Planning a vacation this summer? Yeah, you and just about everyone else.
More than 9 out of 10 Americans say they'll travel more this year, according to a recent Nationwide Travel Insurance survey. Most of those trips will happen in June, July and August.
Not just that, but 40 percent of the respondents say they'll spend more this year than last year. So how do you protect your vacation investment?
Travel insurance is the standard answer, but what kind of insurance — and how do you find it? That's the question many Americans are wrestling with as they make their travel plans.
Protecting your vacation is a serious concern this summer, experts say.
“Travelers are beefing up their trip protection with security advisory and extraction protection," notes Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies.
It's not just that they're spending more. It's that there's more to lose. The ongoing war in Ukraine, the Hamas attacks on Israel, and other violent conflicts have made travel insurance a key part of trip planning.
Overall policy sales for the 2024 summer travel season are up this year, but there's a spike in sales for policies in August, which is typically the busiest time of the summer. "Sales are up more than 25% over last year," says Stan Sandberg, co-founder of travel insurance site TravelInsurance.com.
Western Europe continues to be the most popular summer destination for Americans, with some notable hotspots. Travel insurance sales for Greece are up over 60% this year compared with 2023, followed by Norway and Portugal, which are up 57% and 52%, respectively, according to Sandberg.
Laura Heidt, the insurance desk manager for Brownell Travel in Birmingham, Ala., says there are some things every travel insurance policy should cover this summer.
"I always recommend people insure for the unexpected, such as flight delays, missed connections and medical coverage while out of the country," she says. "If you are willing to forgo the cancellation and delay coverages, which are typically the most expensive parts of a policy, you should still, absolutely, cover yourself with at least the medical component."
Heidt says she's seen a 10% boost in travel insurance sales for this summer compared with the same time last year, and many people are opting for the pricier "cancel for any reason" policies, which allow you to cancel your trip and receive a partial refund of your prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses.
Travel insurance companies are seeing a similar trend.
"A majority of travelers choose a comprehensive travel insurance plan which includes coverage for trip cancellation, emergency medical, lost or delayed baggage and delay," explains Tim Dodge, vice president of marketing at Arch RoamRight.
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More than 15 million visitors are expected to travel to Paris during the 2024 Summer Olympics, which will take place from July 26 to August 11. But as the world's attention turns to the City of Light, even non-Olympic related trips to France may feel the ripple effects of the games over the next few months.
Cincoro Tequila, the luxury tequila brand co-founded by Michael Jordan, is about to see a major global expansion – thanks in part to MLB Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.
A European summer vacation should always be coupled with life’s great pleasures — midday Aperol Spritzes, delicious pastries, abundant pasta dinners, and late night dancing. While treating yourself is well-deserved, sometimes the nighttime revelries and tasty indulgences can make us feel less well-rested once we return back home. That’s why it’s a great idea to commit a few days of wellness to bookend your next European vacation and SHA Wellnessin Spain makes it a breeze to reset.
Artificial intelligence is transforming the way you buy travel insurance. From shopping for a policy to filing a claim, there's no part that hasn't been touched by AI.
Accor, the Paris-based hotel operator, earns about a fifth of its revenue from France. So analysts have been eyeing possible impacts from Paris hosting the 2024 Summer Olympic Games for three weeks across July and August.
No matter how carefully you plan your vacation, bad weather or mechanical delays can throw your trip off track without warning. That's why it's important to consider getting travel insurance to protect your trip.
As travelers continue booking summer vacations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a new Heat and Health Initiative to protect Americans from heat exposure.
Games wide open! That's the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics slogan, and you can expect to hear it more as the Games approach. With a 300,000 spectator capacity, the Olympic Committee's goal is to show spectators the iconic offerings of France, while ensuring the Games themselves are “more responsible, more inclusive, and more spectacular than ever before.” And the anticipation is palpable, as Paris has proved their cutting-edge approach to being an Olympic host in the past: Women athletes were involved for the first time ever at the 1900 Paris Olympic Games, and this year, 50 percent of the athletes are women, making Paris the first host to achieve gender equality in Games history.
U.S. airlines had been looking forward to a strong summer. Holding them back: safety issues at Boeing and supply chain challenges at Airbus that are delaying deliveries of new planes.