Travel insurance is pretty much never your client’s top-of-mind concern when booking a trip. The cost of purchasing a plan may not seem worth it when it comes time to buy. So why recommend they spend their hard-earned vacation savings on something so “un-fun”? The simple answer: because things happen and they can happen to anyone. Getting caught on a trip without insurance could be costly if your clients opt-out.

Purchasing a plan could be the difference between knowing what to do and having to make a tough decision. Or the difference between having travel insurance coverage and assistance services on your client’s side vs. a heap of uncovered, out-of-network medical bills.

Here are a few common scenarios resulting from covered events where travel insurance can make all the difference for your clients.

Family of five taking a beach vacation: Tough decisions

It’s the day before a vacation and a quick trip to the doctor confirms your clients’ fears: the youngest has the flu. Being well prepared and savings-savvy, your clients purchased their travel arrangements well in advance, including flights, their condo reservation, theme park passes and concert tickets—all of which are non-refundable.

Your clients aren’t sure what to do—should some of the family try to take the trip anyway? Nobody likes the idea very much and their youngest has been looking forward to their first visit to the family’s favorite theme park for months. If your clients purchased travel insurance, making a tough decision could be a lot easier. Instead of worrying about trying to salvage the vacation in some way, your clients could cancel and file a claim for reimbursement for up to 100% of their insured trip costs, provided all coverage requirements are met—giving your clients the opportunity to reschedule their vacation for a time when everybody can take the trip and enjoy it as they’d planned.

Single professional touring Europe: Unexpected itinerary changes

Your client just started their multi-city, two week trek through Western Europe when an unexpected storm cancels their flight out of JFK. Stuck in the states, your client will have to wait and fly across the Atlantic the following day, missing their connecting flight in Dublin. Unsure when they’ll make it to Brussels, your client is also forfeiting at least one night of lodging and is worried they might miss their tour group’s departure to Paris the next morning.

These types of unexpected delays are what travel insurance is designed for and if your client purchased a plan it can help in several ways, up to the benefit amount provided. Because your client’s delay is six hours or more, the plan provides coverage for dinner and an overnight hotel stay in New York—a weight off their shoulders while they call our 24/7 travel assistance team for help planning their new itinerary. Your client’s travel insurance can provide coverage for their prepaid travel arrangements they have to forfeit, like their first night of lodging in Brussels and any missed tour days. And if it turns out your client has to book a flight with another airline or purchase additional transportation to catch up to the tour in Paris, travel insurance can provide coverage for these costs as well. Having booked their long-anticipated tour on a budget, your client is relieved and relaxed to have travel insurance on their side, and grateful you recommended it to them since airlines aren’t obligated to cover any of these costs.

Senior couple taking a cruise: International medical costs

Your clients are enjoying a Caribbean cruise for their 45^th wedding anniversary when the Mrs. takes a spill on the upper deck and injures her ankle. She receives medical assistance from the ship’s on-board physician, but the facility is limited so your clients will have to cut their trip short to seek more thorough care for their medical emergency. Your clients contact our 24/7 assistance team who speaks with the on-board physician and arranges for your clients’ transportation to the nearest suitable medical facility that can adequately treat the injury

In addition to assisting your clients and arranging for their transportation to the nearest hospital, your clients’ travel insurance plan can also reimburse them for their missed cruise nights and overnight lodging, meals and local transportation while your clients are delayed. Once your clients can return home from the hospital, travel assistance can help arrange the flight back and their insurance coverage can provide coverage for the cost to modify their return tickets.

Without travel insurance, your clients would be navigating this difficult situation on their own, facing unfamiliar circumstances and international medical expenses that their primary insurance is likely unable to cover. With our plan on their side, Generali Global Assistance is able to work with the cruise line on your client’s behalf to help them get the treatment that they need.

While no one wants to think about them when planning a trip, travel mishaps are quite common. Relying on travel suppliers to “make things right” if something goes wrong might leave your clients high and dry, so recommending your clients purchase travel protection could be the best piece of advice that you can give them. If you have any questions about our plans our customer service team is available seven days a week.

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.

A6191807

More Americans are taking summer vacations this year—68%, a six percent rise from 2016, according to our annual survey findings.* This good news for the travel industry comes with even better news for you: although nearly half of travelers are planning to stay in the U.S. (46%), summer’s travel trends call for trip protection. Find out how Americans’ summer travel habits can benefit from protection this season, helping you sell more insurance, earn more commission and improve overall customer satisfaction.

Advance Bookings

46% of U.S. travelers are booking their summer trips at least four months in advance. If your clients book ahead and have to change their plans, their prepaid travel arrangements may be non-refundable or subject to cancellation penalties or fees. Travel insurance can help your clients recover their prepaid costs if they have to cancel or interrupt because of a covered reason, like a flight delay from adverse weather, involuntary termination of employment or school year extension.

Credit Card Coverage

Our survey findings revealed most Americans are relying on their credit card company for travel insurance. We recommend travelers review their credit card coverage before assuming it will suit their needs. Only around 15% of credit cards offer coverage for trip cancellation, most cards don’t cover pre-existing conditions and cards typically only cover the cardholder. Travel insurance plans from Generali Global Assistance can cover up to 10 travelers, can provide coverage for pre-existing medical conditions if certain requirements are met and include trip cancellation coverage for covered events, among other advantages.

Home Sharing

Home sharing’s popularity continues to rise, particularly among millennial travelers with 59% saying they’d rent a privately owned home or apartment this summer, compared to 38% of the general public. 55% of travelers are choosing to stay in a hotel (still the most popular lodging choice) but this number fell two percent from last year. If your clients are exploring home sharing options, they may find cancellation policies can vary between listings sites and home owners. Travel insurance can help provide peace of mind for new home sharers accustomed to  free cancellations up until a day or two before check-in. Should your clients need to cancel their home share reservation due to a covered reason, travel insurance provides coverage.

International Travel

Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Italy, France and the Olympic Games in Tokyo are the favored foreign destinations for those wanting to travel internationally, according to our annual survey. Highly recommended for international trips, travel insurance provides medical coverage and 24/7 emergency assistance services for travelers. International travelers may also be spending more than the average American vacation budget ($2,643), standing to lose more should they have to cancel or interrupt their plans because of a covered reason.

Remind your clients about the ways travel insurance can help protect their summer vacation plans this year and beyond so they can relax and enjoy themselves and so you can make the most of the season. Generali Global Assistance plans can be purchased up until the day before departure and our customer service team is happy to answer any coverage questions that you have. To set-up a customized training or to discuss ways to improve insurance sales at your agency, contact your dedicated account manager.

*All statistics are based upon Generali Global Assistance’s annual summer travel trends survey, unless otherwise noted.

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.

A6091806

Vacationing during the summer months means two things for travelers: large crowds and peak prices. Whether your clients are crowd-dodging value hunters planning their dream excursion or spontaneous realists looking to pull off a fun trip on the fly, following some seasoned advice can help them stay ahead of the herd this year—and maybe even pay less for it.

Dealing with Crowds

The Dream – How to Avoid Crowds

Get a guide: For some travelers, dealing with crowds may be as easy as avoiding them altogether. One way to accomplish this is by connecting with a local guide who knows how. A number of networks and websites can help travelers get in touch with reputable guides with local knowledge for varying costs, sometimes for free.

Show up early, skip the lines: Travelers visiting historic landmarks, natural wonders and other highly-trafficked attractions may want to show up early, even before operating hours as it could be the difference between unavoidable photo bombs and frameable keepsakes. For an additional cost, many museums and theme parks offer skip-the-line options that may be well worth the time your clients will save waiting.

Try smaller airports: Booking flights via smaller hubs could save your clients from headaches at busier airports. Airports like LAX and O’Hare are known for high percentages of flight delays during the summer months compared to smaller, neighboring hubs like John Wayne and Midway.

The Reality – How to Prepare for Crowds

Accept them: Even if your clients plan their best to avoid crowds, experienced travelers know doing so during peak season is in some ways impossible. Preparing your clients for dealing with crowds could help manage their expectations and put them in the right mindset to go with the flow and enjoy themselves.

Protect their trip: Offering protection with travel insurance can help provide the peace of mind that even if your clients’ plans don’t go perfectly, they have some safeguards in place. Should your clients get stuck at an airport because their plane has a mechanical breakdown or because of a storm, travel insurance can help give your clients the backing they need to get back on track. Even if the original airline doesn’t have seats on another flight right away, travel insurance can provide reimbursement for additional costs your clients have to pay to catch up to their itinerary. So if your clients can only find seats on another flight with another airline, you clients can go ahead and book without having to persuade the original airline to endorse their ticket.

Ways to Save

The Dream – Book in Advance with a Flexible Schedule

Time it right: The best way to save money on peak season travel is to book well in advance as prices rarely drop as summer travel dates approach. Ideally, your clients have some flexibility with their schedule and can snag the best deals by vacationing mid-week or at the early/late end of the season. Steering clear of local happenings like big summer events, religious celebrations or school breaks can also help keep costs down in addition to helping your clients travel during quieter times of year when locals are more receptive to visitors.

The Reality – Be Open to What’s Possible

Alternative lodging: Your clients may have missed the “book early” boat and be rustling up a last-minute trip. They can still save by being open to options they might not have previously considered. For instance, alternative lodging like home sharing can help travelers save when booking late.

Alternative destinations and trip types: If your clients have rigid schedules and their dream destination is out of their price range, encourage them to be flexible. Having a few destinations in mind and letting the airfare decide could help them save hundreds, as can considering counter-intuitive trip types— like cruising the Caribbean during hurricane season. Its off-season status keeps the Caribbean affordable during the summer months and while it may seem counter-intuitive, a cruise ship’s ability to redirect itself and travel to alternative ports can make for a preferable option to a resort vacation during the storm-prone summer.

Help protect their trip: If your clients aren’t sure about taking a leap of faith, telling them about how travel insurance can help with certain risks could give them the confidence they need to try a trip they hadn’t planned on. For instance, protection offers reimbursement for prepaid costs if they need to cancel because of a hurricane-related event like a cancelled flight, mandatory evacuation and more. Plus, plans provide 24/7/365 emergency assistance so your clients have help in their back pocket while traveling, anytime.

Get your clients ready for their peak season vacation by passing on these pieces of wisdom and they’ll be well on their way to unwinding along with the rest of us­—crowds, costs and all—complete with a protection plan from Generali Global Assistance and a commission for you. Want to discuss other ways to earn more this summer? Contact your dedicated account manager to set up a customized sales training and to learn more about maximizing insurance take rates at your agency.

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.

A5901805

From sickness to adverse weather to terrorism to natural disasters, travelers are faced with an innumerable number of disruptions that can affect their carefully calculated plans. With so many possible problems on the horizon, your clients may be aware travel insurance can’t take care of everything that could go wrong.

So how can travel insurance help the everyday traveler? Check out our top four travel protection features and discover the ways insurance provides peace of mind for millions of travelers every year.

Financial protection for prepaid expenses

Travel purchases are frequently subject to cancellation penalties. If your clients have to cancel or interrupt their plans, they may only receive a partial refund of their prepaid trip costs. In some cases, they might not be eligible for a refund at all. More than 87% of the travel insurance plans purchased in 2016 included coverages for trip cancellations and interruptions. If your clients have to cancel or interrupt because of a covered reason, travel insurance can reimburse their prepaid, non-refundable trip cost such as airfare, lodging, cruises, tours, event ticketing and more.

Worldwide medical coverages and 24-hour emergency assistance

Whether traveling domestically or internationally, traveling safely means helping your clients make sure they’ll have medical coverage during their trip if needed. Some health insurance plans don’t cover out-of-network costs such as hospitalization and most don’t cover international expenses. Travel insurance offers a unique solution. Generali Global Assistance plans include coverage for medical expenses if your clients get sick or injured on their trip, coverage for emergency evacuations—which can be especially important for cruisers and international travelers—along with access to 24/7 worldwide assistance services for help anytime.

Baggage protection and tracking services

Lost and mishandled bags continue to pose a problem for the air travel industry, a challenge that the International Air Transport Association’s recent resolution attempts to tackle. IATA Resolution 753 requires airlines and airports to track bags more diligently—good news for travelers since a 2017 study conducted by SITA revealed 82% of participants checked at least one bag for their flight. The bad news is only 35% of airlines expect to be compliant with the resolution by this upcoming June. More good news: travel insurance can help if your clients’ bags are mishandled. Baggage coverages can help if your clients’ luggage and personal belongings are lost, damaged, stolen or delayed while 24/7 travel assistance services can help your clients locate and replace their lost or stolen baggage.

Reimbursement for unexpected costs

Delays happen. Approximately 22% of departing and arriving flights in 2017 were delayed. If your clients have a flight delay for 12 hours or more, they may need to buy unexpected meals, use local transportation, find overnight lodging or even pay additional parking or pet kennel fees. Travel insurance can reimburse for these out-of-pocket expenses, provided the delay resulted from a covered event. Generali Global Assistance plans can also reimburse additional costs to get your clients caught back up to their trip or returned home if they’re interrupted because of a covered reason, like a flight delay because of adverse weather. And if your clients’ bags are delayed for 12 or 24 hours (depending on the plan they purchased), travel insurance can reimburse for clothes and other necessary items needed during the delay.

As the travel industry evolves, travel insurance continues to help solve some of travelers’ most commonly encountered problems. Don’t forget to prompt each of your clients to travel smarter and insure their plans this peak season—you’ll earn a commission on each plan sold. To learn more about improving your agency’s travel insurance sales or to set up a customized training, 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.

A5661804