I love your website! What is the difference between “trip cancellation” and “trip cancellation for any reason”? Greg

Hi Greg, Thank you for your kind words.

Trip cancellation means some covered reason causes you to cancel your trip. The “Cancel For Any Reason / Change Your Mind” is an optional upgrade that allows you to cancel your trip for any reason including ones that are not normally covered reasons.

Here are the typical events Travel Insurance covers:

• You, your companion or a family member has a medical emergency or dies. If this is related to a pre-existing medical condition, there are special rules to follow. Go here to learn more.
• You’re laid off from your job of at least 1 years’ employment
• Your travel supplier unexpectedly ceases operation
• Bad weather or natural disasters
• A city you’re visiting has a terrorist incident
• Unexpected jury duty

Beyond all these reasons, there are no limit to the number of reasons you might want to cancel your trip. Here are some common trip cancellation reasons that aren’t normally covered by Travel insurance, yet are covered by a Cancel For Any Reason Plans. Any of these events (and a lot more) are covered by a Cancel For Any Reason Plan:

• Your adult children are idiots and their melodramas might cause you to cancel your trip
• Your child or grandchild’s team which is normally in last place is now in the State Championship Finals
• Even though you and your significant other are “madly in love”, you still want to have a way out (maybe that plants a seed of discord?).
• You want to cancel your trip because you don’t feel safe. For example, Swine Flu or something else is everywhere and you’re afraid to go to Wal-Mart. If this happens, you probably won’t want to go on your trip
• Along these lines, Civil Unrest and War aren’t covered. If these things are happening at your destination, you probably won’t want to go on your trip, either
• You just don’t feel right about leaving. Maybe you “just have a feeling” it’s not a good time to go on your trip. Ever had that “feeling” and you were glad you listened to it? I have: I was very close to my Paternal Grandparents. On August 29, 1997 I had a strong feeling I should, without delay, visit my Grandma who lived 200 miles away. I left immediately and had the best visit I ever had with her! Exactly 2 weeks later she died in her sleep. And, I was privileged to give the eulogy at her funeral.
• You change your mind and don’t want to go on your trip
• You get a new job and your boss won’t let you have the time off
• Your already approved vacation comes at a bad time and you know it would be better if you didn’t take your trip

Here more on the “Cancel For Any Reason / Change Your Mind”:
http://www.tripinsurancestore.com/cancel-for-any-reason-travel-insurance-plans/

I hope this makes sense. If you want the right travel insurance advice, call us at 1-888-407-3854 and we’ll help you figure it all out.

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• Save your time & money with 6 pre-screened companies (you don’t need 100+ travel or cruise insurance plans).
• You get personalized service from Deanna, Becky, Tara or Steve at 1-888-407-3854 (US, Canada). Or email us.
• Do you want a relationship with your travel insurance supplier? If so, you’ll fit right in. If you’d rather not get to know us, you’ll still find everything you need to get the right travel insurance plan.
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Hi Steve, I guess we’re still not clear on pre-existing conditions and just how that relates to a trip and why we need it. Please explain and sorry if you already have, we just need clarification. We have pretty darn good insurance that always reimburses us for anything that happens overseas. Linda

Hi Linda,

Thanks for writing. I have a page that explains Pre-Existing Medical Conditions in greater detail (http://www.tripinsurancestore.com/how-travel-insurance-pre-existing-medical-conditions-coverage-works/), but I’m happy to explain the basic concepts for you here.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions could affect you 3 ways:

• You are forced to cancel your trip
• You need medical coverage on your trip
• You need to return home early

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions coverage is important is because you may not want to lose the money you paid for the trip if that condition worsens and forces you to cancel or interrupt your trip. Or if you needed medical treatment on your trip from that Pre-Existing Medical Condition.

A Pre-Existing Medical Condition is any medical condition (no matter how minor), which manifested itself, became acute or exhibited symptoms which would have caused one to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; or which medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment was recommended or received; or required taking prescribed drugs or medicine, unless the condition for which the prescribed drug or medicine is taken remains controlled without any change in the required prescription; or required medical treatment or treatment was recommended by a Legally Qualified Physician during the 60, 90, 180 or 365 day Lookback Period prior to the day you buy a travel insurance policy.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions coverage also applies to a non-traveling family member, or a traveling companion, or a traveling companion’s non-traveling family member.

If there are no concerns about a potential Pre-Existing Medical Condition causing a trip cancellation or trip interruption, then there’s no reason to insure for it. The cost is the same with or without the pre-ex coverage.

Click to enlarge

I hope this makes sense. If you want the right travel insurance advice, call us at 1-888-407-3854 and we’ll help you figure it all out.

Now, a word from our sponsor: TripInsuranceStore.com (the Most Exclusive, Informative & Friendliest Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

• Save your time & money with 6 pre-screened companies (you don’t need 100+ travel or cruise insurance plans).
• You get personalized service from Deanna, Becky, Tara or Steve at 1-888-407-3854 (US, Canada). Or email us.
• Do you want a relationship with your travel insurance supplier? If so, you’ll fit right in. If you’d rather not get to know us, you’ll still find everything you need to get the right travel insurance plan.
• Get side-by-side plan & price comparisons
• You get our exclusive Smile of Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee

• TripInsuranceStore.com is easy to use

PS – If you liked what you read, please Subscribe to my Blog. You can also connect with TripInsuranceStore on Facebook.

Last Friday I had to send the following email:

Janet, After I heard your phone call with Tara, we cannot help you get travel insurance.

What would prompt me telling someone who wanted to buy a $1,054 cruise travel insurance policy this: “After I heard your phone call with Tara, we cannot help you get travel insurance”?

She broke one of my TripInsuranceStore.com rules: “We only work with nice people, so if you’re not nice, kind & happy, there are lots of other travel insurance sellers who will gladly take your money.”

Since I’m such a nice guy, I didn’t give her one of my competitors’ phone numbers to call (though the thought briefly flickered in my mind).

Here are the rules to work with TripInsuranceStore.com:

It’s too bad that Janet has made it to her forties with being able to get her way and being completely rude because “I am spending a lot of money with you … “. I doubt she clicked http://eepurl.com/wCXYr to subscribe to my Blog, so she won’t get the benefit of this statement: “$1,054 isn’t that much money!”

Now, a word from our sponsor: TripInsuranceStore.com (the Most Exclusive, Informative & Friendliest Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

• Save your time & money with 6 pre-screened companies (you don’t need 100+ travel or cruise insurance plans).
• You get personalized service from Deanna, Becky, Tara or Steve at 1-888-407-3854 (US, Canada). Or email us.
• Do you want a relationship with your travel insurance supplier? If so, you’ll fit right in. If you’d rather not get to know us, you’ll still find everything you need to get the right travel insurance plan.
• Get side-by-side plan & price comparisons
• You get our exclusive Smile of Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee

• TripInsuranceStore.com is easy to use

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On August 8, 2012 I wrote a post called “Change Your Passwords” which I hope helped you. Unfortunately, many computer users have weak passwords and overall low security. Even if you have great passwords you still suffer the consequences of the people with weak ones. Here’s one example:

Starting last week, tens of thousands of WordPress and Joomla websites (roughly 20% of websites use WordPress and Joomla) have been under a “Brute Force Attack” from an illegal botnet. A botnet is a collection of internet-connected programs communicating with other similar programs in order to perform tasks. There are illegal botnets which are a group of computers that have been infected with malware to perform tasks for a 3rd party.

A brute-force attack is a systematic checking of all possible passwords (or just popular ones) until the correct password is found. A botnet is not required, but can help in the process as multiple computers can be used to check different combinations and avoid triggering multiple attempt limits.

The top five user names being attacked are admin, test, administrator, Admin, and root. The top five passwords being used are admin, 123456, 666666, 111111, and 12345678.

Why does this matter to you if you don’t have a website or blog using WordPress or Joomla?

• You probably know someone who has a website or blog with these programs. Here’s a chance to help them. Wouldn’t they be surprised if you gave them some technical advice?
• You use passwords and you need stronger ones

I use 12 – 17 digit long passwords. That may sound paranoid, but it’s worth it for the peaceful sleep I have every night. Not everyone who does anything online sleeps peacefully.

I hope this makes sense.

Now, a word from our sponsor: TripInsuranceStore.com (the Most Exclusive, Informative & Friendliest Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

• Save your time & money with 6 pre-screened companies (you don’t need 100+ travel or cruise insurance plans).
• You get personalized service from Deanna, Becky, Tara or Steve at 1-888-407-3854 (US, Canada). Or email us.
• Do you want a relationship with your travel insurance supplier? If so, you’ll fit right in. If you’d rather not get to know us, you’ll still find everything you need to get the right travel insurance plan.
• Get side-by-side plan & price comparisons
• You get our exclusive Smile of Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee

• TripInsuranceStore.com is easy to use

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Technorati Tags: attack, brute force, hack, joomla, password, security, wordpress

I haven’t written on my Blog for 4 months because (although I didn’t know it at the time) I have been battling bronchitis. I thought I just had a cold that came and went. I chalked up being tired all the time, being in a daze and having the overall run-down feeling to working too much and sleeping too little (I don’t deny I work too much).

After 4 months of getting better and worse I decided to go to the doctor. She said I should have come in 3 – 1/2 months earlier! It turned out I had bronchitis with a severe bacterial infection in my lungs. I ended up with a few rounds of antibiotics: first Amoxicillin and then Levofloxacin. The Levofloxacin packs quite a punch. Plus, I have a steroid inhaler I am still using. Mucinex helps a lot, too.

That was really stupid to ignore it. Especially because I have since found out that there are a lot of infections that are not curable.

About the only good thing that came from being so sick for so long is that I got a chance to do some soul-searching. I have made and stuck with a few major personal changes. TripInsuranceStore.com is also getting some improvements to even be more useful to our wonderful clients. I’ll be announcing those over the next six months as they become available.

In the meantime, you can look forward to more detailed blog posts to help you navigate through the complicated trip cancellation travel insurance plan world.

Sincerely,

Steve Dasseos

Now, a word from our sponsor: TripInsuranceStore.com (the Most Exclusive, Informative & Friendliest Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

• Save your time & money with 6 pre-screened companies (you don’t need 100+ travel or cruise insurance plans).
• You get personalized service from Deanna, Becky, Tara or Steve at 1-888-407-3854 (US, Canada). Or email us.
• Do you want a relationship with your travel insurance supplier? If so, you’ll fit right in. If you’d rather not get to know us, you’ll still find everything you need to get the right travel insurance plan.
• Get side-by-side plan & price comparisons
• You get our exclusive Smile of Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee

• TripInsuranceStore.com is easy to use

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Technorati Tags: amoxicillin, bacterial, bronchitis, infection, levofloxacin

If you have read TripInsuranceStore.com including this blog, you will see that we usually have no problem telling you when you should not get travel insurance. There are just some trips that you should not waste your money trying to insure (like when you have no prepaid trip costs).

This time I am telling you: If you have an airline ticket with absolutely no other prepaid and non-refundable trip costs we do not recommend buying a trip cancellation travel insurance plan.

Why did I just shout this to you? The short answer is that it’s likely your Airline Ticket’s Contract of Carriage includes wording like “changes or cancellations to an itinerary may be made prior to departure” and “a Future Travel Credit will be issued …”. So, there’s no need for a trip cancellation travel insurance plan.

Here’s the longer answer:

Someone recently bought a trip cancellation travel insurance from us and is now forced to postpone her trip. They are flying Spirit Airlines, but it could have been any airline. As it turns out, she didn’t want to use Spirit Airlines for the postponed trip, so she bought new tickets with Jet Blue. Plus, she hasn’t cancelled her Spirit Airlines trip.

Now she wants a 100% reimbursement of her Spirit Airlines tickets. But, Spirit Airlines’ Contract of Carriage, doesn’t allow her to cancel her trip – she can only postpone her trip to a future date.

Just in case you didn’t slap your head and say, “Of course, I see why a trip cancellation claim will not be paid”, I’ll enlighten you:

“Alternate requested date(s) or flight(s) …” and “A Future Travel Credit will be issued …” . Both “Alternate requested date(s) or flight(s)” or “A Future Travel Credit” means you cannot cancel your airline ticket. Technically, you will never cancel your airline ticket because you are postponing it to use on a different trip.

If you cannot cancel your airline ticket, there’s no legal basis for a trip cancellation claim to be paid because you do not cancel your airline ticket. If you could cancel your airline ticket and get fully reimbursed from an insurance company, why would an airline give you a Future Travel Credit? They wouldn’t because that means you would fly for free.

The next thing you are probably thinking is “what should she do with her unusable policy?” I solved that yesterday by telling her we would cancel it in the Free Look period so she gets a refund.

In addition, I did something I probably shouldn’t have done: I offered to pay her, out of my own pocket, the Spirit Airlines change fees if she can furnish us proof she paid the change fees. There’s nearly $500 she would not have gotten anywhere else. In fact, I probably just bought nearly $500 of negative publicity: “I will make sure to tell people about my experience so the same thing doesn’t happen to them.”

I can tell you from now on we will never advise anyone to buy a trip cancellation travel insurance policy if they only are buying it for just trip cancellation purposes and for none of the other benefits.

Phew!

PS – Don’t blame the trip cancellation travel insurance providers. They legally cannot pay a trip cancellation claim when you get a “A Future Travel Credit”.

As you are planning your trip you will realize how much you still have to learn about trip insurance. You are learning useful travel insurance information at TripInsuranceStore.com and are wondering when it will all click. Don’t worry, everything will make sense. Call us at 1-888-407-3854 and we’ll help you, too.

Now, a word from our sponsor: TripInsuranceStore.com (the Most Exclusive, Informative & Friendliest Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

• Save your time & money with 6 pre-screened companies (you don’t need 100+ travel or cruise insurance plans).
• You get personalized service from Deanna, Becky, Tara or Steve at 1-888-407-3854 (US, Canada). Or email us.
• Do you want a relationship with your travel insurance supplier? If so, you’ll fit right in. If you’d rather not get to know us, you’ll still find everything you need to get the right travel insurance plan.
• Get side-by-side plan & price comparisons
• You get our exclusive Smile of Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee

• TripInsuranceStore.com is easy to use

PS – If you liked what you read, please Subscribe to my Blog. You can also connect with TripInsuranceStore on Facebook.

This is one of those blog posts I never thought I would have to write. I have a few more written which are currently in “draft status”. I discussed these with a friend last week and she said:

“I am constantly amazed by the number of people who will not follow simple directions, can’t use common sense or even get written proof of a loss. It’s not like the insurance company is going to take their word for it.”

Here’s the situation:

After flying from the USA, a family arrived at their hotel in South Africa late at night prior to beginning their tour. Their luggage arrived in the airport intact. The luggage was loaded onto the shuttle bus and was delivered to their room shortly after they checked into their room. As it was late, they waited until the morning to inspect their luggage. The damage to one piece of their luggage was discovered the next morning around 6 am. They had to leave right away to catch the tour bus. They did not report the damage to anyone at the hotel or with the tour company.

After arriving back in the USA 2 weeks later they filed a damaged baggage claim and it was denied because there was no Written Proof of Loss.

Their travel insurance plan states (in part):

“Your duties after loss of or damage to property or delay of baggage;
b) promptly notify, in writing, either the police, hotel proprietors, ship lines, airlines, railroad, bus, airport or other station authorities, tour operators or group leaders, or any Common Carrier or bailee who has custody of Your property at the time of loss;”

In case I have anyone reading this who doesn’t understand what is required, here’s an explanation in plainer English: “If you do not have any written report of loss including the date of the loss, why should the trip insurance company believe that something happened while you were on your trip?”

Do you want to hear about another idiotic claim? Even if you said “no” I’ll tell you anyway. This one holds the title for the stupidest claim we have ever received.

A couple returned to New York from their trip to Europe. They said the luggage area of the terminal was flooded so they couldn’t get their luggage. They called us and we told them they had to file a luggage damage claim with the airline. They refused saying it wasn’t worth their time. Hours later they were able to retrieve their luggage. They went home without filing any damage claim with the airline. Once again they called us on the way home and we told them they had to return to the airport to file a luggage damage claim with the airline. They refused for the same reason. As soon as they got home they said they threw all the contents of their luggage plus the luggage itself into the dumpster.

There was no written proof of loss so the claim was denied.

I have more examples, but I think you get the basic idea. When in doubt, document everything. You can always throw away what you don’t need after the claim is paid.

Too busy planning your trip to research travel insurance?
As you are planning your trip you will realize how much you still have to learn about trip insurance. You are learning useful travel insurance information at TripInsuranceStore.com and are wondering when it will all click. We can help you. Call us at 1-888-407-3854 and we’ll help you, too.

Now, a word from our sponsor: TripInsuranceStore.com (the Most Exclusive, Informative & Friendliest Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

• Save your time & money with 6 pre-screened companies (you don’t need 100+ travel or cruise insurance plans).
• You get personalized service from Deanna, Becky, Tara or Steve at 1-888-407-3854 (US, Canada). Or email us.
• Do you want a relationship with your travel insurance supplier? If so, you’ll fit right in. If you’d rather not get to know us, you’ll still find everything you need to get the right travel insurance plan.
• Get side-by-side plan & price comparisons
• You get our exclusive Smile of Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee

• TripInsuranceStore.com is easy to use

PS – If you liked what you read, please Subscribe to my Blog. You can also connect with TripInsuranceStore on Facebook.

Hi Steve, I want trip cancellation insurance to cover my hotel costs in case I have to cancel my trip for one of the normally covered reasons. I have reserved 3 nights in Paris which are guaranteed with my credit card. My credit card will be charged $788 if I cancel my trip less than 5 days before I arrive. I have not prepaid the $788. How should I insure the $788 hotel to be sure I don’t lose the $788 if I am forced to cancel my trip? Thanks, Barbara

PS – I’ve already asked your competition and they have assured me that the $788 is fully insurable, but I’m still not sure about the coverage.

Hi Barbara,

While I don’t know exactly what transpired in your interactions with my competitors, I can tell you that insurance companies are happy to take your money. Getting an insurance company to take your money isn’t the problem. The problem comes later when you try to get your $788 back.

Rather than bore you with a lot of words, I’ll just tell you the answer: Your $788 will not be a covered trip cost because you are not prepaying the $788. It makes no difference that you lose the $788 if you cancel your trip for a covered reason or not a covered reason. The missing qualification is that the $788 is not prepaid. Prepaid means the cost is paid before you leave on your trip.

So, what about the advice others have given you? Semantically they are correct. You can insure the $788. However, and this is just my opinion, the advice you have received implies that you will get your $788 back if you have a claim. That is a complete lie – you’ll never get your $788 if it’s not prepaid before you leave on your trip.

PS – I covered this same topic on April 18, 2012 in a post called “Don’t Waste $429 on Un-Needed Trip Cancellation Insurance“. Take a look at that post.

As you are planning your trip you will realize how much you still have to learn about trip insurance. You are learning useful travel insurance information at TripInsuranceStore.com and are wondering when it will all click. Don’t worry, everything will make sense. Call us at 1-888-407-3854 and we’ll help you figure it all out, too.

Technorati Tags: travel, travel insurance, trip insurance, cruise, cruises, cruise insurance, trip cancellation

Now, a word from our sponsor: TripInsuranceStore.com (the Most Exclusive, Informative & Friendliest Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

• Save your time & money with 6 pre-screened companies (you don’t need 100+ travel or cruise insurance plans).
• You get personalized service from Deanna, Becky, Tara or Steve at 1-888-407-3854 (US, Canada). Or email us.
• Do you want a relationship with your travel insurance supplier? If so, you’ll fit right in. If you’d rather not get to know us, you’ll still find everything you need to get the right travel insurance plan.
• Get side-by-side plan & price comparisons
• You get our exclusive Smile of Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee

• TripInsuranceStore.com is easy to use

PS – If you liked what you read, please Subscribe to my Blog. You can also connect with TripInsuranceStore on Facebook.

Steve,

Help! Here is my dilemma… I am scheduled to leave in 5 weeks for a 3 week trip. I paid my Initial Deposit on April 10, 2012 and my trip is paid in full. My brother was just diagnosed with brain cancer. What are my options since I may have to cancel my trip? I don’t want to lose the $3000 I paid. In addition, are there any plans that will cover me if my brother passes away before or during the trip because of his pre-existing medical condition? Mary F. in California.

Hi Mary,

I’m sorry to hear about your brother.

Since your initial trip deposit date was on April 10, 2012 and your trip is paid in full, I do not know of travel insurance plans that will absolutely guarantee you, in writing, that your claim will be paid for trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage for anything related to your brother’s illness. That includes his death.

The reason is because Travel Insurance just covers “Listed Unforeseen Events”.

What does “Listed Unforeseen Events” mean?

This means that if the event’s not specifically named as a covered reason, you won’t have a payable claim. Or, put another way: a travel insurance plan only covers you for the perils or events that are listed in its Description of Coverage. If it’s not listed (or specifically excluded) it’s not covered.

What does “Unforeseen” mean?

Unforeseen means: Situations or losses that result from sudden and unforeseen conditions or events. Travel insurance does not cover conditions or events that, on the date of purchase, are known to You. If something happens that was expected which results in a claim, your claim will not be paid. It’s like wanting to buy Fire Insurance when your house is on fire.

Unforeseen is especially important when you want to cover a Pre-Existing Medical Condition. That’s because the claim will probably be denied if there’s not “a turn for the worse”. In other words, if the person with the pre-existing condition has already had “a turn for the worse” prior to you buying your travel insurance, there won’t be any coverage.

You can go here to see more about What Travel Insurance Doesn’t Cover (Exclusions): http://www.tripinsurancestore.com/travel-insurance-exclusions/

If someone tells you that you will be covered, I suggest you have them put it in writing.

I hope this makes sense. If you want the right travel insurance advice, call us at 1-888-407-3854 and we’ll help you figure it all out.

Now, a word from our sponsor: TripInsuranceStore.com (the Most Exclusive, Informative & Friendliest Travel Insurance Comparison Site)

• Save your time & money with 6 pre-screened companies (you don’t need 100+ travel or cruise insurance plans).
• You get personalized service from Deanna, Becky, Tara or Steve at 1-888-407-3854 (US, Canada). Or email us.
• Do you want a relationship with your travel insurance supplier? If so, you’ll fit right in. If you’d rather not get to know us, you’ll still find everything you need to get the right travel insurance plan.
• Get side-by-side plan & price comparisons
• You get our exclusive Smile of Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee

• TripInsuranceStore.com is easy to use

PS – If you liked what you read, please Subscribe to my Blog. You can also connect with TripInsuranceStore on Facebook.

We said goodbye to our precious 9 year old Bichon-Poodle “Buddy Fred Dasseos” just a few hours ago.

10 days ago Buddy was just fine. And, without any warning he developed a renal infection and went downhill from there. We got to have him at home for a few days and nights, too.

We loved Buddy and he is sorely missed. Thank you Jesus for such a wonderful little dog!