One Year After 9/11: Travel Insurance Sales Indicate Travelers are Concerned
About Safety and Security
STEVENS POINT, Wis., Nov. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- It's estimated that a record
number of the more than 5 million Americans taking to the air during the
upcoming Thanksgiving holiday will be protecting their trips with travel
insurance. According to officials at Travel Guard International, sales for
the holiday travel season are brisk and well ahead of last year. Through
October, Travel Guard's retail travel insurance sales are 78 percent higher
over last year at this time, as more consumers are turning to travel insurance
for the increased safety and security it provides.
"The expected increase in holiday air travel is a good sign that travel is
finally returning to pre-September 11th, 2001 levels," said John Noel, CEO of
Travel Guard International. "Over the past 12-14 months, we've found that
more leisure travelers than ever before want somewhere to turn if the
unexpected happens. Beyond insured benefits, travel insurance has really
become a worldwide '9-1-1' type service for Americans traveling domestically
or abroad."
According to a survey commissioned by the American Automobile Association
(AAA), about 5.1 million Americans plan to fly during the Thanksgiving
holiday, up 6 percent from last year. The survey also found that 35.9 million
Americans plan to travel 50 miles or more during the holiday, up from last
year's 35.3 million.
Travel Guard has responded to the desire for broader travel assistance
services by including the company's "Livetravel" service with all of its
retail travel insurance policies. Livetravel offers travelers 24/7 access to
trained travel consultants who can make emergency or last-minute travel
changes such as rebooking flights, hotels and ground transportation. Other
travel assistance available from Travel Guard includes worldwide medical
referrals, lost luggage tracking, replacement of lost prescriptions and
emergency cash wire transfers.
Noel noted that consumers are becoming savvier about the nuances of travel
insurance policies, and are looking for policies that include coverage for
travel supplier bankruptcy and terrorist incidents.
"Our retail travel insurance policies include financial default protection
if the cruise line, airline or tour operator goes out of business," says Noel.
"We also provide coverage for a terrorist incident that occurs in a city
listed on the Insured's itinerary within 30 days of the Insured's scheduled
arrival, either in the United States or abroad." Both financial default and
terrorism benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.
Travel Guard markets travel insurance and assistance plans through
approximately 60 percent of the retail travel agencies in the United States.
Consumers can also purchase travel insurance online ( http://www.TravelGuard.com ) or
by calling 1-800-826-1300. Terms and conditions of coverage may vary by state.
Visit http://www.TravelGuard.com for complete details.
SOURCE Travel Guard International
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Related links:
http://www.travelguard.com
CONTACT:
Dan McGinnity of Travel Guard International,
+1-800-826-7791, Ext. 485
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