Vacation Rental

U.S. Travelers Reduce Budgets, Will Still Spend More Than Their European Counterparts

Generali Global Assistance announces the results of 19th annual Holiday Barometer

SAN DIEGO – June 4, 2019 – Generali Global Assistance (GGA) today announced the results of its 19th annual Holiday Barometer conducted on behalf of its parent company, Europ Assistance, by consumer research firm Ipsos. This year’s barometer found that the number of Americans who indicated that they would be taking vacation this summer held steady at 68 percent equal to the number of respondents in Brazil (68%) and five points higher than the number of European respondents (63%).

There were several interesting differences when it came to responses from Europeans, Americans, and Brazilians this year. US travelers indicated their travel budget for this year reduced by 10 percent to $2,373 (€2,131) while Europeans indicated that their travel budgets increased by 3 percent to € 2,019. The increase was mainly attributable to countries in the Euro Zone (which excludes the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Poland) as budgets increased to €2,099 for that region.  Brazilian travelers also indicated that their budgets decreased by almost 3 percent to R$ 5,058 (€1,138).

“In the 19th annual holiday barometer, we have seen the consolidation of many of the positive trends we have recognized in recent years,” said Chris Carnicelli, CEO of Generali Global Assistance. “While Americans have experienced a 10 percent reduction in their travel budgets, they are still the highest of those surveyed.  As an assistance provider, we look to stay current with travel trends in order to accurately anticipate our customers’ needs. It’s part of our ‘you live we care’ motto that we look to fulfill every day.”

Americans are last in terms of how much vacation time they’ll take this year with respondents indicating 1.4 weeks on average. Interestingly, Brazil led all respondents at 2.2 weeks of vacation while Europe was close behind at an average of 1.8 weeks. Part of the 10 percent reduction in travel budget may have to do with where the majority of Americans plan on taking their vacation this year. While 35 percent haven’t decided on their destination yet, 50 percent of Americans indicated they would be traveling domestically this summer. In terms of destination type, American travelers were pretty closely split between beach (45%) and city (42%) destinations while Europeans (62%) and Brazilians (50%) preferred beach vacations.

One commonality was that budget was the most important factor when making plans to all European, American, and Brazilian travelers. Americans ranked taking part in leisure and cultural activities and the climate as their second and third biggest considerations, respectively. Risk of a personal attack and a terrorist attack rounded out Americans’ four and five spots, while comparatively Brazilians ranked them as their fourth and third biggest concerns. Europeans, on the other hand, ranked risk of terrorism as their fourth largest concern with risk of a personal attack coming in at number six. That said, the number of travelers who indicated they were concerned about terrorism was down across the board with percentages for Europeans, Americans, and Brazilians all dropping by six to seven points from years prior.

Americans are some of the most outdoorsy when it comes to atypical vacation activities with 46 percent indicating they would like to spend their summer vacation camping in the wilderness. That is compared to only 28 percent of Europeans who indicated they would do the same. Interestingly, Polish travelers had the highest number of respondents who indicated they would like to spend their vacation camping in the wilderness (52%). That said, Americans were also the most likely to work on their vacation with just 54 percent indicating they would be disconnecting completely – compared to the United Kingdom (76%), France (71%), Italy (67%), and Brazil (63%). Furthermore, 50 percent of US travelers indicated they would spend 30 minutes to 2 hours on work during their vacation time.

Methodology

The 2019 edition of the Cyber Barometer from Europ Assistance and Ipsos was conducted in 12 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Belgium, Poland, and Brazil. In each country, 1,000 consumers aged 18 years and older (aged 16 and up in Brazil) took part in an online questionnaire. The survey was conducted between March and April 2019 and investigated consumer holiday plans and travel preferences.

About Generali Global Assistance

Generali Global Assistance has been a leading provider of travel insurance and other assistance services for more than 25 years.  The Company offers a full suite of innovative, vertically integrated travel insurance and emergency services, identity protection solutions, and beneficiary companion services.  Generali Global Assistance is part of the Europ Assistance Group, the travel insurer and assistance provider of the multinational Generali Group, which for over 185 years has created a presence in 60 countries with over 76,000 employees.  Our success has been built on the foundation of trust that clients have placed in our ability to provide assistance in the most difficult of circumstances.

Media Contact

Jesse Tron
M Group Strategic Communications (for Generali Global Assistance North America)
+1 646-417-8516  

jtron@mgroupsc.com

www.generalitravelinsurance.com/press
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GeneraliTravel
Facebook: www.facebook.com/generalitravelinsurance/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/generalitravel/

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as Generali Global Assistance and Insurance Services. Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply. Travel Retailers may not be licensed to sell insurance, in all states, and are not authorized to answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. This plan provides insurance coverage for your trip that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. The purchase of this plan is not required in order to purchase any other travel product or service offered to you by your travel retailers. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker. This notice provides general information on Generali Global Assistance’s products and services only. The information contained herein is not part of an insurance policy and may not be used to modify any insurance policy that might be issued. In the event the actual policy forms are inconsistent with any information provided herein, the language of the policy forms shall govern.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.

A7491905

Winter Travel Chaos: How Vacation Rental Insurance can Help in Case of Sickness, Weather and More

Whether your guests are escaping the cold or headed to the slopes for a ski weekend, traveling during the winter season comes with its own set of hazards. Smart travelers know that getting caught without a travel insurance plan could be a costly opt-out, especially when winter brings illness and travel delays.

Last winter was one of the most severe flu seasons in recent memory and winter storms packed a wallop, causing trip cancellations and travel delays across the country. Read below for risks for guests to be aware of when traveling this winter season, how travel insurance might help alleviate those risks, plus some winter travel tips.

Vacation Rental Insurance for Flu Season

Flu season can have serious consequences for a trip. For instance, just before your guests expect to leave on a vacation, someone staying at the reservation gets too sick to travel. Your guests could be out of luck if they have a non-refundable reservation, airline tickets or other prepaid trip costs and can’t get a refund. One in six U.S. adults have been forced to cancel, interrupt, or delay their travel plans, and medical conditions are often the cause. But, a travel insurance plan can help your guests in this situation

Generali Global Assistance vacation rental insurance plans include coverage in case your guests get sick and need to cancel or interrupt their trip. They can be reimbursed for unused, non-refundable, pre-paid trip costs that they would otherwise lose. Keep in mind that the illness must occur after your guests purchase their plan, the sick person must seek the in-person treatment of a physician and be unable to travel, according to a physician. Your guests can also be covered if a non-traveling family member is hospitalized and your guests are unable to make the trip.

The 2018 flu season was one of the most severe in the last 40 years, with record hospitalization rates and more than 80,000 deaths.  The flu season can last from October to May, but often peaks in January and February.

Typically, people over the age of 65 are the most likely to be hospitalized during flu season. Travelers in that age range should be especially aware of winter travel risks and how travel insurance can help.

Watch the Ice on the Steps

With winter weather comes the increased risk of injury from falling on ice and snow, shoveling snow or de-icing your car along with accidents from winter sports. The rate of car accidents also sky rockets this season. Each year, more than 418,000 people are injured in weather-related car crashes in the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control ranks falls as the top cause of injury among older Americans, a situation that becomes even more concerning during the winter.

Similar to illness, a vacation rental insurance plan can cover the cost of your guest’s vacation if they’re injured before or during their trip and they’re within a penalty window. Whether or not your guests decide to insure their plans, we recommend following these tips to avoid common winter accidents that could throw a wrench in their travel plans.

Winter Storms

Winter storms are inevitable. They happen every year, and whether your guests are flying or driving to their destination, if they get caught in one, chances are they’ll experience some sort of travel delay.

Bad weather is always a risk when flying, but if a winter storm hits, flight cancellations and delays are bound to happen and your guests may take on some unplanned costs. If this happens, travel insurance can provide coverage for additional expenses to help get your guests to their destination as planned or back home, in addition to reimbursing for lost trip costs. Coverage is also included for certain out-of-pocket costs, such as meals, local transportation or even additional lodging or parking charges.

Check this list of the U.S. airports with the most weather delays. Your guests may wish to avoid connecting in those airports during the winter.

Keep in mind, if a weather event, like a blizzard is foreseeable, then travel insurance may not cover it. If the plan is purchased after a storm is named, coverage is typically not provided for losses resulting from that named storm.

Winter Sports

Whether your guests are traveling to take part in wintertime sporting activities or are ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, sledding or any of the other cold weather sports before their trip, one wrong slip can send someone to the hospital and put a quick end to their vacation plans.

Travel insurance also provides coverage for emergency medical evacuations if a guest is injured during their trip—a potentially important safeguard for winter sport travelers.

Baggage

Airlines are updating technology each year and doing a better job of handling bags so they don’t get lost as often. But, all that progress can be quickly lost during the chaos of a winter storm. Just last year, tens of thousands of bags were lost at JFK Airport during a storm, and even 11 days afterwards, hundreds of travelers were still left without their baggage.

47% of airline’s delayed bags in 2016 were misplaced during transfer.

The best tip for avoiding such a fate is to fly direct whenever possible, and if a connection is necessary during the winter, your guests should try to connect through an airport that isn’t usually hit by winter weather. Or, follow these tips to only pack a carry-on and still bring the winter weather clothing you need.

It may also be helpful for your guests to have travel insurance with coverage in case their bags are delayed. Generali travel insurance includes this with each of our vacation rental insurance plans. This means they can receive coverage if they have to buy additional personal effects because their bags were delayed.

From storms to the flu, travel is all the more unpredictable during the winter months. The best way to help your guests plan ahead for unforeseen travel mishaps is to offer a vacation rental insurance plan when booking their trip.  To learn more or to set up a training session, contact your account manager.

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as Generali Global Assistance and Insurance Services. Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply. Travel Retailers may not be licensed to sell insurance, in all states, and are not authorized to answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. This plan provides insurance coverage for your trip that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. The purchase of this plan is not required in order to purchase any other travel product or service offered to you by your travel retailers. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker. This notice provides general information on Generali Global Assistance’s products and services only. The information contained herein is not part of an insurance policy and may not be used to modify any insurance policy that might be issued. In the event the actual policy forms are inconsistent with any information provided herein, the language of the policy forms shall govern.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.

A6991901

Generali Global Assistance Releases 2018 Recap For Travel and Insurance Trends

The average cost of a trip increased by 5%, while premiums held steady

Generali Global Assistance’s Travel Insurance division (“the Company), has released its findings on travel and insurance trends – compiled from the Company’s proprietary data on insured travel – from the 2018 season.

For the year, the average cost of a trip that travelers insured was $1,976.83 – a slight increase of 5 percent compared to 2017. The average premium remained the same as 2017 at $139 per trip. The average number of people on each plan also got a slight bump up to 1.80 in 2018 from 1.75 the year prior. The average length of a trip has held steady at 9 days for three years running. The average number of days between the purchase of a trip and departure rose to a high of 90 days compared to an average of 81 days in 2017.

Commenting on today’s news, Chris Carnicelli, CEO, Generali Global Assistance said “Natural disasters continued to dominate headlines in 2018, disrupting travel on a global scale. As these types of events proliferate, consumers will continue to look for ways to help protect their valuable travel investments.”

The vacation rental space also saw slight increases from last year, but with a large portion of vacation renters being repeat customers many of the other metrics remained the same as the years prior. In 2018, the average trip cost for vacation home rentals was $1,878 an increase of 1.4 percent from the year prior and 5.6 percent increase over 2016. Meanwhile, average premium cost increased by 1.5 percent, up to $80.16. The average duration remained at 6 days, the same as the three years prior – the average number of days between the purchase of a trip and departure increased to 90 days.

In 2018, insured cruise trips increased by 1,211% compared to 2017, while insured air travel trips rose by 43%. Interestingly there was some movement in the top five travel destinations with the U.S. and Europe swapping spots and Alaska beating out Mexico for a spot in the top five. Rounding out the list we have Italy and Bermuda bumping Canada and Australia out of the top ten and Hawaii moves up a spot to number nine on the list.

“The significant rise in both insured cruise and air travel is encouraging as it is an indication that consumers are gaining a fuller understanding of the need to insure their trips. We will continue to work diligently to educate consumers to not only explain the benefits of travel insurance, but how it works. There are still misconceptions about travel insurance in general and through greater transparency we are striving to clear those up,” Carnicelli added.

Top ten most booked destinations by travelers (compiled from the Generali Global Assistance’s proprietary data on insured travel) were:

2017 2018
Caribbean Caribbean
Europe U.S.
U.S. Europe
Bahamas Bahamas
Mexico Alaska
Asia Mexico
Alaska Asia
Canada Italy
South America Hawaii
Australia Bermuda

About Generali Global Assistance
Generali Global Assistance, formerly Europ Assistance USA, has been a leading provider of travel insurance and other assistance services for more than 25 years. The Company offers a full suite of innovative, vertically integrated travel insurance and emergency services, identity protection solutions, and beneficiary companion services. Generali Global Assistance is part of the multinational Generali Group, which for over 185 years has created a presence in 60 countries with over 76,000 employees. Our success has been built on the foundation of trust that clients have placed in our ability to provide assistance in the most difficult of circumstances.

Generali Global Assistance offers travel insurance through vacation rental and property management companies, leading travel agencies, online travel agencies, other travel suppliers and directly to consumers. For more information on Generali Global Assistance and the policies offered for travelers, please visit: www.generalitravelinsurance.com.

Media Contact
Jesse Tron
M Group Strategic Communications (for Generali Global Assistance North America)
+1 212 266 0192
jtron@mgroupsc.com

www.generalitravelinsurance.com/press
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GeneraliTravel
Facebook: www.facebook.com/generalitravelinsurance/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/generalitravel/

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as Generali Global Assistance and Insurance Services. Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply. Travel Retailers may not be licensed to sell insurance, in all states, and are not authorized to answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. This plan provides insurance coverage for your trip that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. The purchase of this plan is not required in order to purchase any other travel product or service offered to you by your travel retailers. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker. This notice provides general information on Generali Global Assistance’s products and services only. The information contained herein is not part of an insurance policy and may not be used to modify any insurance policy that might be issued. In the event the actual policy forms are inconsistent with any information provided herein, the language of the policy forms shall govern.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.

A7031901

Generali Global Assistance Extends Suite of Travel Insurance Plans to Growing Seaside Coastal Segment

Seaside Coastal Travel Insurance plan offers a variety of coverages to help protect coastal and lakefront travelers

Generali Global Assistance’s Travel Insurance division (“the Company”), today announced it’s new Seaside Coastal Travel Insurance offering for the growing seaside and costal segment of the vacation rental market. The new plan is available to guests and property managers renting coastal and other waterfront properties all year round.

With the vacation rental market projected to be worth $36.6 billion by the end of 2018, the Company sees significant opportunities when it comes to enhancing its vacation rental coverages and features. The Seaside Coastal Travel Insurance product was customized to provide additional coverages for the growing number of seaside and coastal vacationers that visit coastal regions all year round.

Chris Carnicelli, CEO of Generali Global Assistance North America, commented on today’s news, “We are excited to introduce this new offering and provide additional coverage to the coastal vacation rental industry – which is a significant segment of the industry. As the sharing economy and home rentals continue to increase in popularity, we see tremendous opportunities in this area and plan to continue raising our market presence with customized products and services.”

The new Seaside Coastal Travel Insurance product provides Generali Global Assistance’s customers competitive vacation rental plans with new features to help protect against events that can interfere with, or completely derail vacations, such as rental car breakdowns, lost sporting equipment, and beach closures due to contaminated waters.

The Seaside Coastal Travel Insurance product includes additional innovative benefits:

  • Coverage for out of pocket expenses like overnight lodging if your car breaks down on your way to your rental
  • Expanded coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged sporting equipment like golf clubs, surf boards, and bikes –with additional coverage to help you locate and retrieve your sporting equipment if it’s delayed during transit for more than 24 hours
  • Specific coverage if the beach at your destination is closed for 24 hours or more due to contaminated waters
  • Specific coverage if the golf course or amusement park at your destination must close at least half of its attractions due to severe weather or mechanical breakdown.
  • Expanded coverage related to adverse weather and hurricanes including: interruption of services at the rental, uninhabitable or inaccessible accommodations, or mandatory evacuation

Carnicelli concluded “Travelers, property managers, and vacation rental owners alike will benefit from the additional coverages and unique aspects of these offerings, which make them among the strongest protections currently available in the seaside rental segment.”

About Generali Global Assistance
Generali Global Assistance, formerly Europ Assistance USA, has been a leading provider of travel insurance and other assistance services for more than 25 years. The Company offers a full suite of innovative, vertically integrated travel insurance and emergency services, identity protection solutions, and beneficiary companion services. Generali Global Assistance is part of the multinational Generali Group, which for over 185 years has created a presence in 60 countries with over 76,000 employees. Our success has been built on the foundation of trust that clients have placed in our ability to provide assistance in the most difficult of circumstances.

Generali Global Assistance offers travel insurance through vacation rental and property management companies, leading travel agencies, online travel agencies, other travel suppliers and directly to consumers. For more information on Generali Global Assistance and the policies offered for travelers, please visit: www.generalitravelinsurance.com.

Media Contact
Jesse Tron
M Group Strategic Communications (for Generali Global Assistance North America)
+1 212 266 0192
jtron@mgroupsc.com

www.generalitravelinsurance.com/press
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GeneraliTravel
Facebook: www.facebook.com/generalitravelinsurance/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/generalitravel/

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as Generali Global Assistance and Insurance Services. Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply. Travel Retailers may not be licensed to sell insurance, in all states, and are not authorized to answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. This plan provides insurance coverage for your trip that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. The purchase of this plan is not required in order to purchase any other travel product or service offered to you by your travel retailers. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker. This notice provides general information on Generali Global Assistance’s products and services only. The information contained herein is not part of an insurance policy and may not be used to modify any insurance policy that might be issued. In the event the actual policy forms are inconsistent with any information provided herein, the language of the policy forms shall govern.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.