This post was written by Kathie, a USI Affinity employee.

Let me first start by saying that I’m a seasoned business traveler. However, all of that experience left me unprepared for the first family vacation with my newly blended family - which includes three children. I lived and learned and hope you’ll benefit from my experience.

The security line on the outbound flight was just the beginning of the adventure. Grandma had very kindly packed the kids up for the trip. I made the completely off-the-mark assumption that she was up to date on security protocols. Each child had a minimum of one item that flagged their bags in the security line – juice boxes, plastic bottles with Snapple, and a water bottle to name a few. All of these items were lovingly packed with the best of intentions by a Grandma just wanting them to have their favorite beverages available to them on the trip.

As it turned out, I was the worst offender of all. My purse got the dreaded “bag check.” As each item got pulled out, I wondered what in the world that I, the road warrior, could have possibly missed. As the sleek black case got removed from the bottom of my purse, I gasped in horror. “Oh no, I left my darts in my purse from dart team last week,” I exclaimed. My face turned shades of red that I didn’t even know were possible.

This trip was off to an interesting start for sure.

When we finally arrived at our destination in Sunny California, 6 hours of flying were behind us. And so was our sanity. The kids were unprepared to now have to hike another hour and a half in the rental car. So began the choruses of “he touched me” and “shut up.” On top of it all, we had completely failed on our food intake. Not only were the children cranky, but so were Mom and Dad.

We crammed a lot of activities into our trip – typically more than one in a day. For example, it seemed like a great idea at the time to combine seeing Hollywood Boulevard, Rodeo Drive and the Griffith Observatory into one day. After all, who wants to drive in L.A. traffic twice? It seemed like such as efficient plan. If we had a dollar for every time we got short with one another that day, the trip would be paid for and we could probably afford a small vacation home in Southern California to boot.

So, what tips do I have for your family travels over the holidays?

1. Do a quick check of all of the carry-on bags right before you leave the house. Kids have a funny way of sneaking things into their backpacks when you’re not looking. Grandmas are equally guilty.
2. Plan activities for the car and plane rides. If you don’t have room to pack actual games, you can make games out of seeing how many different state license plates or certain restaurants you see. 
3. Check online to see if there are area passes that you can purchase for multiple activities. As it turned out, we could have saved about $50 a person if we realized these passes existed for our trip.
4. Don’t pack your bags too full on the way out the door. As much as you say you’ll resist the temptation to buy tchotchkes, your children will look at you with those big eyes and you will fail. Miserably. Leave room for these lovely treasures to get packed in your suitcases for the trip home.
5. Bring way more batteries than you think you’ll need for the camera. Don’t forget an extra large storage card or a laptop and camera cable.
6. While you can’t bring your favorite drinks onto planes, you can bring snacks. Pack plenty of snack bags for your entire trip so no one gets cranky due to hungriness.
7. Grin and bear it. While you’re sure to drive each other nuts on your trip, as soon as you get home, only happy memories will remain. Studies have been done that show that as adults, we rarely remember the presents we were given, but almost always remember family vacations. You are giving your family the best gift of all as you create these memories that will last a lifetime. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays on behalf of all of us at Travel Insurance Services and USI Affinity. Enjoy your trip – whether it is across the country or across town to Grandma’s house.

If you happen to be flying from Los Angeles to Auckland and need to cuddle with your honey to get some sleep, you’re in luck! Air New Zealand is now offering you this opportunity on the airline's new Boeing 777-300ER jets in seating being called “Cuddle Class.” While it’s not exactly the giant, cozy bed you might be accustomed to at home, the airline seeks to help you get your winks by also providing you with a seat covering, fleece blanket and two full-size pillows to make Cuddle Class as comfortable as possible.

So how exactly does this work? Couples purchase their two seats plus the third seat next to them (usually around half of the price the seat would cost if you bought it solo). You and your favorite cuddler then lay sideways (yes, with your feet hanging into the aisle). Since the airline also had to make the aisle smaller to accommodate the three-seat layout, those middle-of-the-night bathroom trips might be even more challenging as you wade through the sea of feet blocking your path.

Although the systems of most travel agents haven’t been adjusted to handle booking seats in Cuddle Class, you will be able to book your flight directly through the airline.

Not planning on traveling to New Zealand anytime soon, but still looking to make your airline snooze time more comfortable? Here are a few tips:

• If you’re willing and able to do your duties in an emergency, exit rows usually offer a little more leg room to stretch out and snooze. 


• Find a travel kit to meet your sleeping needs. We found a great one that holds a blanket, eye mask and inflatable pillow inside a soft zipped case that becomes the pillowcase.


• Some people find a “C” shaped travel pillow just what they need to support their necks while they slumber off.


• Keep your shades on to help block out the light a little so your body doesn’t think it’s time to be awake. 

Let us know your favorite tips and tricks for catching a few Z’s when you’re in the air.

We are excited to introduce Security Evacuation as a new optional upgrade to Travel Insurance Select, our Trip Cancellation policy. For $99 per insured per trip, travelers will be covered for reasonable charges (up to the plan maximum of $100,000) to be evacuated from the host country due to an occurrence that results in the insured being placed in imminent physical danger.

In addition, Cancel for Any Reason coverage is now available to residents of New York. Residents of all states, including New York, may choose the Travel Insurance Select Elite option for higher coverage limits and purchase early to qualify for all Early Purchase Benefits, including Cancel for Any Reason.

(Cancel for Any Reason is no longer available as an optional Buy-up on the Basic and Plus options, and the reimbursement amount for prepaid non-refundable trip payments/deposits has changed from 75% to 70%.)

While we have made a few changes, travelers will continue to enjoy the same great benefits and services they enjoyed before with Travel Insurance Select®, including:

• Trip Cancellation - Travelers will be reimbursed the non-refundable prepaid trip payments/deposits, up to the amount insured, if they cancel prior to the scheduled departure date for reasons covered in the policy.
• 24-Hour Assistance - Travelers may call the Worldwide Assistance Center 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world for services including locating local physicians and medical facilities, arranging airfares, and more.
• Baggage Loss - Travelers will be reimbursed for lost, damaged, or stolen baggage, passports or visas up to the plan maximum.

See everything that Travel Insurance Select offers.

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to call us at 1-800-937-1387 or email select@travelinsure.com. 

In any given year, we generally see several costly medical evacuations and numerous hospitalizations of travelers. Unfortunately, we discover that many people travel without the protection of travel insurance. Some are under the assumption that they are covered by their domestic insurance, while others think Medicare will provide for them while they travel abroad. For these reasons alone, it is wise for travel providers to ask for travel insurance information on a Personal Information Form.

You should ask your travelers if they have coverage for medical expense and medical evacuation while traveling outside the country. Ask for specific policy information including contact phone numbers. When you require an answer to the questions, it should result in their having to investigate their coverage  in order to discover if it is adequate. This will help protect them as well as lessen your liability should something go awry on the trip.

Your travelers will naturally look to you for assistance and guidance since they are traveling on a trip sponsored by your organization. The more you can do to be prepared, the better off you and your traveler will be. If you aren't currently requesting this information, it's a good idea to start collecting it.

If you need help with the verbiage or need a sample form, give me a call at 1-800-937-1387 or email me at linda.witt@travelinsure.com.

We were recently asked that question. People want to know if travel insurance is "worth it" and if so, what to look for in a policy.

Travel insurance is just as important as any other insurance. You would never think of driving your car without automobile insurance or go without home owner's or renter's coverage. Part of the trip planning routine should be securing a good travel insurance policy. There are so many perils that may befall the person prior to departing as well as while on that long awaited trip.

In my 20-plus years in the industry, I see that the most frequently used benefit is pre-departure cancellation. When one is planning an exciting vacation, the last thing you want to think about is the need to cancel that trip. Even if you are hale and hearty and ready to go, there are things other than your own illness or accident that can disrupt those plans.

• A family member's unexpected illness or death can put an end to your well-laid plans. What happens if the operator or cruise line you are using suddenly declares bankruptcy and you are out all the funds you have paid? Travel insurance can offer relief in such situations.

• Travel insurance can be a saving grace when you are on your trip and have to return home due to your illness or a family member's illness or death. You can be reimbursed for the unused travel arrangements as well as the additional ticket cost to return to your home.

• The insurance can certainly come in handy if, while traveling, you have an accident or become gravely ill and need emergency evacuation, hospitalization, and then transportation home. Those expenses can run into thousands of dollars and many foreign hospitals will not release you without full payment or at least a guarantee of payment. The insurance company's assistance service can get involved to help facilitate the payment guarantees as well as arrange, oversee, and cover the medically necessary evacuation.

• If you are traveling alone and are hospitalized for an extended period, most policies will bring a family member to your bedside.

• There are also the simple things provided by travel insurance policies such as baggage delay to reimburse for some of the emergency items needed if you arrive and your bags don't. Or Trip Delay benefits that would provide a daily amount for additional accommodations if travel is delayed.

All of the above are some features that should be available in a good travel insurance policy. There are also policies available, at a higher premium, that will cover a percentage of your loss if you cancel for any reason at all.

There are things you should look for when in the market for Travel Insurance in addition to the benefits above.

• Be sure that it is insurance underwritten by an insurance company and not simply a waiver. Many waivers offered by travel suppliers will only offer vouchers to replace the trip at a later date with no refunded cash.

• Also be aware that most policies will not cover the financial default of the organization providing the travel.

• It is also very important that the policy you purchase offers a 24-hour assistance phone number. You need to be able to reach help if the need arises.

Travel insurance is a wise investment any time you travel away from home and especially if there are travel costs involved. It is extremely valuable if you are traveling outside the country and experience a situation where language barriers could cause difficulty in communication. An emergency medical evacuation to a medical facility or back home could be very costly. When difficulties arise, having travel insurance in place can seem a small price to pay.

So the answer to the question is: Of course!

Were your plans disrupted by the recent hurricane? Travel Insurance Select may be able to help if your policy was purchased prior to Sunday, August 21, 2011.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption is covered if Inclement Weather caused delay or Cancellation of your Trip.

The Travel Delay benefit will cover the cost of necessary additional accommodations if your plans are delayed for 12 hours or more due to Inclement Weather.

For more information, call us at 800-937-1387.

Planning to study in the U.S.? The State Department has lots of helpful information for you.

1. See tips and watch a video about how to apply for a student visa.
   
   
2. Read the informative "If You Want to Study in the United States" booklets (available in Arabic, Chinese, English, Español, Français, Kazakh, Persian, and Russian).
   
   
3. Learn all the ways you can get ready for your trip by reading travel tips, housing information, financial planning advice, and more.

The State Department also requires (or strongly recommends, for some visa types) getting health insurance and says, "If the university or college you attend does not offer a health insurance plan, it is extremely important that you obtain coverage of your own to protect yourself against potentially very high medical costs." Even if your school offers a plan, it will usually allow you to purchase a less expensive plan somewhere else as long as it meets certain requirements.

If you're looking for a low-cost student health insurance plan that meets most the requirements for most schools, check out Study USA-HealthCare. Join the thousands of international students across the US who enrolled online in Study USA-HealthCare and got their waiver forms the next day. Enroll now or call 1-800-937-1387 for more information.

The real cost of flying can be quite shocking when you sit down to consider all of the extra costs that go along with your air fare. Between booking fees, extra baggage fees and having to pay for in-flight snacks, pillow and blankets, the costs can really add up.

While some costs seem like a waste of money (was the one-hour usage of that flimsy airline blanket
really worth $7?), there are some that are well worth the investment. One expense that really pays off is travel insurance, which, for just a small amount, can cover unexpected expenses you might have on your trip.

Many consumers skip this option because they view it as just another fee. However, before you make the choice to skip travel insurance on your next trip, consider the following benefits.

Recoup cancelled flight expenses

Most airlines will charge you a fee if you have to reschedule your flight after you pay for your initial reservation. The fee that goes with this service typically will run you about $150. And, on top of that, you have to rebook your flight within 12 months of the original date or you will lose your airline credit. This is a big fee to have to pay simply because you fell ill right before your trip.

Travel insurance often waive these fees so you are able to reschedule your flight without having to shell out extra dollars.

Recoup missed hotel stay expenses

Many hotels now require an advanced notification of cancelled reservations. This means that if you miss your flight and are stuck in an airport, you will have to pay a fee or pay for the room when you don’t get to take advantage of the accommodations.

Travel insurance often will take care of these fees so you don’t have to become even more disgruntled by vacation mishaps.

Recoup other non-refundable vacation expenses

Airfare and hotel reservations aren’t the only “non-refundable” expenses that you can encounter on vacations. Often, if you pay for amusement park, museum or zoo/aquarium tickets in advance, you are unable to exchange unused tickets for a refund. These attractions can cost quite a bit, especially when you have an entire family that you have purchased tickets for.

Thankfully, many travel insurance policies will refund consumers for these and other non-refundable vacation expenses. This will help you get back most of the money that you have invested in your vacation so you aren’t out a bunch of money and are able to afford to rebook your trip for a later time.

USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services has long offered international students affordable student health insurance while they study abroad through Study USA-HealthCare™. With recent increases in benefits and coverage options, students will now have even greater coverage while away from home, including:

•     Emergency medical evacuation coverage has increased from $30,000 to $500,000
•     Medical expense coverage per incident for Plan A has increased from $200,000 to $250,000
•     Repatriation of remains has increased from $10,000 to $100,000

Study USA-HealthCare™ provides 24-hour assistance services and the use of any doctor or hospital for J1, F1, M1, B1, and H1 visa holders. Cheaper than most domestic health plans, Study USA-HealthCare™ meets your school’s requirements and costs as low as $1.28 a day.    

With online enrollment, you’ll receive instant confirmation and ID card.

For more information on Study USA-HealthCare™ and its available rates, visit us online at: Travel Insurance Services.

About USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services / Study USA-HealthCare™
Serving individuals, groups and businesses that travel worldwide (pleasure, business, education and more) for over 35 years, USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services (http://www.travelinsure.com) is an independent broker specializing in individual and custom-designed group plans for international, domestic, U.S. and foreign residents. Study USA-HealthCare™ is marketed and provided exclusively by USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services, Walnut Creek, California. Study USA-HealthCare™ is underwritten by The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania.

The number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by 3% to 690,923 during the 2009/10 academic year, according to the Open Doors report, which is published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE) with support from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. This represents a record high number of international students in the United States. The growth was primarily driven by a 30% increase in Chinese student enrollment in the United States to a total of nearly 128,000 students, or more than 18% of the total international student population, making China the leading sending country. Students from India increased by 2% to a total of nearly 105,000. Indian students represent 15% of all international students in U.S. higher education.

Open Doors 2010 reports 2009/10 enrollments, affected by decisions made in a period of economic downturn in the United States and in many countries around the world. The data reveal a complicated picture of international student enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities, with enrollment patterns varying widely according to place of origin and academic level. There were strong increases in the number of students from a few countries, but more than half of the top 25 sending countries showed decreases, resulting in a slower rate of overall growth than had been seen in recent years. Each of the top five host U.S. states - California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts and Illinois - saw increases in the number of international students they hosted.

Early indications of international enrollments for fall 2010, based on a "snapshot" Fall 2010 Online Survey conducted by IIE in cooperation with seven other higher education associations, show that campuses are seeing similar or higher rates of increase for both new and total international student enrollments compared to the previous year. Of the responding institutions, 52% (350) reported seeing an increase in their total international student enrollments, and 21% (137) reporting seeing a decline, while 27% (181) reported no change from the prior year.

"American colleges and universities have attracted a record number of international students for the 2009-2010 academic year. The State Department, through partnerships with U.S. colleges and universities, has made it a priority to reach out to talented international students, particularly students from disadvantaged backgrounds. A global education prepares them to become leaders in their own countries and societies," said Ann Stock, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.

"The United States continues to host more international students than any other country in the world," said Allan Goodman, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education. "Active engagement between U.S. and international students in American classrooms provides students with valuable skills that will enable them to collaborate across cultures and borders to address shared global challenges in the years ahead."

Together, the top three sending countries - China, India and South Korea - comprise nearly half (44%) of the total international enrollments in U.S. higher education.

Study USA-HealthCare Renewal Season is Here

It is time again for international students to renew their health insurance plan, so if you have clients enrolled in Study USA-HealthCare, you may want to follow up and remind them to renew to continue their coverage. There is a 30-day grace period after expiration date to renew. Online renewal is quick and easy, and each renewal is recorded as your sale. Plus renewals are unlimited.

If you have questions, feel free to email me at wendy.miller@travelinsure.com.