Travel Insurance- What You Need To Know After You’ve Bought It

As anyone who has followed my blog or twitter feed knows, I am a HUGE proponent of protecting your vacation investment with travel insurance. But that insurance will do you no good if you cannot obtain reimbursement due to lack of documentation to support your claim.

Here are some tips from Travelex, one of the companies I recommend most often because of their family-friendly rates and great customer support. And most importantly, they are efficient at processing claims to ensure my clients receive funds in a timely manner. The turn-around time is typically about 2 weeks if all necessary forms are filled out properly and include the supporting documents.

If you have booked your trip through a travel advisor, they should be able to provide most of the necessary information to file a claim:

* Invoices for initial and final payments. (Documenting the date of initial payments for a trip is important to determine if a client qualifies for coverage for extras such as pre-existing conditions, financial default of the supplier, etc. Thus it’s important to buy travel insurance in a timely manner, usually within 2-3 weeks of your first deposit, to obtain the most comprehensive coverage.)

* Terms and conditions of the supplier, and penalties charged

* Refunds received for any unused portions of the trip

* Original & unused travel documents, or copies

Additional documentation a traveler needs to provide may include (depending on the reason for the claim):

* Attending Physician’s statement

* Proof of cause of interruption/delay (e.g. incident report from airlines)

* Receipts for additional expenses: purchase of new airline tickets, hotel receipts, etc.

* Proof of charges for trip: credit card statement or cancelled checks (front & back copy)

* Lost Baggage Claim number  – be sure to get something in writing from the airline.  Hang onto your baggage tags.

* Police report – If there is an incident that requires police assistance.  If your valuables are stolen, you must call the police and file a report in order to submit a claim.

Here are some tips to help you prepare before your trip:

* Document what you are carrying in your luggage:  Lay all items out on a bed before you pack and take a picture.

* Take a picture of your luggage to assist baggage handlers in locating your lost bag.

* Never pack valuables in your checked bags, always place them in your carry-on. This includes cameras, laptops & other electronics, jewelry, prescription glasses, medications, etc. Not that there is usually a cap on how much insurance will pay for a single item. For example, Travelex‘s limit is $600.

* Pack your travel insurance documents in your carry-on luggage. Most insurance companies also provide wallet cards and baggage tags for your convenience.

If something unfortunate happens while you are traveling, the first thing to do is call the 24 hour support number shown on your insurance policy. The emergency call center can assist with booking new flights and accommodations, finding medical care, replacing lost passports, and tracking lost bags. This feature alone is worth the cost of any policy, especially if traveling in an unfamiliar area or if you don’t know the local language.

If you cannot call them immediately, call as soon as is possible, don’t wait until you get home or to your destination. It’s important to document incidents as soon as they occur, as waiting too long could hinder the claims process. Also, customer service can advise you real-time on what documentation to collect, which could be difficult or impossible to obtain at a later date.

If you have not purchased travel insurance yet, I am happy to help find the right policy to suit your needs.  It is not necessary that I have booked your trip.  Contact me at suzette@family-treks.com for more information.

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Are You “In the Know”?

Think you can find everything you need to know to plan a great trip on the internet?

I just watched a flurry of emails go back and forth between several of my associates at Brownell Travel. One advisor had a question about planning a trip to Patagonia, so she sent out a request for more information. She immediately received replies from other advisors who had either been there recently, or were currently planning trips for their own clients or themselves. (Sometimes we get a reply from an advisor who is currently at a destination – can’t get any more up to date than that!) Patagonia has recently been affected by volcanoes & fires, so the advisor wanted to know about airport and hotel closures. One airport is closed for a few months, and while another has re-opened, an advisor warned her that some airlines were refusing to fly into it. The airline, however, was still allowing travelers to book flights there, without disclosing that they would be landing at an alternate airport and then have to take a 3-6 hr bus ride!

Fortunately, the travel suppliers we work with knew about all this and forwarded the information on so our clients would not have any unpleasant surprises.

This is a great example of how a travel advisor can save you time, money, and stress, especially when traveling to a remote or exotic destination. There is a wealth of information on the internet, but why waste time trying to sort out what is up to date and relevant? We go directly to our local partners in a destination to make sure we have the most current and accurate information, as well as insider tips to minimize hassles and create a one-of-a-kind experience. And should anything go wrong while our clients are traveling, we know they are in good hands with local contacts who know how to quickly and efficiently come to the rescue.
Your time is valuable, and your vacation time is especially precious. So think twice about relying on the internet to tell you everything you need to know to plan a smooth and hassle-free trip. The most valuable information is often not out there for the general public, you have to talk to someone “in the know” – your trusted travel advisor.

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What You Need to Know About Vacation Rentals

This week I received a link to an article about vacation rentals, and it reminded me of some of the experiences I had before I became a professional travel advisor.

For our first trip to Alaska, I did most of my research using tourism brochures I ordered through the mail. We needed a place in Fairbanks for a few nights before and after a backcountry tour, someplace where we could safely leave our car. We found a B&B that was in a good location and was reasonably priced. On arrival, we learned that in Alaska, pretty much anybody could rent a room out of their house, provide a can of juice and a packaged muffin, and declare themselves a “Bed and Breakfast.” Our host was also a man who was, well, an interesting character. I will just leave it at that.

The day before we were to depart on our tour, we were informed that he was able to book the room for more money from someone else, so we were asked not to return. We weren’t too keen about returning either, or leaving our car there, but now we had less than 24 hours to find alternate accommodations & parking before leaving for a 2 week trip! Soon we found ourselves at a payphone on the corner, calling the tourist information hotline for help. Fortunately we found a very lovely inn, which was every bit the B&B we had imagined, and were able to continue on our vacation with peace of mind.

(Now to be fair, I have to mention that in Seward our B&B was the spare room in the basement of a home owned by an elderly couple. But in this case they were truly lovely people, and in the morning, we were ushered us to a table in a waterfront room where we were served a delicious homemade breakfast.)

Our Alaska experience also came to mind when we were driving through Provence this past spring. I was amazed at all the B&B signs along roads which led to accommodations which looked quite questionable. I wondered how many unsuspecting tourists, pleased at getting a “great deal” for a bed & breakfast in France, showed up only to find that their “quaint” or “charming” rental was not quite what they had pictured.

Another memorable incident was when we booked a condo in Lake Tahoe for Christmas through an ad in the paper. I spoke to the owner on the phone, who was very friendly and answered all my questions. I had a good feeling, so I mailed off a check. We planned to drive up late at night a few days before Christmas, and then family was flying in from around the country on Christmas Eve.

We arrived at the condo well after 10 pm, and looked for the key where the owner said she hid it. Nothing. We spent a frantic half hour searching with a flashlight, then the realization began to hit that we could be victims of a scam. How easy it would be for someone to advertise a non-existent rental, take your money, and then just disappear! It was bad enough worrying about where we were going to sleep for the night, but we also had to figure out what to do with 10 other people arriving on Christmas Eve!

I was finally able to reach the owner by phone, and fortunately she had a relative with a spare key who lived about a half hour away. It turns out that the condo had been put up for sale, and the key was being kept in the management office. We were supposed to go there to pick it up but that message had never been delivered.

My point is not to scare anyone away from renting a bed & breakfast, villa, or private home. My point is to use caution and due diligence. The safest way to book is through a local realtor or management company, who has personally inspected all the properties and can recommend one that is the best fit. (This is especially important when traveling with very young children, when you need to ask very specific questions about safety hazards such stairwells, decks, unfenced yards, etc.) Or contact a professional travel advisor who works with multiple agencies, and can also tap into their network of contacts who can recommend hidden gems they’ve discovered through their own travels.

For help with planning the family vacation of your dreams, contact me at suzette@family-treks.com.

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Five Resolutions for the Family Traveler

1. Make sure you have a valid passport – If it expires this year, get it renewed early, as many destinations require that your passport be valid for at least six months beyond the last date of travel. Getting passports for children is a good spring break or summer task, since they have to be present, and most passport agencies close by 3 pm. I made the mistake of procrastinating, and ended up having to take my kids over Thanksgiving break which made a busy time even busier. And I had to go twice because I didn’t read the instructions thoroughly and forgot some required documents! Even if you’re planning a trip that doesn’t require a passport, like some cruises, it’s still a good idea to carry one, as I’ve discussed previously.

2. Create a travel roadmap – Kids grow up fast, and their abilities and interests change with each passing year. If like most families you are limited to taking your trips during school vacations, that means you can only fit in 1-2 trips a year. So make your travel wish list, then think about the ideal age for your kids to experience it. For example, a trip to Washington DC or Gettysburg is more appreciated by kids who have studied American history. A cruise is a great way to experience Europe with very young children, since you don’t have deal with challenging travel logistics. Though Alaska is one of my favorite destinations, I have been waiting until my kids are teenagers so that we can have an authentic backcountry experience. Your roadmap doesn’t have to be etched in stone, but I personally find it less stressful to have some idea of where I am going over the next couple years, rather than trying to figure out where we are going only a few months ahead of time. And you almost always save money planning earlier rather than later….which leads to the next resolution.

3. Don’t chase travel deals – There is nothing wrong with trying to find the best value , but only after you’ve made sure you have planned the trip that is truly right for your family. And it can be very risky to procrastinate on booking your trip because you want to see if some “last minute” deal comes up. If your family vacation time is as precious as mine, you won’t want to take the risk of not getting what you want. Trust me, you aren’t missing some amazing travel deal by booking early. In fact, there is a good chance you missed a great affordable place to stay because the savvy travelers/travel agents know about these places & book them up early. (This is very true for Europe.) Also, the lowest rates are not necessarily on the internet. There are many unadvertised packages & promotions available through travel professionals who have preferred relationships with suppliers. For example, this holiday season a hotel was offering free nights & free breakfast on their website. A traveler who booked with me would have paid the same rate, but also received an automatic upgrade to Club level accommodations, and have stayed in a room hand-picked by the sales manager. So how do you find out about these deals and get VIP treatment?


4. Find a trusted travel advisor – If you plan to make travel part of your lifestyle, take time to research & interview travel advisors. By building a relationship with a professional you trust, you will save time and money in the long run. A good travel advisor takes time to get to know you and your family, so they understand your “travel personality.” No more wasting time trying to sift through the vast amounts of information on the internet (which can be unreliable or outdated). Instead you can relax & let your travel advisor tap into his or her industry network to find the hotel, cruise, tour guide, etc. that is the best fit for your family. And because you have shared your travel roadmap with them, they can keep an eye out for opportunities to make your travel dreams come true.

And last, but absolutely not least:

5. Buy travel insurance – Or at least buy it when the amount of money you could lose due to a last minute illness, injury, death in the family, cancelled flight, etc., is more than you care to stomach. A good policy from a reliable company is very reasonable, and the peace of mind you’ll have is priceless.

Happy New Year and Happy Travels!

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3 Must-Do’s When Planning a Cruise Vacation

This week there were reports of travelers left stranded when cruise ships were forced to set sail early due to Hurricane Irene. These events reinforced three key things that I have stressed over and over again to clients planning a cruise:

1) Purchase travel insurance – Each cruise line handled the situation differently. Some took care of the passengers accommodations for the night and arranged for them to fly to the ship the next day. Another only helped clients who booked their air with the cruise line, and told the others they were on their own because it was a weather-related incident.

If you think the cruise line is required to make good, you’d better re-read the fine print in the cruise contract. They generally have it pretty well covered that they can change anything without notice, especially when it’s due to bad weather. Instead of spending your time on hold with the cruise line trying to argue about the fairness of it, you can be on the phone with the insurance company’s customer service department working on your alternate arrangements. And you can submit a claim to get your extra expenses reimbursed, including hotel stays and transportation to the ship, subject to the policy’s terms & conditions. 2) Arrive in the embarkation city at least one day early – When a ship’s schedule is moved up, passengers arriving the same day have a much shorter time window in which to absorb schedule changes. Traveling can be nerve-wracking at times, but when schedules are packed too tightly, the slightest mishap can send stress sky-rocketing. This week, even if the ships were going to leave at the scheduled time, inclement weather could have caused flight delays into the port city. Arriving the day before is always a good idea, even if your destination is just a short flight away. Imagine the airport being completely shut down because of a bomb threat, a hazardous chemical leak, etc. Unless you are able to drive yourself to the port at short notice should flying become impossible, you should fly in at least a day early. For travel across an ocean, I’d suggest 2-3 days early.



Now you may say, “I was smart & bought insurance, I’m covered if my flight is delayed.” But did you read the fine print to know if there a minimum delay time required for insurance to kick in? For example, your policy might require a delay of at least 5 hours before they will cover you for missing your ship. What if your flight was only delayed 3 or 4 hours, but your schedule was so tight that you still couldn’t make the ship? You may be out of luck. 3) Carry a valid passport (and make sure it does not expire for at least 6 months beyond the last day of your trip) – Some cruises, such as closed loop itineraries which sail to & from the same US port, still allow travel with only a birth certificate and photo ID. But a prepared traveler ALWAYS takes a valid passport. During Hurricane Irene, passengers that were trying to reach their ship needed to fly to the next port. But if they didn’t have a passport, they were out of luck, a birth certificate is not acceptable ID for air travel outside the US.

Similarly, what if something happened that required you to come home early, such as illness, injury, or family emergency. Or what if the ship had mechanical problems and was forced to unload passengers in a foreign port? You will be scrambling to contact the nearest embassy in order to get home.

Whether or not a cruise line acted fairly is not the issue here. When you’re traveling and things go wrong, you want them fixed ASAP so you can get on with your vacation. Even if someone could guarantee you that your travel supplier was wrong and you were owed compensation, that’s no comfort in the moment, when all you want to do is go on that family vacation you have been dreaming about. Be proactive, and do everything you can to minimize stress, delays, and expense when something goes wrong, by following these three rules.


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Back to School Tip: Old Luggage Tags

When my kids were young, they had a variety of after-school activities. I worried how they would remember that on Tuesday and Thursday they had Homework Club, or every other Wednesday was Spanish Club. Because my kids rode a school bus, it was important they did not forget and take the bus home, or else they could be dropped off at an empty house.

I was wracking my brain to think of how I could give them a note that would last the duration of the school day in a visible place. A Post-It just wasn’t going to cut it, and pinning a note to their clothes would have just been mean.



As I worked in my office one afternoon putting together documents for a client, the idea came to me: luggage tags!

We had a surplus of luggage tags from our travels, as well as ones I have picked up over the years from travel trade shows. Using a Sharpie marker, I wrote the name of the activity and the location on the back of the address card, or if that wasn’t suitable, just flipped over one of my business cards.

I made one tag for each activity, and simply attached it the backpack on the appropriate day. My kids NEVER missed an activity. They were always reminded of where they had to be as they packed up their backpack at the end of the school day.




My kids don’t need this system anymore, but I have been seriously thinking of reviving it to remind ME when I need to do something. Pick up the dry cleaning, buy a birthday gift, take the dog to the vet, … Now where’s my Sharpie?

As the school year begins, it’s time to think about planning holiday trips, spring break, and even next summer’s vacation. Don’t miss out on a great family trip because you got so busy with work, volunteering, or chauffering kids around that you didn’t have time to plan. Contact me at suzette@family-treks.com to get a head start!

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What’s in Your Suitcase?

There are lots of packing lists for travel, and plenty of reviews on the latest “must have” travel gear for families. But here is my list of mostly low tech items that we always take on vacation, whether it’s a local road trip or a flight overseas.

Individual powdered drink mix – Such as Propel or Crystal Light. It saves money since we don’t have to buy as many beverages on the go, it’s green because we recycle bottles, and it’s healthy because my kids are more likely to stay hydrated than if all they have to drink is plain water. It was especially useful in Europe where the selection of soft drinks was limited, often all the only options were Orangina or regular Coke.

Nightlight – I take one traveling with or without the kids, because hotel rooms and cruise staterooms often have blackout curtains. It’s easier to find the bathroom in the middle of the night, and prevents tripping over or stubbing toes on a suitcase in a pitch black room. They’re available at dollar stores so if I leave it behind accidentally, no big deal.

Power strip – A family of four often carries more electronic gadgets that there are wall outlets available, so a multi-outlet strip helps prevent arguments. I bought a dual voltage power strip from a travel shop for our recent trip to France, and it had a USB port as well. It allowed us to could get by with fewer adapters, too.


Extra ear buds and a splitter – I save all the ones we pick up while traveling, and keep them with our travel gear. It’s nice to have backups in case one breaks, or is forgotten. The splitter allows two kids to share one iPhone to watch a movie or listen to music.

Collapsible insulated tote – I have a fairly large one that is light and packs almost flat. It does not have thick insulation, but works well if items are already cold. It’s convenient & a cost savings to purchase drinks and a picnic lunch while traveling.


Swim rings, floats, and beach balls – I buy cheap ones for less than $2, and leave them in the package so they are flat and compact. Then we don’t have to buy or rent while on vacation, and each kid has their own (again, avoid arguments). When heading home, we can leave them behind or give them away. Though my ever-thrifty husband has been known to deflate & pack them down to almost the original size so they fit back in the suitcase.
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The Family Vacation Un-Deal

I am going to tell you how to get the absolute lowest possible price for your family vacation. The catch? It will only be valid the moment I give it to you, and could possibly disappear within hours, or even minutes. Purchasing travel is sometimes like buying stock. It might be best to buy right now, it might be best to buy a few months from now. But without a crystal ball, who knows?

Oh, but you say, you are a travel professional, so you should know the trends and patterns. Well, the trends and patterns we can rely on are simply supply vs. demand. Demand is high during holidays and school vacations, so prices will be higher. Demand is lower in fall, and between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so prices will be lower. But if a volcano erupts, or there’s a political uprising, prices will probably drop no matter what time of year. But then you probably don’t want to go anyway, do you?

My point is, when you’ve decided that you are going to take a family vacation, and you have a pretty good idea of where you want to go, then book it! It’s fine to do some price-shopping, to see if it fits your budget. But once you see what you consider a “fair price,” don’t agonize that you might save $50, $100, or even $500 by waiting for a better deal to come along. Because that later deal might not save you any money.

Case in point: A client booked an all-inclusive resort in Mexico in March, for travel in July. We found a good package, and in fact the vacation was less than he budgeted. Now in May, the resort is advertising a “Kids Free” promotion. So he contacted me and asked if he could switch to the new deal and save money. Well, it turned out that this “deal” would actually double the price of his vacation! If he had procrastinated in booking his trip, it would have cost him several thousand dollars more. (Yet he’d be proud of himself for having scored this “deal.”)Another marketing ploy to be wary of is “special” or “exclusive” rates. They imply they are cheaper, but note that isn’t what they said. I once saw a popular internet travel site advertise their exclusive rates for a luxury resort on Maui. I checked it out, because our relationship with that resort was supposed to ensure nobody could offer a better value. It turns out the internet site did have a special rate: they were offering the rooms for $1/night more than the hotel’s regular rate! A little tweak in the rate, just so they could say it was “exclusive.”

These stories support the two rules that I go by to get the best value: book earlier rather than later, and book through the right supplier, because travel companies are not all created equal. The reason I say “value” instead of “price” is that it’s not always about the money. You have to look at the whole package: can the supplier guarantee a USD rate for a European hotel, will you get first priority for a complimentary upgrade, are meals or spa treatments included?
It’s true, there are last minute “fire sales” when suppliers have unsold inventory, and they can be very, very good. But trust me, nobody is giving away travel for free! Also remember, you don’t get much choice in that situation. It’s like shopping at a “Going Out of Business” sale. If you don’t mind taking whatever’s left, you’re happy to go or stay anywhere if it’s cheap, then knock yourself out. But if you have an image of the “perfect” vacation for your family, do you really want to risk not getting what you want, or worse, get stuck paying more than you should have?

So stop stressing over when and how to book your next family vacation. Instead set your budget, tell your travel advisor what you’re dreaming of, and sit back & relax as they figure out how to get you the most for your money. To learn more about, please email me at suzette@family-treks.com
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Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Travel Advisor

1) Be honest about your budget. If you really have no idea, a ballpark range is fine. It’s helpful to know if your idea of a reasonable vacation budget is $3000 or $10,000. And don’t give a low ball number assuming that your advisor is going to quote something higher. Trust me, a good travel advisor gets a thrill out of finding a great deal for their client. And if you really were willing to spend a bit more, you might have missed out on a deal on a better resort or cruise line.

2) Tell your advisor early on of any special needs, medical issues, or non-negotiable personal preferences. It’s a waste of time for everyone if your advisor has researched lots of options, only to find out that you absolutely will not stay a resort that won’t guarantee connecting rooms, or you must have a water slide.


3) Answer all questions promptly and thoroughly, especially when it involves traveler information such as birthdates, passport expiration dates, etc. If incomplete information is on a reservation (even a courtesy hold), and it has to be cancelled and rebooked, the price could be higher. And reply to phone calls and emails promptly. It’s very stressful for an advisor to wait for a client to call with credit card information when a reservation is hours away from expiring.

4) If you’re price shopping, be honest about it up front. A good advisor spends a lot of time talking with their clients, to find the best vacation at the best value, not just the cheapest price. But if you know where you want to go and simply want a comparison quote, an advisor may be willing to provide it if it doesn’t require a lot of research. If you send them on a wild goose chase only to book your trip on the internet, don’t plan on coming back to them for future assistance. You’ve made it clear you are not interested in a long term relationship. Travel advisors are also not inclined to ask for special favors from their contacts, such as room upgrades or VIP status, if a client has put them through the wringer to get the rock bottom price.


5.) Similarly, let them know if you are looking for an AAA rate or plan to use airline miles or hotel points. Generally a travel advisor will not be able to book these for you, or will charge separate fees. Quite often travel advisors have put together packages which have specially negotiated airfare and hotel rates, so you might be better off saving your points for another trip.

6) Ask for their advice, even if you are sure you want to stay at Hotel XYZ. A good travel advisor will want to know the reason for your choice. Maybe you are relying on advice from a friend who has a completely different travel style, or you read a biased article in a magazine. Travel advisors love clients who do a lot of research on a destination or resort, so that they start off well-informed. But be aware that your advisor probably has more accurate and unbiased information from their extensive insider network.


7) Don’t tell your advisor “Let me know if you see any great deals.” Unless you really want to be forwarded dozens of emails daily! I literally get hundreds of promotions each week, and unless I know a client is specifically interested in a particular destination or resort, I delete them. (And believe me, there are none that say “Hey everyone, we’re giving our rooms away for free and also paying half your airfare!”) If you are solely going to plan your family vacation around price, then you probably aren’t the type of traveler who needs a travel advisor.

8) Tell your advisor about the trips you have loved most and least, and why. You would be surprised how much insight that gives us to your travel personality. It helps us match you to the right destination and resort for your next trip.

The most valuable piece of advice I can give: interview several travel advisors, and find one with whom you have a rapport and you can trust. And then stick with them. If you build a strong, long term relationship with a travel advisor, they will be able to create wonderful family vacations for you for many years to come.

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Family Feeding Frenzy

When airlines quit serving meals, many travelers felt annoyed and inconvenienced. As a mother of two rapidly growing children, I was truly alarmed. How in the world was I going to keep my kids fed on long flights? Because as every parent knows, a hungry child is a an extremely grumpy child!

On vacation last summer, we faced one of the longest flights we have ever been on as a family: 7 hours nonstop from Puerto Rico to California. And my son, almost 13 yrs old, was an eating machine.



As my husband and I were packing up the night before our flight home, we surveyed the kitchen of our villa, wondering what to do with the sandwich supplies we had purchased with good intentions, but never got around to eating. We could certainly make sandwiches to take on the plane, but how were we going to carry them?

Then my husband had a brilliant idea. With the help of our son, he emptied the entire loaf of bread onto the counter and set up a sandwich-making assembly line. In no time they had a dozen ham, turkey, and cheese sandwiches made, which he then restacked and inserted back into the bread bag. We tied it up, stuck it in the refrigerator, and it was ready to go the next morning.


As we walked through the airport with our “loaf” I am sure we got a few stares. (And we did receive a bit of extra attention from a sniffer dog at San Juan International Airport. The DEA agent actually had to encourage him to move away from us.) But I bet some of those looks turned to envy as we pulled what seemed to be an endless supply of sandwiches out of that bag throughout the flight.

We have a trip to France coming up in April, our first flight will be 10 hours long. So we are already talking about using this same strategy for keeping our kids full during the trip.

Do you have any tips for feeding your kids on long plane rides? What foods have you found pack well and keep kids full? Please post your comments here!

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