For many years, it was the phantom purchase in the travel industry: Holiday Insurance. Travel agents have been anxious to talk about the subject of holiday insurance being apprehensive of losing a contract. It was always considered to be a negative.

But not anymore! Now it doesn't matter whether it's your tour, your valuables, your baggage or your wellbeing, holiday insurance has become an indispensable part of any smart travelers' luggage. It means that if you fail to buy insurance, or the right kind of insurance, your tour could be in danger.

According to the most recent UK travel association information, approximately 30 percent of people purchased travel insurance, an overall increase of about 10 percent since before 2001. Surprisingly almost 70 percent of cruise line patrons buy holiday insurance. Some of the most common reasons are security against unexpected events, peace of mind, and the worry over losing your financial investment on the trip.
While most people who do not buy holiday insurance are conversant in flight and trip cancellation insurance, a lot of others are completely unaware of holiday insurance, baggage insurance and medical evacuation insurance.

Before you delve into what holiday insurance is, you need to know a few reasons you may have to know to buy holiday insurance?

1. Your flight getting canceled. Happens all the time, but it can still throw travel plans off and make you pay more to get to your scheduled destination.
2. Your bags are gone and your tablets are inside of it. If you need an emergency prescription, then holiday insurance can help.
3. You lose your wallet and the all-important passport. You will need a replacement passport and some emergency cash until you can get a replacement card.
4. If you're caught up in an accident and there is no sufficient medical cure available. You will need a medical evacuation and medical evacuation insurance can help.
5. You have to call off your trip because of an illness. Try to plan ahead but you can never plan for an illness, so that's where steps in.
6. Your airline, cruise line or tour guide goes broke. You will need to get your non-refundable costs paid for and to be able to reach your scheduled destination.
7. You're out of the country and you need emergency medical care. Things can happen on trips so you have to be prepared. Emergency medical care may just save your life.
8. A terrible event happens in the city that you're traveling in and you want to abandon your trip and return home. A lot of unexpected events can happen so just be prepared.
9. You have to leave your hotel, cruise ship or resort because of a hurricane or natural disaster.

Now that you have understood some pragmatic reasons as to why you should buy health insurance, wouldn't you go for it?

Among people who have purchased holiday insurance, only 50 percent were even alert to the scheme offering medical evacuation. There's even another kind of insurance that airlines are not rushing to tell air travelers about. They actually wish that you did not know anything about it. It's called excess valuation.

View the original article here

The worry among many of those travelling abroad to grab their annual two weeks in the sun is that their aircraft will experience some catastrophic failure while in the air. Statistically speaking, however, the chances of some relatively minor - but still holiday-spoiling - incident are infinitely greater, whether during the flight, at the airport or within the holiday accommodation. This is why people take out travel insurance - not because they expect to make a claim but because a policy provides, or should provide, a large measure of reassurance.

Unfortunately, travel policies are not scientifically worded, which makes them open to various interpretations. Therefore it might be worthwhile swotting up on your legal rights prior to going on holiday just in case the insurance company, declares itself "not liable" for a claim, and you have to pursue the matter alone - either against a travel company or the insurance company for its refusal to pay.

Under the Montreal Convention 1999, air carriers are strictly liable in damages for accidents to passengers during flights or while embarking or disembarking, up to SDR113,100. SDR is not a currency in itself but for stands for Special Drawing Rights, which is a mix of currency values established by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and which at present is about £85,000. This means that the airline cannot avoid liability by denying the accident was their fault. Where damages of more than that sum are claimed, the airline has a defence if it can prove either that the accident was not their fault, or that it was a third party's fault.

Most families flying to the Mediterranean (or further afield) this summer will be doing so through a package holiday. The Package Travel, Package Holiday, and Package Tour Regulations 1992 govern this type of deal, and are an important piece of consumer protection. "Package Holidays" are defined in the regulations as having at least two of the following three components, all as part of a 'package' for which the client pays an inclusive price:
Transport, such as flights and transfersaccommodation; andany other tourist service which makes up a significant proportion of the package, e.g., excursions.

Billing separately for different parts doesn't stop it being a package. Some tour operators have tried to get round this by offering separate contracts, one for accommodation, one for flights, etc, and not defining the deal as a 'package'. Guidelines laid down by the courts mean that if the total price charged to the consumer for all three services is less than the aggregate cost of the services had they been sold individually, then this is obviously a package. The same would apply in unusual cases where the 'all in' price is more. Only when the price of both is the same is the law something of a grey area.

In each case the bottom line is that that a 'package' holiday puts certain responsibilities on the package provider relating to all the services purchased as part of the deal. The regulations state: "The other party to the contract (i.e. the package provider) is liable to the consumer for the proper performance of the obligations under the contract, irrespective of whether such obligations are to be performed by that other party or by other suppliers of services".

So, if for example a package brochure states that a hotel has a swimming pool then it must have one. It is not good enough for the package provider to say that he thought there was a swimming pool. There is no obligation on the package holiday provider to ensure the pool is safe, but he is liable if reasonable care has not been taken to see that it is safe. It should be remembered that local standards apply, so if a Turkish pool is safe enough by Turkish standards it may be that the package provider has a defence, notwithstanding that the pool might not have satisfied EU standards.

The regulations go on to state that if the improper performance of the contract is due NEITHER to any fault of the package provider NOR to that of another supplier of services, the package provider is not liable, so this right of action is not absolute.

Incidentally, this principle not only applies to foreign package holidays, which in most cases involve air travel; but also to similar holidays in the UK where travel is by rail or coach.

Although still highly recommended, travel insurance is not an absolute guarantee that financial compensation will automatically be given for some loss, mishap or accident. Therefore if you suffer a debilitating incident while on holiday this summer and are not satisfied by the response from the insurer then it could be worthwhile contacting a solicitor who is experienced in this sphere. And not having travel insurance should not, in itself, preclude you from making a claim for damages.

We hope you have a happy - and safe - holiday.

McKay Norwell are Edinburgh Lawyers serving individual and business clients across Scotland. Richard Godden is a specialist Personal Injury Solicitor Scotland.

View the original article here

With vacation season just around the corner, many of us are planning to enjoy time away from work and school for some much-needed rest and relaxation. Vacations are an integral part of maintaining mental and physical health, as those who vacation at least once yearly are half as likely to suffer a heart attack, and up to three times less likely to suffer an episode of mild to moderate depression. So it's important for your health and well-being to take regular vacations, but it's equally important to vacation smartly.

Most of us have little trouble remembering bathing suits and sunscreen as we prepare for fun in the sun, but there are a few other practicalities that make for a smooth and safe vacation experience. Here are a few tips.

Get a pro to do the planning

If you're like most of us, you don't relish the thought of jumping back and forth between the myriad travel booking engines available online. There are services that take care of the planning for you that don't charge nearly as much as a regular travel agency. If you're a Vacation Wellness member, you'll have access to several hundred professionally planned vacations each year. You can click to order complete vacations, available at discounts from 30% to 70% off of the regular online price.

Don't forget A2B transfers

A2B transfers are the leg of your trip that take you from the airport to your final destination. This service is also called a limousine service, depending on the area. Many travelers forget to book A2B transfers in advance, ensuring that they'll have to endure maximum wait times and high prices at their destination airport, waiting for shuttle transportation to the resort. Booking this leg of your travel in advance can save you considerable time and money.

Invest in holiday insurance

Life is full of unanticipated twists and turns, and it's best to protect your vacation investment. A holiday insurance policy will provide reimbursement in case you have to cancel your plans at the last minute, experience additional hotel stay costs due to schedule perturbations, have to purchase last-minute airfare due to an emergency, or even in cases where you experience a medical emergency while overseas. Be sure to read your holiday insurance policy's fine print, but don't leave home without one!

Plan for serious relaxation

Don't overbook your time while you're on vacation. It can be tempting to plan side trips, excursions, activities, and sightseeing tours until you drop. While you want to enjoy as much of the local color and culture as possible, it's important to schedule unstructured time to just unwind and relax. For every day you plan an event, outing, or excursion, you should also plan an entire day of unscheduled leisure. That way, you'll return rested, rejuvenated, and relaxed from your vacation.

Stephen M. Jameson is a frequent world traveler and global wanderer. He has lived in Asia and Europe, and traveled extensively throughout those continents over a period of years. He is webmaster for Zoescent's travel resources, with focus areas in holiday travel insurance and A2B transfers. A Colorado native, he has lived in 8 North American states and still travels frequently.

View the original article here