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Released: March 12, 2010

Consumer Action helps you avoid travel ‘gotchas’

Reasons to consider travel insurance for your next trip

Contact: Ruth Susswein at (301) 718-2511 or Linda Sherry at (202) 544-3088 (Media inquiries only)

During National Consumer Protection Week, Consumer Action releases information on a key financial protection to consider when traveling. The organization has devoted its new issue of Consumer Action News to helping consumers avoid the "gotchas" when buying travel insurance.

• Did you know if you travel overseas that your medical insurance probably won't travel with you?
• Do you know if your homeowner's policy or your credit card provide insurance protection while you're away?

Travel insurance can cover anything from trip cancellation to lost luggage to emergency medical care. Consumers need to know the right questions to ask when buying coverage to protect themselves when they travel. For instance, consumers need to know:

• Does the insurance company pay your medical costs or reimburse you?
• If your parent back home gets sick while you're traveling, will you get a refund if you cancel your trip?
• Are all travel expenses refundable?

Consumer Action explains the importance of weighing your financial risks against the cost of coverage before purchasing travel insurance. The issue includes resources to help you find a doctor when you suddenly get sick in a remote part of the world, and sites for comparing travel insurance options, as well as other helpful tips—just in time for planning your summer travel. Click here to go directly to the travel insurance issue. Consumer Action, founded in 1971, is a national non-profit consumer education and advocacy organization headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Los Angeles and Washington, DC.