Squaremouth’s 5 Must-Haves for the Holiday Traveler

St. Petersburg, FL (PRWEB) December 07, 2012

Nothing wreaks more havoc on holiday travel plans than flight delays, bad weather, and flu season. Having the right travel insurance benefits can alleviate unwanted stress during one of the busiest travel times of the year. Squaremouth, America’s fastest growing travel insurance agency, advises travelers of the five most useful benefits in travel insurance policies to ease travelers through the holiday rush.

1. Trip Cancellation
Travelers may hesitate to cancel holiday travel plans for fear of losing money on expensive pre-paid trips. However, trip cancellation protection is one of the most popular reasons people buy travel insurance. The benefit can cover up to 100% reimbursement if travelers need to cancel a trip for a reason listed on the policy, such as illness or injury. “Another thing travelers might not realize is they can cancel their trip if a traveling companion falls ill,” says Chris Harvey, CEO of Squaremouth. “Travelers don’t have to get stuck picking up extra expenses or traveling alone because someone else gets sick.”

2. Emergency Medical
Flu season has arrived early this year, and packed flights and crowded airports are prime locations for sickness to spread. Should a traveler need to seek medical treatment for illness or injury while away, emergency medical coverage can help counter costs by providing reimbursement for treatment expenses. Emergency medical benefits within travel insurance policies can supplement existing health care coverage and provide coverage for those without a primary health care provider. Additionally, travel insurance may reimburse travelers for the costs of copayments and deductibles associated with health insurance.

3. Weather Coverage
Just because hurricane season is over doesn’t mean winter travel is without risk of being affected by unpredictable weather conditions. Travel insurance policies can offer coverage under the trip cancellation and interruption benefits when airlines or other common carriers delay or cancel travel because of inclement weather. Some plans require travelers to satisfy a delay of a certain number of hours before benefits kick in, while others do not. Squaremouth recommends reviewing policy details to understand terms of coverage for this benefit.

4. Baggage Delay
Airlines lose millions of bags are every year, and while many of them are returned to their owners, traveling without the essentials for an extended period of time can be inconvenient and frustrating. If a common carrier causes luggage to be delayed, baggage delay benefits can reimburse travelers for essential items like clothing and toiletries. Policy limits for this benefit can range from $100 to $1,500 per person and will usually kick in after a specified number of hours.

5. Travel Delay
It’s no secret that some of the lengthiest travel delays are bound to arise during the holiday season. Travel delay can offer some relief by reimbursing travelers for meals and accommodations when flights or other common carrier delays occur. Travel delay benefits may be subject to daily limits, so travelers should check policy details for any restrictions.

Combatting lengthy delays, illness, and other unforeseeable inconveniences may be eased by the added protection of travel insurance. “The right coverage can go a long way, and can be the difference between stressful and worry free holiday travel,” says Harvey. While there is no guarantee that holiday travel plans will go smoothly, the right coverage can be a beneficial part of the travel strategy.

About Squaremouth
Squaremouth is America’s fastest-growing travel insurance comparison site, providing the tools to instantly quote, compare and buy policies from every major provider. The company is headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL, with offices in Fort Wayne, IN. For more information on Squaremouth or its extensive network of partner sites worldwide, visit http://www.squaremouth.com.

About our Zero Complaint Guarantee
The cornerstone of Squaremouth’s commitment to customers is the guarantee to remove any provider with a customer complaint that cannot be resolved to Squaremouth’s satisfaction. Squaremouth offers the broadest selection of insurance, with an emphasis on quality, follow-up care, and independent evaluations from insurance industry watchdog, AM Best.

Squaremouth offers products from the following travel insurance providers:
Air Ambulance Card, AMEX Assurance Company, Azimuth Risk Solutions, LLC, CSA Travel Protection, 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
Direct (727) 490-5802
Chrisharvey.com

Jenna Gravino jgravino(at)squaremouth(dot)com
Direct (727) 502-6849

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