Why you need travelers insurance

Before you make travel plans be sure to apply for, or renew your passport. Depending on which state you live in, your local post office can issue you a passport photo. After you obtain your passport, you can then apply for traveler’s insurance.

Travel insurance provides short-term security for domestic and foreign travelers. Millions of people travel to foreign and domestic countries every year and fail to prepare for medical emergencies, evacuation plans or unexpected disasters. Most travel insurance policies cover such basics and should be part of a pre-planned trip.

What type of insurance to look for

You want the type of insurance that will pay you in the event of an emergency. If you or someone in your family gets ill, you want the assurance of knowing that you are covered, even in a foreign country. Be sure to include medical coverage in your policy, and get a clear understanding of what the policy actually covers. For example:

  • Ask if the policy covers private or public hospitals
  • Will the policy pay for accidents following a sporting event if you are a participant?
  • Does the policy cover new or existing illnesses, if so, what is the waiting period?
  • Does the policy provider offer 24 hour support via online or telephone?
  • Does the plan include dental expenses?

If you are traveling abroad and you have a pre-existing medical condition, be sure to take your own insurance policy. Even if you purchase a traveler’s insurance policy, there is no guarantee the policy will cover your illness in another country. If the policy does cover pre-existing conditions, be sure your illness is on the approval list.

Look for policies that cover loss, theft and damage

If possible, purchase an insurance policy with theft, loss and damage coverage. Millions of tourists lose their belongings to theft, fire, damage or disaster. If this happens, you want to be sure you are covered. If any of these situations occur, be sure to file a police report and get documentation. Insurance companies will not pay for loss without a police report.

If you are traveling with expensive items, be sure to have them insured before you leave home. Policies offering coverage of expensive items usually cost more. Traveler’s insurance is great to have, and it does offer the most protection when you are away from home, on vacation or traveling abroad.

The most common reasons why passports are denied

Especially if you are on a tight schedule, getting your passport application denied can put a major dampener on your travel plans. In reality, there is no reason why most people should get their application denied, as long as they pay close attention to detail, do everything on time, and get help where they need it. Just in case you are worried about your upcoming passport application, take a look at some of the most common reasons why passport applications are denied. You can save yourself the time and hassle by being thorough and getting accepted the first time through.

Photo

Passport photos are one of the most common reasons for an application denial, but also one of the easiest to avoid. All you have to do to make sure your passport photo is up to par is get in touch with Paspic.com, which boast a 99.5% acceptance rate.

Missing documents

Make sure to check and recheck all of the necessary documents: driver’s license, birth certificate, voter ID more are ways to prove your national identity and get your application approved. While you may not need all of these forms of identification, having backups is never a bad thing.

Photocopy issues

Copies that are hard to read can easily get rejected, so make sure you use a quality copier or scanner so all your documents come through crystal clear. And before sending in your application, check and double check all of your documentation to make sure it is perfectly legible. When in doubt, make a new copy.

Criminal history

While rare, it is possible for your passport application to be denied on the grounds of your criminal history. Outstanding warrants, past felony convictions, or outstanding child support could all affect the approval process.

Failure to pay

While it might seem like common sense, passport applications come with fees that need to be paid. If you don’t pay the fee on time then you will definitely get rejected. Since fees can vary depending on how quickly you want to get the document, make sure to check ahead of time how much you will need.

Photo: Passport by RichardBowen licensed under Creative commons 2