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Six tips for stress-free travel from RBC insurance
MISSISSAUGA, March 5, 2008 — Canadians planning
their perfect vacation often forget important details that
can spoil or interrupt a well-deserved and long-awaited journey.
"Lost baggage, missed flights or sudden health issues
can really put a damper on a vacation," said Stan Seggie,
president and CEO of the travel insurance division of RBC
Insurance. "Unfortunately, people often realize too late
that they overlooked purchasing comprehensive travel insurance,
which could have saved them stress and headaches."
Here are six travel tips from RBC Insurance to help ensure
Canadians have a stress-free travel experience:
- Make sure your passport is current. Many countries will
not permit entry if your passport expires several months
beyond your date of arrival. A recent change to U.S. regulations
now means that when flying to the U.S., you must present
a valid Canadian passport. If you are travelling by land
or sea, a passport or a government-issued photo ID, such
as a driver's licence, plus a birth certificate or citizenship
card is required. For those under 18, only a birth
certificate is required. For further passport information,
visit www.passportcanada.gc.ca.
- Understand exactly what your travel coverage benefits
offer to ensure there are no gaps. For example, government
health insurance plans often pay only a portion of out-of-country
medical costs, and don't offer benefits such as baggage
and personal effects insurance, flight and travel accident
insurance, and trip interruption/after departure insurance.
Credit cards often provide coverage for a limited number
of days or limit the amount you can claim and may not provide
coverage after age 65. Employment benefits may not cover
all medical emergencies and may limit travel benefits.
- When flying, remember that you are only allowed to carry
on liquids, gels and aerosols with a maximum capacity of
100 ml each, placed inside a one litre re-sealable plastic
zip-top bag. There is a limit of one bag per passenger.
Canadian airport security check-in areas offer these bags
free of charge. Any liquids not meeting these requirements
must be packed in your checked luggage. For more details
go to www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/english/travel_voyage/list.shtml.
- Make two copies of an emergency contact list before you
leave - take one with you, packed separately from your passport,
wallet and identification documents and leave a copy at
home, with family or friends. Include phone numbers for
lost passports, wallets, and/or other ID documents. The
Canadian government's Services Canada website includes a
comprehensive list of contact numbers for such emergencies
at www.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/lifeevents/wallet.shtml.
- Before you leave home, notify credit card and debit card
providers about your travel locations and ask them to provide
you with out-of-Canada contact phone numbers to use if any
cards are lost or stolen.
- Check if any travel advisories or warnings have been issued
for your destination at www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/ctry/reportpage-en.asp.
Try to familiarize yourself with the local laws and customs
of your destination since you are subject to the laws of
those countries you visit.
Canadian travellers should check the web sites above for
up-to-date information, as certain travel requirements can
change without notice.
RBC offers a wide range of travel insurance products. For
more information when making travel arrangements, ask a travel
agent about RBC Insurance, go online to www.rbcroyalbank.com/travel,
call 1-800-565-3129, or visit a local RBC branch.
About RBC Insurance®
RBC Insurance, through its operating entities, including RBC
Insurance Company of Canada, Assured Assistance Inc. and The
Liberty Marketing Corporation, provides a wide range of life,
health, travel, home, auto and reinsurance products as well
as creditor insurance services to more than five million North
American customers. RBC Insurance is the leading provider
of travel insurance and emergency assistance services in Canada
and has also expanded into the U.S. travel insurance market.
Its travel insurance operations draw on more than 40 years
of professional experience and provide a wide range of products
and services through a network of over 4,000 travel agencies,
as well as over the Internet and through bank channels, to
more than three million individual and corporate customers
annually. For more information, please visit www.rbcinsurance.com.
® Registered trademarks of Royal Bank
of Canada. Used under license.
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Media contact:
Kerry Gaetano, (905) 816-5583, kerry.gaetano@rbc.com
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