1. Trip Insurance – Trip insurance can cover the costs of prepaid and non-refundable expenses in the event of unforeseen circumstances that prevent you from departing such as the death of a family member or an illness.
2. Vacation Rental Insurance – Coverage for vacation dwellings such as villas, condos or cottages is available through many traveler’s insurance companies to cover your personal effects in the event of natural disaster or the cost of securing other quarters if the property you originally rented is damaged before your arrival.
3. Travel Medical Insurance – Because most health insurance plans provide extremely limited or non-existent coverage during foreign travel, it might be a good idea to secure travel medical insurance in the event of an overseas injury or illness.
4. Work-Related Cancellation Insurance – Work-related cancellation insurance plans can provide protection from the loss of prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses in the event of a trip that’s cut short or canceled altogether because of unexpected employment or business conflicts.
5. Lost or Destroyed Luggage Insurance – Many insurance companies now offer policies that cover luggage in the event of loss or destruction. Anyone who travels frequently knows that this is coverage will eventually be needed, as baggage will inevitably become lost or damaged at some point.
6. Inclement Weather Insurance – If your vacation lodgings or destination becomes uninhabitable due to inclement weather, there is insurance coverage available to offset the cost of a spoiled vacation.
7. Accident and Emergency Travel Insurance – In the event of a life-threatening accident or emergency, specialized travel insurance can cover the cost of medical transport back home and cover the loss non-refundable vacation expenses. Emergency medical transportation can be financially devastating for foreign travelers, so this might be a good investment.
8. Embassy Visa Insurance – Some foreign embassies require that visitors from abroad obtain a certain amount of travel insurance to secure a travel visa. For minimal coverage to maintain compliance, many insurance companies offer no-frills packages designed to keep you eligible for your travel visa.
9. Trip Interruption – Expensive vacations that are interrupted by travel complications, inclement weather or other factors out of your control can be extremely frustrating, to say the least. Purchasing trip interruption insurance can reimburse a sizable portion of your lost investment under these circumstances.
10. Cancel For Any Reason Insurance – For especially cautious vacation planners, there are insurance policies in place that will cover any non-refundable expenses you incur for a trip that is canceled for any reason at all, no questions asked.

There are combination plans available that offer facets of each of the above-mentioned plans under one policy to varying degrees; doing a bit of research can help you get a great deal on coverage that will protect you from the hazards of frequent travel.

But travel insurance can also be a trap if a traveler is not careful. You could pay hundreds of dollars for a travel insurance policy only to find out that the policy is no good and the company is out of business. When it comes to getting travel insurance, you should consider yourself on your own. Many travel agents who suggest travel insurance are not affiliated with the insurance company in any way and have no details on the company. A travel agent could offer bogus travel insurance without even knowing it. The best way to protect yourself is to know how to spot bad insurance.

A good rule to follow is to never buy a travel insurance policy you do not recognize or from a company you cannot find any information on. Bob’s Insurance Company may be offering great travel insurance deals, but if you cannot confirm whether or not the company is reputable, then the policy may be useless.

A Rose by Any Other Name

One of the first things you need to look at when considering travel insurance is the name used to describe the policy. A travel insurance policy is not the same thing as a travel protection plan. The difference is huge and a major reason why you need to pay attention to this detail.

A travel insurance policy is a document that follows the state insurance regulations. It is illegal for a company to offer an insurance policy that is not certified as following all of the insurance regulations of your state. There are no laws that govern a protection plan. A company can refer to anything as a protection plan and it is legal.

When you buy an insurance policy, you have several recourses under state law to recover your money. If you buy a protection plan, then there is a very good chance that you just gave your money away to a con artist.

Read the Fine Print

Travel insurance is designed to protect you in case you have to cancel the trip, it is supposed to help provide medical help in foreign countries and it is supposed to give you access to legal assistance in foreign countries, among other things. But you need to read the fine print on some policies before purchasing to make sure you are covered.

For example, some travel insurance policies will not pay for any of your medical expenses if your injuries are your own fault. That is pretty cut and dry if you get drunk and get into a car accident. But what if you travel to the Mexico to go cliff diving and you wind up injuring yourself? Is that considered a situation where you have caused your own injury and will not be covered?

Another good example is that many travel insurance policies are void for women travelers if they are pregnant. Each insurance company has its own rules on how far along in a pregnancy a woman is before she is considered uninsured. But that is something that you should research before you and your pregnant wife fly off to Europe.

Medical Conditions

There are two instances where your travel insurance policy may become a problem when it comes to medical condition. The first is with your own pre-existing medical conditions. In order to determine if your condition is covered, you need to spend time reading the fine print. If it is not spelled out clearly in the policy, then find a new policy. The worst thing you can do is call the insurance company to get clarification only to find out that the clarification was incorrect. If the company did not take the time to spell it out in the policy, then do not buy the policy.

The other medical condition issue you will run into is qualifying conditions for trip cost reimbursement. This varies so widely from company to company that it is essential you completely understand the conditions that must exist for you to qualify for a refund if you have to cancel your trip. Read the fine print and do not rely on an agent’s interpretation.

Homeowners Insurance

One of the red flags that should go off in your mind is if the travel insurance policy claims to supersede your homeowners insurance policy for protection of your possessions, or if the insurance agent assures you that the travel policy covers things your homeowners insurance policy does not. One of the big reasons that this should concern you is that neither the travel insurance company nor the travel insurance agent knows what is in your homeowners policy.

Bring a copy of a proposed travel insurance policy to your regular insurance agent to compare to the travel coverage offered by your homeowners policy. In most cases, any mention of homeowners in the travel insurance policy is a potential sign of fraud.

Claims Process

A reputable and legitimate travel insurance policy will have a comprehensive description of the process to be followed to make a claim. This is especially important if you find yourself overseas and need to utilize the services of your travel insurance policy. But some policies avoid giving clear instructions on how to make claims. Some fake policies will go so far as to not have a customer service phone number mentioned anywhere in the policy terms.

Be sure to read your policy carefully and see if it has everything you need to know about making a claim. Call the customer service phone number before you buy the policy to make sure the number works and that the customer service associates are helpful and knowledgeable.

The best way to protect yourself from bad travel insurance is to read the fine print and make detailed notes on who you bought the policy from and the people you talk to. In the end, the responsibility of checking out an insurance company is yours.

When we hear news of disasters throughout the world, our hearts naturally go out to those affected. The first thought is often, “What can I do to help?” In natural disasters like fires, floods and hurricanes, people need immediate assistance with basic necessities: shelter, food, water, bedding and clothing. Often help is needed in locating victims or providing medical care. People affected by war, political regime changes or long-term effects of weather such as droughts may have to leave their native lands and and seek shelter, food and water. Appeals for help for most major disasters are made to the international community.

How can you determine which relief agencies are valid or worthwhile when you want to donate money, material goods or time? To some extent, the decision is determined by a donor’s interests, values and capacity to give. There are, however, ways to evaluate the worthiness and effectiveness of relief agencies.

Non-Profit and Charitable Designation

In most countries, governments assign tax or cultural designations that indicated that an agency meets specifications to be considered a charitable organization. In the United States, non-profit or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are designated by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c) for tax exempt status.

The designation 501(c)(3) is granted to charitable, educational, religious and scientific organizations that have a stated purpose. They must operate only for the purpose of the exemption. They may not use their money for private benefit and are restricted in how much political lobbying they can do. An organization with this designation will clearly state so in its literature and must show proof of its tax-exempt status if asked.

Each non-profit organization must complete an IRS 990 form every year. The information required includes assets, expenditures and a list of beneficiaries. Many NGOs publish their 990s so that the public can see how they use their funds. The filed forms of each NGO are also available from the IRS.

There are thousands of worthwhile charitable relief organizations throughout the world, from those under the aegis of the United Nations to small grass-roots organizations. Because many donors wish to take advantage of the tax benefits of charitable giving, several international organizations have affiliated U. S. chapters with 501(c) status. A few are Oxfam U.S., Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières), International Red Cross and Red Crescent, Hope and Save the Children.

Oversight and Watchdog Organizations

Several trustworthy national and international organizations have alliances with legitimate NGOs worldwide so that donors can be assured of a charitable organization’s accountability and effectiveness. The United Nations works through agencies like the World Food Program (WFP), save the Children and the World Health Organization. It also hosts volunteer programs that train and place volunteers in sites throughout the world.

The Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI), , a partner of the United Sates Agency for International Development (USAID), prefers donations of cash. They argue that money gives flexibility and can be used on relevant goods and services within the local economy. For example, donations of some foods items may not be appropriate for the target community, like canned hams shipped to an area populated by Muslims, who do not eat pork. In addition, transporting heavy items is expensive and requires warehouse facilities to store them once they arrive, adding an additional burden to aid agencies in the affected area. CIDI also provides links to organizations that rate the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of charities.

The United States Better Business Bureau (BBB) serves as a charity watchdog through its Wise Giving Alliance, evaluating the effectiveness of giving programs of thousands of charities. The BBB guidelines advocate public disclosure of an organization’s spending. At least 65 percent of total expenses should be allocated to programs and activities and no more than 35 percent of its total related contributions spent on fund raising. A list of charities and their evaluations is provided on-line.

InterAction represents an alliance of U.S.-based international NGOs who work in every developing country throughout the world. Links to their affiliates and their websites are provided.

Volunteering

Many not-for-profit organizations rely on volunteers to implement their programs. CIDI, for example, recruits volunteer operators to staff hotlines as part of the response effort for international disasters. Agencies need volunteers for projects like collection and sorting goods, providing administrative and clerical support or staffing special events. Bilingual volunteers can help in populations that need translators. Some agencies recruit trained volunteers to assist in relief efforts in the affected area, like doctors and medical support staff or those with technical skills required onsite.

The national chapters of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), , provide disaster relief on a local level. Each society is served by staff and volunteers from the local community. The Society is neutral and impartial, and is therefore often given access to people in need when other agencies are not allowed into an affected area.

Volunteers around the world support efforts by coordinating donations. For example, the 2011 tsunami in Japan destroyed more than half of the hospitals in Myagi prefecture. This put a strain on the remaining hospitals and affected care of survivors, especially the elderly. Red Cross and Red Crescent partners worldwide are funding new hospitals in the area.

The Turkish Red Crescent Society helped Syrian refugees who fled their homes during political unrest in 2011. More than 10,000 people occupy camps with poor water supply and little access to food. The Turkish Society works with the Syrian Red Crescent Society (SRCS) to provide relief supplies to camps near the border. Within Syria, the SRCS operates in areas inaccessible to other groups because of their neutrality.

Although you may want to help at a disaster site, the cost and logistics of transporting, housing and feeding volunteers diverts resources and adds responsibility to locals assisting those in need. Often, the greater need is for volunteers at an organization’s office. People with disaster relief experience such as search and rescue, firefighting or first aid may be used onsite; otherwise, crowds add congestion and confusion.

Volunteering in a foreign country has its risks. In unstable areas, volunteers have been kidnapped, held for ransom and killed. Medical volunteers risk contracting the infectious diseases they are trying to control like malaria, dengue fever or cholera. The empathy for those who suffer and the desire to alleviate pain and desperation often surpass concern for one’s own safety. Volunteering allows ordinary people to make a difference and benefits us all.

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