Archive for the ‘Why insurance?’ Category

Got Scammed? Travel Scams You Should Know About

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Today I got a text message on my phone telling me I had won a free trip to the Caribbeans. To claim my prize all I had to do was phone a number with an 809 area code. I knew this was a scam of some kind, so I checked with AT&T. They told me to be cautions when responding to phone calls from this area code. Even though 809 is a legitimate area code for the Dominican Republic, it has also been used to lure gullible people into paying large international call rates.

And that free trip?  There is no such thing.  Just like there is no free lunch.

There are as many travel scams as there are con artists.  Here are a few of them.

1. The “Cheap flight on a Major Airline” scam.  If someone won’t tell you what major airline it is, then beware. Those major airlines suddenly turn into minor ones that stop at ten different places enroute to your destination. My advice: ask for details. If they can’t give you specifics, then walk away.

2. The “Fly for only $48” scam. Remember, that’s only one way. After they add service charges, processing fees and taxes, the total jumps significantly. And don’t forget the other incidentals such as checked baggage fee and seat assignment request fee.  To add insult to injury, they won’t even give you water for free.  Friends of mine bought a $2.00 ticket from Heathrow to Venice, and ended up paying $160 (not bad for a European holiday, but notice the jump in price). My advice: check the fine print.

3. The “Travel Discount Card” scam. Groups that make these offers are known as “card mills” because they sell cards identifying you as a credentialed travel agent who can travel at free or reduced rates. The problem is that many suppliers of travel do not accept these cards. My advice: Go to the American Society of Travel Agents website or call them to see if these cards are legitimate.

4. The “Offer Expires at Midnight” scam. This is just a high pressure tactic that travel scammers use to intimidate you into making hasty decisions. They know that this doesn’t give you time to do a background check into their company. My advice: Run a “background check.” Vet the travel company on the Better Business Bureau’s Web site to see if they are members of ASTA. You can also check www.ripoffreport.com  and www.complaintsboard.com .

5. The “Hollow Suitcase” scam. This happens frequently in train and bus stations. A traveler gets distracted and takes his eyes off his bag. In a flash someone with a hollow suitcase puts it over the traveler’s bag and then wheels the suitcase away.  A variation of this happens on trains when someone runs through and grabs your case just as the train is pulling away.  He hops off and you are stuck on a moving train.  My advice: Go to our website at www.gninsurance.com/tripcancellation to get excellent trip protection insurance.

Doug Gulleson loves to scuba dive overseas and he makes sure he always takes his Amex card AND international travel insurance policy.  Visit Good Neighbor Insurance at  www.gninsurance.com   for your next overseas trip and get a FREE quote.

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Getting health insurance for specific needs not covered by standard plans

Monday, February 8th, 2010

I phoned my bank last week and was greeted with a voice that gave me six options for directing my call to the right person.  The six options still weren’t enough. So I pressed zero to get to the operator.

Purchasing overseas health insurance can be like that.  There may be plenty of options in a standard health insurance plan, but Murphy’s Law predicts that the option you need won’t be listed.   

Below are eight unique and specific overseas health insurance needs that are not covered in standard plans.  You may view these plans on our web site at www.gninsurance.com .

 For American citizens:

  1. Coming home to USA, not going back overseas, and needs insurance while settling in and finding a job.
  2. Has lived overseas and will be going overseas again, but now needs USA coverage for 15 days to 3 years.
  3. Teams going overseas from the USA for 3 days to 3 months.
  4. One-time premium payment each year for a person who makes 3 or more trips outside USA every year.
  5. Term-life insurance in any country in the world.

For non-American citizens:

  1. Teams traveling outside their home country and/or to the USA.
  2. Immigrating to the USA and cannot yet qualify for USA health insurance.
  3. Needs insurance in USA that includes maternity coverage.

The good news is that we can help you if one of the above situations describes your need.  Call us on our toll free number at (866) 636-9100. An agent – not a recording – will greet you.  Doug Gulleson loves to scuba dive overseas. He makes sure he always takes his credit card AND international travel insurance. Visit Good Neighbor Insurance at www.gninsurance.com  for your next overseas trip and get a FREE quote.

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Health insurance for Workers in War Zones

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

According to the National Terror Alert website, January 24, 2010, Osama bin Laden reportedly has taken credit for the thwarted attempt to bring down Delta flight 253 on Christmas Day. The al-Qaeda terror chief also threatened fresh attacks against American targets.

The reavowal of ongoing attacks brings up the question of whether Americans working overseas can get medical and travel insurance that covers war.

Almost all international policies have a line in their Exclusion section that reads, “This medical plan does not cover…. any consequence, whether directly or indirectly, proximately or remotely occasioned by, contributed to by, or traceable to, or arising in connection with:

  •  war, invasion, act of foreign enemy hostilities, warlike operations (whether war be declared or not), or civil war;
  •  any act of any person acting on behalf of or in connection with any organization with activities directed towards the overthrow by force of the Government de jure or de facto or to the influencing of it by terrorism or violence . . . .”

I think you get the picture. So, if you are driving through town and get shot in a gun battle, you are not covered. You are also excluded if you get injured in your home from an incoming rocket. But what if you are walking down the street, trip and break your hand? Or you injure your head in a car accident? In those cases you are covered for it had nothing to do with a war.

The bottom line – We can write overseas health and travel insurance for people in war zones, but with the exclusion as listed above.

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Do you realize your health care plan may not cover you in Canada?

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Is traveling to Canada from the U.S. for the Vancouver Winter Olympics considered an international trip?

Yes.

Your U.S. domestic health insurance plan – whether it is individual, group, Medicare or Medicaid – will not cover you in Vancouver for medical evacuation.  They may cover doctor and hospital visits, but they won’t cover you for medical transportation and evacuation, which are the most expensive coverages.

It does seem unfair. After all, Canadians look like us, they eat like us, and they talk like us (except you can always spot a Canadian by how they pronounce “again” and “out.” Listen for it when you are at the Olympics.)

You might wonder, “What’s gonna happen to me in Canada?” What are the odds of getting hit by a runaway bobsled, getting frozen to my seat watching Ice Hockey, or eating a bad hotdog at the opening ceremonies? Probably slim or not at all.

But … there are 101 ways you can get hurt or sick at the Vancouver Olympics.  It’s nice to know for as little as $1-$2 a day you can get top-notch international travel insurance plan by calling Good Neighbor Insurance agents.  Doug Gulleson loves to scuba dive overseas. He makes sure he always takes his credit card AND international travel insurance. Visit Good Neighbor Insurance at www.gninsurance.com  for your next overseas trip and get a FREE quote.

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Trusting your credit card travel coverage over an overseas health insurance policy is like trusting a canoe to get you to the Cayman Islands.

Monday, January 18th, 2010

The big question is what kind of coverage is provided on your credit card.  Some offer basic assistance benefits, while others will build in a medical evacuation program.  Remember–the devil is always in the details!

Here are questions to ask about your travel insurance coverage on your credit card:

1.         What are the details?  Always read the fine print.  Remember: The big print giveth and the small print taketh away!

2.         Who do I contact if I get sick or injured and need coverage?  The last thing you want when you are in need of medical care and/or evacuation is a voice message. You urgently need to speak to a live person who specializes in your concerns, not someone in the company who only knows how to cancel stolen credit cards.

3.         Do I know how much coverage I will need?  This is vital since credit card companies are not in the international health insurance business. Using a well-known international health insurance brokerage firm that specializes in overseas health insurance plans will give you much needed peace of mind.

4.         Who pays for my health-care bills?  Does your credit card company take care of your bills upfront, or do you have to put your bills on your credit card and get reimbursed later.

5.         Will I get reimbursed if I have to pay upfront for my medical care?  Remember, the overseas medical staff is not going to wait until your credit card company pays.  The evacuation team and the medical staff overseas want their money when service is rendered!

6.         Will my credit card company provide me with the best hospitals and doctors for my medical needs, or will I go to the “general” population hospital that may not be “A” rated?  By going with one of our short-term travel plans you will be routed to the best hospitals/medical facilities available.  One international insurance company we work with bypassed a hospital in inland China and evacuated a patient to Bangkok, Thailand so they could get the right medical care for his injuries. They did this in spite of the extra cost to themselves, the insurance company.  Would your credit card company do this for you?

7.         Will I pay a deductible on my credit card benefits?  We have plans that have no deductibles and some with deductibles.  Our evacuation plans have no deductible or co-pays.

8.         Will my pre-existing medical conditions be covered? Our Excursion and Trip Protector plans cover pre-existing conditions.  You can see these plans at  www.overseashealthinsurance.com  .   Most other plans we carry provide some coverage for pre-existing conditions. 

9.         Will my credit card coverage bring my mortal remains back to the USA and pay for the red tape and government paperwork?  Our international health plans do this without a penny out of your loved one’s pocket.

Most credit card companies, even when they offer it, offer limited medical care and evacuation coverage like medical evacuation which is often capped at $20,000 or less, and medical care is capped at $10,000.  On average medical evacuation costs from Brazil to the Mayo Clinic in Florida is around $26,000, and this is not for a major emergency. Another client in 2009 was evacuated from Algeria to Italy for a cost of $82,000.   Medical evacuation may not always be this expensive, but we see very few evacuations that are below $20,000.   

Peace of mind is what you are purchasing when you purchase a travel plan from a brokerage that specializes in overseas health travel insurance and we do that here at Good Neighbor Insurance.  Would you buy a pair of flip-flops to run a 10k marathon?   Of course not!  What you want is the right amount and right type of travel insurance coverage. The last thing you want to worry about is how you are going to pay your medical bills while you are fighting to recover your health.

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