Northeast ski areas are blanketed in new powder from the 2010 holiday blizzard. Weather services reported 18.5 inches at Boston's Logan Airport and ski area totals from 17 inches in Sunapee, NH to two feet at Cannon Mountain, NH. Travel Insured urges skiers to take advantage with Sports Coverage to remove medical exclusions and cover ski rentals needed when their own gear is delayed by common carrier.

East Hartford, CT, January 5, 2011 – Mother Nature, following the lead of Santa Claus, delivered skiers a late holiday present with the blizzard that blanketed the Northeast with deep snow on Dec. 26 and 27. When the snow and wind subsided, regional weather services reported snow totals ranging from a few inches in some inland areas to more than two feet in New Jersey and southern New England. Boston's Logan International Airport, the gateway to New England ski country, recorded 18.5 inches.

As skiers head north to take advantage of optimal downhill conditions with moderating weather conditions as the New Year starts, Travel Insured reminds travelers to consider a Worldwide Trip Protector plan, along with an optional Sports Coverage upgrade, is the best way to protect against Trip Delays and emergency medical expenses incurred due to ski injuries.

Protecting the Prepaid Trip Cost

Trip Cancellation is provided in all types of Worldwide Trip Protector plans if weather causes your common carrier’s transportation services to stop operating for 24 consecutive hours or more. It means that if a blizzard or ice storm shuts down your airport just before departure and does not reopen for a full day or more, the plan covers your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs. The same coverage can apply if the ski traveler is directly involved in a police-documented traffic accident en route to the airport.

Trip Delay coverage in Worldwide Trip Protector or Trip Protector Gold comprehensive plans is up to $200 per day for unplanned travel expenses caused by a common carrier delay of 6 hours or more hours, including for inclement weather. Trip Delay in Worldwide Trip Protector Lite or Lite Expanded covers the same expenses of up to $100 per day when the common carrier delay is 12 hours or more. Trip Delay coverage could even apply if a police documented car accident, whether or not you are involved, prevents your timely departure, or your delay is caused by lost or stolen travel documents or money, a natural disaster, or an unannounced strike.

Protecting Ski Equipment

Travel Insured’s Sports Coverage option, available in every plan in the Worldwide Trip Protector line, provides coverage for pre-paid, non-refundable ski passes, ski lessons and equipment rentals when the insured has a covered reason for a trip cancellation. It also covers your costs for ski equipment rentals needed if your own equipment is delayed or misdirected by a commercial airline, railroad, bus line or other regularly scheduled transportation provider. The Sports Coverage option also has key medical benefits described below for the skier.

Protecting the Skier

Each of the four types of Worldwide Trip Protector plans includes Medical Expense coverage.

• A range of Medical Expense benefits with limits from $10,000 to $50,000, depending on the specific plan selected.
• A Medical Upgrade option that eliminates a $50 deductible in the Worldwide Trip Protector and Trip Protector Gold plans, and increases coverage limits when selected in any plan.
• Planning to join a ski race or heli-ski tour? The Sports Coverage option includes Medical Expense coverage for these and other bodily-contact sports activities not normally covered.
• Emergency Medical Evacuation coverage ranges from $100,000 to $1 million depending upon the selected plan.
• The Worldwide Trip Protector and Trip Protector Gold plans include Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage for accidents occurring during the ski trip.
• Every Travel Insured International plan comes with inclusive Worldwide Emergency Medical Assistance, available 24/7 from anywhere, and the Worldwide Trip Protector and Trip Protector Gold plans include 24/7 Concierge Assistance and ID Theft Recovery Assistance.