Trip Protection and Travel Insurance: Are They the Same Thing?
经过Richard D’Ambrosio/
如果您要求普通的旅行社和旅行者描述旅行保护和旅行保险之间的区别,那么您可能会得到与与您交谈的不同个人一样多的答案。
Posing the question to Google, you won’t find easy answers. Travel Insurance Review, one of the highest results on Google’s Search Engine Result Page (SERP) for the question,directs the user to a page讨论旅行保险和旅行援助之间的区别。
一种Generali全球援助网站的页面说,“旅游保护计划提供援助services in addition to insurance coverages.” (Generali offers services like emergency assistance services, on-demand medical care, and identity theft resolution.)
But depending on who is offering the coverage and how they are applying it, definitions abound. “People are confused about travel insurance,” said Geoff Millar, co-owner of Ultimate Travel, in Gilbert, Arizona. “There are so many types out there, and each one can be a little different in what they do or don't cover.”
“I think many agents are confused about insurance, let alone clients,” said Helen Prochilo, owner, Promal Vacations.
最近的文章经过consumer advocate Christopher Elliottpoints out the level of confusion.
“Travel insurance is an actual insurance product underwritten by large insurance companies and regulated by state insurance agencies,” Elliott writes, while trip protection plans have traditionally been much riskier propositions for consumers, and could be full of exclusions.
一项旅行保护计划 - 可以由在线旅行社,旅游运营商或其他旅行公司提供 - 可能只能覆盖一部分旅行,而不是向旅行者偿还取消,而不是为未来的旅行提供信用。
Bud Geissler, Travel Insured’s national group sales account manager, has been in travel for more than 20 years, including 18 years working with student group tours – and he can attest to Elliott’s main points.
盖斯勒告诉《旅行市场报告》:“ 9/11的大规模破坏开始了旅行和旅游业的一项产品创新之路。”beplay客服自那天以来,他目睹了旅游经营者和保险公司意识到覆盖范围的差距,例如将所有航空公司都没有覆盖的活动。随着时间的流逝,该行业开始在更多的“旅行保护”中分层,这与向某人偿还他们无法使用的取消旅行或机票无关。
“虽然我们可能会因为扎根而向旅行者提供退款,但旅行的元素不在旅游套餐的一部分,例如博物馆的招生或音乐或戏剧的门票?”盖斯勒回忆起。盖斯勒说,随着保险和“保护计划”的发展,代理商和消费者并不总是明确的差异。
In his recent article, Elliott noted how, in many cases, “protection plans were backed by tour operators instead of highly rated insurance underwriters. So, if a tour operator ran into financial difficulties, it might mean your trip ‘protection’ was worthless.” Consumers are still digging themselves out of personal experiences that may have incorrectly influenced their understanding of the terms.
米拉(Millar)认为,另一个促成因素是,由于旅行保险的监管良好,因此许多旅行保险公司希望劝阻旅行顾问对保险计划的细节过于深入。
“There have been many issues between agents and clients concerning travel insurance – what it covers or does not cover. Some of those issues have led to lawsuits,” Millar said.
有区别
那么,有什么区别?对于传统保险公司而言,“最简单的答案是旅行保护包括保险,”安联合伙人首席营销官乔·梅森(Joe Mason)说。
“Let’s start with travel insurance. If you’re coming over to visit me in Paris, and something comes up and you can’t make the trip, you’re glad you have travel insurance, because you would be reimbursed if your cancellation is due to a covered reason,” Mason said.
梅森说:“现在,一旦飞机离开跑道,旅行保护的更广泛的要素就会发挥作用。”梅森继续使用他的巴黎例子来描述差异。
“您要去巴黎,但是您几天生病了,您需要去医院。或工作说他们需要您回来,您必须比原始退货日期更早返回家中。或者存在不安全的情况,您需要当地的帮助。所有这些都将属于旅行保护。”
梅森认为,由于安联的TravelsMart应用程序等产品,消费者越来越多地将更广泛的“旅行保险”服务视为其整体“旅行保护范围”的一部分。
“TravelSmart has helped us reveal the benefits because they are more readily accessible, have more functionality and utility, right there in the traveler’s hand,” Mason said. “More consumers are understanding the value proposition goes broader.”
Allianz Marketing and Communications总监Dan Durazo说,安联通过媒体,有影响力的人和旅行社的工作,以更好地教育消费者有关旅行保险的教育。他说:“这不是一个快速的过程。”
“我们认为我们已经完全受过教育的旅行社和消费者吗?我不这么认为。”梅森补充说。“我认为我们可以扩大对话的空间更多。”