Travel insurance information on the Japan earthquake and tsunami
Travel insurance information on the Japan earthquake and tsunami
Article by Pauline Zahra
RACV will assess all claims in accordance with your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), and cover will depend on the type of plan you purchased. The following advice relates to Comprehensive travel insurance policies.
What do you need to know about your RACV travel insurance policy?
If you have not yet departed:
If you have not yet departed and plan to travel to Tokyo, surrounding areas and northern Honshu, your policy provides cover for cancellation or rearrangement expenses, provided these costs are less than the costs to cancel your journey and your policy was purchased prior to 12 March 2011.
If you plan to travel to Japan on or after 31 March 2011, we do not recommend that you cancel or rearrange your trip at this stage. A further advisory will be issued on 28 March 2011 providing details of your ongoing cover.
If your prepaid tour due to commence after 31 March 2011 has been cancelled by your tour company as a result of the earthquake or tsunami, we urge you to contact us regarding the cover available under your policy.
For all other areas of Japan, your policy includes cover for cancellation of your journey, or the unused portions of your journey, as a result of the earthquake or tsunami when:- your scheduled transport services have been cancelled as a result of the earthquake or tsunami- your accommodation has been declared uninhabitable by the earthquake or tsunami- you are unable to reach your accommodation or destination as a result of the earthquake or tsunami.
If you are currently travelling:
If you are currently travelling in Japan and you have been advised by the Australian Government to evacuate, your policy provides cover for the cancellation of the unused portions of your journey.
Your policy includes cover for reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses when:- your journey is disrupted as a result of the earthquake or tsunami- scheduled transport services have been cancelled, delayed, shortened or diverted as a result of the earthquake or tsunami.There is no cover for additional travel and accommodation expenses if your scheduled or connecting transport has not been cancelled or delayed, or your accommodation is unaffected.
If you have been injured as a result of the recent earthquake or tsunami, we can help. If you need medical advice or emergency medical assistance please contact our 24-hour Emergency Assistance team on +61 7 3305 7499 reverse charge or 1800 010 075 free-call within Australia.
<h2>Travel Insurance general information</h2>
There is no cover for cancellation or rearrangement expenses for policies issued on or after 12 March 2011 if the cancellation or rearrangement arises from the earthquake or subsequent tsunami.
If you are travelling through any location in Japan and will not be leaving the airport, there is no cover for any additional or cancellation expenses.
As a result of the warning issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 17 March 2011 which advised against all travel to Tokyo, surrounding areas and northern Honshu, if you choose to travel to these areas after this date, even if you purchased a policy before 12 March 2011, you may not be covered for any claims that arise as a result of the earthquake or tsunami. For people travelling after 31 March 2011, a further advisory will be issued on 28 March with our advice to you.
If you believe you have potentially become exposed to nuclear radiation, please contact your local Japanese authority and follow their advice. For medical emergencies, please contact our 24-hour Emergency Assistance team on +61 7 3305 7468 reverse charge or 1800 227 773 free-call within Australia.
<h3>What next steps should you take?</h3>
If you wish to cancel or amend your pre-booked travel arrangements as a result of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, we recommend you contact your travel agent or travel provider regarding the best option in altering your trip. We understand some airlines are providing penalty-free options to amend travel arrangements, so we also recommend you contact your airline for further details.
To help Australians avoid difficulties overseas, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains travel advisories for more than 160 destinations overseas via their website http://www.smartraveller.gov.au. Their travel advice provides accurate, up-to-date information about the risks Australians might face overseas, assisting you to make well-informed decisions about whether, when and where to travel. We recommend that you stay up-todate with their destination-specific travel advisories for the country of your destination as your travel insurance cover may be affected if you travel to high risk areas or situations.
You should take all reasonable steps to minimise your expenses and this includes rearranging your journey where possible.
It is important to read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) you received when you purchased your travel insurance policy. This will give you more information about what your policy provides cover for and what it does not.
If you have a claim, please submit a claim form with all relevant supporting documentation to us for consideration.
You will need to submit all receipts for any additional expenses. If you are claiming cancellation or additional expenses you will need to submit all documents showing your original planned pre-paid arrangements, as well as receipts and documents showing your new arrangements and the non-refundable portions of your journey.
Any compensation or refunds you receive from a third party for transport, food or accommodation will be deducted from any settlement if your claim is accepted.
Contact us
If you have questions or queries, please contact our RACV Information Hotline on 1300 727 542.We will publish this and any updated travel insurance advisories on our website:http://www.racv.com.au/travel
About the Author
BIO:The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) is run to benefit members through high quality service, great value products and wide range of member benefits. RACV is committed to representing members’ interests in areas such as road safety and mobility, through advocacy and sponsorship of community programs.It also offers a range of insurance policies from car insurance and home insurance to travel insurance, with member benefits that include discounts and savings.
TATA AIG Travel Insurance for Travelers going Overseas
TATA AIG Travel Insurance for Travelers going Overseas
Article by Aishwarya Suresh
In many corporate companies, the employees would be under great work pressure and would like to rejuvenate. Quite often these people would like to spend their free time on a holiday by travelling to foreign countries. They can explore the rich and sophisticated life while spending some time abroad. A person can improve his knowledge about different people, places, cultures… Overall travelling is an important factor which helps a person build global learning and knowledge. While on a trip there are situations like an unforeseen medical emergency that people might come across which might ruin their exciting journey.While on a trip along with a traveller’s passport, other possessions and luggage, an important and right kind of overseas travel medical insurance is also essential. Travelling abroad without overseas travel health insurance could land a person in a financial disaster. Most people think they are covered if they already have existing domestic health insurance, but this is not true. Overseas travel insurance is very much required and covers while the travellers is outside the home country. Also if the travellers are in a foreign country, some hospitals might admit them without caring about coverage but later they will not discharge them until the travelers pay a huge sum of money for the treatment.There are many insurance companies, each of them providing different insurance plans. The travel and medical needs while abroad varies from one traveler to another. Based on these needs, a traveler can choose among the different plans provided by different companies. TATA AIG is one of the most popular insurance companies which provide overseas travel insurance for people travelling abroad. The plans designed by this company are available with effective medical coverage and reasonable premium cost.This insurance company has designed different travel insurance plans which can satisfy the different needs or requirements of the traveller. The travellers who are going abroad can choose from Asia Guard insurance, Travel Guard insurance and Annual Multi Trip insurance plans. Asia Guard insurance can be selected by travellers who are visiting the Asian countries. Annual Multi Trip is suitable for travellers travelling overseas multiple times during a year. TATA AIG overseas travel insurance plans provides benefits like Coverage of Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses, checked baggage loss, baggage delay, loss of passport, personal liability, hijacking, trip delay, personal accident, etc. The maximum coverage benefit is up to ,000 (Silver plan), ,00,000 (Gold plan)or ,00,000(Platinum plan).Tata AIG travel insurance can be bought online at nriol.com. The different benefits and coverage provided by Tata AIG travel insurance can be easily understood and analyzed. The policy can be bought online using a credit/debit card or using cheque facility. This online purchase is simple and quick and no paper work is needed.
Adventure Travel In Australia
Adventure Travel In Australia
Article by Miguel Scaccialupo
The phenomenal growth of the adventure travel industry in recent years has seen an almost limitless variety of adventure travel products become available in international travel and tourism markets. But what exactly is adventure travel, what features define the market segment, and how can the quality of adventure travel products be assessed?
Adventure travel developed as a segment of the tourism market during the latter half of the 20th century out of the more general traditional notion of outdoor recreation. Adventure travel differs from from earlier forms of outdoor recreation, however, in that it offers travellers greater opportunities to experience specific physical activities (eg. rock climbing, diving, snow-boarding, kayaking, abseiling) that involve greater levels of skill and, within acceptable limits, risk. With traditional outdoor recreation, the primary attraction is the specific setting: with adventure travel, however, travellers are attracted primarily by the activities offered. Adventure travel is therefore primarily associated with travel products where the primary purpose is to engage in activity and participatory experience rather than the more passive sightseeing associated with traditional outdoor tourism.
The travel industry has evolved considerably since the 1970s. Changes include sociodemographic shifts which have seen a growth both the disposable income and available leisure time of many travellers. Travellers generally have become more discerning, have more travel experience, and have come to enjoy the benefits of cheaper, more convenient transport and other technological advances. As a result, substantial changes occurred in the demand for international travel products. The 1990s saw rapid growth in the evolution of specific segments of the tourism market including ecotourism, nature tourism and other special interest tourism which catered for the new breed of sophisticated traveller with both the means and the will to travel.
While travel costs will always remain a significant factor in decision-making for most travellers, the notion of tourist satisfaction is today of increasing importance. Increasingly, travel products must provide something other than simple value for money to attract tourists pursuing deeper, more satisfying purposes. In short, new patterns in travel choices have emerged to accommodate a much greater spectrum of travel interests, activities and experiences. Adventure travel today is increasingly the travel mode of choice for sophisticated travellers seeking to experience a holiday rather than simply sit in a tour bus passively sightseeing.
The increasing interest of many travellers in actively experiencing their holiday has also been matched with a rapid expansion in the range and quality of travel-related equipment available, extending the capability of tour operators to deliver more diversified adventure travel products. Australia has been at the forefront of these developments, and adventure travel is now one of the fastest-growing travel market segments in that country. Continuing to grow in their scope and appeal, it appears today that the variety and availability of adventure travel products for a broad spectrum of abilities and interests and abilities is almost limitless.
In Australia, the notion of adventure in travel is inextricably linked to that of the Outback. This means that true adventure travel is more likely to be found away from the comfortable, urban east coast, and in particular away from the area located south of the Brisbane-Adelaide line where over 80% of Australians live in urban and suburban settings oblivious to the geographic, climatic and cultural realities of the majority of the Australian continent. High on the list of authentic Australian outback adventure travel destinations therefore are Central Australia and the Northern Territory, far north and western Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. The island of Tasmania also provides many exciting opportunities for adventure travel in unique wilderness areas.
Quality outback adventure tours in Australia are characterised by many factors, including the use of four-wheel-drive vehicles rather than buses, access to spectacular remote sites, provision of challenging adventure activities, and active hands-on participation in daily routines. The use of 4×4 vehicles typically allows tour operators to access more remote, difficult and spectacular country. By encouraging active participation in daily routines such as cooking, cleaning, setting camp and packing up, adventure tours engage travellers in the complete outdoor adventure experience rather than simply waiting on passive participants hand and foot.
But the real adventure element provided by the best quality tours takes the form of specific adventure activities ranging from bushwalking, rock climbing, swimming, snorkelling, fishing, sailing, through to more extreme activities such as diving, canoeing, abseiling, jet-skiing, quad riding, white water rafting and hot air ballooning.
Video surveillance
Video content analysis represents a solution to these problems. Their major ideas is to Scrutinize tape streams and alert the operator barely at what time significant proceedings are detected. This video surveillance will help solve the question of operators discontinuous attention.
Why Travel Agents are Important in Your Travel Plans
Why Travel Agents are Important in Your Travel Plans
A travel agent engages in purchase and sales of tour and related services of travel. Travel agents can be employees or they can do business independently. In the tourism industry if travel is considered as the leg for the industry, then the travel agents are the very important backbone of the whole system.
Advantage Property Ventures, L.P
Even though the Internet has created revolutionary changes in the tourism industry, travel agency cannot be replaced. You are using the Internet as a travel agent for arranging your travel services. Websites of travel agents and travel suppliers are providing you their services depending totally on your needs.
As the travel industry is very competitive, being a travel agent is not an easy one. Travel agencies are under constant pressure like facing stiff competition among them and also with online portals and they have to survive with lower profit margin. There are travel agencies specializing on packages like honeymoon, health, water sports etc.
In the past, the travel suppliers used to sell their packages to the public through travel agencies. Nowadays, the usage of Internet for travel service by travel consumers has been increasing and so all the travel suppliers are opting for online travel agencies. The Travel Industry Trade Associations are linked with many Travel suppliers, Travel Wholesalers and Consolidators, though the travel suppliers have web sites on their own. The Outside Sales Support Network supports travel agents like home based Independent contractors and outside sales agents with 100,000 members in it.
Being a travel consumer you can access the catalog e-vacation that includes reading of needed information and watching online videos of the destination you want to travel without any verbal communication with the travel agent. Some travel agents offer packages or services with mark up price and there are others who offer the product for the same price charged by the supplier and there is always a debate of these travel deals offered.
The United States State Department encourages group travel of US citizens while traveling abroad. The travel agencies understand this silent push and they offer services that are affordable to everyone at unbelievable price. Being a holidaymaker, there are stories revolving around them for bad services and rip-off stories. You must be wondering how to find a creditable agent for your travel services. Here are some ways by which you can find many travel agents who offer good travel services for you.
First, be clear with your travel objectives and look for travel agents offering all types of packages and travel services. Flexibility in the price offered for your travel service will make you feel comfortable with the travel agent and so a good agent must be ready for negotiation of prices with a customer. Get recommendation from other customers who have used the travel agency for their needs and always feed back is very powerful. Your network of contact will help you a lot and will give an idea of the travel agents’ competency.
Always choose agencies that wish to sustain good relationship with customers. These agents will give you the utmost benefits on the services provided by them because of expecting repeat business and for having long-term association with you. If you have found an agent who keeps his word and has offered you his best services, then you stick to him for all your travel needs.
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