A Guide to Buying and Using Travel Insurance
By John Bartanus
Is Travel Insurance Really Necessary?
Travel is already expensive enough, isn't it? The cost of air fare, cruises, hotels, ground transportation, food and activities and entertainment are already high enough. I don't know about you, but I work hard for my money, and when I travel, I want to keep as much of my money in MY pocket as possible. Is travel insurance a necessity or a luxury? Why not cut a few corners here and there. Why buy something if it's not really needed?
My personal answer is, of course, that I am not independently wealthy and can't withstand the potential financial losses I would incur if I require medical care while I'm traveling. Not being independently wealthy also means that I'm in the market for adequate but cheap travel insurance. I suspect that you are in the same position, so you, too need cheap travel insurance. If you're still not sure about that, consider the following.
Did you know that if you get sick or are injured while traveling abroad, your medical plan may not cover all the expenses you will incur? If the costs of treatment are higher than the maximums of your medical plan, you will be responsible for the difference, unless you have already purchased travel insurance. In fact, you may not even be admitted into hospitals in some countries without proof that you have health or medical insurance.
This is true for everyone, regardless of age or length of time abroad. Suppose you fall ill just a few hours after arriving at your destination. Or suppose you make a day-trip to another country, and you are injured in a traffic accident. Or suppose one of your children is part of a group making a class visit abroad, gets food poisoning and requires hospitalization. In all cases, without adequate travel health insurance, you will be responsible for the costs above and beyond the limitations of your existing medical plan.
Therefore, before going abroad, you need to make sure that you are adequately covered by travel medical insurance that won't break your budget. You should check to see if appropriate coverage is already available to you through your medical plan, employee benefits, or even through a credit card. If the coverage is sufficient for your needs, then you can enjoy your trip without incurring the extra expense of travel insurance. However, if you are not sure of your coverage, or if your coverage is inadequate or non-existent, then your next step should be to research and purchase the travel insurance coverage you need.
How Much Can You Expect To Pay?
When I bought my first plane ticket to China a few years ago it cost around $2000 round-trip, and my travel insurance cost me over $500 because I didn't shop around for cheap travel insurance online.
A few years later, a little bit older and wiser, and my travel insurance for another trip to China cost me much less--about $300 for roughly the same coverage. The difference? Before buying my travel insurance for the second trip, I shopped around online and got the coverage I needed, at the right price. If I'd have purchased my travel insurance for this latest trip from my travel agent, it would've cost me about $600 for the trip, and my plane tickets only cost $1,500! Not exactly the smart way to go.
So how much will it cost you? Not as much money as it will cost you if you get sick or injured abroad and you don't have any travel insurance coverage! That's the obvious answer to the question.
In fact, how much travel insurance costs will depend on your age and the type of coverage you choose. Basic policies cost as little as $5.50 USD per $1000 of coverage. On the other hand, you can expect a full coverage policy to cost you from 7 to 10% of the cost of your trip, depending on your age. The older you are, the more you will pay. No matter what the cost of the policy, however, it's sure to be much less than the cost of medical evacuation!
The good news is that you can easily, conveniently and quickly research and locate excellent but cheap online travel insurance and reduce the costs while making an informed purchase. This is much better than taking what you are offered at the travel agency because you can choose from hundreds of travel insurance companies and polices and save yourself a lot of money in the process. One place you can start your search is at Travel Insurance Central, http://www.travel-insurance-central.com
What You Should Consider When Buying Travel Insurance
To assist you in your research, here are some suggestions to help you make an informed purchase.
1. Consider the worst-case scenario. If you can financially withstand the worst-case scenario then maybe you don't need travel insurance or maybe you don't need a comprehensive policy.
2. Make sure the policy you are considering provides adequate medical/dental coverage, including medical evacuation coverage just in case you need medical care in a place where the best treatment available is below the standards you are accustomed to in your country. This can happen if you fall ill in a developing country or even on a cruise ship.
3. Check your existing insurance policies for possible coverage. There is no sense in paying more for what you already have in your homeowner or tenant policy, such as theft and loss coverage.
4. If you are a frequent traveler, you should consider annual or year-round travel insurance policies. Sometimes they are called multi-trip travel insurance policies. Whatever the name, these policies can be relatively cheap when compared to single-trip travel insurance policies.
5. Know what you are buying, so read the fine print. Make sure that you understand what the company considers to be a legitimate reason for cancellation or interruption. If the list is too restrictive, maybe you should consider another policy.
6. Don't restrict yourself to buying only from your travel agent. He/She will probably only have one company's product(s) available, and it's there for your convenience, but that convenience can be quite costly!
7. Ask lots of questions about the coverage. Play the "what if" game. Ask for clear explanations of terminology. Make sure that you and the travel insurance company are speaking the same language.
8. Don't buy the insurance through your transportation provider. If the airline goes bankrupt, how adequate will your insurance coverage be?
Once You’ve Bought Your Travel Insurance
Remember that your travel insurance policy covers you between certain specific dates, so don't start your trip early or extend your trip without first changing the dates of coverage on your travel insurance policy. Of course, this might cost you extra, but that's cheaper than finding yourself without coverage when you need it the most.
Also, it almost goes without saying that you should bring your travel insurance policy with you when you go abroad. You can't consult the policy if it's sitting on your desk at home. You should also carry your travel insurance company's toll-free assistance phone number and other contact information with you wherever you go. It does you no good if you get ill or hurt and the necessary policy information is sitting in your hotel room. It's also a good idea to bring your regular medical coverage cards and info with you.
I hope these tips will help you by the best travel insurance for you. Then take your trip with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you are insured by the right travel insurance policy at the right price. Bon voyage!
John Bartanus is a writer, educator, and the publisher of informational websites like Travel Insurance Central (http://www.travel-insurance-central.com) and Best Tea 4U (http://www.best-tea-4u.com).
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Bartanus
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Timeshare Sales Nightmare
Timeshare Sales Nightmare: This Couple Survived
By Chris Crompton
Once your gross income reaches a certain middle-class level, you will no doubt be solicited to attend a timeshare presentation. If you haven't already, you will almost certainly in the future. Sometimes the request takes you by surprise.
My wife and I were staying at an inexpensive hotel near Charleston, South Carolina for a weekend vacation. As we walked down the beautiful Charleston streets, a nice man called out and asked us if we wanted to take a tour of their resort. He said they had just renovated it and he would offer us a $75 gift certificate, plus 2 "ghost tour" tickets if we would take a 90 minute tour of the resort.
"I'm no dummy," I thought. I'd be crazy not to take him up on his offer. It might even be fun to tour the resort for nothing, but if he was going to offer a free night out on the town, then this was an offer too good to refuse. He had us give him $10 to "secure our spot" on the tour.
As we waited, my wife and I enjoyed the outdoor resort complex scenery as we sat on a stone bench next to a beautiful fountain. We both swore we would never actually buy a timeshare here (by now we realized they were probably going to try to sell us something). We knew we couldn't afford it. We just wanted the free gifts. We came back a half hour later, got our $10 back and sat and waited a bit longer.
The personal tour finally started. The rooms were very elegant. This was almost like a museum tour, but we were getting paid! What a deal! Then came the hard-hitting sales pitch. We didn't know what we were in for. About 3 hours later, we were ready to buy. The salesman had convinced us -- it made such great financial sense. Another 2 hours later we had signed all the necessary forms to become owners. They even sent a runner out to get us lunch at Subway (for free) while we waited. What nice people.
Driving home, we were a bit nervous that we had made a big mistake. We were also giddy that we were now owners of such a great timeshare experience. A couple days later, as I do with almost every purchase, I checked online to see if I had gotten the best deal. We had paid about $12,000 for our timeshare deed. (We couldn't afford this, but the salesman told us we could rent it out for enough to cover the payments.)
Well, I found that a similar timeshare unit was selling on eBay for about $2,000. My heart sank into my belly as I realized I had overpaid by about $10,000. I raced through all my contracts. There seemed like hundreds of papers in the stack we came home with.
Finally I found my golden ticket. God was very good to me on that day. I had found the rescission clause which basically said that I was free to cancel the contract anytime within 5 days of the date I had signed it. It was day three. Actually it was day 4 if they counted Sundays. Did they count Sundays? I was in a frenzy. I needed to cancel this thing officially, maybe by tomorrow.
I actually contemplated making an emergency plane flight to the timeshare company's headquarters in Florida to make sure it got cancelled. I got a hold of someone from the company who said I could FedEx it overnight to them.
I got out of my timeshare deed. What a relief. Now it was on to the timeshare resale market to get myself a real deal.
Chris Crompton is a timeshare and resort vacationing expert. His free timeshare mini-course summarizes the right way to buy timeshares. This resource is available at http://www.TimeshareVacationing.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Crompton
By Chris Crompton
Once your gross income reaches a certain middle-class level, you will no doubt be solicited to attend a timeshare presentation. If you haven't already, you will almost certainly in the future. Sometimes the request takes you by surprise.
My wife and I were staying at an inexpensive hotel near Charleston, South Carolina for a weekend vacation. As we walked down the beautiful Charleston streets, a nice man called out and asked us if we wanted to take a tour of their resort. He said they had just renovated it and he would offer us a $75 gift certificate, plus 2 "ghost tour" tickets if we would take a 90 minute tour of the resort.
"I'm no dummy," I thought. I'd be crazy not to take him up on his offer. It might even be fun to tour the resort for nothing, but if he was going to offer a free night out on the town, then this was an offer too good to refuse. He had us give him $10 to "secure our spot" on the tour.
As we waited, my wife and I enjoyed the outdoor resort complex scenery as we sat on a stone bench next to a beautiful fountain. We both swore we would never actually buy a timeshare here (by now we realized they were probably going to try to sell us something). We knew we couldn't afford it. We just wanted the free gifts. We came back a half hour later, got our $10 back and sat and waited a bit longer.
The personal tour finally started. The rooms were very elegant. This was almost like a museum tour, but we were getting paid! What a deal! Then came the hard-hitting sales pitch. We didn't know what we were in for. About 3 hours later, we were ready to buy. The salesman had convinced us -- it made such great financial sense. Another 2 hours later we had signed all the necessary forms to become owners. They even sent a runner out to get us lunch at Subway (for free) while we waited. What nice people.
Driving home, we were a bit nervous that we had made a big mistake. We were also giddy that we were now owners of such a great timeshare experience. A couple days later, as I do with almost every purchase, I checked online to see if I had gotten the best deal. We had paid about $12,000 for our timeshare deed. (We couldn't afford this, but the salesman told us we could rent it out for enough to cover the payments.)
Well, I found that a similar timeshare unit was selling on eBay for about $2,000. My heart sank into my belly as I realized I had overpaid by about $10,000. I raced through all my contracts. There seemed like hundreds of papers in the stack we came home with.
Finally I found my golden ticket. God was very good to me on that day. I had found the rescission clause which basically said that I was free to cancel the contract anytime within 5 days of the date I had signed it. It was day three. Actually it was day 4 if they counted Sundays. Did they count Sundays? I was in a frenzy. I needed to cancel this thing officially, maybe by tomorrow.
I actually contemplated making an emergency plane flight to the timeshare company's headquarters in Florida to make sure it got cancelled. I got a hold of someone from the company who said I could FedEx it overnight to them.
I got out of my timeshare deed. What a relief. Now it was on to the timeshare resale market to get myself a real deal.
Chris Crompton is a timeshare and resort vacationing expert. His free timeshare mini-course summarizes the right way to buy timeshares. This resource is available at http://www.TimeshareVacationing.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Crompton
Timeshare Sales Presentations - 3 Biggest Lies
Timeshare Sales Presentations: 3 Biggest Lies
By Chris Crompton
Fifty timeshare owners were recently surveyed about their timeshare sales presentation experiences. Over 90% were given lies by the timeshare salesperson. Here are the top three:
1. "The time you purchase will trade for anything, anywhere, anytime."
Truth be told, exchanging can be very tricky. There is a complex system in place to determine the "trading power" between two resorts. Basically the system tries to match like units with like units. Owners of a peak season unit at one resort, can likely trade for a peak season unit at another resort. All "peak seasons," however, are not created equal. Your ability to exchange for what you want, when you want it is never certain.
Nearly half of the respondents felt they had been lied to regarding the exchanging or trading power of their home resort. Victims were told such lies as, "We have the highest demand of any timeshare in the system."
Nearly every timeshare has the ability to be exchanged for another. There are 3rd party networks of resorts which manage this process. Occasionally you can buy at a crumby resort and trade for a great one. This is by far the exception to the rule.
Exchanging can also be very expensive. One of the major timeshare exchange companies charges $250 to act as the middle-man in an exchange between two timeshare owners. This is about 25% of the price you'd pay to rent the unit.
2. "You can make money renting your unit."
Most timeshare owners must go into debt to purchase their timeshare from the developer. They go into debt so willingly because they are often told they can rent out their unit and actually make some extra money.
The problem is that timeshare owners generally have no idea how to effectively rent out their unit. The resort is more than happy with this situation as they usually provide a service to rent out the unit for the owner -- for a fee. This fee is typically around 35% of the rental price. And they don't guarantee a rental. If it doesn't rent, you're out of luck. This is definitely not a guarantee.
Every timeshare unit also comes with yearly maintenance fees. These fees cover upkeep and taxes at the home resort and range from $500-$1000 per unit per year. Often an aggressively-priced timeshare rental doesn't even cover these fees.
3. "This deal is only good for today."
This is a standard sales line if ever there was one. Creating a sense of urgency to get the sale is one of the oldest tricks in the book. This is a lie. You don't have to act today. The greatly overpriced timeshare will be available tomorrow as well. They will never refuse your money when there is so much commission on the line.
Even with all the unethical selling techniques, 97% of the respondents were happy with their home timeshare resort/network. One respondent summed it up when she said, "Most people just do not realize that using timeshares is such an affordable way to see the world!"
Timeshares are a great product if you know how to buy them and use them. A thriving timeshare resale market exists. You will rarely if ever get the best deal when you buy directly from the developer.
Chris Crompton is a timeshare and resort vacationing expert. His free timeshare mini-course summarizes the right way to buy timeshares. This resource is available at http://www.TimeshareVacationing.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Crompton
By Chris Crompton
Fifty timeshare owners were recently surveyed about their timeshare sales presentation experiences. Over 90% were given lies by the timeshare salesperson. Here are the top three:
1. "The time you purchase will trade for anything, anywhere, anytime."
Truth be told, exchanging can be very tricky. There is a complex system in place to determine the "trading power" between two resorts. Basically the system tries to match like units with like units. Owners of a peak season unit at one resort, can likely trade for a peak season unit at another resort. All "peak seasons," however, are not created equal. Your ability to exchange for what you want, when you want it is never certain.
Nearly half of the respondents felt they had been lied to regarding the exchanging or trading power of their home resort. Victims were told such lies as, "We have the highest demand of any timeshare in the system."
Nearly every timeshare has the ability to be exchanged for another. There are 3rd party networks of resorts which manage this process. Occasionally you can buy at a crumby resort and trade for a great one. This is by far the exception to the rule.
Exchanging can also be very expensive. One of the major timeshare exchange companies charges $250 to act as the middle-man in an exchange between two timeshare owners. This is about 25% of the price you'd pay to rent the unit.
2. "You can make money renting your unit."
Most timeshare owners must go into debt to purchase their timeshare from the developer. They go into debt so willingly because they are often told they can rent out their unit and actually make some extra money.
The problem is that timeshare owners generally have no idea how to effectively rent out their unit. The resort is more than happy with this situation as they usually provide a service to rent out the unit for the owner -- for a fee. This fee is typically around 35% of the rental price. And they don't guarantee a rental. If it doesn't rent, you're out of luck. This is definitely not a guarantee.
Every timeshare unit also comes with yearly maintenance fees. These fees cover upkeep and taxes at the home resort and range from $500-$1000 per unit per year. Often an aggressively-priced timeshare rental doesn't even cover these fees.
3. "This deal is only good for today."
This is a standard sales line if ever there was one. Creating a sense of urgency to get the sale is one of the oldest tricks in the book. This is a lie. You don't have to act today. The greatly overpriced timeshare will be available tomorrow as well. They will never refuse your money when there is so much commission on the line.
Even with all the unethical selling techniques, 97% of the respondents were happy with their home timeshare resort/network. One respondent summed it up when she said, "Most people just do not realize that using timeshares is such an affordable way to see the world!"
Timeshares are a great product if you know how to buy them and use them. A thriving timeshare resale market exists. You will rarely if ever get the best deal when you buy directly from the developer.
Chris Crompton is a timeshare and resort vacationing expert. His free timeshare mini-course summarizes the right way to buy timeshares. This resource is available at http://www.TimeshareVacationing.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Crompton
The Cheap Vacations Are Found At Luxury Resorts
The Cheap Vacations Are Found At Luxury Resorts
By Chris Crompton
Hotels are typically our first option when choosing vacation accommodations. This is no surprise. Where else would we stay? Everyone knows that when you are out of town, you stay in a hotel. We see them on the side of the road and littering the beaches. Hotels are advertised on every travel website. So when we plan our family vacations, our goal is often limited to simply getting the best price on a "hotel." And that we do. We are proud of ourselves and our $100 a night accommodations.
The hotel room is not a shocker. We know what to expect. We are immediately greeted with the bathroom. Straight ahead is the window with those one-inch thick curtains. To the right is the bed (or maybe two). We are happy when there is a nice chair with a table next to it. We are really living in luxury if there is a private bedroom, but we would have paid $200 or more a night for that option.
I have news for you. You are spending far too much for far too little. How happy would you be if I informed of the option to vacation at a luxury resort for the same price or cheaper than the average hotel room?
Now imagine walking into your resort accommodations. Walking in the front door, you would see a full kitchen off to your left. Straight ahead is the living room with a couch, chair, and love seat facing an entertainment center. The whole place is decorated very tastefully. Windows line the far wall. The master bedroom is off to the left, with a whirlpool tub in the private bathroom. Just before walking into the second bedroom to your right, you notice a closet containing a washer and dryer.
Do you realize that those resort accommodations will cost you the same or less than much smaller hotel lodging? The price for a week at a luxury resort generally runs $600 - $1500 a week, or about $85-$215 a night. When you also consider the fact that your full kitchen can be used as a dining out replacement, you've really got a money saving option.
So what's the catch? Resort rental is so cheap because there are thousands of timeshare owners who have purchased these units and are now trying to rent them out. Dozens of websites are dedicated to just this -- helping timeshare owners rent out their unused resort units. Be aware that resorts rent out units in full week increments. You can't use this option for an overnight business trip. That's what hotels are for.
Chris Crompton is a timeshare and resort vacationing expert. His free 15-page special report, "Resort Vacationing: How to Take Cheap Vacations to Luxury Resorts" is available at http://www.ResortVacationing.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Crompton
By Chris Crompton
Hotels are typically our first option when choosing vacation accommodations. This is no surprise. Where else would we stay? Everyone knows that when you are out of town, you stay in a hotel. We see them on the side of the road and littering the beaches. Hotels are advertised on every travel website. So when we plan our family vacations, our goal is often limited to simply getting the best price on a "hotel." And that we do. We are proud of ourselves and our $100 a night accommodations.
The hotel room is not a shocker. We know what to expect. We are immediately greeted with the bathroom. Straight ahead is the window with those one-inch thick curtains. To the right is the bed (or maybe two). We are happy when there is a nice chair with a table next to it. We are really living in luxury if there is a private bedroom, but we would have paid $200 or more a night for that option.
I have news for you. You are spending far too much for far too little. How happy would you be if I informed of the option to vacation at a luxury resort for the same price or cheaper than the average hotel room?
Now imagine walking into your resort accommodations. Walking in the front door, you would see a full kitchen off to your left. Straight ahead is the living room with a couch, chair, and love seat facing an entertainment center. The whole place is decorated very tastefully. Windows line the far wall. The master bedroom is off to the left, with a whirlpool tub in the private bathroom. Just before walking into the second bedroom to your right, you notice a closet containing a washer and dryer.
Do you realize that those resort accommodations will cost you the same or less than much smaller hotel lodging? The price for a week at a luxury resort generally runs $600 - $1500 a week, or about $85-$215 a night. When you also consider the fact that your full kitchen can be used as a dining out replacement, you've really got a money saving option.
So what's the catch? Resort rental is so cheap because there are thousands of timeshare owners who have purchased these units and are now trying to rent them out. Dozens of websites are dedicated to just this -- helping timeshare owners rent out their unused resort units. Be aware that resorts rent out units in full week increments. You can't use this option for an overnight business trip. That's what hotels are for.
Chris Crompton is a timeshare and resort vacationing expert. His free 15-page special report, "Resort Vacationing: How to Take Cheap Vacations to Luxury Resorts" is available at http://www.ResortVacationing.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Crompton
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Resort and Cruise Program
Once Again Our Program is Almost Full and it's only April
Every year we release a limited amount of our Resort and Cruise Programs, and once again they have been snatched up by people that want to Enjoy The Benefits Of Owning A Timeshare Without The Financial Burden.
We fill vacancies for Timeshare Companies like R.C.I. Exchange, Marriot, Hilton, Fairfield, and many more. Resort holiday rentals in Over 5000 Vacation Destinations in 100 Countries to choose from.
Up to 3 bedroom condominiums available for only $299 - $575 USD per week per unit Anywhere in the World and Anytime of Year. Much less expensive than a hotel and more than enough room for the whole family.
Take advantage of our rewards program, with us Every 4th Resort Holiday Rental is FREE
Save Hundreds of Dollars and Hours of Your Precious Time With our Cruise Network!
Instead of you spending hours trying to find a good deal on a cruise only to pay too much in the end anyways. Wouldn't it be great if you had A Network of Cruise Brokers and Consolidators Competing to provide you with the Lowest Cruise Rates.
Sit back, relax and let the Cruise Wholesalers and Brokers Outbid Each Other For Your Business!
Resort and Cruise Program
Every year we release a limited amount of our Resort and Cruise Programs, and once again they have been snatched up by people that want to Enjoy The Benefits Of Owning A Timeshare Without The Financial Burden.
We fill vacancies for Timeshare Companies like R.C.I. Exchange, Marriot, Hilton, Fairfield, and many more. Resort holiday rentals in Over 5000 Vacation Destinations in 100 Countries to choose from.
Up to 3 bedroom condominiums available for only $299 - $575 USD per week per unit Anywhere in the World and Anytime of Year. Much less expensive than a hotel and more than enough room for the whole family.
Take advantage of our rewards program, with us Every 4th Resort Holiday Rental is FREE
Save Hundreds of Dollars and Hours of Your Precious Time With our Cruise Network!
Instead of you spending hours trying to find a good deal on a cruise only to pay too much in the end anyways. Wouldn't it be great if you had A Network of Cruise Brokers and Consolidators Competing to provide you with the Lowest Cruise Rates.
Sit back, relax and let the Cruise Wholesalers and Brokers Outbid Each Other For Your Business!
Resort and Cruise Program
Resort Holiday Weeks
Try These Guys Out If you want a good deal on timeshare resorts in Cancun, mexico.
Timeshare Resort Mexico
Timeshare Resort Mexico
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