April 2017

Did you know that the U.S. Department of State recommends travel insurance for anyone traveling abroad? In fact, they think travel insurance is so important they even say so in every U.S. passport. Just take a peek inside your passport. If you don't have a passport yet and plan to travel abroad soon, make sure you allow at least 6 weeks for the application for your passport to be approved. If you already have a passport, did you know that it needs to be valid for at least 6 months past the date of your travel?

Travel insurance can protect your financial investment (up to the amount of your policy limits) should your trip be cancelled or interrupted for a covered reason, as well as provide additional benefits like baggage protection and emergency medical and dental coverage. 

Allianz travel insurance offers a 24-hour hotline that is staffed with multilingual specialists who can help you with all types of situations from anywhere in the world, from reporting lost baggage to getting emergency medical treatment. They can also help you replace passports, refer you to legal assistance, secure cash in case of emergency and guarantee payment to gain admission into a hospital. 

Allianz even includes Concierge service in most of their plans. This service provides you with information about your destination before you travel and can help you reserve restaurants, reserve golf tee times, or secure tickets to local events.

As you can see, travel insurance goes far beyond just protecting your initial trip investment. It's risky to travel without it - you never know when it will come in handy.

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If you have ever been to Vegas or another fast-paced city for a vacation, have you ever felt you needed another vacation to recover? I've experience this feeling a few times after traveling to a destination where there is so much to do that you get sensory overload trying to fit everything in. On more than one occasion, my husband and I have said to each other, "Wow, I feel like we need a relaxing vacation to recuperate from that trip!"

That has me thinking, why not spend 2-3 nights in one of the fast-paced destinations so that you can experience all it has to offer, then head to a tranquil destination for another 3-5 nights before returning home? This will give you the opportunity to enjoy those must-see and must-experience areas, while still feeling relaxed and refreshed before returning home.

Many people go on vacation to escape everyday life and the stresses that come with it. Having a peaceful and calming experience at some point during the trip will rejuvenate people to come back to their normal life and give them that revitalized feeling, while still allowing them to make the most of their trip.

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