Archive

Posts Tagged ‘financial’

Types of Travel Insurance Policies

February 3rd, 2010 No comments

Whether traveling for pleasure or business, it is important to consider what you would do if you suddenly found yourself in a situation where you were seriously injured or became very ill. You do not want end up in a situation where you could find yourself with an enormous medical bill or you are stranded in a foreign country with no money to get home. The perfect solution to protecting yourself and your loved ones is to purchase Travel Insurance Canada.

Travel Insurance was created to protect people when they are traveling abroad or within their own country. It is insurance that is used to cover a number of situations such as medical expenses and financial and other losses that one may incur while traveling. Travel insurance offers coverage for a variety of different types of travelers such as cruise voyages, student treks, business travel, vacations, international travel, and much more.

The following is a list of different types of travel insurance policies available:

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: This type of insurance provides coverage if an unexpected event causes you to cancel or interrupt your trip. It is designed to provide coverage for such circumstances as a sudden illness, injury, or death of the insured, or a member of the insured’s family.

Medical Insurance: This includes coverage for such events as emergency medical evacuation, transportation to a hospital, treatment and medication costs, hospital stay, transportation home, etc. Compensation will go to the insurer or beneficiary in case of accidental death, loss of sight, or loss of a limb.

Comprehensive Travel Medical Insurance: This type of insurance is designed for individuals who have left their jobs and lost their insurance coverage, or for people residing and working in another country other than their own place of citizenship for an extended period of time.

Baggage Loss/Delay Insurance: This coverage protects you in the event that your luggage is lost, delayed, or stolen. This may include compensation if your bags are delayed for more than 12 hours after you arrive at your destination.

Ski Travel Insurance: This type of coverage protects you when you are on a ski vacation. It can include trip delay/cancellation, medical expenses, baggage loss, equipment theft…etc.

Flight Delay or Cancellation Insurance: This coverage provides coverage for accommodations, meals, and new travel arrangements if you are delayed for a certain amount of time, or if your flight is cancelled.

Emergency Travel Medical Insurance: This insurance covers emergency services while traveling abroad. It covers a wide range of medical problems.

Travel Document Protection: This insurance will help replace lost or stolen travel documents. It is designed to help you replace a passport or other travel documents when they are lost or stolen.

Some travel agencies and travel suppliers offer travel insurance as an option along with their travel services. You can also travel insurance from specialists in the insurance field. This includes travel insurance companies.

Acquiring travel insurance for your next vacation will make your trip more relaxing and enjoyable because you will know that you are protected.

Dan Pucher Insurance is an independent Broker offering personal and corporate solutions. When looking for Visitors to Canada insurance, and Canadian Health Insurance please visit us

Exchanging Currencies for Travel Abroad

February 7th, 2009 No comments

When traveling to foreign countries, travelers need to think about how and when they will convert their currency. Luckily, there are many options for travelers to choose from when it comes time to make the exchange. There are two major factors to look at when exchanging currency: the exchange rate and the amount of commission charged.

Travelers are often fooled into exchanging for the lowest rate, while being charged a high rate of commission on their transaction. The strength of the US dollar is an important concern when planning to pay for a trip. When the dollar is losing strength, it is best not carry the dollar. Also, if the dollar is losing strength, try to pay for expenses such as airfare and hotels in advance. This way, the large expenses are paid for when the dollar is at its potentially highest point, therefore benefiting you the most in terms of expense. Find out what the current exchange rate is at www.gocurrency.com.

Exchanging Currencies While Still in the States

While still in the states, travelers can exchange their currency at the local bank. Although this may seem to be a convenient way to prepare for your vacation, the costs associated with exchanging in this way can be large. Also, there are several online venues which allow you to pay American funds, and the currency you desire is then sent to your home. These sites generally offer decent exchange rates but charge fees and delivery charges. With these services, there is also the risk that the company is fraudulent or that the currency could be stolen while in transit. Exchanging a currency through this online medium may seem convenient, but be sure to weigh the risks involved.

Exchanging at Hotels and Airports

Your best bet is to exchange currency once you get to the country you’ll be staying in. Your hotel may offer an exchange service, and once again, this may seem like a convenient alternative, but watch out. Hotels may charge fees of 20% or more to exchange currency, so try to stay away from hotel exchanges unless it is an emergency. Use one of the three free currency converters to find out how much extra your hotel is willing to charge you. Airports also offer an exchange, but as with hotel exchanges, airports tend to make a good deal of money off of the exchange.

Credit Cards

Many people travel abroad planning to put the majority of the charges on their credit card. Although credit cards generally offer the best exchange rates, you must be careful about using credit cards when the strength of the dollar is falling. Credit card transactions are not immediate, so when the dollar is falling you could end up with a less favorable exchange rate due to the time it takes for transactions to post. We recommend Canadian Credit Cards and Canadian Balance transfer credit cards with Travel Rewards Capabilities.

Don’t Want to Carry Large Amounts of Cash?

If you don’t feel like carrying cash all the time, ATM’s are a convenient way to get foreign currencies. ATM’s generally offer a good exchange rate, and are located in many places. One thing to consider before deciding to use an ATM to get cash is what fee your bank charges for withdrawing money abroad. These fees will add up, especially if you plan on using an ATM many different times throughout your trip.

Another alternative to cash is to bring travelers checks with you. Travelers checks can be replaced if they are lost or stolen, and can be used at exchanges to get the currency of the country you are in.

Banks

Another logical place to look to exchange currency is at banks. The exchange rate at banks is usually pretty good, although a bank has two alternatives as to what rate to provide. In some banks, the exchange rate depends on the supply and demand of the currency, and with this system, you end up with an exchange rate fairly close to the ones being offered in major exchanges. The second option is that the government of the country you are traveling sets the exchange rate, and all exchanges must stick to that rate. In either case, banks do offer a convenient way to exchange currency without incurring a large amount of costs.

No matter what way you plan on exchanging your money, be sure to bring along a list of current exchange rates. These rates can be found online or in many major newspapers. With this information in hand, you can judge where the best rates are being offered.

About the Author: