WILMINGTON, NC (June 14, 2007) – With the summer travel season in full stride, golfers preparing for a long-awaited holiday to the destination of their dreams may be wondering whether they should purchase travel insurance.
"The question they invariably ask is whether it’s worth the price," says Gordon Dalgleish, president of PerryGolf, a travel and lifestyle company that operates golf tours to the British Isles, South Africa, New Zealand, China and other destinations. "The answer is: ‘What’s your tolerance for risk?’"
More than 17 million travel insurance policies are sold each year, according to the U.S. Travel Insurance Assoc., which says that number is on the rise since 9/11. The association says policies typically cost between 4 percent and 7 percent of the price of the trip.
"It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind," Dalgleish says, adding that about 30 percent of PerryGolf’s clients purchase travel insurance, which the company offers through World Access, a subsidiary of Allianz, the world’s largest insurance company.
"Many travelers seem to think that travel insurance is an unnecessary amenity," Dalgleish says. "They figure the odds of something going wrong are slim, or they are willing to forfeit the money."
Some travelers think they’ll be able to "work something out" with their tour operator if they have a change of plans. However, Dalgleish points out, most tour operators are required to provide non-refundable deposits to hotels and golf courses well in advance on their clients’ travel. "More often than not, we have no funds to return."
So how much peace of mind do you get for your money? The answer is that it depends.
Depending on the terms of the policy and the time and reason for cancelling your travel, insurance will reimburse either the full amount or a portion of the cost of the trip. Some insurance providers base reimbursements on a pre-determined formula of cash and travel credits.
Some travel insurance also covers certain medical expenses and lost property. PerryGolf’s coverage through World Access even provides for rental clubs in the event clubs are delayed by the airline.
Before purchasing travel insurance, Dalgleish advises his clients to check their credit card policy to avoid overlapping coverage. Homeowners’ policies may also offer some travel coverage.
But a word of advice from Dalgleish: "Don’t expect to find a policy that covers lost golf balls. The insurance companies know how most of us swing."
Established in 1984, Wilmington, N.C.-based PerryGolf offers the industry’s most prestigious and diverse selection of deluxe golf travel experiences to the British Isles, Portugal, France, Spain, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and China. For more information on PerryGolf, please visit www.perrygolf.com, which features the Plan Your Own Tourâ?¢ calculator and links to the Web sites of the golf courses and hotels that are part of the company’s tours, or call 800-344-5257.
Contact:
Bill Bryant, Bryant Marketing Communications
bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com
678-366-3232
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