Feb 15th, 2013 at 12:00PM: Mandatory insurance. Those are two words that I hate to hear when I'm renting a car outside the U.S. On Thursday night, I spent an hour and a half in a Thrifty Rent a Car location near the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, trying to understand how an eight-day rental that I expected to pay $394 for was somehow going to cost me either $786 or $946. I'm an experienced traveler and I should have known ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
insurance posts
Mandatory Car Rental Insurance: Watch Out For Bait-And-Switch Pricing
Feb 15th, 2013 at 12:00PM: Mandatory insurance. Those are two words that I hate to hear when I'm renting a car outside the U.S. On Thursday night, I spent an hour and a half in a Thrifty Rent a Car location near the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, trying to understand how an eight-day rental that I expected to pay $394 for was somehow going to cost me either $786 or $946. I'm an experienced traveler and I should have known ...Out-Of-State Moving Checklist: Tips For Relocating And How To Survive The Drive
Jul 28th, 2012 at 10:00AM: As I mentioned in a recent post, I'm currently en route moving from Seattle to Boulder, Colorado. This isn't my first out-of-state relocation, by any means, and at this point, I've got it down to a science, after the movers haul away what I can't cram into my car.
Because summer is peak moving season, I thought I'd share some tips with y'all to make your pre-move checklist and journey less ...Adventure travelers: Your travel insurance ship has come in
Apr 29th, 2012 at 1:00PM: Adventure travelers have needs. Insurance needs that are unlike those of other travelers that choose a different, maybe easier path. Now, a major insurance plan provider has what they think is just what this edgy group needs.
With their new Great Outdoors plan, Travel Guard North America has enhanced coverage and benefits, offering a streamlined solution to travel insurance.
"A lot of time, ...Insurance gets a second look as travel world evolves
Mar 4th, 2012 at 4:00PM: Travel insurance was once something that only the most careful of travelers bought - an option that was easy to pass up and rarely used. But talk of airline bankruptcy, problems on a normally safe cruise vacation, and political unrest around the world have travelers taking a second look. Even impossible-to-predict natural disasters affecting travel are pushing consumers to buy. The travel industry ...Knocked up abroad: pregnant travel in the first trimester
Mar 16th, 2011 at 11:30AM: For more on pregnant travel, see parts 1 and 2 of Knocked up abroad: pregnancy in a foreign country here and here.
There's no question that having a baby changes you: your body, your lifestyle, even your shoe size. One thing I hoped not to change altogether was traveling, as long as it was reasonably safe and comfortable for me and the baby. From the beginning of my pregnancy in Istanbul, my ...Knocked up abroad: prenatal care and pregnancy advice in a foreign country
Feb 22nd, 2011 at 11:30AM: See part 1 of Knocked up abroad: getting pregnant in a foreign country here.
One of the best parts of my experience so far with pregnancy in a foreign country has been the excellent medical care I have in Istanbul. Like many other expats before me, as soon as I took a positive pregnancy test, I called up the American Hospital for an appointment. The hospital treats many foreigners each year, is ...Seven reasons cell phones kill people on road trips
Dec 8th, 2010 at 12:00PM: Even though Thanksgiving is behind us, there are still plenty of reasons to road trip before the end of the year. Well, there's one reason, really, and that's Christmas. But, a lot of people are going to get behind the wheel or whine in the back seat. Of course, we can expect a lot of people to be on their cell phones while they're driving about, according to the Insurance Information Institute's ...Ten things to know about your destination before you go
Nov 18th, 2010 at 10:00AM: So you've chosen your vacation destination - booked the tickets, agonized over TripAdvisor to find a hotel, and bought the guidebooks or downloaded the apps. Whether you like to plan your itinerary in advance or play it by ear, there are a few things you should research in advance to make your arrival - and your trip - go smoothly.
From airport taxis to local laws to transit passes, what should ...Getting drunk: Twenty cities that don't know how to handle their liquor
Oct 8th, 2010 at 9:00AM: California loves to get wasted! San Diego and San Jose are the top two cities that drink stupidly, according to a survey by Insurance.com. They lead the country in alcohol-related driving violations, a dubious distinction to say the least. So, if you step into the crosswalk in these two spots, take an extra second to look both ways.
The reasons for hitting this list vary and include proximity ...Travel insurance is about to get more expensive
Sep 22nd, 2010 at 1:00PM: Travel insurance rates are poised to spike – increases of more than 20 percent might even happen. According to travel insurance company P J Hayman, look for other changes, too, like restrictions on age and details around medical conditions. Says Peter Hayman, of the company that bears his name:
"With the summer holidays now over, travel insurers are now revising and renewing their schemes. ...If easyJet goes under, you're not screwed
Sep 14th, 2010 at 8:30AM: If easyJet were to go insolvent before you could take a package you've booked online with the company, fear not: you're insured. Since the beginning of the month, the European low-cost carrier has arranged with credit protection company International Passenger Protection to make sure customers don't lose out if the airline as a whole takes a nose dive.
According to Paul Phillips, group ...Short skirts, low necklines drive drivers to crash
Aug 2nd, 2010 at 12:00PM: The end of summer is fast approaching – can you believe it's August already! – and that means a last-minute road trip is bound to be on your list. Well, if you're planning to load the car, thrown in some music and put the pedal to the metal, it pays to keep your eyes on the road, especially for those of us who happen to be men. There is danger everywhere, especially above the knee.
...Dutch insurance firm offers world cup finals travel insurance
Jun 23rd, 2010 at 1:30PM: Unlike, say 98% of Americans, the Dutch are completely in love with football- so much in fact, that many of them would rather cancel their summer vacation than risk being stuck at a foreign camping site without a TV.
So, for those travelers, Dutch insurance firm "Europeesche" has introduced the World Cup Finals Cancellation Insurance. For a fee of 1% of the price of the vacation, plus the cost ...Travel insurance fraud means jail time
Jun 6th, 2010 at 9:00AM: So, is there such a thing as harmless travel insurance claim that isn't exactly accurate? Well, that's a good question for Shaun Taylor.
The Leeds resident was accused of making a whopping £40,000 in claims that affected eight insurance companies over five years. He got caught. Taylor received a suspended six-month prison sentence for 19 travel insurance fraud offenses ... in addition to ...Travel safety tips: Traveling with jewelry
Mar 29th, 2010 at 4:30PM: Jewelry is rarely at the top of my packing list. Truth be told, I've worn the same rings and earrings in nearly all my travels for the past several years. And other than the addition of a cheap, costume necklace or two for a night out, I generally don't pack any jewelry. But sooner or later, we all have to travel for some function where "the good stuff" needs to come along. Be it a family wedding ...Travel insurers pay mostly for Brits beaten up in Asia
Feb 23rd, 2010 at 12:00PM: It's a pretty specific trend, which makes you wonder just what the hell is going on. According to the latest data from travel insurance provider WorldNomads.com, more than 65 percent of all major claims submitted by UK travelers are for injuries sustained in Asia. North America, on the other hand, is only good for 25 percent ... I guess there aren't too many Brits twisting their ankles on the ...Eight rules for renting a car in a foreign country
Jan 9th, 2010 at 9:30AM:
Renting a car can be a great way to see a foreign country. Having your own wheels allows you the freedom to take your time, to stop for long lunches in the countryside, to turn down that little lane that looks interesting, and to go where public transportation won't take you. But, renting a car comes with its own set of challenges and dangers. Here are eight road rules to remember when renting ...Travel insurance for a recession-plagued world
Dec 17th, 2009 at 2:00PM: The woes visited upon the travel industry this year have forced consumers to cope with a variety of risks that simply weren't an issue a few years ago. With hotels struggling to pay their mortgages and airlines struggling to ... well, exist, as usual ... travelers need to think about what happens if one of these companies shuts its doors.
Direct Line travel insurance policies, it seems, are ...Tell your travel disaster story and win a $10,000 trip
Nov 28th, 2009 at 2:30PM: Does misfortune seem to follow you when you travel? Ever been delayed on the tarmac for 10 hours, arrived to find your luggage was lost, your hotel had burned down, and you'd misplaced your passport? If you've got the mother of all travel disaster stories, Travel Guard insurance wants to hear from you.
On December 1st, they're launching a contest to find the worst travel tale of woe, and the ...Guaranteed on Board program gives pet owners peace of mind
Sep 25th, 2009 at 12:30PM: Passengers flying with their pets have always had a rough time navigating the tricky rules surrounding pet carriers. And many have been frustrated to find that carriers that they thought were approved for travel in the plane's cabin were deemed unsuitable by gate agents. When that happens, many pet owners find themselves out of luck - unable to board the plane, but not eligible for a refund on the ...
