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Monday, March 8th
If you've ever gotten a travel insurance policy through a travel agent, it's likely you're familiar with Travel Guard. Backed by insurance giant AIG, Travel Guard is one of the best-known companies within the industry.
3 travel insurance plans
They currently offer 3 basic plans for your travel insurance needs:
To get your quote, you'll need to enter your destination, whether you're traveling by air or sea, the dates of your trip, and the trip cost. From there you'll be taken to a results page showing your options for all 3 available plans. For our quote, children were included at no additional cost for the Silver and Gold plans but not for the Platinum package - it seems that the highest level of coverage would have the most benefits, but apparently not.
Upgrades and limitations
The Platinum and Gold coverage both had Cancel for Any Reason as an optional upgrade, and all three plans offered a Pre-existing Condition Waiver if coverage was purchased within a specific timeframe of the initial deposit (usually 15 days).
One interesting limitation is that all travelers must live in the state of residence entered. We're not sure how this would work for grandparents traveling with grandkids who live in another state or for friends traveling together who live on opposite sides of the country.
Great reputation
Travel Guard enjoys an A+ rating as an accredited business with the BBB and has been in operation for nearly 40 years. Their reputation is positive, as shown by the fact that many comparison travel insurance sites include Travel Guard policies. But, shopping directly through Travel Guard does limit you to only 3 base plans that may not have all of the options you could get through a higher-ranked travel insurance site.
The last time you took a trip, did you have travel insurance? If you were impacted by a natural disaster, suffered the hassle of lost baggage, or had a medical emergency, chances are good that you were wishing you had purchased a policy!
When it comes to tavel insurance, some people make the mistake of thinking that their credit card company offers protection, only to find out that their travel problems aren't covered. Other people forego travel insurance, assuming that their traditional health insurance policy will be enough to cover medical expenses - only to discover that it can't be used in another country.
Like most types of insurance, travel insurance is bought in the hopes that you'll never need it. But, for most travelers, it's worth the added expense for the protection it provides.
Just like more traditional forms of insurance, such as medical and auto, travel insurance varies in terms of coverage, options, and costs. Depending on what you select, your policy may cover just the bare basics, like trip cancellation/interruption and baggage/personal items coverage. Or, you may opt for a very comprehensive plan that allows you to cancel your trip for any reason - not the standard list of covered cancellation reasons - and includes coverage for accidental death, emergency evacuation from a foreign country, and so forth.
There are many different companies that specialize in travel insurance. How do you know which one to choose? As you consider your options, here are several aspects to keep in mind:
TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best Travel Insurance companies currently available. We're confident that this information will help you select the right travel insurance policy to cover yourself - and your travel companions - in the event of any unforeseen complications with your trip!
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