Bailey Foster, VP of Trip Insurance, Trawick International | Travel Research Online

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Bailey Foster, VP of Trip Insurance, Trawick International

 

Bailey Foster serves as VP of Trip Insurance for Trawick International. She is responsible for overseeing the Trawick International Trip Cancellation product. Ms. Foster has nearly 20 years of insurance experience, with a proven track record of escalating responsibility. Bailey has developed a strong knowledge of insurance ethics and business practices related to the travel industry. Her experience enables her to provide proactive account management, training, consulting, and support.


 

Travel Research Online (TRO): Hi, Bailey. How are you doing today?

Bailey Foster (BF): Thank you for asking. I am doing very well today. I am just enjoying the weather in Colorado and looking forward to some exciting opportunities in the travel insurance industry.

 

TRO: You have almost 20 years of experience in the insurance field. Was this always in travel insurance? If not, how was the transition to particular part of the industry?

BF: I originally started at AllState Insurance in 1999, I moved to the Travel Insurance Industry in early 2003. My main focus for the last 17-years has been working with travel partners to ensure they are knowledgeable and comfortable offering travel insurance plans to their customers to protect their customers’ vacation investment and boost their revenue.

 

TRO: With the current situation involving COVID-19, travel insurance has become a must. In fact, you wrote an article about it for us. How’ve you been handling the increase in work?

BF: I have to say that it has been challenging at times, but it’s an excellent thing to see the increase in awareness of the benefits of travel insurance. With the ongoing pandemic, many travelers are choosing to protect their vacation investments by purchasing travel insurance. According to a AAA Travel survey, nearly 4 in 10 Americans are likely to buy travel insurance for future trips. For those travelers, trip cancellation protection is the most valuable benefit, with 9 in 10 of those likely to buy the coverage.

 

TRO: Your area within Trawick is Trip Protection & Cancellation Insurance. What does this plan cover for the traveler if they test positive for COVID-19, during their trip?

BF: Trawick International’s travel cancellation insurance plans do not exclude losses due to epidemics or pandemics, including COVID-19. If a traveler, traveling companion or non-traveling family member becomes ill, customers are eligible for reimbursement of their non-refundable trip costs. Additionally, once traveling, Coronavirus will be treated as any other sickness for purposes of all coverages that are triggered by illness or that can reimburse losses resulting from sickness. This can include trip interruption and travel delay due to quarantine, which would reimburse travelers additional accommodation expenses along with unused land and water arrangements and extra transportation expenses. Our plans also provide reimbursement for costs incurred under our sickness and medical benefit. If a traveler is quarantined while on their trip due to the Coronavirus, their travel insurance policy will continue to be in effect during their quarantine.

 

TRO: Trawick also offers International Travel Medical Insurance. How does this plan differ from the Trip Protection above?

BF: The main difference between the two is that Trip Cancellation covers the actual value of a customer’s trip. Customers can insure anything that is pre-paid and non-refundable. Should they have to cancel before departure, they could file a claim for their loss expenses. Once customers start their trip, they have post departure benefits such as medical coverage, baggage loss, etc. Travel Medical plans do not cover trip cancellation and only provide protection for accidents and sickness customers may incur while they are on their trips. Travel Medical also provides emergency evacuation and repatriation as well as baggage loss, 24-hour assistance, and Accidental Death benefits.

 

TRO: What do you think is the most important aspect of travel insurance that travel Advisors, and other travel industry folk, should know?

BF: Offering insurance allows you to enforce your cancellation policy. You are the travel experts. In the event your customer cancels, you want them to receive their trip cost back and not have a bad experience with your company. In most cases, when customers receive their trip cost back, because you offered them travel insurance, they will continue to rebook trips with you and refer you to friends and family.

 

TRO: Trawick has affiliations with ASTA, NAFSA, and UStiA. And, as they say, teamwork makes the dream work. How does Trawick work with Travel Advisors to ensure the safety of travelers?

BF: As a leading international travel insurance provider, we have a successful track record of working with some of the best advocates in the business who handle all aspects of travel-related services. Our goal is to make sure our partners have all the information they need on our products and services.

 

TRO: How can a Travel Advisor get in contact with Trawick about insuring their client?

BF: I would say get in contact with me, and I will get the Travel Advisor registered in our Agent Portal. Being registered in our Agent Portal will allow Travel Advisors customized brochures, get quotes and track sales. We offer immediate online policy issues so that clients (and Travel Advisor) will instantaneously receive a confirmation email that includes a link to the certificate, ID card, visa letter (when available), and individual member ID numbers for each person insured.

 

TRO: Does Trawick have any big news on the horizon that our readers should know about?

BF: We are in the process of launching a new insurance product that covers tailgating. Tailgate Insurance will cover COVID-19 MEDICAL EXPENSES, along with providing benefits for other unforeseen events that could occur before or during your tailgating experiences. Such as you, a family member or traveling companion become sick, injured or death, common carrier delays and cancellations, you are in a traffic accident en route to departure, the sporting event being delayed due to weather and rescheduled to a date when you are not scheduled to be at the location, and more! Here is a list of all eligible things Tailgate Insurance will cover:

  • Event Tickets
  • Your airfare if you flew to the tailgate
  • Car rental if you rent a car for the tailgate
  • Cost of your lodging
  • The prepaid catering for the tailgate
  • Medical expenses if a medical event were to occur and prevented you from having your tailgate experience
  • Your rental for tent and chairs

 

TRO: Bailey, thank you taking time to chat with us. We look forward to seeing you prosper in the travel industry.

BF: Thank you for this opportunity to speak with you. I look forward to growing the Trawick International business and look forward to future opportunities to partner.

 

 

For more information about Trawick International’s insurance programs, please contact Baily Foster at abailey@khmtravel.com. Or visit their site at https://www.trawickinternational.com/

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