 490-5802
Press Room http://www.squaremouth.com/press-room/

US Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com
UK Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
International Medical Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com/visitors-insurance

Squaremouth Provides Travel Insurance Tips to Guide Travelers Through Turbulent Airline Times

Chris Harvey — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:41:17 +0000

ST. PETE BEACH, FL—April 17, 2008—Squaremouth, a leading online travel insurance comparison site, today announced travelers tips and an increase in travel insurance inquiries and purchased policies over the past three weeks during the most recent airline bankruptcy announcements and flight cancellations. Purchasing travel insurance, even for just airline tickets, can protect consumers against unknown airline factors including bankruptcies.

“Travelers who did not purchase third party travel insurance prior to recently announced bankruptcies, could have been left at the gate,” Squaremouth.com’s CEO Chris Harvey says. “With the recent announcements of airlines going under including Frontier, Skybus, Aloha Airlines and ATA, travel insurance has never been deemed more important, whether traveling for business or pleasure.”

Regardless of the price paid for an airline ticket aboard now defunct airlines, more than money has been potentially lost, Harvey explains. “To illustrate, some travelers have been waiting nearly a year for their pending Hawaii vacation and now they are scrambling to salvage their much anticipated trip,” he says. “Just as with any other insurance product, travel insurance provides peace of mind, protection and advocacy to help remedy an unforeseen circumstance.”

Couple these cessations with the thousands of cancelled flights in April, travelers are asking questions to identify how to protect their travel investment, what types of travel insurance policies exist, what is and what is not covered, what deadlines exist when purchasing a trip, pricing options, and more.

To assist travelers, Squaremouth has outlined the following tips when purchasing travel insurance:

Purchase in Advance of Headlines: Make sure you buy insurance before an event happens or becomes public knowledge. Insurance will not cover a company that has already filed for bankruptcy or a strike that has been announced or other related issues.
Timing Matters: Some insurance carriers will offer bankruptcy cover only if the insurance is purchased within 14 days from your first payment or deposit. Most carriers also have a 14 day wait period after the policy is purchased. This means that if you buy a policy today you cannot make a claim within the first two weeks due to bankruptcy.
Help is Available: Use the emergency assistance benefit that comes with all insurance packages from Squaremouth. This is a 24 hour help line accessed using a collect call from anywhere in the world that can offer help and assistance for most problems.
Inform Family Members: Forward the Squaremouth travel insurance confirmation email to family members who are not traveling and keep a copy of your insurance with you at all times. Squaremouth provides a single page confirmation document that contains every bit of important information you will need.

Using Squaremouth to identify and compare third party travel insurance options, travelers can protect themselves from airlines ceasing operations. Without travel insurance or travel insurance purchased directly from the airline, travelers risk being left stranded.

“To protect your travel investment, whether a single airline ticket purchase, a cruise, or other vacation, third party travel insurance is the always the best option.” Harvey explains. “If a traveler purchases insurance directly from the airline and that airline goes bankrupt, cover may not be valid and the traveler could be left stranded. Without third party travel insurance, they could be on their own.”

Available Topic Expert:
Chris Harvey
charvey@squaremouth.com
Toll Free (800) 240-0369
Direct Line (727) 490-5802

US Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com
UK Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
International Medical Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com/visitors-insurance

Squaremouth, First Travel Insurance Comparison Site to Feature New CSA Product Enhancements

Chris Harvey — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:02:04 +0000

ST. PETE BEACH, FL—March 31, 2008—Squaremouth, a leading online travel insurance comparison site, today becomes the first to offer CSA’s new product benefits for their Freestyle and Freestyle Luxe products.

“The new CSA product enhancements strengthen benefits for two versatile products, and most importantly this optional upgrade caters even more to the individual needs of our clients,” Squaremouth’s CEO Chris Harvey says.

The Cancel for Work Reasons option provides coverage if travelers are unexpectedly forced to cancel a vacation due to work obligations including a corporate merger or acquisition, business becomes inoperable due to outlined incidents, or having previously approved time off revoked.

A 20% discount is automatically applied when a traveler purchases travel insurance within 20 days of departure. Harvey states “another great benefit is return of premium, which is exclusive to CSA”. With the purchase of this plan within 24 hours of final trip payment CSA’s Return of Premium waiver guarantees that at a minimum, you will be refunded the cost of your CSA Freestyle Luxe insurance premium if you cancel your trip for any reason (covered or not). Additionally, if your trip is cancelled due to a covered reason beyond your control, you will receive the CSA Freestyle Luxe insurance premium back in addition to any claim you may have filed.

“We are pleased that CSA is expanding its product offerings to further meet potential customer needs,” Harvey says. “We are confident that CSA’s new offerings will continue to be an excellent fit for Squaremouth’s clients, who have come to expect the highest level of customer service.”

Squaremouth will extend its Zero Complaint Guarantee to these additional benefits provided by CSA. Harvey explains that “the company’s comparative travel insurance quote site only lists travel insurance carriers that have had no complaints from Squaremouth’s customers.”

Squaremouth has added the following CSA product upgrades to its travel insurance comparison site at squaremouth.com:

Enhanced benefits within the new CSA Freestyle and Freestyle Luxe travel insurance plans

Freestyle Plan
1) Optional “Cancel for Work Reasons” benefit if purchased prior to final trip payment
2) 20% discount when booking within 20 days of departure
3) The exclusion for Pre-Existing Conditions will be waived if the policy is purchased prior to or within 24 hours of the final payment for the trip

Freestyle Luxe Plan
1) “Cancel for Work Reasons” benefit included in standard plan
2) Optional “Cancel for Any Reason” benefit if purchased within 24 hours of initial trip deposit date
3) Return of Premium benefit included if purchased prior to final trip payment
4) 20% discount when booking within 20 days of departure

About Squaremouth
Founded in 2001, Squaremouth helps travelers easily and instantly compare all the major travel insurance plans. To ensure customer satisfaction, all carriers are handpicked based on an internal rating system and also ratings from insurance industry watchdog AM Best. Only companies that meet Squaremouth’s strict requirements make it into the system. Along with its unique research capabilities and zero complaint guarantee, the site provides instant quotes, immediate purchase and instant confirmation. Squaremouth is headquartered in St Pete Beach, FL and has offices in Fort Wayne, IN. Squaremouth has websites dedicated to both US travel insurance and UK travel insurance as well as international medical insurance for any nationality traveling outside their home country. Visit squaremouth.com for more information.

Squaremouth offers products from the following travel insurance carriers:
Access America, AIG Travel Guard, CSA, Global Alert Admin, Global Underwriters, HTH Worldwide, ITravel Insured, Medex, Medjet Assist, MH Ross, Multinational Underwriters (MNU), Seven Corners, Travel Insured, Travelers Liberty, Travelex, TravelSafe and USA Assist.

Available Topic Expert:
Chris Harvey
charvey@squaremouth.com
Toll Free (800) 240-0369
Direct Line (727) 490-5802

US Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com
UK Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
International Medical Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com/visitors-insurance

TRAMS Expands Product by Adding Squaremouth as First Travel Insurance Comparison Solution for Travel Agents

Chris Harvey — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:00:36 +0000

ST. PETE BEACH, FL—March 14, 2008—Squaremouth, a leading online travel insurance comparison site, today announced its technology solution has been added to travel industry software provider TRAMS’ product offerings. Travel agents using TRAMS Live Connect will now realize a greater product selection, increased sales, preferred supplier customization features, real time reports, saved customer quotes and more.

“Squaremouth is the first third party travel insurance comparison solution to be offered via TRAMS for its clients,” Squaremouth.com’s CEO Chris Harvey says. “Travel agents using TRAMS can integrate the benefits of offering comparative travel insurance to their clients via Squaremouth without leaving the TRAMS system.

”Using Squaremouth as the travel insurance provider, travel agents will see results in high conversion ratios, according to Harvey. “Current Squaremouth users are earning four to 10 times more in commission purely because they are able to offer their clients the product that matches their specific travel needs versus a one size fits all solution.” By only offering travel insurance products from one supplier, the travel agent is unable to offer the best solution every time . When searching for travel insurance, Harvey explains that every trip may call for a different product. By integrating Squaremouth into its technology, TRAMS users now have access to all plans, all of the time so they will not miss another sale because they did not present the right product.

“Travel insurance is similar to other insurance industry segments. Each company positions its product to appeal to a certain demographic or trip type. Travel agents who work with a single carrier are at a serious disadvantage should their customer decide to check prices,” Harvey explains. “At best, a single carrier’s products will make a good choice only some of the time.”

Squaremouth customers can choose different products for each trip, allowing greater customization to meet each traveler’s needs. “Sometimes, even on the same trip, it saves hundreds of dollars for the older family members to choose one product while the younger travelers choose another,” Harvey illustrates.

As travel agents consider travel insurance products for clients, the new TRAMS product enhancement with Squaremouth presents a choice of hundreds of plans from all of the top providers on one easy to use screen versus only receiving quotes from one provider at a time.

“Squaremouth works exactly the same way as current travel insurance providers on TRAMS with one major difference…choice,” Harvey states. “Selection and comparison is simple with sort by price, sort by benefit and sort by carrier. Users can also compare multiple policies side by side, email quotes to clients and save quotes for later retrieval.”

Squaremouth pulls information from TRAMS to instantly display quotes from every major travel insurance carrier in the United States. TRAMS customer data is automatically entered into Squaremouth as soon as travel agents click the purchase button.

One agency contract with Squaremouth allows travel agents to offer products from the following travel insurance providers:
Access America, AIG Travel Guard, CSA, Global Alert Admin, Global Underwriters, HTH Worldwide, ITravel Insured, Medex, Medjet Assist, MH Ross, Multinational Underwriters (MNU), Seven Corners, Travel Insured, Travelers Liberty, Travelex, TravelSafe and USA Assist.

Additional TRAMS and Squaremouth Benefits Include:

Agents control regarding preferred suppliers. TRAMS users decide which supplier’s products to display and can change at any time.

Agents do not have to register with all travel insurance suppliers to sell new products. Only one agency contract needed to sell all offered products from all participating travel insurance providers.

A tiered flat fee up to $50 per sale is paid to non-licensed travel agents, further increasing earning potential.

Licensed travel agents can earn up to 20 percent commission and conversion rates are far higher for Squaremouth users compared to agents only selling a few suppliers’ products.

When completing travel sales via TRAMS, agents will continue to select if they want to receive a travel insurance quote. Only now, many more product choices from all of the top providers will be displayed with a greater sort capability to determine the best product for each client.

To learn more about Squaremouth and its TRAMS offering, please visit http://www.squaremouth.com/travel-partner-trams-user.php. To arrange a web demonstration, please call Chris Harvey at 727-490-5802.

About Squaremouth
Founded in 2001, Squaremouth helps travelers easily and instantly compare all the major travel insurance plans. To ensure customer satisfaction, all carriers are handpicked based on an internal rating system and also ratings from insurance industry watchdog AM Best. Only companies that meet Squaremouth’s strict requirements make it into the system. Along with its unique research capabilities and zero complaint guarantee, the site provides instant quotes, immediate purchase and instant confirmation. Squaremouth is headquartered in St Pete Beach, FL and has offices in Fort Wayne, IN. Squaremouth has websites dedicated to both US travel insurance and UK travel insurance as well as international medical insurance for any nationality traveling outside their home country. Visit squaremouth.com for more information.

About TRAMS
For over 20 years, TRAMS, Inc. has assisted travel agencies in their efforts to grow revenue, optimize customer management, and streamline processes. More than 45,000 agents in over 11,000 locations currently use TRAMS solutions; which provide the leading back office system, TRAMS Back Office, the leading agency customer relationship management (CRM) product, ClientBase, as well as unique agency marketing services through TRAMS Marketing Advantage (TMA).

As of 2005, TRAMS, Inc. became a Division of Sabre Holdings, and continues to integrate with options that add value for clients, and value to TRAMS’ products-whether those products are Sabre-related, neutral, or competitive to Sabre. Sabre adds the resources and expertise that enables TRAMS, Inc. to better serve the travel industry. TRAMS, Inc. continues to provide industry-standard products, development, training, support, and conferences: Technology & Marketing University, formerly Tech U, and Summer Camp.

With over 80 employees, and the average TRAMS manager being with the company for over 13 years, TRAMS, Inc. continues to offer SMART solutions for travel agency management and marketing. For more information, please contact TRAMS, Inc. 310 641 8726. A Member of the Sabre Family.

Available Topic Expert:
Chris Harvey
charvey@squaremouth.com
Toll Free (800) 240-0369
Direct Line (727) 490-5802

US Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com
UK Travel Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
International Medical Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com/visitors-insurance