Honeymoon Travellers

Tips for a Happy Honeymoon 

With 62% of newly married couples paying for their honeymoon, there is a lot to consider when planning for the big trip.¹ Whether it's a getaway to enjoy white sand beaches and sun or to tour ancient ruins and learn about a different culture, take note of some of these important honeymoon travel tips that may make planning and enjoying the trip a bit easier. Know someone getting married soon? Forward them these helpful honeymoon tips; they'll be grateful for the insider information! 

Honeymoon Registry
Have you heard of the latest craze? Have your wedding guests pay for part of, or your entire honeymoon. Honeymoon registries allow wedding guests to contribute funds to your special trip and even sponsor specific activities you wish to enjoy while you are there! 

Say "I do" to your Differences
Do you like adventure travel while your significant other would much rather be sunbathing on a beach all day? So that you don't create rifts when planning your trip of a lifetime, make sure you communicate before you begin to plan so that both of you can get maximum enjoyment out of your vacation. 

Honeymoon, Under Wraps
While you're planning your honeymoon, refrain from sharing the type of trip it is if you're on a tight budget. Some entities may charge you extra because they know that couples are willing to splurge on their special getaway. However, after your travel planning is complete and your reservations are made it may pay to share that you're arriving for your honeymoon – some places will give you free upgrades or complimentary items. 

Details, Details...
Planning a honeymoon can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pull out all the stops, upgrade from average to amazing, and enjoy special splurges. Some ideas? How about planning a private helicopter tour or a luxury spa day together? Have a chef prepare a custom meal just for the two of you, or arrange to take a private tour of the nearest escape. 

Copies of Documentation
After you've created your itinerary be sure to make copies of it to share with family and friends. Keep an additional copy for yourself. That way, your family will know where you are in case problems arise back home. Additionally, you may want to register your travel plans with the U.S. State Department. Registration allows the Department of State to assist you and contact family or friends in case of an emergency. 

Pack Travel Insurance
Your honeymoon is a time to relax after the stressful planning of your wedding. A travel insurance plan with 24/7 assistance may help to take stress off your mind so that you can concentrate on enjoying your vacation. Travel Guard's 'round the clock assistance can go to work on your behalf re-booking flights and hotels, finding lost luggage and more. Plus a travel insurance plan can cover you for things like travel delays due to inclement weather, trip cancellation/interruption and medical expenses so that you can book your vacation with confidence. To find out more simply ask your travel agent, call800.851.0048 or visit www.biis.ca. 

Check out more tips on planning a romantic getaway here! 

Sources: 
¹ http://honeymoons.about.com/cs/eurogen1/a/weddingstats.htm
Travel Guard 

Bridges International Insurance Services
http://biis.ca

You could be arrested even when you have no idea that you have committed a crime.

Sampling exotic cuisine and experiencing new cultures is half the fun of vacationing abroad! But when a country’s customs and laws are unfamiliar, it’s easy for travellers to make mistakes. In a foreign country, a little blunder can turn into a big legal nightmare! Luckily, Travel Underwriters' international assistance services, including a unique 24/7 legal referral hotline, can help our customers if they find themselves in such a bind.

These real life examples show the benefits:

After buying a mask worth less than $7 Canadian dollars at a local market in Turkey, a woman was arrested while boarding her cruise ship. She had unwittingly purchased an antiquity, which is illegal in Turkey. In this case, who would she turn to for help? With a different legal system and a language barrier, the woman could have been in big trouble. But thanks to the referral service offered, the woman was able to get local legal counsel quickly to resolve the matter.

An elderly couple was given a speeding ticket while driving through Oregon, on their way to Arizona. Little did they know that state law required them to appear in court, even just to pay the ticket. Not only did the legal hotline advise them on the legal issue, but they also worked with the court to pay the fine without the couple needing to go to court.

How does the legal hotline work?

If our clients end up in a legal situation, Travel Underwriters will refer them to the 24-hour legal hotline, ensuring they have someone in their corner when they need it most, even in non-medical emergencies! 
Please do some research on some of the local customs and norms before you go.

For a list of other international assistance services, provided by Travel Underwriters, see the last page of your policy wording.

Hope this helps.

Bridges International Insurance Services 

All you need about wise travelling

It is spring break now and Easter is approaching soon, here are a few tips to keep in mind if you’re travelling abroad during your holiday vacations.

1. Book last-minute

It’s advisable to book flights between 60 and 90 days before an anticipated date of departure. That ideal time-frame has now passed, leaving many fliers scrambling to find holiday fare deals. But all is not lost! Data shows that airlines this year were perhaps a bit too aggressive with pricing early on, leaving seats still to be filled. Lucky for procrastinator, flash sales are popping up left and right and the best is possibly yet to come. Start scanning various travel websites now, as early December bookers could save the most on holiday flights. 

2. Shop online
In an era of ever-increasing baggage fees, it’s best to show up at the airport with as little to check in as possible. Lucky for those with long wish lists, nearly everything nowadays can be found — and shipped — thanks to the glorious Internet. So it’s best if you travel light minus gifts, it also means less to get through security and less on your credit card.

3. Ship gifts
If you've found a gift at a great rate or a specialty item during your holiday shopping sprees, then of course seize the deal. But if it doesn't fit in your carry-on, you may want to ship it via a courier company. Do the math a week before to see what will cost you less: a tracked package or an extra bag. If it’s the latter, remember to leave your gifts unwrapped so security can easily access the contents.

4. Save the air miles
Miles get tricky around holidays, especially since Low Points seats for the most popular travel dates sell out very fast. There’s that, plus some airlines implement the never-popular blackout dates. Accumulated miles, whether through an airline or a credit card, are used most economically either when travel plans are booked early or travelers have flexibility with their itinerary. Keep in mind — save the points during holidays unless you snag a great deal.

5. Purchase a hand sanitizers
The most wonderful time of the year is also the most stiffly time of the year for many travelers  Keep that in mind before you head for the airport, and pack plenty of hand sanitizers to help fend off germs. There’s nothing worse than realizing during ascent that you’re stuck in a cabin full of recycled air with a sickly seatmate. Fill your prescriptions, drink lots of water, and wash your hands often— whatever it takes to guarantee your holidays will be spent both joyfully and in healthy way. 

6. Plan ahead and expect delays
Flight delays are pretty much a guarantee this time of the year, whether it’s crowded airports, bad weather or mechanical problems causing them. There’s a way to plan ahead so that getting stuck behind infrequent fliers and families at airport security doesn't cause anxiety. First, avoid connections if you can when booking, even if it means paying a little more. If a connection is a must, then ensure there’s a long enough layover in case your first flight is late to land. On the day of travel, get to the airport earlier, way earlier than you typically would. Worst-case scenario: You spend extra time with your Kindle at the departure gate or relaxing at the airport bar or can go shopping for light items like book or a a nice travel magazine. It’s also advisable to carry a good quality map along with you, and study it carefully, so at least you get an idea of the place you’re visiting.

7. Pack an empty suitcase
If the price is right, bringing an extra piece of luggage on your trip can be a frugal decision. Then, when it comes time to transporting the gifts you've received home, you’ll have an empty suitcase to fill. Either pack fold-up duffel in your luggage or bring a separate bag if it means you won’t get hit with high-priced baggage fees. First, calculate what it will cost to ship your gifts home, then plan and pack accordingly.

8.  Get travel medical insurance with adequate coverage

Insurers vary in their definitions and conditions of coverage. So read the summary of benefits; the limitations and exclusions; and some of the key definitions. Understand what you are buying. The peace of mind is worth it.

For more information on travel insurance, visit us at www.biis.ca or call 1-888-267-4461.

     

Canadians taking expensive risk by not buying travel insurance: BMO Insurance study

Canadians who vacation without travel insurance are taking an expensive risk that they won’t be sick or injured while away.

Findings from BMO Insurace’s online Summer Travel Insurance Study, conducted last month by Pollara and involving a random sample of 1,000 Canadian adults, show that extra medical costs could put a damper on the fun.

Costs related to breaking a leg while travelling in the United States could run as high as $20,000, and treatment for decompression sickness in Thailand can be as much as $40,000, notes a statement from BMO Insurance.

“While Canadians can sometimes be covered under the terms of their credit card or workplace healthcare plan, they need to be certain that the correct insurance is in place given the high cost of medical services that can be incurred while away from home,” says Julie Barker-Merz, vice president and chief operating officer of BMO Insurance.

Forty per cent of respondents reported that, at some point in their lives while traveling, either they required medical attention or a travel companion did.

That situation is not a good fit with the study’s other findings, including that six in 10 respondents do not regularly purchase travel insurance before traveling. Only half knew that those travelling outside of Canada without medical insurance are responsible for covering the vast majority of medical expenses themselves.

“Just like packing sunscreen and cancelling the newspaper before leaving home, making sure you have travel medical insurance should be a high priority item on any traveller’s ‘vacation to-do list’,” Barker-Merz says.

BMO Insurance advises those selecting a travel insurance policy to:

• get enough insurance (including for medical and dental coverage, air ambulance and airfare and lodging expenses for a family member);
• understand who pays (a traveller may need to pay for medical care up front); and
• read the fine print (ensure any issues are clarified with the insurer before leaving home) 

News from Canadian Underwriter.ca  July, 5, 2012

Travel Insurance Quote for Canadians.

Message from Dr Michael Moreton

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Your vacation is coming up; it’s all so exciting you can hardly sit still. Passports found and checked, flights booked and confirmed, hotels selected and reservations made, clothes chosen and packed, travelers cheques purchased, arrangements made for friends to feed the dog and check your house.

Is there anything you have forgotten? What about Travel Insurance? Oh sure, travel insurance, that’s dull stuff, do you really need that? You’ve never lost a bag and you have a good feeling about things, there is no need for Travel Insurance.

WRONG! There is a very definite need for Travel Insurance and the need is much greater for Canadians than for many other people and yet many travelers are very casual about obtaining it.

Travel Insurance covers many eventualities. If your flight is cancelled and you are stranded or if your bag is missing and you are in a strange place without even a toothbrush, the insurance will help to defray your expenses.
These, however, are not the most important or expensive eventualities that are covered. The most important is Health Care Insurance for Canadians abroad or expatriate while you are out of the country.

British travelers are more casual about purchasing this type of insurance than are Americans or Europeans. The NHS, with all its faults, is always there for you and many people rarely think about private Health Insurance. This is spite of the fact that your NHS coverage is of no help when you are out of the country.

The concept of the ‘uninsured patient” is not part of the British, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand experience. Neither is the phenomenon of patients being turned away from hospitals as they have no insurance or cannot document their coverage. But if you are taken ill or injured in a foreign country and you do not have travel insurance you are an uninsured patient and may have trouble getting care.

Robert Jackson was looking forward to his visit to South East Asia. He spent several months planning his trip. Reading the history of the countries that he would visit and creating a demanding schedule for himself. He was planning to travel to the less visited areas in Northern Thailand and visit as many of the holy sites as he could cram into his schedule. He had not had any serious illness for several years and his Family Doctor and the local NHS hospital had taken care of all his minor Health problems. He did not obtain any travel insurance.

He had many plans but not planning on visiting the Intensive Care Unit of a Bangkok Hospital, he was not planning on spending over forty-eight hours unconscious, he was not planning on multiple surgeries, neither was he planning on intensive rehabilitation, but that is just what he got.

In spite of the fact that he was not too agile and had never ridden a motor-bike in over ten years, he decided to rent a motor bike and ride around the back roads in Thailand. A truck that he was following too closely suddenly braked. Robert flew through the air and landed on his face in the road. Fortunately he was transported into the city quickly and brought to the Bangkok Hospital Medical Center, a tertiary care JCI Accredited facility. As he was unconscious he was admitted to the Neurological Intensive Care unit.

His family was contacted and consent for treatment obtained. They were not aware if Robert had any private Health Insurance and were reluctant to guarantee payment for the care. In spite of this he received excellent care and is now on his way to full recovery after multiple surgeries for his facial fractures and skin grafting to other wounds. He was obliged to take out a considerable bank loan to cover his care.

Melanie Albert was working as a volunteer in a children’s care home in Cambodia. After eating a very spicy dinner one evening she started to have abdominal pain. Thinking it was indigestion she initially ignored the pain but by the following morning realized that this might be something more serious than an upset stomach. She had not obtained any insurance when she left Canada and naively thought that the province would cover her medical expenses while out of the country. After been seen in the clinic she was flown to Bangkok. A diagnosis of Appendicitis was made and she had an operation on the same day. Her family came out from Canada and were able to have funds transferred to cover the cost of her care.

She was particularly fortunate as she was able to get to Bangkok on a commercial flight. If she had needed to have a special air-ambulance the cost would have been enormous. One of the features that is always included in Travel Insurance is Evacuation Insurance, this covers the cost of you being transported to a good medical center close to your accident or where you were taken ill.

It also covers the expense of getting you home after treatment has reached that point that you are ready to travel. Recently another British patient needed to be transported back to Canada after Surgery and Intensive Care treatment for a collapsed lung which happened quite spontaneously and without warning.
He needed a nurse and a doctor to travel with him as he was taking anti-coagulants and there was the possibility that he might need extra oxygen on the flight. He was flown from Bangkok to London; he traveled Business class with his two attendants. Luckily he had good coverage for this very expensive journey.

These three patients were all fit young people with no previous medical illnesses who had no reason to believe that they would need hospital care during their vacation. That is the whole point about Insurance it is there to help you when the unexpected happens

Travel Insurance is surprisingly inexpensive and for a young person may be as little as $25 for a three week vacation. I would suggest that you purchase this before you leave home. The Information Center that the insurer provides can be very useful to you, as they will be able to direct you to the best Medical facility wherever you are in the world.

Whatever insurance you have, keep the details of the policy and call center number with you, on your person, at all times. I hope you have a wonderful trip and do not need any medical services, but it is best to plan for all eventualities.

Dr Michael Moreton trained as an Obstetrician and Gynecologist in Montreal, Canada. He practised in Ottawa, then in Beijing and Shanghai. He is the International Medical Coordinator at the Bangkok Hospital Medical Center. Bangkok, Thailand.
Moreton@bgh.co.th

Canadians Lagging Behind Worldwide Travelers for Travel Insurance

Survey results from pollsters Ipsos Reid and on-line travel community TripAdvisor published earlier this summer have found that Canadian leisure travelers are not protecting themselves while away from home. Moreover, Canadians are lagging behind travelers in other parts of the world.

Is this due to a lack of understanding of the benefits of proper travel insurance coverage, or is there more to this disturbing trend that is placing Canadians at greater risk of financial and medical hazard? It would appear that for many, Canada’s long-standing faith in the country’s healthcare system may be to blame.

Ipsos Reid polled more than 2,200 Canadians in the spring of 2008 and found that 50.1 per cent of them who travel to the US ‘always of usually’ buy travel insurance. In contrast, results from a worldwide survey of some 3,700 TripAdvisor members found that 75 per cent of worldwide respondents, and 60 per cent of US respondents, purchased travel insurance in the last year. Why such a disparity on coverage?

In part, it’s due to our mistaken belief that our existing provincial medical coverage will protect us should we need it abroad, or anywhere else in the country. Yet the reality is that our universal healthcare system only covers a fraction of any medical emergency outside of a traveler’s home province, not to mention it’s also very different from one region of the country to the next.

For example, some of the highest coverage rates for medical expenses come from the Maritime provinces, whereas some of the lowest can be found in British Columbia where residents rarely receiver more than $75 a day for emergency medical costs.

Due to these regional differences, the Ipsos Reid survey found that as many as 60 per cent of all British Columbians polled purchased travel insurance for travel to the US, whereas only 40.7 per cent of Maritimes do. As for inter-provincial travel, only 38.2 per cent of Canadian respondents said they protected themselves with additional travel coverage.

The reality is the most Canadians are not positioned to pay out thousands of dollars in hospital bills or expect to have to deal with the disappointing loss of their hard-earned vacation due to cancellations or interruptions. It’s true that some travelers feel that their employment or credit card insurance plans adequately cover them; however the truth is that most won’t cover up-front payments for things as basic as ambulance fees.

It’s important to learn the benefits of a property-protected vacation. In doing so, travelers will not only continue to turn them as their insurance experts, but they will also benefit from the peace of mind and protection that is so important when away from home.

A Hernia in Hawaii

Claim Story

You wouldn’t think a hernia could cause so much trouble. But that’s just what happened to Monica on her vacation in Hawaii. She and her husband Jonathan wisely purchased TIC’s Emergency Hospital & Medical for Canadians before they left on their trip.

Everything was going great, as vacations tend to do. Then on the forth day a large wave knocked Monica off her feet during her swim. She was hurt so her husband Jonathan took her to the hospital.

Doctors told Monica that she had a hernia. They recommended surgery. Unfortunately, she had just eaten a large lunch and the surgeon wanted to wait eight hours.

During this time TIC went into action, communicating with the hospital, arranging billing and faxing medical authorizations.

Jonathan was worried about his wife’s operation because she had just recently had a caesarian section. We wanted to make sure everything turned out okay so our medical consultant phoned throughout her hospital admission, asking for updates on Monica’s condition.

In the end, Jonathan happily reported that his wife’s surgery was a success. Doctors gave her a prescription for medication and urged her to avoid effort. Both Monica and Jonathan were impressed they had an insurance company that cared.

When they found out how much their bill was, they were ecstatic that they had bought TIC’s travel insurance. The total cost of the surgery and hospital stay was $11,145 Cdn.
We arranged for the hospital to bill us directly so Monica and Jonathan didn’t have to deal with that rather daunting amount of money. The hernia had already caused them enough grief, they didn’t need a financial headache on top