Toothbrush? Check. Underwear? Check. Trip insurance? (Confused silence.) If an insurance plan isn’t at the very top of your travel essentials checklist, you’re not alone. According to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, a mere 30 percent of us say “yes” to this type of coverage. Shocking, considering how unpredictable life can be. Just last spring my family was headed for a week of bliss in the West Indies when our connecting flight from Atlanta to Provodenciales was unexpectedly cancelled. Had we skipped the travel coverage, we would have found ourselves on a flight home, crying into our complimentary bag of pretzels. Instead, we were able to re-book to a new destination on the spot and received full refunds for our original hotel reservations AND our pre-purchased island excursions. Relief? Let’s just say there was some spontaneous dancing going on that day at the customer service counter.

A typical plan averages five to seven percent of your total trip cost, which is small in comparison to the potential loss of nonrefundable hotel rooms, flights and activities.  I usually choose my plan based on:

• The likelihood that one of my kids will come down with a croupy, vomitous scourge three hours before we depart (58%)
• The chances of my travel dates inadvertently coinciding with an elderly relative’s 100^th birthday celebration (12%)
• The odds of me incurring serious bodily injury halfway through the trip because I can’t resist cliff diving or swimming with killer jellyfish or engaging some other ridiculous activity I would never in my right mind do at home (25%)

You, of course, will have your own unique reasons for choosing a plan. Here are some common types of coverage:

Trip cancellation
Trip interruption
Medical coverage
Evacuation coverage
Baggage coverage
Flight insurance

Interestingly, there’s also:

Golf course closure coverage
Work-related cancellation coverage
Student coverage
Hurricane coverage

You can even purchase insurance that allows you to cancel your trip FOR ANY REASON. It would be really pathetic if you backed out of a vacation because your bunion was acting up or because of a bad hair day, but isn’t it great to know you COULD?

If the above coverage options seem a bit overwhelming, never fear. Your Travel Beyond consultant will be more than happy to help you pick out just the right plan.

No matter how many times I hand over my trusty Tumi bags at airline check-in, I never seem to get over that slightly uneasy feeling that sits in the pit of my stomach as I watch them disappear down the conveyor. Off they go, to airport Neverland, and into the hands of baggage-handling strangers. It’s similar to the feeling I get when I drop my kids off at summer camp. In both cases, I take a deep breath, say a short prayer and hope they’re at the designated pick-up location when I arrive to claim them.

The whole baggage handling process is pretty miraculous, really. According to Wikipedia, the odds of a bag being lost en route are less than one percent. But when something does go awry, a trip can turn into a tragedy faster than you can say “airline-issue overnight courtesy bag.” Last year, after being separated from my checked bag in Atlanta, I came dangerously close to wearing a complimentary XXL Delta Airlines logo t-shirt to a dinner party.

The best way to minimize the M.I.A. baggage blues is to always pack the essentials in your carry-on. Obvious choices include toiletries, a change of clothing and any medication you might require. If you’re me, you also bring along a 27-year old pillow known affectionately as “James.” (But that’s another post entirely, suitable for a blog about unnatural childhood attachments.) The point is, carry on anything you consider vital to your happiness should you be without your luggage for a few days.

Lost baggage is by no means limited to portable, densely packed containers of clothing and accessories. According to the London Heathrow Lost Property Office, items recently recovered at their airport include a samurai sword, a prosthetic arm, a coffin, a puffer fish and a stuffed fox. One elderly gentleman even came to the office to turn in a pair of false teeth he had found on the baggage claim conveyor and mistook for his own. Interestingly, it had taken him a few hours to figure out the teeth were someone else’s.

Do you have any lost baggage stories? Share them in the comment section below!

For a few more hilarious tales of lost luggage, read this Daily Herald article.

A recent USA Today article featured helpful tips on beating wireless roaming charges while traveling abroad.

Here are a few tips from the article:

• Rent a pocket Wi-Fi hot spot to access the internet
• If internet access is available, use a web-based app like Skype to place calls with cheaper rates
• Consider a pay-per-day unlimited data plan
• Get a local SIM card from the airport for cheaper calling rates
• Ask your phone carrier about an international plan
• If all else fails, be sure to turn off roaming function to avoid accidental charges

For more recommendations and specific rates, read the full article.

Do you have any personal tips on cell phone savings? Or do you have a “Good Question” you would like answered? Please share them below.

When communicating in foreign lands, what we say and what we mean to say are sometimes very different. But let’s face it: Inadvertently unleashing a family insult or silly comment isn’t quite as horrifying when you remember to pack your sense of humor.

I’ll never forget my first Australian rugby match. Not the game, mind you. Instead, I remember the seemingly effortless way I managed to lodge my foot in squarely in my mouth just moments after finding my seat. Hoping to make a little polite conversation with some locals, I confidently turned to the young man next to me and asked him which team he was “rooting for.” I quickly discovered the term has a very different meaning Down Under than it does in the States– a much more, ehem, salacious meaning, if you will. By the time the laughter had subsided, my face was as red as Uluru.

Truth be told, anyone with a Passport probably has a similar story to share. In an effort to spare us all future embarrassment, here are a few common spoken pitfalls that can be easily avoided:

“Sobo” sounds remarkably similar to a popular type of Japanese noodle, but be warned: the proper spelling is “soba.” The former means “to eat your grandma.”

“Estoy embarazado” may sound like you’re admitting embarrassment in Spanish, but you’re really stating that you’re pregnant. For fewer amused stares, try “Me da verguenza.”

“Caballero” or “gentleman” in Spanish, is a perfectly respectable moniker for a man. But one slip of the tongue and you might just call someone a “caballo,” or horse.

“Chin Chin” will surely inspire your peers to raise their glasses in Italy, but in Japan the phrase is used to describe one’s private parts.

The good news? If you make a mistake while trying to speak another language, most people will likely appreciate the effort as much as the hilarity of the faux pas.

For more examples of language blunders watch this entertaining video from the BBC.

Do you have any funny language slip stories?  Share them in the comments section below.

As the pumpkins and leaves in home décor aisles give way to snowflakes and sleighs, it’s clear that the holiday season is once again upon us. As the seasons change and the cold weather moves in, our hearts and minds are warmed by the thoughts of the approaching holiday season. During this time, we’ll once again find ourselves searching for the perfect gifts for family and friends. For those looking for a way to avoid the department store hustle and bustle, we’ve pulled together some of our favorite holiday gift ideas.

Colorful Travel Memories

It’s easy to create a personalized gift without spending the entire holiday season at a craft store. Capture and share travel memories in a custom photo book from Shutterfly.com. Simply choose a theme and book style from Shutterfly’s diverse library and upload digital photos from your computer or Facebook account. This is an easily (and stylish) way to keep special travel memories alive.

Where to find it: Shutterfly.com

Bags for International Adventures

Most travelers are familiar with the strict luggage size regulations on major airlines and purchase luggage accordingly. When travelling abroad, however, you may be travelling with a less-familiar airline that has its own luggage rules and restrictions. For example, the limited cargo space on most flights taken while on safari in southern Africa restricts guests to carrying only soft-sided luggage with much smaller dimensions than the airlines we often fly with in the states. For those heading on an African safari, or any off-the-beaten-path adventure, we recommend the Eagle Creek No Matter What™ small duffel, with lockable zippers and a removable padded shoulder strap for simple and secure travel.

Where to find it: SafariClothingStore.com

Luggage for Little People

As the company tagline explains, Trunki makes “luggage for little people.” A Trunki is small enough to fit inside overhead bins on airplanes and large enough to hold the books, toys, snacks and change of clothes necessary for travel with small children. Most notably, the hard plastic luggage doubles as a wheeled cart on which tykes can ride when their little legs get tired, pulled by a special tow strap behind their parents. Trunkis come in a variety of personalities and colors, from Penelope the Princess Carriage to Freddie the Fire Engine, ensuring the luggage is something your child won’t want to leave behind.
Where to find it: Trunki.com

Practical Style

A light jacket is a necessity for cool airplanes, early morning adventures and evening strolls, even in a warm environment. For women, Columbia Sportswear’s Women’s Fast Trek fleece jacket is the perfect weight for varied environments. The soft fleece jacket can double as a pillow on the plane, and its zipped pockets will ensure that even her smallest belongings don’t fall out. While the jacket comes in an array of colors, we recommend a neutral color to more easily match a variety of outfits, saving precious packing space for new purchases and souvenirs.

Where to find it: SafariClothingStore.com

Tis the Season for Giving

Teach your children the importance of giving this holiday season by donating to a worthy cause. One program we’ve supported for many years is Children in the Wilderness, an educational safari camp program in southern Africa. Children in the Wilderness brings together kids from local communities in southern Africa and teaches them about protecting their environment, the geology and geography of the region in which they live, arts and crafts, nutrition, health and HIV/AIDS prevention.

During the Children in the Wilderness camp, kids spend their time bonding with peers and learning from adult mentors, including camp staff and safari guides; many of whom attended the camp when they were kids. This program plays an important role in inspiring and educating local children throughout seven countries in southern Africa.

Donate at ChildrenInTheWilderness.com

Give Them the World

There’s a sense of joy found in watching a child or grandchild open a special present on Christmas morning. But often, the gift is just one of many toys, gadgets and articles of clothing that will be used for a while and then forgotten. Now imagine the joy of traveling with children and grandchildren and literally giving them the world, sharing with them the wonders of ancient civilizations, amazing wildlife, and foreign cultures. Intergenerational trips give families the opportunity to experience the world together, making lasting memories and strengthening family bonds.

For parents and grandparents who are looking to give their children or grandchildren the gift of travel down the road, Travel Beyond has created America’s first-ever Travel Trust™. Our original family trust program allows parents and grandparents to place tax-exempt gifts into a family trust. The Trust funds can be used for enriching travel experiences today and in the future. Use the funds to take your grandchildren on an intergenerational trip next year or allow them to choose a destination for personal travel down the road.

Learn more at TravelBeyond.com

Share the Travel Experience

For an experience and special holiday gift your child or grandchild won’t soon forget, we recommend an Adventures by Disney vacation this holiday season. Adventures by Disney offers travel experiences around the globe, from Australia to Peru. With so many options to choose from, it’s easy to find an experience perfect for your family’s many interests. In Europe, Adventures by Disney experiences range from spending the night in a historic English castle to learning how to make pasta in Tuscany or taking part in a detective scavenger hunt at the Louvre in France. In Central America, Disney guests can zip line above the rainforest canopy, explore a pineapple plantation and tour ancient forests filled with exotic creatures. With kids-only activities, family movie nights and special private tours, all Adventures by Disney itineraries add Disney magic to international adventure.

Learn more at TravelBeyond.com

Some destinations are better suited for family travel than others, and the moms and dads on our staff were eager to share their favorite places to travel with their own kids.

Craig’s Pick: The Galapagos Islands

“Kids really love the Galapagos in the summertime. Not only do the Islands offer a unique wildlife experience on par with an African safari, but the routine makes for good family fun. The Islands are on the Equator, and the ships cross it numerous times during the cruise so the weather is the same year round. But in the summer the ships are loaded with mature, well-traveled kids, typically age 7-17. The early morning and late afternoon activities keep everyone in the family engaged and the timing of the activities and life on the ship keeps everyone on the same sleeping and eating schedule. With other kids onboard the parents can really enjoy some downtime during the siesta (10am-2pm) while the kids have fun and make new friends. This seems to be a perfect balance of family time, activities, kids’ time, and parents’ time.”

Jim’s Pick: Hawaii

“Hawaii is often thought of as a romantic destination for couples. But what most people outside of the West Coast don’t realize is the islands are one of the best family destinations in the world. Hawaii offers a worry-free environment that is safe and comfortable. Plus, you can drink the water! Some of my favorite family activities include: watching whales from a boat off the coast of Maui, kayaking to the Mokulua twin islands on Oahu, hiking through ancient lava tubes on the Big Island, riding mules down the Pacific’s highest sea cliffs on Molokai and taking a helicopter tour to see the stunning beauty of Kauai.”

Sande’s Pick: South Africa

“South Africa is an incredible experience for kids. Not only does it have game viewing but also so many other options. In Cape Town, the waterfront area is fun for kids to walk around with parents to go shopping and exploring. Take the kids on a tour to the Cape of Good Hope where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet with picturesque crashing waves, and on the return stop by Simons Town and see the Jackass Penguins whose loud bark sounds like a donkey.

Want more adult activities with the kids? Take them to a winery for a tour–still very interesting no matter what the age. There are also wineries that have many other kid friendly activities, like one that also houses a Cheetah sanctuary.

The Eastern Cape is an excellent area for game viewing with young kids because it is located in a malaria-free zone and still has the Big 5. Kruger and the Sabi Sands have some of the most incredible game activity in the country and the most beautiful family lodges. The information kids learn from the game rangers is amazing, and they soak up the information like sponges. The lodges also give you time to connect to your kids because they really have to unconnect to the world of Facebook and the internet and have some fun time just being with parents. There aren’t many places anymore that can still offer this.”

Debbie’s Pick: Egypt

“Kids can’t help but be impressed by Egypt’s rich history when they can take pictures in front of ancient pyramids, explore royal tombs and discover colorful artifacts and treasures. From viewing mummies to riding camels, a trip to Egypt is an unforgettable vacation for kids. The Egyptologists at the Valleys of the Kings and Queens are especially great at keeping kids of all ages engaged. Older kids can appreciate Egypt’s history and culture, and younger kids will be impressed by the majesty of it all. After taking my son to Egypt a few years ago, it’s one of my favorite travel destinations.”

Note: Egypt is on the road to recovery. U.S. travel warnings have been eased and elections are scheduled for Fall 2011. We anticipate family travel to Egypt will be safe and very popular in the years ahead.

Facebook Fan Pick

We recently asked our Facebook fans about the best place they’ve taken their kids. Here’s Travel Beyond client Kathy Klofft’s pick: “Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica. We did a real “jungle cruise,” slept in a treehouse and listened to crickets all night and howler monkeys in the morning.”

Do you have a favorite spot for kids that wasn’t covered? Let us know in the comment section below!

Enrich their lives through travel

Let us know if you’re looking for new destinations to explore with your kids. Looking to enrich your children’s lives through travel? Learn more about Travel Trust®, which allows parents and grandparents to place tax-exempt gifts into a family trust.

Time is Booming Away. Many Americans in their golden years are going nowhere fast. On average, Baby Boomers have only visited 36% of the places on their Bucket List.

Young and Fun. Even with limited budgets, Gen Y is still managing to see the world. On average, Americans ages 18-34 have been to over 20% of their must-see destinations. In addition, 76% of Gen Y believes that they will visit the rest of their list within their lifetimes – a likely outcome at the rate that Generation Y is flying the friendly skies.

Oh! The Places You (Might) Go! Feeling pessimistic about completing your travel list? Make 2011 the year that you do something about it. Only 6% of Americans have managed to visit the bulk (meaning over 75%) of the destinations they want to see before they die. When it comes to travel, time is willing to wait – but not forever.

Buck the Trend

To ensure you visit all your bucket list destinations, it’s important to start planning now. We’re very excited about Wanderlist®, our new bucket list travel planning service, but don’t just take our word for it. Read why travel writer Janis Turk calls Wanderlist® “great news.”

If you’d like more information on Wanderlist® or you still have questions, let us know. We’re happy to explain the process, look at your bucket list and help you organize your travel dreams.

Disney. It’s amazing that one simple word can conjure up so many memories for grandparents, parents and children alike. Disney represents childhood wonder, thrilling special effects, and brilliant Imagineers. But, for some, the seemingly complex web of Disney parks, resorts and restaurants also represents a daunting experience when trying to plan the perfect vacation with kids or grandkids.

Planning an intergenerational trip to Disney may seem overwhelming, but with the right information and perhaps a little help from an experienced travel consultant planning a Disney vacation can be enjoyable from start to finish.

One of the most important first steps in planning a Disney adventure is to customize your trip to fit your individual and group needs.

Young Kids

The first vision in most people’s minds of Walt Disney World is Cinderella’s castle at Magic Kingdom, an experience young kids are sure to enjoy. But Magic Kingdom and the other parks offer more than just the customary castle or Mickey and Minnie experience.

Rides

Plenty of exciting rides are available for kids without being too scary. For a more interactive experience, try Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom or Toy Story Mania at Hollywood Studios. Both rides give kids a chance to play virtual games with a spring-action shooter and compete for the top score.

Entertainment

The newest voice-activated and 3D technologies make Epcot’s Turtle Talk with Crush a must-see. Each show is different as the Finding Nemo character responds directly to kids’ questions. Even adults will be amazed by Crush’s response time and audience interaction.

Travel Beyond Insider Tips
Unless you’re passionate about seeing every Disney tradition, skip the “it’s a small world” ride at Magic Kingdom. Use the time you save to fly in a boat over London on Peter Pan’s Flight. If tired little legs are slowing your trip, take the Tomorrowland® Transit Authority PeopleMover to travel between sections of the park.

Pre-Teens and Teenagers

If you’re worried that a trip to Disney World will bore your teenagers, think again. With dynamic shows, record-breaking roller coasters and interactive exhibits, middle and high-school guests can’t help but have fun.

Rides

This age group is most likely to include daredevils, who can meet their match in rides like the famous Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios. On a hot day, substitute a Disney water park like Blizzard Beach for a trip to a theme park without sacrificing the thrills. The water park’s Summit Plummet is the tallest, longest, fastest water free fall slide on record.

Entertainment

With explosions, chase scenes and thrilling special effects, shows like Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular and Lights, Motors, Action! ™ Extreme Stunt Show offer guests the chance to get close to the action and learn the inside workings of complex stunts.

For evening entertainment, take this age group to Cirque du Soleil La Nouba—a live show in Downtown Disney featuring stunning acrobatics, costumes and avant-garde performance artists.

Travel Beyond Insider Tip
Special weekends with themes like Star Wars ™ or ESPN offer great opportunities to meet famous actors or athletes and participate in unique events.

Adults

Even if the point of a vacation to Disney World is to spend time together as a family, it’s nice to separate from the kids for some adult time. Disney provides a great way to do this guilt-free, with activity centers at its resorts reserved especially for kids.

Entertainment

With the kids enjoying special activities and programs, the only thing left to decide is where to go and what to eat. For an evening of toe-tapping entertainment and sizzling Southern food, try the House of Blues Restaurant in Downtown Disney.

For park guests, Disney plans themed weekends with adults in mind as well. Epcot hosts an international food and wine festival each fall, which provides adults with a break from rides, characters and shows.

Golf

With five beautiful golf courses, Disney is a great place to hit the greens. Disney’s Osprey Ridge Golf Course received a 4 ½ star rating from Golf Digest due to the challenging course and enchanting backdrop. As a Certified Audubon Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary, Osprey Ridge provides a chance to play a round of golf in the midst of the beauty of nature.

Travel Beyond Insider Tip
Travelers looking for a fresh way to visit Disney World should try adding a short Disney cruise to the itinerary. Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, offers cruise guests the chance to relax on the beach or take part in activities like snorkeling, biking, kayaking and more.

Find out more

To start planning an intergenerational Disney adventure or to discover other Disney vacations and cruises, contact us.

All photos included in this article are copyright of Disney.

We had a great evening catching up with clients, making new friends and hearing about all your travel dreams and past adventures. It’s safe to say that everybody went home with at least one new idea for future travel!

For years, it was the great unmentionable in the travel transaction: insurance.  Travel agents were afraid to bring up the subject of travel insurance for fear of losing the overall deal. It was considered a negative.  Not anymore. Whether it’s your trip, your possessions, your luggage, or your health, travel insurance — and most important, the right kind of travel insurance — has become an essential item to pack for smart travelers. And if you don’t buy travel insurance — or the right kind — more than your trip could be ruined.

According to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, about 30 percent of Americans purchase travel insurance, an increase from 10 percent before 9/11. The top three reasons are: peace of mind, protection against the unexpected and concern over losing the financial investment in a trip. Some 70 percent of cruisers buy travel insurance.

While a majority of those who don’t buy travel insurance are familiar with flight and trip cancellation insurance, many people are unaware of travel health insurance, baggage coverage and medical evacuation insurance. Even among travel insurance buyers, only 50 percent were aware of medical evacuation insurance.

Reasons to buy travel insurance:

1. Your flight has been cancelled.
2. Your bags are lost and your medication is in it. You need to have an emergency prescription filled.
3. Your passport and wallet are stolen, and you need emergency cash and a replacement passport.
4. You’re involved in an accident and adequate medical treatment is not available. You need medical evacuation.
5. You need to cancel your trip due to illness.
6. Your cruise line, airline or tour operator goes bankrupt. You need your non-refundable expenses covered and to get to your destination.
7. You have a medical emergency in a foreign country.
8. A terrorist incident occurs in the city where you’re planning to visit and you want to cancel your trip.
9. A hurricane or earthquake forces you to evacuate your resort, hotel or cruise.

Flight insurance

Many of us grew up noticing those insurance kiosks at airports. They offer to pay out big bucks if you bought the insurance, the plane crashed and you were on it. Advice: This is not necessary. In fact, if you annualized the premium, it’s the most expensive kind of travel insurance you can buy, and probably the least necessary. My advice: NO.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption insuranceThis is a biggie. The key here is price point. If you’re flying on a $59 Southwest Airlines ticket from Burbank to Las Vegas, you have an incredibly small investment to protect. You shouldn’t buy trip cancellation and interruption insurance.  A $15,000 once-in-a-lifetime cruise vacation?  My advice: YES. Buy this insurance. If you get sick, or miss your trip, or the travel provider (airline, cruise line, bus transfer company) goes out of business, you’re not left high and dry. You’re covered.

Health Care insurance

This is perhaps the most confusing area. Most people think they are covered if they already have existing health care insurance. Within the United States, that’s true. Outside the U.S., however, is a big IF. And in some cases, your insurance won’t even cover you if you’re traveling on a foreign-flagged vessel. This is a huge red flag, since most cruise ships, even those cruising U.S. waters, are not flagged in the U.S.

And in many cases, even if you are covered for basic emergency care overseas (again, a big IF), in almost all cases, your current health insurance does NOT cover you to evacuate you and repatriate you back to the U.S.  This is where “Medical Evacuation and Repatriation” insurance comes into play. I believe this is essential for anyone who travels. It’s an insurance program (usually an annual premium, not often purchased per trip) where if you get sick or injured overseas the policy will get you treated, stabilized and flown back to the U.S. There are a number of good companies that provide this plan, two of which are Travel Guard and Medjet Assist.  My Advice: YES, get this, with another important caveat: read the fine print. With Travel Guard and Medjet assist, these policies provide that they will get you initially treated and stabilized and then send a medically equipped and staffed jet to fly you to the doctor and medical facility of your choice. This is crucial. Outside of Travel Guard and Medjet assist, many other companies that offer this insurance will fly you to the doctor and medical facility of their choice.

And then there’s another reason for getting this coverage: If you’re in a foreign country, particularly a developing country, many hospitals will admit you without caring about coverage, but they won’t let you leave until you pay.  Travel insurance can help facilitate payment, and act as an advocate so that you’re not overcharged because you’re an American.

Baggage insurance

Many trip cancellation and interruption policies also provide coverage for lost, damaged, delayed or stolen bags…And this is especially necessary if you’re flying overseas and checking bags. Why? Because of a nasty little thing called the Warsaw Convention. The old Warsaw Convention limits liability to approximately $9.07 per pound for checked baggage and $400 per passenger for unchecked baggage. Do the math. If you’re only allowed 44 pounds of baggage as a coach passenger, you’re not getting a fat check.

But if you’re just flying between U.S. cities and think you have no need for a larger trip cancellation and interruption policy, you may think you are simply covered by the airlines’ published limits of liability when it comes to lost, stolen, delayed or damaged bags.

Indeed, at least on the surface, it seems like you’re covered. As of Feb. 28, 2007, U.S. airlines’ liability for lost or damaged luggage increased to $3,000 per passenger from the current limit of $2,800. Sounds good, right? Well, let’s talk about that limit in realistic terms: First, there’s an entire list of excluded items not covered (jewels, furs, negotiable financial documents, et al), and then there’s something called….depreciation. The airlines may have a $3,000 liability limit, but that limit is not per bag, it’s per incident, and it’s all based on depreciated value. Hardly anyone in the history of aviation has ever received $3,000.

But there’s a little known insurance provision you’ve probably never heard about. And the airlines aren’t exactly rushing to tell you about it. In fact, not one single airline even advertises this provision, even though it’s available to every single passenger. It’s something called “excess valuation.”  When you get to the airport, ask the counter agent for this little known option called “excess valuation.” It provides up to $5,000 additional coverage, at a rate of about $1 per $100 in value. If you purchase excess valuation, you will be asked to describe the contents of the bag. It’s well worth it if the airline does lose your bags.

Non-refundable insurance

Some policies also offer straight coverage if you buy the non-refundable airline ticket and then can’t use it and don’t want to be hit with the minimum $100 change fee. This runs about $13 per $100 of coverage. An expensive premium, but still worth it if you really think you might have to change your trip once you purchase your ticket.

Adventure/extreme sports travel

In most cases, there are exclusions on basic travel insurance when it comes to adventure travel. That means specifications on how high is the mountain you’re climbing, and how far are you scuba diving. However, third-party travel insurance can offer additional coverage for adventure and extreme sports—even professional sporting events can be covered, but it will cost you.

Credit card coverage

If you book your trip on a credit card you may already be covered in many cases. But more often than not, your basic credit card coverage will be limited to flight accident insurance, rental car insurance or limited baggage insurance.  Be sure to read your card’s terms and conditions, or call your credit card provider’s toll-free line for guidance.

Terrorism tips

Read the policy wording carefully. If war breaks out, or there is a terrorist act, are there clauses that essentially void your policy? Very few policies cover trip cancellation for reasons of any kind. Most policies now include “force majeure” clauses. For example, most policies now still cover trip cancellation if the U.S. State Department issues a travel warning. Also many policies only cover you for your trip if an act of terrorism occurs in the specific country you’re traveling to or from. And they set limits on how close an attack has to be to your destination before it goes into effect. You generally must buy the policy before violence erupts to be covered. But almost all policies will not cover any losses caused by war or threat of war.

Call and talk to the agency personally, ask them the specific questions you have before your trip, to put your mind at ease. Some insurance plans cover you only if a travel company formally files for bankruptcy protection. (Not every policy covers every bankruptcy.) Other policies leave it up to the U.S. State Department, law enforcement agencies or news media outlets – not you – to define what constitutes a terrorist attack, foreign or domestic.

Understand that most insurance policies won’t cover last-minute anxiety. After the Sept. 11 attacks, for example, Travel Guard reimbursed customers who canceled trips because they were afraid to fly. While Travel Guard felt it was the right thing to do, it’s unlikely the insurer will do it again. It was the costliest event in the history of that company.

To buy, or not to buy?

Compare the cost of the trip versus the cost of the policy. If you just bought a $200 airline ticket, is that worth covering? If you paid for it with a credit card, and the airline ceases to operate before your flight, you’re already covered – under federal credit laws – by your own credit card company, since you bought or contracted for a service which you didn’t get.

Look for a policy with a travel insurer that is independent from your tour operator and is licensed by your state. Many cruise lines and tour operators offer insurance, often at lower premiums than those charged by outside insurers. But if the cruise line or tour company goes out of business, there may not be money to cover your claim.

If flight or cruise delays make you want to cancel, you may be out of luck. Read the fine print, as with some policies, more than half of your vacation has to be delayed before you can cancel and be covered.

-Peter Greenberg
TODAY Travel Editor