STEVENS POINT, Wis., Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ — As the Midwest and Northeast are getting pounded with snow and ice this week, and airports reporting closures or long delays, AIG Travel Guard, the nation’s largest provider of travel insurance and assistance plans, has been answering the calls of thousands of stranded travelers trying to depart from or return to the affected regions.
“Our LiveTravel assistance center has received more than double the normal volume of calls from travelers needing help to rebook cancelled flights and make alternative hotel reservations,” reports Dan McGinnity, AIG Travel Guard Vice President. “The delays and airport closures have stranded travelers in airports throughout the country because such major hubs like Chicago’s O’Hare and Washington’s Dulles and Reagan National have been affected. Most of our clients have been rebooked on alternate flights and will be on their way home today or tomorrow. We expect the increased call volume to continue this week as the Midwest storm moves East today and tomorrow. Next week we anticipate a significant number of calls from customers filing trip delay and cancellation claims.”
Travelers who have purchased Travel Guard travel insurance plans have immediate, 24/7 access to the company’s LiveTravel emergency travel service hotline for rebooking cancelled flights, making alternative hotel reservations or assisting with ground transportation — services well-suited to weary travelers dealing with the aftermath of a powerful winter storm.
Travel Guard’s two most popular plans — Cruise, Tour & Travel and ProtectAssist — provide coverage for trips delayed or cancelled by winter storms or other severe weather, McGinnity said. For example, if a traveler is forced to cancel a trip due to severe weather, travel insurance provides a reimbursement for nonrefundable covered expenses, up to the limit of coverage purchased.
If severe weather forces the evacuation of the traveler’s hotel or resort, the travel insurance provides reimbursement for nonrefundable expenses, and additional travel expenses covered by the policy. To be eligible for the coverage, McGinnity notes that travelers must purchase their travel insurance coverage before the severe weather is forecasted or predicted. Losses resulting from a storm that has been forecasted or predicted on or before the effective date of coverage are excluded.
Travel Guard’s complete family of travel insurance and assistance services plans can be purchased online at http://www.travelguard.com/ , through Travel Guard’s 24-hour World Service Center (800-826-1300), or from one of the more than 16,000 travel agencies who offer Travel Guard plans.
AIG Travel Guard is America’s leading provider of travel insurance plans for more than 6 million travelers each year. Travel insurance plans through AIG Travel Guard are distributed by more than 12,000 travel agents across the United States.
Travel insurance through AIG Travel Guard may include coverage for trip cancellation, travel interruptions and delays, emergency medical expenses, medical evacuation expenses, and lost or delayed baggage. AIG Travel Guard’s plans also include 24-hour travel emergency service for emergency medical assistance, last-minute or emergency travel changes, lost luggage tracking, pre-trip travel advice, and more.
AIG Travel Guard is a wholly owned subsidiary of AIG Travel Services, Inc., a member company of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). AIG, world leaders in insurance and financial services, is the leading international insurance organization with operations in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions. The AIG Companies serve commercial, institutional and individual customers through the most extensive worldwide property-casualty and life insurance networks of any insurer. In addition, the AIG Companies are leading providers of retirement services, financial services and asset management around the world.
The travel insurance offered through AIG Travel Guard is underwritten by American Home Assurance Company or National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pa., with their principal place of business in New York, NY. Both of these companies are subsidiaries of AIG. The policies contain reductions, limitations, exclusions, and termination provisions. Not all coverages are available in every state. The non insurance services are provided by AIG Travel Assist.
