True Stories of Trouble from the Open Road

When planning a trip, whether business or pleasure, travelers do not usually think of the mishaps that can occur on the road. Furthest from their minds is the thought that unexpected travel events often happen – domestically and abroad. Fortunately, when the worst does happen, travelers who carry travel insurance coverage often find it worthwhile. We share some real situations below.

Evacuation at Sea
Less than a day into his seven-day Caribbean cruise, Mark unexpectedly fell into a seizure aboard a cruise ship. His wife, Sharon, was terrified and begged the crew to turn back to Fort Lauderdale, where they had departed from earlier that day. Despite Sharon's pleas, the crew decided to press on to Half Moon Quay, a private island owned by the cruise line that they were scheduled to reach in the morning. Fortunately for Mark and Sharon, they had purchased a Travel Guard travel insurance plan before leaving home.

The cruise ship's doctor didn't feel the ship was properly equipped to handle Mark's medical condition, and recommended Mark be admitted to the nearest appropriate medical facility for a C.T. scan and consultation with the facility's neurologist. Sharon remembered their Travel Guard plan and called for help. Travel Guard quickly arranged medical evacuation for Mark to Fort Lauderdale by air ambulance for further evaluation. The couple's adult children, with whom they were traveling, were left onboard to agonize over their father's condition.

To further complicate matters, Mark and Sharon’s luggage never arrived onboard their ship prior to departure and they needed help tracking it down. Another call to Travel Guard and the “BagTrak” service included in their plan was able to locate the couple’s luggage, helping them resolve yet another mishap.

Fortunately, Mark's condition began to improve, and he was soon cleared to travel. He and Sharon had a message relayed to the cruise line to let their children know they would see them back home.

From coordinating the medical evacuation for Mark, to arranging adequate medical treatment in the appropriate medical facility, to tracking down the couple's luggage and arranging Sharon's hotel while Mark was in the hospital, the coverage through Travel Guard helped soften the blow of an otherwise traumatic experience.

In addition to all of the travel assistance services they received with their plan, the family was reimbursed for all covered medical, trip interruption, travel delay and luggage delay expenses, totaling over $16,600.**

Airport Honeymoon Averted
From the dresses to the venue to the cake to the very last hydrangea, couples do their best to plan each moment of their wedding. Unfortunately, one thing they cannot control is inclement weather that can put a damper on their destination wedding or honeymoon plans. Newlyweds Matthew and Amy of Baltimore, MD realized how easily their well-planned honeymoon to Belize could be ruined when storms rolled into the Caribbean, delaying their flight out of Miami. Matthew and Amy, on the first night of their honeymoon, were stranded in the Miami International Airport; not a very romantic start to their life together.

Fortunately, the couple had purchased a travel insurance plan through Travel Guard to help cover their honeymoon investment. Travel Guard's personal assistance* center helped locate a hotel near the Miami Airport enabling Matthew and Amy to spend the first night of their honeymoon in luxury, instead of on a bench at the airport terminal. Travel Guard also arranged for ground transportation to and from the hotel, and worked with the airlines to ensure they reached their destination the next day.

With Travel Guard's assistance, the couple was able to reach Belize the next day and enjoy the rest of one of the most important trips of their lives.**

Destination Hurricane Wedding
Lezlie and her daughter Jessica were traveling to Lezlie's sister's wedding in Cancun, Mexico. She purchased travel insurance through Travel Guard and strongly encouraged her seven other family members traveling to Cancun to do so as well. None of them thought they would need it. "What are the chances something will happen,” they said.

After they arrived, something did happen: a hurricane hit Cancun. Immediately following the ceremony, the wedding party was evacuated from their resort. They decided to hire a van to drive them inland three hours to Merida, Mexico. As they were about to depart, Lezlie's mother fell and broke her hip, and was taken to a nearby hospital. Because the hospital wouldn't allow her to stay with her mother, Lezlie's sister was separated from her and taken to a shelter.

Meanwhile, the other seven family members left for Merida in the van. After arriving in Merida, Lezlie called Travel Guard. “They had a medical team and people who spoke Spanish" to help them locate their mother in the Cancun hospital, get an update on her condition and help them try to find an air ambulance to fly her back home. Travel Guard also helped find Lezlie's sister, who was in the shelter, and reunited her with her mother. They also assisted in making the arrangements to get everyone back home. Travel Guard even followed up after they were back in the U.S. to make sure everyone was doing well.

Lezlie was most appreciative of Travel Guard's kindness and willingness to help all of them, even the family members who had not purchased travel insurance.

**The scenarios summarized above are offered only as examples. Coverage depends on the actual facts of each case and the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy. Anyone interested in plans provided through Travel Guard should request a copy of the description of coverage for a description of the scope and limitations of coverage.

*Non-insurance services are provided by Travel Assist.