Holiday Travelers Stranded when Missed Connections Aren't Covered, warns Squaremouth

This week marks one of the busiest travel times of the year at airports across the country. Squaremouth, America's fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, is reminding travelers to choose wisely when considering coverage for missed or delayed flights.

St. Petersburg, FL (PRWEB) December 24, 2012

This week marks one of the busiest travel times of the year at airports across the country. Squaremouth, America's fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, is reminding travelers to choose wisely when considering coverage for missed or delayed flights.

Initially, the differences between trip interruption and missed connection coverage may seem subtle, but the coverage a traveler chooses can greatly differ. So when it comes to covering delays, what is the difference between the two benefits?

Trip interruption coverage is a popular choice for many travelers. This coverage reimburses unused trip costs if a traveler has to end a trip early and return home. This benefit can be valuable to travelers, so long as the interruption falls under the covered reasons listed on the policy. These reasons may include bad weather, strike or mechanical failure. If a traveler satisfies the coverage requirements, trip interruption will reimburse the costs incurred to get back home or to re-join the trip.

“Many people don't realize they have the option to catch up to a trip if something goes wrong,” says Chris Harvey, CEO of Squaremouth. “This option allows travelers to continue on with their plans and avoid cancelling expensive portions of their vacation.”

For some travelers, one disadvantage of relying on trip interruption coverage is they must insure at least a portion of their trip costs. This may mean more upfront cost but the traveler would be eligible for more reimbursement in the event of a claim. Coverage provided by the trip interruption benefit can total up to 200% of the trip cost. For some travelers, this might offer thousands more in coverage compared to the missed connection benefit, which may only offer a few hundred dollars.

There are circumstances where missed connection coverage is more beneficial. This coverage can reimburse a traveler for fees associated with flight changes. Similar to trip interruption, it may cover the transportation costs incurred to catch up to a cruise, tour or destination if the traveler misses a flight due to a common carrier delay. Although it varies by policy, delays can result from inclement weather or common carrier complications.

A traveler might not have to insure a trip cost in order to take advantage of the missed connection benefit in a policy. Many policies offer this benefit regardless of whether travelers have chosen to insure their expenses. In general, it's often easier to meet the requirements for missed connection coverage.

A policyholder should however, be aware of time requirements for most missed connection benefits. “It's always important for people to know the details of their policy,” says Chris Harvey, CEO of Squaremouth. “If a traveler misses a flight by two hours and their missed connection coverage requires a minimum three hour delay, they won't be covered.”

Bottom line, missed connection is usually easier to claim but less money up front. Trip interruption however, typically requires a more difficult delay, but can reimburse a higher dollar amount.

Whether it's the higher reimbursement amount with trip interruption or the ease of satisfying the coverage requirements with missed connection, travelers are encouraged to evaluate their specific needs. The differences between the two benefits can greatly impact a traveler's ability to receive reimbursement, which is why choosing the policy that fits best can make all the difference for holiday travel.

About Squaremouth
Squaremouth is America's fastest-growing travel insurance comparison site, providing the tools to instantly quote, compare and buy policies from every major provider. The company is headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL, with offices in Fort Wayne, IN. For more information on Squaremouth or its extensive network of partner sites worldwide, visit http://www.squaremouth.com.

About our Zero Complaint Guarantee
The cornerstone of Squaremouth's commitment to customers is the guarantee to remove any provider with a customer complaint that cannot be resolved to Squaremouth's satisfaction. Squaremouth offers the broadest selection of insurance, with an emphasis on quality, follow-up care, and independent evaluations from insurance industry watchdog, AM Best.

Squaremouth offers products from the following travel insurance providers:
Air Ambulance Card, AMEX Assurance Company, Azimuth Risk Solutions, LLC, CSA Travel Protection, Global Alert Administrators, HCC Medical Insurance Services, HTH Worldwide, IMG, iTravelInsured, John Hancock Insurance Agency, Inc., MedjetAssist, MH Ross Travel Insurance Services, RoamRight, Seven Corners Inc, Travel Guard, Travel Insurance Services, Travel Insured International, Travelex Insurance Services, TravelSafe, Trawick International, USA-ASSIST Worldwide Protection, and VacationGuard.

AVAILABLE TOPIC EXPERTS:
Chris Harvey
charvey(at)squaremouth(dot)com
Toll-free (800) 240-0369 x 6103
Direct (727) 490-5802
Chrisharvey.com

Jenna Gravino
jgravino(at)squaremouth(dot)com
Toll-free (800) 240-0369 x 6112
Direct (727) 502-6849

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/12/prweb10267050.htm