Google

advertising

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Understand Travel Insurance Policy Language?

Aren't all travel insurance plans basically the same?
No. When you read travel insurance policy language, remember that as with any legal document, the definition of the terms is what governs the working of the policy (including payment of the claim). I create hypothetical travel scenarios for training purposes. This includes contacting our travel insurance suppliers' claims departments to see how they handle a given scenario.
A common concern of travelers are Pre-Existing Medical Conditions. In some cases, you can cancel, interrupt your trip or receive medical treatment if you (or a non-traveling family member) has a pre-existing condition. It has to do with the policy's wording.
All travel insurance excludes claims due to pre-existing medical conditions. Some travel insurance plans will waive the pre-existing condition exclusion if you get your travel insurance in the first 10, 14 or 21 days after your first trip payment date (ie - before the end of these 10, 14 or 21 days).
Any payment on your trip is considered the first payment. This includes the tax you pay when you redeem frequent flyer tickets, refundable deposits or even a trip planning consultation fee if that fee is later credited toward your trip costs.
You'll protect yourself if you have to cancel or interrupt your trip because of that pre-existing medical condition. There are three primary rules to keep in mind:
You have to insure your trip's full prepaid, non-refundable cost and
The person with the medical condition has to be medically stable when you get your insurance and
You must get your travel insurance in the first 10, 14 or 21 days after your first trip payment date.
You can cancel or interrupt your trip or receive medical treatment even if you have a pre-existing condition - if you follow these rules.
This seems simple enough, doesn't it?
Yes. Except there are companies that interpret this wording slightly different from what you expect. Be on the lookout for a clause in policies that states, "General exclusions include any expected or foreseeable events".
What this means to you is this: If you buy a travel insurance policy that includes the words "General exclusions include any expected or foreseeable events", here's what you need to do:
Ask if buying the policy in the Waiver Period really does waive this general exclusionand
Are there other conditions (ie - medically stable or covering the full trip cost) that have to be satisfied
No SurprisesIf you are told, "No, that wouldn't be covered because it's not unforeseen", I strongly suggest you steer clear of those companies - you don't want an unexpected surprise.
We do not offer policies from companies that play this semantics game. Like you, I want to be sure a travel insurance plan will work just like I expected it to.

Steven Dasseos is the founder and CEO of TripInsuranceStore.com. You can compare reputable travel insurance plans at this website. Contact Steve Dasseos here.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Finding the Right Travel Nursing Placement Agency

Travel nursing is becoming one of our nation's fastest growing professions, and it's no surprise. If you love seeing new places and enjoy exciting new experiences that evoke the feeling of taking an extended vacation, then the career of a traveling nurse might be just what the doctor ordered! Travel nursing enables many people to stay on vacation for two to six months in free luxury accommodations while earning high hourly wages at the same time.
Yet despite all these advantages, many nurses describe to me that they've shied away from the traveling profession. Why? Because bad experiences with placement agencies have left them with nothing but a negative impression. They've been underpaid or lacked benefits, and I can't tell you how many nurses have complained to me about inadequate housing or recruiters who were unkind, uncaring, and just plain unavailable. The sad result is that nurses end up jumping from one agency to the next, always in search of the perfect package that's never there.
In this light, choosing the right staffing agency requires a nurse to consider everything that is offered. Some nurses emphasize pay as their top priority. Others require an excellent benefits package. Many travel RNs are location-specific and want to experience the lifestyle in the country's hot spots. Career flexibility is often a pivotal factor, along with customer service. The bottom line is, your agency choice depends largely upon one of the four following criteria.
SALARY
No question about it, there are some agencies that offer more money than others. So the first thing to remember is that agencies may base salaries upon things like location availability, need-to-fill assignments, and cost of living.
Some agencies must offer noticeably higher rates if they expect to fill certain assignments where nurse-to-patient ratios are very low, or where a facility has extreme patient needs. If you're a nurse who is attracted by very high dollars, be alert for a potentially desperate situation you might be entering, and the workload it could bring. You may make more money, but you'll earn every dollar and more.
Location also factors into salary. The California bay area and many larger east coast cities definitely offer more lucrative pay rates. It's also much more expensive to live in those places, so recognize the relationship that exists between salary dollars and cost of living. I've seen nurses return from Hawaii saying they had a great vacation and made a lot of friends-but their purses were lighter, not heavier from the experience. You might get less money in an exotic location and come back with more money from a not-so-exotic location. My point is, your criteria will determine your priorities.
BENEFITS
What some companies may lack in salary, they make up for with benefits. Many agencies offer benefits programs that revolve around monetary bonuses or discounted luxury housing; and I have even observed a trend with several newer companies that offer entirely free housing to all their nurses. Take note, however, that those agencies may not ante up the really high salaries. It's a trade-off, so they compensate you with benefits to save you daily, monthly, and annual expenses. Every nurse should be aware of what benefits they need the most, and then ask their recruiters to assist in developing a package that is tailored to their individual needs.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
To many traveling nurses, customer service and aid are the most important attributes a placement agency possesses. If you called ten agencies and only talked with one live recruiter, it's probably best to narrow it down to the agency where individual placement specialists were easily available. After all, if you're ready to proceed with a new assignment you'll want an agency that can make it happen fast and has recruiters available who already understand your criteria. In fact, your criteria may change from one assignment to another, so customer service is paramount. Determine what you want and then find out which agencies can make it happen.

FEATURED LOCATIONS AND HOT SPOTS
While for some nurses, salary, benefits, and career flexibility might be the number-one interest, many others just want the obvious-to travel and see the world. If you're an adventurer who cares more about the travel experience than the money, then you'll need an agency that can offer you the locations you want.
Not every agency can send you just anywhere. Figure out where you want to go, and then call around to discover who can send you there.
A travel nursing career is absolutely one of the best, most rewarding choices any nurse can make, but it's important to select a company who will partner with you every step of the way. Before you jump in, do your homework and research all the best placement agencies. Finding the agency that fits your unique wants and needs will drastically increase your chances of success and happiness in your career.

Janet Fikany is a "Placement Diva" for HealthCare Staffing Network. For travel nursing advice, please visit HSN online at http://www.hcstaffingnetwork.com, or call Janet toll free at 1-877-385-3097.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

What is Travel Insurance?

Travel Insurance is designed to protect your health, belongings, and your financial investment in your trip. It provides peace of mind for you and your family while on your vacation.
If you are travelling abroad, be it on business or pleasure it is a good idea to consider taking out travel insurance. Whilst it is not compulsory, most travel companies and tour operators usually insist on some form of insurance as a stipulation of their holiday product.
Travel insurance is an insurance product specifically designed to cover you when travelling abroad. We all think about the small things when considering whether to purchase travel insurance, such as loss of money or having luggage stolen. However there are many other factors to consider such as illness & accidents which can also be covered by travel insurance.
Travel insurance is designed to protect and cover against the possible risks you may encounter when travelling abroad. It is of crucial importance if you are travelling abroad, especially if you are likely to pay for any medical expenses that may arise. Other risks include the loss or theft of possessions, the cost of cancellations or claims made against you.
Travel insurance is designed to reimburse non-refundable trip deposits and payments, medical expenses, provide for emergency evacuation or repatriation, cover your personal belongings, baggage and travel delays.
The main reason you need travel insurance is that when you travel to different countries the healthcare services, among other things, can be very different. Sometimes you never know what to expect when you travel abroad, and depending on the particular country, services offered can vary greatly. You have to be prepared to handle any situation that might arise. If you happen to be hurt or become ill in a country that has expensive health care you could find yourself with a bill you did not expect and probably cannot afford to pay. If you are in this kind of trouble travel insurance fits the bill and ensures that you receive the treatment you need.
Travel insurance can cover the following expenses:
Non refundable fees & lost deposits due to cancellation of your trip
Worldwide sickness or accident medical expenses
Travel and Baggage Delays
Damage to or loss of luggage and personal belongings
Loss of Travel Documents
Additional expenses caused by health problems
Accidental Death & Dismemberment
Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
24 hour Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services
As in all insurance market places, there are many different providers of travel insurance. Type of cover and options will vary according to the company and policy. There are different types of travel insurance policies which in the main can be annual policies or single trip policies. There also different levels of cover available where different activities such as skiing are covered. There are also regional differences such as Worldwide or European cover.
When choosing a travel insurance policy you will need to make a judgement between the level of coverage you require and the cost of the policy. Make sure your policy covers most of the following: Personal Belongings & Money, Personal Accident, Medical Expenses, Personal Liability and Legal Expenses.
But remember like all other forms of insurance look around and check out the options as you can save yourself a great deal of money.
You may freely reprint this article provided the author's biography remains intact:
About The Author
John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.
In The News:

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Inside mud spa :Skin Disease Treatment

original source by www.goldenpai.com and www.pooklon.com









Have you ladles been frightened that one morning when you looked into the mirror and you saw gloomy, dried and rough face instead of smooth and tender complexion? If so, it's time for you to take better care of your face.Taking care of your complexion is must for you, especially ladies, in order to maintain a smooth, healthy and young look as you could.
One way to keep such look on your face is using the mud, Don't be frightened. It's the mud full of useful minerals from different natural sources which is believed to help vitalizing the facial skin there are only few places in the world where we can find such qualified mud, from the Dead Sea and the mud from volcano. Mud mask treatment can be performed in several ways, all of which is beneficial to the face. Minerals contained in the mud are:Calcium - to keep balancing the facial skin and prevent moisture lossChloride - to control facial moisture at upper skin level Potassium - to help nourishing the skin Magnesium - to help building up and repair the degenerated cellsSodium - to stimulate the skin changes to be more efficientBesides, mud mask contains mineral water and other useful ingredient, which help in deep penetrationTo lower level of the skin. Thus, mud mask can deeply clean the facial skin and some mineral contained helps remove the dead cells leaving clean and vital looking face after use. Mud can also stimulate blood circulation and relax the facial muscles. Another property of mud mask is the ability to cure some kind of skin disease.

After 15 - 20 minutes masking the face with mud, wash the face thoroughly with water. The extra oil and impurities should be removed leaving the clean and fresh feeling on your face. Oxygen and nutrients can effectively work through the facial skin because the circulation is stimulated.Different person has different type of skin. For oily skin, mud masking should be done 3 time per week. Normal skin can mask the face with mud twice a week, Dry skin should not mask the face with mud more than once a week.
Best for you face is when you first try the mud mask. You should start with light and thin mask to allow your face to adjust to the mud, Later on, you can put normal amount of mud on. Moisturizing cream should be used after washing the mud mask from your face to increase the skin moisture and help balancing the ski. Above all is to have enough exercise, complete diet and proper rest, which will result in everlasting vital complexion and best for you.