International travel plans are often contingent upon whether a traveler is able to obtain a visa to visit the foreign country. If the visa application is denied, or not received in time, the trip might have to be cancelled. While most travel insurance plans include trip cancellation coverage, benefits are only available if the trip is cancelled for one of the covered reasons listed in the policy. Most policies include a range of various reasons that can be covered, from jury duty to a death in the family, however, a denied or late visa application is not one of those covered reasons.
If a traveler is concerned this situation may keep their trip from happening, they should look for a policy offering cancel for any reason coverage. This allows a trip to be cancelled without any explanation, even if the reason is a visa being denied or not approved in time for the trip. There are some limitations to this coverage benefit. First, the coverage is only available for a short time from the initial trip deposit date, normally about 14 days, but some plans allow up to 30 days. Second, it usually is a selectable upgrade that raises the premium by 40% or more. Third, in order to use the coverage, the trip must be cancelled at least 2 days before the trip departure date. There is no coverage for a last minute change of mind. Next, a claim will reimburse less than the full trip cost, normally around 75%, depending on the plan. Last, the entire trip cost must be insured in order to qualify for cancel for any reason coverage. This means all pre-paid and non-refundable expenses of the trip have to be insured.
Remember, every policy has a money back guarantee of at least 10 days. This allows the traveler to cancel the travel insurance policy and receive a refund of the premium. Some long term travel medical plans offer the money back guarantee until the day before the scheduled departure date. So, if a visa is not received in time, they could be able to cancel their policy and get a refund.
Always refer to the certificate of insurance for details.
We can all feel a bit down now and again–a tough day at work or a disagreement with a friend or family member might make you want to hide under the covers. Fortunately, most blues usually pass, but if symptoms keep you down, then it’s time to call your doctor.
Depression is more than just a case of the blues. It’s an illness that affects the mind and the body, and you can’t just snap out of it by sheer force of will. The Mayo Clinic advises calling your doctor as soon as you can if you think you’re depressed. Depression can get worse if it’s left untreated and lead to other physical health problems. Treatment for depression, which may include medication, counseling or both, is covered under many medical insurance plans.
Most people do get better with treatment, a trend noted by insurers. Today, in many cases, diagnosis and treatment for depression no longer disqualifies applicants for preferred life insurance rates.
Identifying depression
How can you tell if you have depression? Symptoms vary but may include:
- Persistent sad, anxious or empty feelings
- A sense of hopelessness or pessimism
- Changes in eating or sleeping habits
- Loss of interest in activities once pleasurable, including sex
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Persistent aches and pains
Steps toward improvement
Make an appointment with your doctor if you think you might be depressed. If you begi
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The average cost of insuring a car for young drivers has soared to a record high of £3,688, according to figures from moneysupermarket.com – but there are things you can do to keep insurance bills down. Newly qualified drivers face the steepest annual premiums at around an eye-watering £5,957.
Drivers aged between 17 and 22 could therefore face monthly payments of as much as £546 when opting to pay by instalments, which typically adds an extra 10% onto premiums.
With more than 448,000 young drivers passing their UK driving test each year, many have therefore been forced to give up their dreams of independence altogether – even after saving up for a car.
As one 18-year-old moneysupermarket.com user said on our forum: “I am trying to insure a 1998 1.25 Ford fiesta Vetec after passing my driving test last month.
“I have shopped around and tried adding my mum and dad to my insurance, but it is still £5,000 just for third party cover. It’s very frustrating as I can’t afford that and my car is only worth £900.”
Desperate measures
Some young drivers are resorting to dangerous and illegal measures to get on the road.
These include driving with no insurance in place at all. And
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Nobody wants to get into an accident, but over the course of a lifetime, many of us will have at least one fender bender. While an accident can be a hassle, most of us will simply call the police and a tow truck and begin the auto insurance claims process.
Unfortunately, there are places where having a collision is much more complicated. Here are the six worst roads to get into an accident.
1. The Loneliest Road, Nevada
This stretch of U.S. Highway 50 runs from Ely to Fernly in Nevada. It covers 287 miles and passes through nine small towns with just a few gas pumps. The Loneliest Road was given its nickname by Life magazine in 1986 and AAA warns motorists “not to drive there unless they’re confident in their survival skills.”
You can literally drive for hours without passing another vehicle, so if you are in a collision it will be awhile before the police arrive to take your accident report. If you decide to drive this road, plan ahead and carry the proper supplies.
2. U.S. Interstate 70 in Utah
I-70 runs from Cove Fort, Utah across the country and ends near Baltimore, Md. While the majority of I-70 is well serviced, there are parts of it in the Utah desert that are largely desolate. For example, the stretch from Salina to Green River is a 107-mile drive that has absolutely no service stations. Both Salina and Green River have a highway patrol station, but if you end up in a car wreck somewhere between these two towns, it may be a long time before patrolmen are able to reach you – and that’s assuming your cell phone has reception and you’re able to call for help. If your c
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Travel disruption caused by Icelandic volcanic ash has reaffirmed the need for travel insurance – but older travellers face a battle to find competitively priced cover. New figures from consumer champion Which? reveal that a quarter of travel insurance providers refuse to even consider offering cover to new customers who are 65 or over.
For travellers in their 80s the problem is even more severe, with some nine in 10 insurers rejecting applications from people in this age group as a matter of course. And even among those firms that do continue to cover people when they turn 65, premiums can triple overnight.
An annual worldwide travel insurance policy with Essential Travel, for example, costs £58.72 a year for people who are under 65, but soars to £205.51 for consumers over this age, Which? researchers found.
Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which?, said: “It’s absurd that you could wake up one morning and suddenly be three times more expensive to insure.
“Insurers should take a more common sense approach and look at factors other than age when setting premiums.”
Where can older travellers find competitive travel insurance?
Which? found that almost nine in 10 of the insurers offering single trip travel policies have an upper age limit, while just 29% will cover people in their 80s.
But fortunately for older Britons with itchy feet, there are a number of insurers that continue to cater for their needs. And the best place to find them – also according to the Which? report – is online.
A quick search of the moneysupermarket.com website, for example, reveals that a man born in 1940 and looking for annual European-wide insurance can pay from £57.26 with EHICPlus. It
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Home and auto insurance company Allstate is buying Esurance as well as Answer Financial for about $1 billion. Allstate told USA TODAY that the purchase will give customers more options among insurance carriers. Esurance sells auto insurance online and through call centers while Answer Financial is an independent personal insurance agency, according to USA TODAY.
Esurance sells auto insurance directly to customers online and through call centers. Answer Financial is an independent personal insurance agency. “Consumers today expect to have their specific needs met by their insurance companies. Our strategy is to focus on individual preferences and utilize different value propositions for distinct consumer segments,” Allstate President, Chairman and CEO Thomas J. Wilson said in a news release.
Esurance is the third-largest provider of online auto insurance quotes. It also has a 24/7 call center and is the third most recognized brand for online auto insurance sales. “Our Allstate agencies do an outstanding job of serving customers who want a local personal touch and prefer to purchase a branded product. Esurance will expand our ability to service customers that are more self-directed but still prefer a branded product,” says Wilson.