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Archive for the ‘Travel Insurance’ Category
Monday, December 19th, 2011
 Photo Credit: http://www.veniceconnected.com/carnival2011 If you are looking for a getaway in February to get yourself out of your mid-winter slump, the Venice Carnevale might just be the upbeat event you have been needing. This annual tradition brings back Venetian culture from centuries ago. In the 18th century visitors from all parts of Europe would join in on the parties, theatre and masks.
Today’s Venice carnevale has developed a few changes since then; however, the Venetian mask is still a popular trade mark today. The masks were used as part of a costume, with the most fashionable costumes consisting of a black cloak, tricorn hat and white mask that Venetians wore to conceal their identity. However, there were a wide variety of masks used for various reasons such as theatre.
If you visit the Venice Carnevale you will see firsthand where the masks are made. Registered artisans today work year round using paper mache or waxed canvas to produce the sought after masks that are donned during this festival. Join in on the local fun by purchasing a mask and heading out to the parade in Piazza San Marco for the best masked costume contest. Other highlights of the Carnevale are the walking theatre show, the Gran Foyer circus shows and the Festa delle Marie.
One event of the Venice Carnevale that you won’t want to miss is the silent water parade. Here you are able to view traditional boats and gondolas float along the Canal Grande by candle light. It provides a memorable closing to the festivities.
If you are traveling outside your home country to participate in the Venice Carnevale celebrations, ensure you have international travel medical insurance during your trip. Our Atlas Travel plan allows you to purchase the plan for as little as five days, giving you plenty of time to purchase a mask.
Tags: atlas travel insurance, international travel medical insurance, Venice Carnevale
Posted in Travel Insurance | No Comments »
Saturday, December 17th, 2011
It’s winter and the school semester is almost over! During this winter break if you are not returning home, why not take a trip abroad and experience the season in another country?
Whether you are going to the famous Christmas Market in Germany, going skiing in the Swiss Alps or flying to the other side of the world to escape the cold, it is best if you are prepare for your trip with winter break trip travel insurance.
Many students looking for travel insurance for winter break will find that our Atlas Travel Medical plan provides comprehensive medical sickness and injury coverage for an affordable price whether it is a few days or a few weeks. Because it can be purchase for as little as 5 days and can provide coverage worldwide outside of your home country it is very flexible and will fit the need for most trips. This plan covers you for doctor visits, hospitalization, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, and much more.
If you will be participating in more adventurous sports on your trip such as skiing, you can also add the optional sport rider to the plan to cover those activities as well!
You can get your insurance documents and ID card right away, so if you need proof of insurance quickly you will be able to provide it if it is required by the local authority of the destination country.
If you are worried about inclement weather disrupting your trips and causing your flight to be canceled, be sure to check our previous blogs about how to avoid stress while traveling during the holiday season.
Feel free to contact any of our licensed insurance agent if you have any questions about your insurance needs for an upcoming trip and we would be happy to help you!
Tags: cancellation insurance, Travel Insurance, Trip Insurance, vacation insurance, winter break trip insurance, winter holiday insurance, winter travel
Posted in Health & Safety, International Student in the USA, Product Information, Student Health Insurance, Student Insurance, Travel Insurance | No Comments »
Saturday, December 3rd, 2011
It’s already December and many students will have the winner holiday break coming up soon. If you are planning on traveling this season keep in mind that you are not alone, whether you are celebrating the holidays or New Year. Couple this with possible inclement weather such as snow storms and you can imagine that this year is unlike many others, flights delays or cancellations. Whether for vacation or returning home to see your friends and family, being prepare can lessen the travel stress that you might experience during your trip.
Be prepared for your trip and bring entertainment in case you find yourself sitting and waiting for your next flight. This means bringing your iPod/iPad, Gameboy, cell phone, or any other electronic devices with you fully charged. Because while many airports now have electrical outlets, the number of them are limited and someone else may be using them. You don’t want to run out of battery when you’re stuck waiting in the airport (but bring your charger just in case!). You can also bring a book or other reading material in case you need a change of pace.
Another necessity is bringing food and snacks with you on your trip, worse than being bored is being hungry. Some airline doesn’t serve food on short flights, if the delay gets really bad, the airline or the airport may very well run out of food (or there might be some major lines!).
Being prepared also means preparing yourself mentally for the unexpected such as delays or cancellations. It can also mean avoiding travel delays before it even happens. Book flights that have a good record of not being delayed and opt for nonstop flight if possible, the more connections you have the more likelihood of delays.
If you need to run to catch your next flight, it helps if you can get through the security link faster. Check out some helpful hints for holiday travelers by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.
If worst come to worst, having a good trip cancellation travel insurance policy can help if you find yourself in a situation where your flights are cancelled, or if you are delayed for a long period of time reducing your travel stress. Most plans also provide travel assistance to help reduce travel stress and headache.
Tags: miss flight, snow travel, travel head ache, travel stress, trip cancellation, winter travels
Posted in Health & Safety, Travel Insurance | No Comments »
Friday, November 18th, 2011
Let’s say you are planning to study abroad in the near future and you paid your tour cost, your plane ticket, etc. What would happen if you no longer can go on your trip? What would happen to your money for your plan/ train ticket that you already paid for?
This is where trip cancellation comes in! Trip cancellation is designed to cover your prepaid non-refundable losses in case you have to cancel your trip. While every trip cancellation plan is different, many trip cancellation policies cover cancellation due to sickness and injury, death of primary insured or immediate family members, bad weather, travel provider going out of business, etc. Trip cancellation protects you against losing your non-refundable expenses that you paid for if you have to cancel your trip. While trip cancellation benefits usually disclose a list of reasons for canceling, some plans allow you to include the cancel for any reason benefit so that you can cancel for an unlisted reason.
Trip interruption is similar to trip cancellation but it provides protection once you have already begun your travel. If you need to return home due to substantial destruction to your home, or an immediate family member’s death, trip interruption benefit will reimburse you – or it may also cover your plane flight home.
If you want to protect yourself against losing money on your traveling expenses, consider our trip cancellation insurance plan. Our trip cancellation also provides other benefits like trip interruption, trip delay, lost baggage and more. If you have any questions about trip cancellation insurance or other insurance needs, feel free to contact our international insurance specialist.
Tags: cancellation insurance, flight cancellation insurance, Travel Insurance, trip cancellation insurance, trip interruption insurance
Posted in Insurance Explained, Product Information, Study Abroad, Travel Insurance | No Comments »
Monday, October 17th, 2011
Last year, the United States received over 115,000 visiting scholars from around the world working at colleges and universities – this was a dramatic increase from 86,000 in 2001. Visiting scholars typically come to the United States to be involved in academia acting as researchers, professors, and instructors.
Most visiting scholars come to the United States on a J-1 visa which is granted based on the program duration ranging from a few months up to a few years. To obtain the J-1 visa, insurance for visiting scholars is a must. Required by the US federal government, visiting scholars must obtain proof of insurance prior to being issued the J-1 visa. According to the US State Department Rule 22CFR62.14, all international visitors on J-1 and J-2 (dependents including children and spouses) visas must have health insurance which meets the following minimum requirements:
- Medical benefits of at least $50,000 per accident or illness
- Repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500
- Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $10,000
- A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.
An insurance policy secured to meet the benefits requirements must be underwritten by an insurance corporation with an A.M. Best rating of “A-” or above, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of “A-I” or above, a Standard and Poor’s Claims Paying Ability rating of “A-” or above, or a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above. Alternatively, the sponsor may ascertain that the participant’s policy is backed by the full faith and credit of the government of the exchange visitor’s home country.
All international scholars and their dependents must have insurance that meets the above requirements. The Department of State has proposed an increase in the minimum criteria for insurance for visiting scholars, however the new requirements and when this will go in affect remains unspecified.
Currently, international visiting scholars will need to present a letter showing that confirms that the insurance plan meets these minimum requirements. Many times the school will also request proof of insurance as well. The Atlas Travel plan is an excellent insurance for visiting scholars whose school does not provide insurance (or allows the option to waive). The plan meets the J-1 visa requirements and covers doctor visits, hospitalization, emergency room, urgent care, repatriation, emergency medical evacuation, labs, x-rays, and much more! Once the plan has been issued, international scholars will be able to receive a customized visa letter that allows participants to present proof of coverage that both meets and exceeds these requirements.
Tags: insurance for international scholars, Insurance for Visiting Scholars
Posted in Student Insurance, Travel Insurance | No Comments »
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
According to the CIA World Fact Book, Taiwan has an estimated GDP real growth rate of 10.8% placing it at number 4 compared to the rest of the world (2010). Taiwan has one of the most dynamic economies in the world but is often an overlooked destination for student studying abroad. However, this country is a great destination for students who want to study abroad and learn Mandarin Chinese at the same time!
If you will be an international student in Taiwan for over four months you will receive an Alien Resident Certificate which will allow you to enroll in the government’s National Health Insurance (NHI). If you are studying in Taiwan for just a semester, you would not be eligible for the National Health Insurance program and would need to have your own private international student health insurance in Taiwan.
For students ineligible for the Taiwan National Health Insurance (or for those wanting private insurance), our private international student health insurance in Taiwan would be able to provide a great protection against any unforeseen sicknesses or injuries that might happen while you are there.
Tags: health insurance for taiwan, international student health insurance in taiwan, international student in taiwan, study abroad in taiwan, taiwan health insurance, taiwan study abroad insurance
Posted in Country Requirements, Health & Safety, Insurance Explained, Student Health Insurance, Student Insurance, Study Abroad, Travel Insurance | No Comments »
Friday, June 24th, 2011
Each year throughout the United States, Americans celebrate Independence Day, which is a national holiday commemorating their independence from England in 1776.
Next week is the start of the 4th of July weekend; many people will be traveling around the country during this holiday. The most common activity during the Fourth of July is to watch a fireworks show. Other activities like attending parades, having picnics and barbecues are also popular.
For international students in the USA, this is a great chance to experience a unique American holiday. Use the long holiday weekend to take a road trip to a major US city where the firework shows are usually more spectacular. If you are traveling into the US, make sure you have a good travel insurance policy that would be able to cover you on your travels.
Tags: 4th of July, fourth of July, Independence day, international student, july 4, road trip, Travel Insurance
Posted in International Student in the USA, Travel Insurance | No Comments »
Friday, June 17th, 2011
Once you have an insurance policy with International Student Insurance (whether it is the Student Secure plan, the Atlas plan, or the Citizen Secure plan), you can rest assured that you are protected in the event that you get sick or have an accident while traveling or studying abroad.
Whether you go to the doctor or hospital, your provider will expect to be paid for any services and treatments given during your visit. Depending on your provider, your doctor or hospital may accept direct payment from the insurance company, or you may need to pay first and then be reimbursed.
Some insurance plans have a network of doctors and hospitals that are contracted to accept direct payment. This means that your expenses will be paid directly from the insurance company to the doctor or hospital. With the Student Secure, Atlas or Citizen Secure plan there is an optional network you can use called the CMN Network. If you choose to go to an in-network provider, they have agreed to accept direct payment. If you go outside the network, it will be up to the provider on how they want to receive payment.
If you have already paid for the doctor visit or your provider requires you to pay upfront, you will need to file a claim. To do this, you will need to attach your bills, receipts, and a Claimant Statement to show proof of claim. With the Student Secure, Atlas Travel, and Citizen Secure plan, this information can be submitted by email, fax or mail. Once your claim is received and reviewed, you will receive an Explanation of Benefits and reimbursement. Your Explanation of Benefits outlines what medical treatment and services were paid according to the benefits on your insurance plan. This help you know what is covered and to make sure that your insurance plan is working for you!
Tags: filing a claim, how to file a claim, how to get insurance to cover, how to get reimbursement, how to use my insurance, how to use your insurance
Posted in Insurance Explained, Product Information, Student Health Insurance, Student Insurance, Study Abroad, Travel Insurance | No Comments »
Saturday, June 4th, 2011
Many people are confused about the differences between what is an insurance deductible, co-pay and coinsurance. All three represent the portion of the medical bill that you are responsible for in case you get sick or injured. However, there are some differences:
Deductible: A deductible is usually a fix dollar amount that you have to pay out of your own pocket before the insurance will cover the remaining eligible expenses.
Depending on the insurance plan, the deductible can range from $0 all the way up to thousands of dollars. It can also be paid per sickness/injury (per condition) or per certificate period.
As a rule of thumb, the higher the deductible the lower the premium (price to buy the plan) would be and vice versa. Be sure to choose the deductible that is appropriate for your circumstances when purchasing an insurance policy.
Coinsurance: A coinsurance is usually a percentage that the insurance will pay toward your eligible medical expenses. Some common coinsurance includes: 100%, 80/20, 90/10 and 50/50. As an example if you have a 80/20 coinsurance, it means that the insurance company will cover 80% of your medical cost and you are responsible for paying the other 20% yourself.
A deductible is commonly use together with a coinsurance. In this case you would pay the deductible amount first and after you would have the left over coinsurance amount.
Copay (copayment): Copays are similar to deductible, it is usually a fix amount of money you have to pay each time you need to use the insurance. A copay is usually small amount that you pay which applies to certain benefits like general doctor visit or prescription medication.
An insurance policy may have a deductible, coinsurance, copay, any combination of the three or none at all.
Tags: coinsurance, copay vs coinsurance, deductible vs coinsurance, deductible vs copay, health insurance explain, insurance copay, insurance deductible, insurance out of pocket expense, study abroad insurance, Travel Insurance
Posted in Insurance Explained, Product Information, Student Insurance, Travel Insurance | No Comments »
Friday, May 20th, 2011
Yesterday we launched our new Atlas Plan online free quoting/application tool. The new tool has a new design and a few improvements, so I will be going over the steps to completing this application.
The first step of the application is to get a free quote for your Atlas Travel Medical Insurance Plan.
The first question asks “Will your trip include the US or US territories as a destination country?” If you need the insurance to provide coverage for you inside of the US, choose “yes” if not choose “no”. Please keep in mind that if you are a US citizen or US permanent resident you must choose “no” to this question as the plan doesn’t provide coverage inside of the US for US citizen/permanent resident.
Next you will choose when you want your coverage to begin, you can choose to have the plan start in the future or as early as the same day. You cannot choose a date that is in the past. The date coverage should end can be anywhere between 5 days from the start date all the way until 1 year after the start date.
After, you can fill in your date of birth. If you need to include your husband or wife on your insurance plan, fill in their date of birth as well – if not, you can just leave it blank.
If on your trip abroad you will be participating in more adventurous sports such as bungee jumping, scuba diving, rafting, or mountaineering, you should choose to include the optional sports coverage which will give you coverage for these activities as long as it is not part of an intercollegiate, interscholastic, intramural, club, and professional sports or athletic activities or for wage, reward or profit.
Once you have fill out all the information, click on “Get Quote” at the bottom of the page.
To obtain a quote, click on the “get quote” button and you will be taken to the next page showing you the price for the entire time period you chose in the previous step.
For the coverage amount you can choose from $50,000 up to $1,000,000. You can choose the coverage that you need and the price will automatically update base on your selection. Once you have chose your deductible and coverage, click the “Apply” button right next to the price you want to purchase.
On this page you will simply fill out some information about yourself and your contact information. Your mailing address should be the address where we can reach you. Please be sure to fill out an email that you check regularly as this will be the primary way we will contact you about your policy including your documents and any other requests.
You might notice on the right hand side of the page that you can review the summary of your application so far.
Again, when you have filled out all the blanks click on “next”.
Here you will select your citizenship and your home country just in case your home country is the different than your citizenship.
For the destination countries, choose the country(ies) that you will be traveling to by clicking on the country and then the arrow pointing to the right.
In the “Online Fulfillment Option” by choosing “Yes” you will receive your insurance documents electronically immediately after you complete the application. If you choose “No” you will get the documents physically email to you instead.
The beneficiary for accidental death benefit is the person you’d like to receive the monetary payout in case you pass away. This person can be anyone you want, usually it is a family member.
 In this page you are asked again if you want to add the optional sport rider. Again, if you will not need it leave it blank and click next.
 
Congratulations, once you’ve reach this point you are almost done with the application. On this page you just need to confirm the price of the plan and include your payment information. You can use a credit, debit or bank card as long as they are MasterCard, American Express, Discover or Visa. Please keep in mind that “Visa Electron” is not accepted.
Once you have fill out all the information, read through the terms and conditions and click the check box if you agree then hit the “Place Order” button to submit your application!
Tags: atlas travel, Insurance application, online application, study abraod insurance, travel abroad insurance, Travel Insurance, Travel insurance application
Posted in Insurance Explained, International Student in the USA, Student Health Insurance, Study Abroad, Travel Insurance | 2 Comments »
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