Travel Insurance 101
The busy vacation season will soon get underway and you may be considering travel insurance. Before you make plans, contact your insurance agent or company to discuss your current coverage. You may have some coverages from some policies you already have like homeowners or health insurance. Your credit card may even offer some protection.
There are two main types of travel insurance: trip cancellation/delay insurance and medical/accidental death insurance.
Trip Cancellation. Reimburses pre-paid travel expenses if you are not able to take your trip because you become ill or die.
Travel Delay. Reimburses pre-paid expenses if you aren’t able to take your trip because of a travel delay, such as a flight delay or cancellation.
Trip Interruption. Reimburses pre-paid expenses if your trip is cut short due to some misfortune listed in the policy or due to your illness or death.
Medical/Accidental Death. Reimburses medical and emergency dental expenses that you incur because of an illness or injury while you’re traveling.
If you do plan to purchase a policy, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Make sure the person you’re buying the policy from is licensed to sell insurance. You can search for licensed agents online here.
- Determine what benefits the insurance company offers.
- Read your policy to see if coverage only applies to the traveler.
- Ask questions about the companies refund policy on prepaid expenses.
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New Family, New Insurance Needs
Assessing insurance needs and choosing the right coverage is an important step for newlyweds. Always shop around to try and get competitive rates for your needs. Our Shop Your Rates tool can help you compare rates among companies. Here are a few tips to get you started.
- Homeowners Insurance. Make a home inventory list of your belongings to determine how much coverage you will need.
- Auto Insurance. You may be eligible for discounts if you buy an auto policy from the same company that carries your homeowners or renter’s policies.
- Health Insurance. Compare the cost of adding your spouse to your policy against keeping your own health insurance.
You can also check out the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Insurance Survival Guide for Newlyweds.
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Save Money on Medicare
Two Medicare programs can help seniors cover prescription drug costs: The Medicare Savings Program and The Extra Help Program.
The Medicare Savings Program is administered by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. It can lower Medicare costs and reduce the money you pay out of pocket. The Extra Help Program is administered by the Social Security Administration. The program helps people with limited income and resources pay Medicare prescription drug costs. It also pays the monthly Medicare drug plan Part D premium, deductible, and copayments.
You must meet income and asset guidelines to be eligible for the programs. For more information contact our Senior Health Staff at 1-800-259-5300.
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Promoting Insurance Literacy
The Office of Consumer Advocacy’s Division of Diversity and Opportunity welcomes Belaire High School in Baton Rouge to the InVest Program. The program offers an opportunity for students to learn about the insurance industry and acquire knowledge necessary for employment. Click here to watch a video and learn more about the division’s activities.
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Share your Thoughts with the Health Care Commission
The Louisiana Health Care Commission wants to hear from you. The commission reviews key issues that may affect healthcare in Louisiana and holds public meetings to receive information and testimony from experts. Your feedback gives leaders the opportunity to make recommendations to the commission. Please share your thoughts and ideas for future meeting agendas here.
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