Voluntourism ~ Good Times, Good Deeds

According to the Macmillan Dictionary website "voluntourism" is a new word that describes a newish practice - taking a holiday which combines leisure and sightseeing with the opportunity to work for a charity or other worthwhile cause. So, if you combine fun and philanthropy on your holiday - that's "Voluntourism", a new wave in the travel industry.
Whatever the reason, more tourists — such as college students on spring break, jet-setting luxury travelers and retiring baby boomers — are using their vacations to volunteer.
Volunteer vacationers assist with humanitarian and disaster relief efforts, care for AIDS patients, feed the hungry in remote villages or save endangered species. But not all volunteer programs involve life-and-death matters; travelers can teach English, care for orphaned and disabled children, tend animals, maintain hiking trails and do other conservation work, assist with scientific and environmental research or participate in archaeological expeditions.
You can build schools in El Salvador, or conserve the tropical rainforest in Belize. Assist with marine biology expeditions in the Bahamas, care for injured seals on the Scottish coast, or work in an orphanage in Tanzania.
While the trend is hard to quantify, a wide variety of environmental, medical, nature, children's and other groups as well as churches report that participation in volunteer vacations is on the rise. The percentage of travelers planning to volunteer during vacations in 2007 nearly doubled from the previous year, jumping from 6 percent to 11.
Weather you're building an orphanage in Mozambique or saving the turtles in Costa Rica, protect your health and investment with adequate insurance coverage. Call Mark Sneed or Adam Bates at 1-800-647-4589 and tell them about your upcoming adventure. They will help you find the best, most affordable coverage for your vacation with a purpose.

Insurance Without Borders

by MARK SNEED, Vice President • INSURANCE SERVICES OF AMERICA
health@globalcitizeninsurance.com • +1-800-647-4589/ 480-821-9052




THE NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE


Most times, when living overseas, traditional sources of US private, group, or HMO health insurance will not meet your employees’ needs. Geographical exclusions and provider limitations common to these policies will restrict or even eliminate the health insurance coverage available to them while they are outside the USA. At the same time, they may not be eligible for participation in a foreign government run health care system. Most Americans desire not to get involved with government run health care, but want access to health care in other countries on their own terms.


WHEN EMERGENCIES HIT

In the event of a dire emergency, where an employee needs to be air evacuated from one country to another for proper treatment, who pays for this tremendous expense? Medical evacuations can easily reach into the tens of thousands of dollars! In the event of a death overseas, who pays for the return of remains back to America for burial? It is not uncommon for a grieving family to be left with the burden of paying tens of thousands of dollars to have a body returned from overseas.


THE GOOD NEWS!

The good news is that US style health insurance plans are now available at very reasonable rates for individuals or groups, who are living overseas. These plans can cover up to $5,000,000.00 of major medical expenses, plus emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of mortal remains, accidental death, and they automatically include other important features such as a 24-hour, worldwide assistance telephone number.

LIFE INSURANCE

One last item to consider for anyone going long term is life insurance. Many US life insurance companies frown on insuring the life of workers living in other countries. To fulfill this need, seek out an "international" life company. Lloyds of London, for example, provides affordable coverage for US workers and expatriates living overseas.

NOW WHAT?

Now the obvious question as an employer is - where do I get more information and a quote on international health or life insurance? Well, the average insurance broker doesn't have a clue! These types of policies are not found on every "street corner". However, there are some insurance agencies that specialize in providing international health & life quotes. A few that you may wish to look up are: http://www.globalcitizeninsurance.com/, http://www.worldwidemedical.com/ and http://www.overseashealth.com/.
In a post-9/11 world, as people continue to travel and live abroad, the need for international health & life insurance is no longer a luxury, but has become just as important as obtaining a passport! So, when your employees leave our borders make sure that their insurance goes with them!




Mark Sneed is the Vice President of Insurance Services of America, a company that specializes in international health and life insurance. With over 4000 agents nationwide, they are one of the largest marketers of international health, travel and life insurance in the US. Utilizing some of the oldest and most respected insurance companies in the industry ISA is able to offer a wide variety of plans for groups of any size as well as the individual expatriate.

Here's the 411 on 3-1-1:

When packing those bags for your next trip, keep in mind the new carry-on regulations set forth by the Transportation Security Administration. Heavy travel volumes and the enhanced security process may mean longer lines at security checkpoints. Following these simple guidelines will ensure a faster and easier checkpoint experience.

All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller.

All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.

Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.

For a complete list of carry-on rules and regulations, visit the transportation Security Administration at www.tsa.gov

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For all your travel advice and insurance needs, check out our website: www.insurancefortrips.com, or give us a call at 800-647-4589. We look forward to assisting you!

Getting home can be the most expensive part of a health crisis abroad

Sometimes when planning a trip abroad, travel insurance can be the furthest thing from your mind. However, what would you do if you found your self sick, injured or without your personal belongings while overseas?

Travel insurance picks up the considerable expenses that can be incurred if you get hurt or injured and have to be evacuated for proper care. Just recently, a college student on spring break in Mexico was badly hurt while surfing and had to be flown back to the U.S. for medical care at a cost of more than $20,000

Many travelers need additional medical coverage while traveling abroad, either because their private health coverage offers only limited benefits overseas or because they are covered only by Medicare, which will not pay anything for medical care outside the United States. There's another factor now: With the new carry-on restrictions, more of us will be forced to check bags, and that means a greater likelihood that bags will get lost or delayed.

Our Trip Protector plan covers trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage protection, medical evacuation, and much more. Protect your vacation investment, and allow us to assume the financial risk of you getting sick, injured, or delayed while traveling.

Check out http://www.insurancefortrips.com/, or call Mark or Adam at 1-800-647-4589 to see just how affordable it can be to safeguard your family and your vacation investment.