Travel tip: get AXA trip protection for your next trip!
Traveling around the world can satisfy your need for adventure, but there are some risks involved that shouldn’t be overlooked..
I believe that traveling is one of the few things that can greatly improve the quality of our lives. Getting to see new places, meeting new people and learning more about our world can expand our horizons and nourish our souls. Not to mention the fact that many people seek out remote jobs solely for the desire to travel and work from their laptops - an interesting lifestyle indeed!
When traveling to new places we need to be aware of the potential risks involved, as well as how to avoid them. That’s why today I want to talk about a few possible risks to be aware of when traveling (especially internationally), as well as how travel protection plans work to counter them. AXA Assistance USA, Inc. (AXA) is one such travel protection provider that can assist you with your travel needs. I am going to address several important travel risks, how AXA addresses them and how this may relate to you.
What is AXA travel insurance?
AXA is among the world leaders in providing assistance, with nearly 1.5 billion Euros in annual revenues, 25.2 million Euros underlying earnings and 10.8 million handled files in 2015. A wholly owned company of the AXA Group, AXA Assistance is the global assistance provider specializing in Automotive, Travel, Home, Health and Life Care Services. Its 8,557 employees are located in 34 countries and do business in over 200 countries and territories. They look after their customers and help protect them by providing best-in-class solutions beyond immediate situations, anywhere, anytime.
AXA Assistance USA is part of the AXA Group and is headquartered in Chicago, IL since 1983. AXA Assistance USA delivers travel, healthcare, and concierge products through insurance companies, major credit card associations, and directly to corporations, student groups and consumers. For more information on AXA Assistance USA, please visit www.axa-assistance.us.
If anyone knows the ins and outs of travel insurance, it is these guys, which is why I will be using them in this Mod as a point of reference!
Support in an emergency - medical benefits
One of the most common yet overlooked causes of concern when traveling is what to do if you get sick, really sick. The kind of sick that would put you in a hospital bed with medication or getting an IV. This could be a simple case of food poisoning, or becoming hyperthermic from prolonged exposure to the high temperatures (I’m from Seattle, so any prolonged sun exposure is a life threatening risk). When you’re traveling out of the country, your local medical provider probably doesn’t have coverage in the Alps, Egypt, etc, so your trip to the doctor for even a moderately severe issue could potentially leave you with a bill that has more zeros than your bank account balance. In this kind of situation, a travel protection plan provides coverage which can possibly help with covering these costs.
AXA for example, has several travel protection plans: Gold, Silver and Platinum. One of the benefits included in these plans is the Emergency Accident and Sickness Medical Expense. The Gold Plan provides coverage up to $100,000 USD, the Silver Plan up to $25,000 USD, and the Platinum Plan provides coverage up to $250,000 USD. As with any insurance coverage the benefit amounts are based on eligible expenses as well as the terms and conditions of the plan you choose. Nobody expects to get sick, but if you’re planning to travel to different countries then it’s in your best interest to purchase a travel protection plan. To learn more about AXA’s travel protection plans and assistance services please visit their website: www.axatravelinsurance.com.
Support with travel issues - delays, baggage and more
The other concern when you’re traveling often, is that you’re bound to get caught up in layover schedules that make it impossible for you to make your connection flight in time. While some airlines are pretty good about offering solutions, most often you will need to purchase a secondary flight for a reduced cost or in some circumstances, stay overnight for a different flight the next day, cancelling your first one. While there are definitely discount-ticketing sites out there, you’re still likely to be hit with large cancellation fees. AXA’s travel protection plans offer missed connection and trip delay benefits and if you just need to cancel your entire trip before you leave, the Trip Cancellation benefit covers up to 100% of your total trip cost if you cancel your trip for a covered reason.
AXA also offers baggage delay benefits, which may provide reimbursement for the purchase of essential items if your luggage is delayed. The Gold plan provides benefits up to $300 USD (after 24 hour delay), the Silver plan up to $200 USD (after 24 hour delay), and the Platinum plan up to $600 USD (after 12 hour delay) as well as the applicable terms and conditions of the plan that you choose, which is helpful to all of you who decide to travel with your entire wardrobe.
Let’s take this to the next level- what happens if you get sick while traveling abroad and the local facility is not able to provide you with the necessary medical treatment and you need to be transported to receive appropriate medical care (if you're travelling by car in Europe, keep in mind the implications of BREXIT)? AXA’s trip protection plans offer Medical Evacuation & Repatriation coverage. This coverage provides benefits to transport you from the hospital where you are first taken when injured or sick to the nearest hospital where appropriate medical treatment can be provided, if your medical condition requires it. Coverage for Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation is also available on some AXA plans.
AXA travel protection
There are a variety of other reasons why you may need a travel protection plan. If you would like to get a quote for your upcoming travels, you can visit the AXA travel insurance website. AXA’s travel protection plans are underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and include travel assistance services with 24/7 customer service, so you can call them at any time of the day or night. They also offer assistance with travel tips, translation services, cultural information and much more. AXA’s www.axatravelinsurance.com website also has a FAQ page that provides useful information on travel protection as well as plan coverages. If you’re planning to travel soon, I suggest reaching out to AXA for a quote. Don’t get caught in a potentially costly situation when you travel, get yourself an AXA travel protection plan!
Required Disclaimer: Welcome to the AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance Blog! The Travel on Blog is intended to provide you with entertaining and educational information of a general nature. The articles are for editorial purposes only and are not intended to replace the advice of a qualified professional. Please contact AXA Assistance USA if you have any questions. Please read your plan document carefully. This is only a summary of our program. Please refer to your plan document for complete coverages, terms, conditions, limits and exclusions, including a pre-existing condition exclusion. Not all plans or coverages are available in every state. This summary does not replace or change any part of your plan document. If there is a conflict between this summary and your plan document, the plan document will govern. Please contact AXA for additional information regarding plan features and pricing at USTravel@axa- assistance.us. Plans contain insured benefits and non-insurance assistance services. The insurance benefits in the Silver, Gold and Platinum plans are underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies, Columbus, Ohio. Benefits are administered by AXA Assistance USA, Inc. (in California, doing business as AXA Assistance Administrators, License Number 0H74893). Non-insurance assistance services are provided by AXA Assistance USA, Inc. and are not underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.
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Aleksey Weyman
Aleksey Weyman is a web designer, music artist and creator of Millennial Moderator
