If you’re getting ready to go on a trip, and planning on doing a lot, make sure you protect all your plans with travel insurance. It gives you the coverage you need when dealing with unexpected situations – whether you’re venturing within Canada or to another country.

Where in the world would you be without travel insurance?

In a world where anything can happen, travel insurance is your ticket to safeguarding your trip. There are many good reasons why you need travel insurance.

For instance, what if you had to:

Cope with a travel emergency in a foreign country?

You’re on your dream vacation in a foreign country and chances are you may not speak the language. How would you get help during an emergency? Our multilingual co-ordinators understand your coverage and can help you find the care you need. Simply call us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, no matter where you are – no matter which travel insurance product you’ve purchased.

Pay out-of-pocket for medical expenses?

Did you know that if you become sick or injured while travelling, your government health insurance plan only covers a fraction of medical costs? Emergency Medical Insurance can help cover these costs – and we offer up-front payment on claims whenever possible.

Replace lost clothing or jewellery?

Don’t let your vacation be ruined if your luggage, or personal effects such as a passport, become damaged or lost. Baggage and Personal Effects Insurance helps cover some of the replacement costs – so you can get back to enjoying your trip.

Suddenly rush home because of an emergency?

If you have to cancel, delay or return early from your trip, you could incur some serious cancellation and interruption expenses. Cancellation & Interruption Insurance reimburses you when your travel arrangements don’t go according to plan – and we protect you from over 40 specified risks.

Deal with a medical emergency while travelling within Canada?

Did you know that you need travel insurance even if you’re travelling within Canada? Government health insurance plans exclude or limit expenses such as ambulance services, x-rays, prescription drugs and dental treatment. That’s why our Travel Within Canada Package is an excellent choice if you’re travelling only within Canada for the duration of your trip.

These are actual complaints received from dissatisfied customers by Thomas Cook Vacations (based on a Thomas Cook/ABTA survey):

1. “I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local convenience store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts.”

2. “It’s lazy of the local shopkeepers in Puerto Vallarta to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during ‘siesta’ time — this should be banned.”

3. “On my holiday to Goa in India , I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food.”

4. “We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price.”

5. “The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room.”

6. “We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as white but it was more yellow.”

7. “They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax.”

8. “No one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared.”

9. “Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no egg-slicer in the drawers.”

10. “We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish.”

11. “The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun.”

12. “It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair.”

13. “I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends’ three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller.”

14. “The brochure stated: ‘No hairdressers at the resort’. We’re trainee hairdressers and we think they knew and made us wait longer for service.”

15. “There were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners.”

16. “We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning.”

17. “It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel.”

18. “I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes.”

19. “My fiance and I requested twin-beds when we booked, but instead we were placed in a room with a king bed. We now hold you responsible and want to be re-reimbursed for the fact that I became pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked.”

What’s your most memorable vacation nightmare? People, place, or thing?

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Once a year, I like to go on a trip on my own. It gets me out of my comfort zone and forces me to meet new people.

I found this great article for singles that are looking for a great solo trip.

People who have never traveled alone often describe their first solo trip as an almost religious experience. To take in new surroundings unfiltered by the prejudices, tastes or preferences of a traveling companion can be heady stuff. Traveling alone gives you the chance to indulge yourself fully.

Of course, single travel has its perils too — such as safety concerns, loneliness and the dreaded single supplement. But a little preparation and common sense can save you money and get you through the rough spots.

Why Travel Alone?
Solo travel can be the ultimate in self-indulgence; you can rest when you want and pour it on when you’re feeling ambitious. Another benefit is that your mistakes are your own, and your triumphs all the more exciting. There’s no worrying that your insistence on trekking all the way across town to a museum that was closed ruined your partner’s day; it’s your own day to salvage or chalk up to a learning experience.

Also, you can do exactly what you want to do — all the time. Always wanted to try surfing? Sign up for a class and go for it; there’s no one sitting on the beach bored while you have the time of your life. Have no desire to see Niagara Falls? Just drive right by.

Safety First
Perhaps the foremost concern of the solo or single traveler is safety. Without a companion to watch your back, you are more vulnerable to criminals and scam artists, as well as simple health worries. But the saying “safety in numbers” isn’t necessarily true — a solo traveler can blend in more easily than a group, and not drawing attention to yourself as a tourist is one way to stay secure. Here are a few tips:

• Know how long it takes and how much it costs to get from the airport to your hotel or to the city center. Solo travelers are more likely to be “taken for a ride,” so ask the taxi driver how much it will cost before you leave. If it’s considerably different from what you know to be true, take a different cab.
• Find out if hotels at your destination are open late, so you don’t end up sleeping in your car or worse.
• Be your own best counsel; if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.
• Carry good identification, in more than one place.
• Keep to open and public places, especially at night.
• Exude confidence and walk purposefully.
• Avoid appearing like a tourist. Ditch the Disney T-shirt and don’t walk around with your face in a guidebook. (See 10 Things You Should Never Wear Abroad for more thoughts on this one.)
• Don’t draw attention to yourself by wearing flashy clothes or jewelry.
• Lie a little. Not only can you invent your own persona or history, but you can also make your life easier with little white lies. When asking directions, don’t let on that you are alone: “Can you direct me to the museum? I have to meet a friend.”
• Check your maps and transportation schedules before leaving your hotel/train/rental car/tourist office. A solo traveler poring over maps can be a mark for unsavory types.
• Leave a copy of your itinerary with a friend or family member at home, and stay in touch regularly via phone or e-mail.
• For U.S. citizens traveling internationally, consider signing up for the free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which could help the State Department assist you in case of emergency. If you’re from outside the States, see if your home country has a similar program. Essential Hotel Safety TipsTrust Everyone and No One
  One of the best reasons to travel alone is to meet new people, but this also makes you more vulnerable. It’s okay to hang out, travel and share with new friends, but you might not want to ask them to hold your money. Scam artists can often be the most charming companions you’ll find; you want to be open-minded, but keep your guard up enough to ensure your safety. Avoiding the Single Supplement
  Frequent solo travelers are all too familiar with the single supplement, which tour operators, cruise lines and hotels tack onto your bill to make up for the fact that they’re not making money off a second occupant. The supplement can range anywhere from 25 to 100 percent of the trip cost, meaning that you could end up paying twice as much as someone traveling with a partner.

  There are several ways to get around the single supplement. You can avoid it altogether by booking with a tour operator that offers roommate matching, such as G Adventures, Intrepid Travel, Road Scholar (formerly known as Elderhostel) and Holland America Line. By finding you a roommate, they maximize their own profit off each room and save you the single supplement. The catch is, of course, that you’ll have to share a room with a stranger. If you’re concerned, contact the tour operator and see what kind of procedures they use to match roommates. Some pair people off at random, while others will make an effort to put complementary personalities together.

  Solo Travel: Lonely or Lovely?

  If you’re flexible and ready to go at a moment’s notice, you could save money by booking at the last minute. Tour operators who are eager to sell out their last few places may be willing to reduce their usual single supplement. Abercrombie & Kent and Road Scholar are two companies that regularly offer discounted or waived single supplements.

  It’s not for everyone, but you may also want to consider staying in a hostel, which charges per bed rather than per room. Hostelling International properties tend to be reliably clean and secure, and they’re open to travelers of all ages.

  To keep track of the latest single travel deals, sign up for solo travel newsletters and regularly visit sites that cater to singles. See our resource list on page two for ideas.

• Single Travel: Tips for Going Solo

  Tips for Dining
  Eating alone isn’t so bad. Many solo travelers (and frequent business travelers) are terrified of eating alone, worried that they appear like some worn-out Willy Loman of the road. There’s even a name for it: solomangarephobia. (Occasionally the fear is justified — see Terror at the Table for One.) Nonetheless, the following tips can help you overcome what for many travelers is the most unpleasant aspect of going it alone.

  • Chat with the service people. Waiters and waitresses are some of the best local color you’ll find.
  • Zagat guides include a section on the “Singles Scene” in many cities; you might not be out to meet a new beau, but this should offer some options nonetheless.
  • Cafe and outdoor dining is often attractive to single travelers; sitting alone with a book in a cafe isn’t as unusual as a table for one at a fancy restaurant.
  • Choose a counter seat or a seat at the bar.
  • Go to a restaurant that has booths, which offer more privacy.
  • Bring reading materials. If you start to feel uneasy sitting alone and staring down at your food, you can crack open a book, whip out your Kindle or read a magazine. One hint: The more high-minded your pursuit appears, the more likely folks are either to ignore you, or to become intrigued and maybe say hello.
  • If you don’t want to endure yet another meal alone, use room service. It’s often no more expensive than local restaurants.
  • Eat well. Just because you’re alone and on the run doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take time for sit-down meals, a leisurely cup of coffee or a decadent dessert.
  • Female travelers can check out a site called Invite for a Bite, which organizes meet-ups for meals with other women. For more info, see Take a Bite Out of Solo Dining.
  • SoloDining.com is a good source of advice for those eating alone.When You’ve Just About Had It
    The constant sensory input and vigilance of traveling alone can wear you down. If you feel your attention or your body flagging, don’t be afraid to back off your ambitious itinerary, slow the pace and kick back for a bit.When traveling abroad, seek out an ex-pat bar — locals will often know where these are — where you can hang out and speak your native tongue with some fellow expatriates and travelers. When traveling in more familiar locales, a hot shower and a night in front of the boob tube in a nice hotel room can often give you enough of a reprieve to send you out eagerly the next morning. Poll: What’s Your Favorite Thing About Traveling Alone?

    Resource List

  • AllSinglesTravel.com offers tours and cruises for singles, guaranteeing you a roommate as long as you book 90 days in advance. The company will also make an effort to waive the single supplement for you if you’d prefer a room of your own.
  • Connecting: Solo Travel Network features tales and tips from solo travelers. Membership grants you access to a wide range of tips, a subscription to its e-mail newsletter and the opportunity to connect with other solo travelers.
  • Singles Travel International guarantees to find you a roommate whenever you pay in full by the cut-off date. If it doesn’t, the company will pay the single supplement on its tours, cruises and weekend trips.
  • Solo Traveler offers tips, resources and feature stories for solo travelers, as well as a free solo travel e-book called Travel Alone and Love it!
  • Women Traveling Together is for women whose companions can’t or won’t travel with them and who prefer not to travel alone. The company offers tours, retreats and other getaways, complete with roommate matching.
  • SafeCheckIn.com is a service that allows solo travelers to register their trips in order to make sure they get back safely. For a monthly membership fee, you can enter specific information about when you should return from a particular trip or outing. If you don’t check in with the site at the designated time, SafeCheckIn.com will attempt to contact you; if you’re out of reach, the site will reach out to your emergency contacts and, if necessary, the local authorities