 In May the U.S Department of State issued a travel alert for US citizens due to the ongoing threat of terrorist attacks in Europe. Travel alerts usually address problems of a shorter time frame, while travel warnings are issued for a longer period and ask individuals to consider very carefully whether they should travel to the specified country at all. Although there is not a travel protection plan specific to a travel alert being issued, travel protection may help cover the costs of your clients changing their tickets or paying for a non-emergency evacuation if a crisis does in fact occur while they are traveling.
By purchasing a plan that includes trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage, your clients can receive up to 100% of their pre-paid trip cost when a politically-motivated terrorist attack occurs within the territorial limits of a city listed on the plan holder's itinerary and within 30 days of the departure date. The U.S. State Department must deem an event a terrorist attack, which then allows the terrorism coverage to become effective.
Once an act of terrorism begins it is no longer unforeseen, and coverage is no longer available for plans purchased on or after the date when the attack was initiated. Travel Insured suggest your clients should purchasing a protection plan when they first book their trip. To receive coverage for a specific terrorist attack, the plan must be purchased the day before the attack occurs. Terrorism coverage allows cancellation if an attack takes place in any of the cities on their itinerary, which also includes stopovers.
As a Big "I" Markets agent you can offer your clients travel insurance through our partner carrier Travel Insured. By investing in a plan with Cancel for Any Reason Coverage, they may cancel their plans and get up to 75% of their total trip cost for any reason they choose, including a travel alert. They just have to decide 48 or more hours prior to scheduled departure in order to be eligible.
Before traveling, Travel Insured also suggests your clients stay up to date with current travel situations from the Department of State by signing up for automatic alerts and message updates through the STEP program.
The TII travel blog covers a myriad of travel related subjects, including travel agent myths, sleeping on flights, using a cellphone abroad, navigating hurricane season, and picking the right hotel, just to name a few.
Travel Insurance can cover accident and sickness medical expense, emergency medical evacuation/repatriation, trip delays, cancellation, interruption, missed connections due to severe weather or many others reasons outside the traveler's control.
Obtaining coverage is easy:
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Review the product guide with your client®. Use the Quick Quote Feature on the Travel Insured International Site to calculate premium and add optional coverage if desired.
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Contact the Carrier's Help Desk with any coverage or underwriting questions.
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When you are ready for coverage to be issued, you MUST click on Request a Quote to access the applications and enter client information. Then scan and attach the completed application as a "New Message" or email to kyle.yoder@iiaba.net. A credit card number is required to issue coverage.
Travel Insurance is currently available to members in all states.
1 - Rates, waiting periods, and coverages can vary in FL, IA, KS, NY & WA.
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SPECIAL FEATURE
Selective Streamlines Phone Menu
 Big "I" Flood program carrier partner Selective continually aims to improve its service experience for flood insurance customers and for you, our valued agent partners.
Selective is streamlining its telephone menu (for the Selective Flood service number 877-348-0552) to help gets calls answered faster. Users will find:
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A reduction in the number of menu choices (five, down from nine) for quicker response.
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A change in the menu order to improve service - especially for claimants.
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An enhancement to the phone system: We'll automatically transfer your calls to your underwriting team based on your area code (when you select option 4 and then option 3 for Underwriting).
If you have any questions, please contact your Territory Manager or the Selective Flood service team at (877) 348-0552.
Learn more about the Big "I" Flood program at www.independentagent.com/Flood.
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Travelers Small Business Offers Expanded Coverage
 How much is that doggy in the window? The one with the waggly tale? While we're not certain how much it will cost to buy Spot, you can now reach out to the pet store owner and offer them a BOP!
Travelers Select Accounts offers a robust variety of coverages for small businesses. A proprietary BOP product, Master Pac®, workers' compensation, commercial automobile, and commercial umbrella are available, with a broad array of industry-specific coverage options and coverage extensions. We're pleased to announce that Travelers has now expanded its coverages for Pet Care Services and added Day Spas and Med Spas to their eligible businesses.
 Pet Care Services expanded coverages are overnight boarding and kennels for those involved in the medical treatment or care of pets and the sale of pet-related products, such as veterinarians, pet grooming (including mobile grooming), pet day care (or "doggy day care") and overnight boarding, pet sitters, and pet stores.
Day Spas, Beauty Spas, Massage Therapists and Massage Therapy includes massage, non-medical facials, waxing and scrubs: may also offer hair and nail services and limited food/beverage service.
Med Spas includes medical practices offering both elective medical treatments, (dermabrasion, chemical peels, injectables, laser/electrolysis, liposuction and plastic surgery) with spa treatments (massages, waxing, body wraps, etc.)
Travelers Select is now submitted under the product name "Small Commercial Standard Markets" on Big "I" Markets. ACORD Applications and three year loss runs will be required. Travelers is available in all states except AK, FL, HI, LA, RI & TX.
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Big "I" Markets Website Training
Big "I" Markets website
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AIG: Equine Owners Risk Management
Affluent Program
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Date: Thursday, July 6
Time: 2:00 - 2:30pm EDT
Cost: Free
Summary:
For all you folks who recently registered for Big "I" Markets, remember you can participate in a webinar from the comfort of your office to help you learn how to navigate around the system. Every Thursday at 2:00 p.m. EDT we'll show you how to navigate the Big "I" Markets platform, including how to submit a quote! A recording of this webinar can be found under "Publications" after logging into Big "I" Markets.
Registration:
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Date: Tuesday, July 11
Time: 2:00 - 3:00pm EDT
Cost: Free
Summary:
There are over 2 million horse owners and 575,000 horse farms located in the United States. Be it racing, polo, hunt seat, dressage or just pleasure, a significant number of affluent individuals and families have a passion for horses. Horse ownership comes with unique risks and owners may lack the proper protection under their personal insurance programs.
Presenter is Susan Weber, CPCU - AIG AVP, Capital Regional Underwriting Manager, Equine Specialist.
Registration:
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Contractual Risk Transfer, Additional Insureds, and the Primary and Noncontributory Requirements
Virtual Universtity
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Date: Wednesday, July 19
Time: 1:00 - 2:30pm EDT
Cost: $69
Summary:
If you deal with construction clients, you deal with contractual risk transfer, additional insureds, and primary and noncontributory problems. We discuss all these time-zapping "issues" in this webinar and answer three key questions
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What is the purpose of contractual risk transfer?
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What is given to the Additional Insured?
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Is the Primary and Noncontributory required necessary, ethical, or even legal?
Beyond answering these questions, the laws of equity that apply to these issues will be reviewed along with the three key equity concepts applicable to and the basis for this entire "problem." Attend and learn:
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The goals of contractual risk transfer;
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How Additional Insured status should be granted (and to whom):
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The contractual disrupters of equity between parties; and
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The reality of the primary and noncontributory requirement.
Registration:
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BIG "I" MARKETS SALE OF THE WEEK
Congratulations to our agent in Florida on an Eagle Express sale of $7,391 in premium!
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