safe travel policy

The complete guide to corporate travel policies 

The business travel policy guide you’ve been waiting for .

Creating a business travel policy for employees can feel really daunting. You don’t want to just throw something together and hope for the best, but it feels impossible to anticipate every possible scenario. The truth is your policy serves as more than a rule book; it's a guide to better decision-making about your corporate travel program and can save you a world of headaches down the road. 

Introduction

What is a travel policy .

• Why do you need a travel policy?
• How to create a travel policy

What to include in a travel policy 

• Travel policy best practices
• How to promote travel policy compliance
• When to review and update your travel policy
• Final thoughts

When it comes to company travel, a travel policy brings it all to one place. It acts as an influencer for travelers to make the most cost-effective choices, an important visibility tool for your managers and HR department, and it protects your people if it’s done right. 

If you’re new to business travel or haven’t looked at your travel policy in a while, we’ll start with the basics and then move into the nitty gritty of corporate travel policies. We’ll touch on a few best practices for writing a travel policy, what to include, and offer plenty of resources along the way. 

Ready to get cracking? Let’s go! 

A travel policy is a guide for business travelers to follow that outlines: 

• How, where, and when to book 
• Approved technology for travel management 
• Preferred suppliers for air travel, land travel, and accommodations 
• Approvals process for out-of-policy bookings 
• Trip extensions and personal travel 
• Expenses and what is covered or not covered 
• Reimbursement processes 
• Business travel insurance information 
• Emergency procedures and contacts 

Your company’s travel policy should reflect your company culture and values, be supportive of your travelers and their needs, and protect your company from unforeseen circumstances. It acts as a central document that guides your team to the processes of embarking on company business travel, from start to finish! 

While you might hear a few grumbles and groans around the words “policy” or “process,” don’t worry! A travel policy does not need to be rigid and inflexible. 

Do your travelers prefer to book on their own? Don’t take away their autonomy. They can still self-book, you’ll just provide them with a better tool and way to do it more efficiently. 

Do your people feel prepared for any event that can cause a travel hiccup? With a travel policy, you can give them clarity and help them feel more prepared when traveling for business purposes. 

Why do you need a travel policy? 

Your travel policy is an extension of your travel program and company culture. It’s the glue that holds your travel program together – from approvals, expenses, booking processes, and emergency contacts. 

Having a travel policy helps you: 

• Control travel costs 
• Determine how reimbursement works 
• Compile a list of trusted and approved travel vendors 
• Manage an employee’s travel experience and safety 
• Cut rogue bookings – and simplify approvals 
• Budget, report on travel expenses and activity and reconcile bookings 

It’s a roadmap or guidebook that your travelers can reference when they’re booking their own travel if they run into a tricky situation abroad, and it helps provide clarity around processes. 

As a company though, your travel policy helps centralize your travel program, makes data and tracking more accurate and easier to navigate, and it saves time and money (including on expense management). Plus, if you take the time to craft your policy in an intentional and inclusive way, you’ll have a policy your travelers are happier to follow. 

How to create a travel policy for employees 

• Determine business travel guidelines 
• Create a travel policy that puts your people first 
• Set reasonable budget limits 
• Simplify the process of expense claims 
• Adopt a user-friendly all-in-one travel platform 

Once you’ve read through our tips, be sure to download our free  travel policy template  so you can get started on creating a travel policy of your own! 

1) Determine corporate travel guidelines 

When you take the time to create a policy that meets the needs of your business, you are making sure that your travelers are safe, costs are controlled, and you’ve made every business trip count. 

Start by looking at what types of travel are allowed and the reason for each trip. 

If you have team members traveling all over the globe, you might want to set some extra safety measures. You should also decide if there will be restrictions on the type of ground transportation used or where employees can stay. 

Create a process for booking flights, hotels, and other ground transportation needs. How far in advance should they be booking? Do different rules apply based on the traveler’s position? Who is the point of contact for bookings and other travel questions? 

Making sure to include your company’s travel insurance info is also important. Make sure to note if your policy covers medical expenses and/or any losses due to cancellations or delays in transportation services due to factors outside an employee’s control. 

Do you have a policy for reporting and documenting expenses? This includes having a system in place for claims (like meal expenses) and a reimbursement process, so your team can easily get their money! 

2) Create a travel policy that puts your people first

You’ve heard the term “duty of care” before, so it’s important to create a corporate travel policy that puts traveler safety and accessibility needs first. You’ll need to define and assign the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved, including a travel manager, if you have one. 

Set up an emergency plan and provide access to traveler safety information. Determine who is the emergency contact (your TMC?) and how to get in touch. Do they have 24/7 emergency support available by phone or chat? What about email support? 

Invite your HR department, the travelers themselves, and your DE&I manager into a discussion to find out what needs your team has as individuals, what hiccups they face when traveling, and what holes exist in your travel program that make it difficult to navigate. 

Working with a TMC is a great way to ensure travelers are kept safe before and during their trip.  

3) Set reasonable budget limits for business travel

You have a budget you need to adhere to, but is it realistic? Setting reasonable budget limits is key to an effective policy. 

Your budget should account for all travel-related expenses, including airfare, accommodation, meals, and ground transportation. And once you’ve set your budget, you can determine reasonable costs for hotels and accommodation, ground transport, flights, and more. Build these caps into your  travel booking software  to help travelers stay within the set parameters, which will later help with accountability. 

It's important to set clear rules on what the company can pay back and what types of expenses are out-of-pocket. 

If you’ve set a maximum daily rate for meals on work trips, it's crucial that travelers understand the limit before racking up additional charges. Requiring receipts can also help keep track of employee spending and make sure they're not going over budget. 

By working with a  travel management company  like Corporate Traveler, you can review your previous year’s expenses and find where you can optimize or make changes based on market changes. 

4) Simplify the process of expense claims 

If you're unfamiliar with how to write a travel expense policy, creating a simple process for claiming expenses is key to getting your team on the same page. Do you have access to a payment system that pays for the majority of expenses at the time of booking? This could be a good way to save time and stress down the road.  

The more you can pay for before your travelers get to their destination, the easier everything is to reconcile after they get home.  

If you have a person in charge of reviewing expense reports and watching pre-trip approvals, make sure to set criteria for claim approvals and look at automating processes to make approvals simple! 

5) Adopt a user-friendly all-in-one travel platform  

Finding the right  corporate travel platform  is essential. The right booking platform can provide travelers with an easy-to-use experience, giving them access to the best fares and availability. 

For example, at Corporate Traveler, we use Melon . It’s a booking tool, reporting suite, travel policy pusher, traveler profile manager, and so much more. Melon features a “recommended spend” function, which helps keep travelers booking in policy. Hello, visual guilt! 

Melon’s simple user interface, combined with dedicated travel consultants and expert 24/7 support, makes it simple to book, manage, and keep track of your business travel. You’ll be able to access Melon-exclusive deals and perks (alongside many negotiated contracts and online deals) and take care of all your travel needs from one place. 

From the get-go, you’ll be able to work closely with our team to ensure that all of your needs are met. We'll help you customize your travel program to meet specific business needs, build your travel policy into the platform, and offer training to staff to help them along the way.   

Putting it all together  

Wow! You’ve reached the end and should have a better idea of how to write a corporate travel policy. High five! Now it’s time to put it all together and get it on paper.  

Maybe you already have something in place that needs some work or an entire overhaul. Check out our easy-to-use template and start checking those boxes! 

Grab our corporate travel policy template builder

Not sure where to start? No worries! We’ve got you. Here’s how to streamline your process with a travel policy template! 

While there’s no one-size-fits-all travel policy for every company, following the set guidelines helps you nail a perfect-for-you policy that can see you through an ever-changing travel climate. 

Travel policy template  

When you’re crafting your business travel policy, there are so many considerations to be made. Things might come up that you never even thought of, but not to worry. We have loads of resources to help you see this through. 

Starting out, it might be looking a little drab and wordy, but depending on your travel program size, a visual travel policy might be just what you need. You can search for examples online or take a look at an example of a visual travel policy we’ve created.  

When building your policy, it’s important to include: 

1. International or foreign travel policies  

When you’ve got travelers all over the globe, you need to build out a policy for international or foreign travel. This is a protects them (and you) on anything from travel safety, to expenses, and everywhere in between. 

Whether your travelers are individuals or entire teams, your international travel policy needs to cover: 

• How and where to book – is that with a travel manager, online booking tool, a travel management company (TMC) ? 
• Travel insurance coverages and contact info – international numbers and policy information 
• Emergency contacts – how to reach them and the process of in-destination emergencies 
• Travel expenses – limits and how to file for reimbursement 
• Travel documentation – who to contact with questions 
• Advance booking timelines – when should they be booking for international travel? 
• Travel extensions – are these allowed and what are travelers expected to cover if they choose to extend their trip for leisure? 

By outlining all of this information in your policy, you’ll streamline the process for your finance teams, travel managers, and your travelers. And really, who doesn’t want to make travel a smoother experience? 

2. Corporate travel policy for business class travel 

Does your corporate travel program have different rules, limits, or allowances for different levels of seniority? Are some junior members expected to travel in economy class, while some executives are allowed to book in business class? 

If some certain exceptions and situations might allow for an employee to book business class, regardless of their position, you should include that in your policy as well. 

Making this as clear as possible will avoid an approvals nightmare down the road. 

3. Corporate meal allowance policy 

It’s great if you’ve already centralized most of your business travel expenses like flights, accommodation, transportation, and car rentals, but your people gotta eat! It’s super important to include a meal allowance policy that clearly outlines which meals (and how much) you’ll cover. 

Some of your team might be traveling with corporate credit cards, while others might need to be reimbursed. The guidelines and procedures for submitting expenses or asking for reimbursement need to be crystal clear! 

Make sure to outline if you have a corporate travel policy for alcohol, too! You don’t want murky policies when it comes to footing the bill for drinks. 

Some things to consider for your meal allowance and alcohol travel policy: 

• Which meals are covered and for how much? 
• Who is footing the bill for an alcoholic beverage with dinner? 
• If entertaining clients, what is the budget, and how flexible is it? 
• What is the process of submitting company card expenses? 
• What is the process for requesting reimbursement? 

Your team will always have questions about the policy on food and drinks, so make sure they can find the info easily and have a point of contact for whoever can offer more clarity. 

4. Executive travel policy 

We briefly touched on executive travel when we talked about traveling in business class, but there is certainly more to the top dogs traveling. 

Executive travel can be a touchy subject if there are more lenient policies in place than there is for less senior team members. Your executives also may need to know the guidelines in place for their own travel, so they don’t accidently go overboard, which could be an accounting nightmare! 

You’ll need to make sure you deliver a guide for approvals, procedures, booking deadlines, meals, accommodation, basically everything. 

Lay it all out. Make your policy as digestible as possible, and for a busy exec, consider bullet points and titles in bold so they can easily skim to the areas they need to know. 

5. Natural disaster or COVID-19 business travel policy  

We can all agree that COVID-19 caused business travel to come to a screeching halt. Across most industries, the pandemic impacted client relationships, the ability to gain new clients and caused budgets to get slashed pretty dramatically.  

While this was only one event, many businesses have begun to consider the “what-ifs” of their travel programs should another outbreak of COVID or something else happen. Crossing our fingers and toes doesn’t cut it, unfortunately. 

There is also the chance of their travel being impacted by a natural disaster. We’ve seen it before – earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, hurricanes. Do you have a plan or policy to aid your team and guide them through the unthinkable? 

In 2022, we surveyed 120 employees across various industries and businesses. More than half, 51% of respondents said their companies didn’t provide resources or tips for safety on their trips. Duty of care isn’t something to put on the back burner, it’s your legal obligation to make sure your team is informed. 

So, what’s the solution, you ask? 

Working with a TMC gives you the backup you need if anything ever happens and you have people traveling abroad. At Corporate Traveler, our travel management software, Melon, is a central place to house your policy for quick and easy access. Plus, our travel experts can help you paint the big picture of what to do, who to call, and how to get your team home safely as quickly as possible. 

Is there anything missing from your travel policy? 

Let’s break it down. If you think of your policy like a sandwich, it should include: 

The bread and butter  

• Where and why: Are there any restrictions on who travels domestically or internationally? Or guidelines around reasons for travel? 
• When: Are there any restrictions on when business travel is a no-no, like during an auditing period or financial downturn? 
• How? How should travel arrangements be booked? Through your corporate travel booking software or with a preferred Travel Management Company (TMC)? How far in advance should domestic and international trips be booked? 
• Preferred suppliers: Do you have preferred partners for air travel, accommodation, ground transport or travel insurance? 
• Approvals: Who’s responsible for giving the green light on trips? 
• Show me the money: What’s the process for managing/submitting expenses, paying for travel and reimbursements? 
• Uh-oh: How will you prevent or deal with non-compliance to the travel policy? 
• Noise level: Getting loads of ‘noise’ and questions about things in your policy? This means it’s not clear and it’s time to review why and where the stumbling block is for travelers (or your finance team!) 

 The filling  

• Classy, baby: Who gets to fly business class, book 5-star properties or order UberLUX? And how does your business handle upgrades or airport lounge access for long-haul flights? 
• All work, some play: What are the conditions if someone wants to extend their business trip to take personal leave? Are you happy for them to enjoy a bleisure trip, and if so, who foots the bill and for what? 
• Loyalty: Are there any travel rewards or business loyalty programs that can be used during booking? 
• Spending money: Do your business travelers have a daily allowance for meals, snacks, and drinks? How much is it, what does it include – and what’s not covered? Can they order room service, drink from the mini-bar, or use the in-house laundry service? 

The not-so-secret sauce  

• Safety first: your policy should support air, accommodation and ground transport suppliers that have been safety and security vetted. Guidelines or information on travel insurance for work trips is also helpful. 
• Now what: What’s the plan of action in the case of Acts of God or Force Majeure events? Does your team know who to call for help? 
• What’s next: Who is responsible for updating and reviewing your travel policy, and how often? 

Corporate travel policy best practices

• Write for skim readers
• Guide travelers to the right resources
• Automate your policies
• Stipulate a timeframe for expense claims
• Be prepared for the unexpected

1. Write for skim readers  

One of the first steps towards writing a people-first travel policy is understanding how your travelers will read it. And the truth is…  

They probably won’t.   

Research has shown that  adults get distracted every 47 seconds . So if a business traveler is looking at your policy, they’re most likely just searching for a specific answer – and they want it fast. So what can you do?  

First, make sure the document is easy to navigate. That means including things like:   

• A table of contents  
• Visual elements to help guide the eye toward crucial information, like flow charts and tables  
• Clear headings and important details in bold  
• Bulleted lists (see what we did here?) 

And even though it’s a technical document, don’t make it sound like one. An effective travel policy should be clear, concise, and easily comprehended. So skip the long, complex sentence structures and technical jargon, and write in plain, simple English. It helps to pretend like you’re writing it so an eighth-grader can understand it.   

2. Guide travelers to the right resources  

Remember when we said travelers will only read your policy to find a solution for a specific need? Whether it’s a link, a phone number, or a step-by-step tutorial – a well-managed travel policy should provide them with the right resources.  

Instead of treating a travel policy as a list of rules, treat it like a resource sheet. Here are some key pieces of information travelers might need to pull up easily:  

Your approved online booking tool (and steps on how to use it)  

• QR codes to download your  mobile travel app   
• Preferred airlines, including class, budgets, and other limits  
• Permissible hotels, including guidelines on star-class and incidental expenses  
• Guidelines on ground transportation (trains, ride-sharing services, rental cars, and personal car usage)  
• How to get travel support  
• Travel insurance carrier  
• Clarification on the reimbursement process (more on this later)  

You can also include other factors specific to your company, but this should at least be the necessary groundwork to help employees make the right choices on their own.  

3. Automate your policies  

Let’s face it: even with the best communication efforts, there’s always a chance that an employee may violate policy, even unintentionally. So, what can you do?  

Build policy into booking.  

By building your travel policy into your travel management software, it becomes unavoidably embedded in the booking process, so even the most easily confused employees end up following by default.   

Automation tools can sound the alarm on out-of-policy bookings and even provide an audit trail. This can be especially helpful for employees who may struggle to remember procedures and policies, especially after big changes to your travel program.  

4. Stipulate a timeframe for expense claims  

No one wants to get stuck waiting on the money they’re owed – or worse – find out they’re not getting reimbursed for an expenditure they thought would be covered.  

Having a clear and well-defined expense claim process is critical in any travel policy. Employees need to know how to claim their travel expenses, how soon they need to submit an expense report, and when to expect reimbursement.   

The policy should also be clear about what expenses are and are not reimbursable, including any limits or exceptions. For example, if an employee needs to book a different seat class to  accommodate a disability , the policy should include the process for requesting and approving this expense.   

Plus, a submission deadline reduces cash flow issues and provides more accurate and complete expense data for that period (your finance team will thank you later).  

5. Be prepared for the unexpected  

As a company, you have a duty-of-care responsibility. When it comes to business trips, you need to be prepared for the unexpected. No matter how much effort you put into planning, there will always be a few hiccups along the way.   

For instance, lost luggage, canceled or delayed flights, and sudden weather or political emergencies in unfamiliar destinations could all leave your employee stranded.   

“Companies need to be prepared to plan for the particular, not just the universal. Every aspect of the travel program needs to be able to fit each of your travelers like a glove, from adaptable plans and experts on call, to technology that makes the journey seamless.” - Emese Graham, DE&I Manager @ FCTG  

Don’t let unexpected situations blindside you. Have processes in place to ensure travel safety and security. Make sure they know what to do, where to go, and who to get a hold of if something goes wrong. Taking a proactive and prepared approach to your policy can minimize the impact of emergencies and take care of your team’s well-being while they’re on the road.  

BONUS TIP: Update your policy regularly  

Here’s a free business travel policy best practice just for you! It isn’t just a “one and done” deal – it’s a living document.  

What’s that mean? As your company grows and travel conditions change, so should your travel policy. Revisit your expense policy at least once a year to keep it relevant and effective – and lead you towards new cost-saving solutions.    

Data is going to be your best friend here. Here are a few key factors you should look into when updating your travel policy:  

• Analyze travel spend patterns – are you throwing a lot of company money at certain suppliers? You might want to see if you can negotiate a new deal or find better rates elsewhere.  
• Identify areas of overspending or inefficiency – are employees accruing high parking or travel costs? See if you can get season tickets or other accommodations.  
• Evaluate the overall performance of your policy – are you still compliant with any new regulations that have come into play since the policy was established? How can traveler experience be improved?  

You may even want to consider enlisting the help of professionals, such as a travel management company with experience in expense management, to give advice on how to optimize your travel policy to better meet the needs of your employees and your business as a whole.   

Building a travel policy that's good for business and travelers and meets their needs is no small feat. But whether you're looking to retain your team, attract new talent, or make life a little easier for your travelers, investing in a well-designed travel policy is definitely worth the effort and great for company culture.  

By following these travel policy best practices and ensuring your policy meets all travelers' needs, you’ll be on your way to smoother, safer, and more enjoyable travel experiences for all.  

How to promote travel policy compliance  

Whether compliance is a big or small issue in your company, it takes a little bit of investigating to figure out why it’s an issue at all. 

Maybe your policy meets the needs of only a few of your team members. Maybe it’s too difficult to navigate your policy. Or maybe, your policy is written in legalese and makes your travelers vision blur before they go rogue and book how they want. 

It could be that your travelers prefer a bit of freedom in booking and would rather do it on their own. Or, maybe they have specific needs that aren’t being met by the options provided. 

Whatever their reasons, it’s your job to figure out why they aren’t following and what you can do to build better compliance. 

Here are a few tips to improve travel policy compliance: 

• Make your policy easy to navigate, understand, and find 
• Use an online booking tool (OBT) for travelers who prefer to self-book 
• Allow a bit of flexibility so travelers feel they have some autonomy 
•  Include a category for last-minute bookings so it doesn’t mess up your data 
• Understand your traveler needs and build an inclusive policy 

Read the full guide:

You've researched, gathered the necessary resources, and communicated your travel and expense (T&E) policy to your employees. But now, you're not so sure they're actually following it.  

Read the full guide:  How to Improve Corporate Travel Policy Compliance

When to review and update your travel policy 

If the last time you reviewed or upgraded your travel policy was more than a year ago, it’s outdated and needs a refresher. If your company is small and has low turnover, you could probably get away with making small tweaks and optimizations. 

But if you have a larger company with multiple departments and higher turnover, you probably need to do an overhaul and review it more regularly. We’re not saying you have to change it every time someone is hired or leaves the company, but making sure it’s relevant to the people who are there and are traveling matters! 

Corporate Traveler conducted a survey in 2022, which showed that 48% of respondents didn’t know if their company had resources for specific traveler profiles, while 41% said their company didn’t provide resources for specific traveler profiles. This really goes to show that there’s room for improvement in how policies are built to support their people and their businesses. 

A people-first travel program and policy have become necessary as the world grows and begins to understand neurodiversity, disabilities, and cultural differences. When we learn about our team members’ diverse needs, we can better understand how to support them when they venture abroad for our businesses. 

GUIDE: Download the How to design a people-first travel program guide 

We recommend policy reviews every 3-6 months, but at the minimum, once per year. 

Final thoughts 

Business travel is so unpredictable, as we’ve seen in recent years. There will always be circumstances you can’t avoid as a company, but making sure that you have the necessary checks and balances in place can help to make things just a little easier. If you have groups traveling, VIPS, or people heading to high-risk destinations, it’s important that your policy is relevant. 

Don’t forget that travel policies shouldn’t be written and forgotten about – these are living documents that must be regularly updated to make sure they best protect your people. 

Remember these best practices when writing your travel policy: 

• Keep it simple and make it pop with visuals, bullet points, and bold headings. 
• Answer any and every question possible – think of all the eventualities 
• Always put your people first 
• Implement a quick and simple approval process 
• Automate as much as you can 
• Use technology that’s supports your policy 
• Be flexible with due reason 
• Be clear about what’s not allowed 
• Update your travel policy at least once a year 
• Keep it somewhere easy to find  

And finally, it doesn’t hurt to have a couple of different formats. Consider a visual version and an extended version so the message is delivered best depending on the person reading. For some, it might be easier to digest one over the other. 

Looking for a policy review? We’d be happy to work with you. 

Let’s chat .

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Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Releases Additional Detail for Implementing a Safer, More Stringent International Air Travel   System

As we continue to work to protect people from COVID-19, today, the Biden Administration is releasing additional detail around implementation of the new international air travel policy requiring foreign national travelers to the United States to be fully vaccinated. This updated policy puts in place an international travel system that is stringent, consistent across the globe, and guided by public health. Starting on November 8, non-citizen, non-immigrant air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to fly to the U.S., with only limited exceptions. The updated travel guidelines also include new protocols around testing. To further strengthen protections, unvaccinated travelers – whether U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), or the small number of excepted unvaccinated foreign nationals – will now need to test within one day of departure. Today, the Administration is releasing the following documents to implement these requirements: 1) a Presidential Proclamation to Advance the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic; 2) three Centers for Disease Control and  Prevention (CDC) Orders on vaccination, testing, and contact tracing; and 3) technical instructions to provide implementation details to the airlines and their passengers.  With science and public health as our guide, the United States has developed a new international air travel system that both enhances the safety of Americans here at home and enhances the safety of international air travel. The additional detail released today provides airlines and international air travelers with time to prepare for this new policy ahead of the November 8 implementation date. As previously announced, fully vaccinated foreign nationals will also be able to travel across the Northern and Southwest land borders for non-essential reasons, such as tourism, starting on November 8. Additional detail on amendments to restrictions with respect to land borders will be available in the coming days. Travelers can find full details about today’s air travel announcement on the CDC and Department of State websites.  A summary is below: Fully Vaccinated Status:

• Starting on November 8, non-citizen, non-immigrant air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to fly to the U.S.

Proof of Vaccination:

• For foreign nationals, proof of vaccination will be required – with very limited exceptions – to board the plane.
• Match the name and date of birth to confirm the passenger is the same person reflected on the proof of vaccination;
• Determine that the record was issued by an official source (e.g., public health agency, government agency) in the country where the vaccine was given;
• Review the essential information for determining if the passenger meets CDC’s definition for fully vaccinated such as vaccine product, number of vaccine doses received, date(s) of administration, site (e.g., vaccination clinic, health care facility) of vaccination.
• The Biden Administration will work closely with the airlines to ensure that these new requirements are implemented successfully.

Accepted Vaccines:

• CDC has determined that for purposes of travel to the United States, vaccines accepted will include FDA approved or authorized and World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use listed (EUL) vaccines.
• Individuals can be considered fully vaccinated ≥2 weeks after receipt of the last dose if they have received any single dose of an FDA approved/authorized or WHO EUL approved single-dose series (i.e., Janssen), or any combination of two doses of an FDA approved/authorized or WHO emergency use listed COVID-19 two-dose series (i.e. mixing and matching).
• More details are available in the CDC Annex here .

Enhanced Testing:

• Previously, all travelers were required to produce a negative viral test result within three days of travel to the United States.
• Both nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), such as a PCR test, and antigen tests qualify.
• As announced in September, the new system tightens those requirements, so that unvaccinated U.S. Citizens and LPRs will need to provide a negative test taken within one day of traveling.
• That means that all fully vaccinated U.S. Citizens and LPRs traveling to the United States should be prepared to present documentation of their vaccination status alongside their negative test result.
• For those Americans who can show they are fully vaccinated, the same requirement currently in place will apply – they have to produce a negative test result within three days of travel.
• For anyone traveling to the United States who cannot demonstrate proof of full vaccination, they will have to produce documentation of a negative test within one day of departure.

Requirements for Children:

• Children under 18 are excepted from the vaccination requirement for foreign national travelers, given both the ineligibility of some younger children for vaccination, as well as the global variability in access to vaccination for older children who are eligible to be vaccinated.
• Children between the ages of 2 and 17 are required to take a pre-departure test.
• If traveling with a fully vaccinated adult, an unvaccinated child can test three days prior to departure (consistent with the timeline for fully vaccinated adults). If an unvaccinated child is traveling alone or with unvaccinated adults, they will have to test within one day of departure.

Limited Exceptions from the Vaccination Requirement:

• There are a very limited set of exceptions from the vaccination requirement for foreign nationals. These include exceptions for children under 18, certain COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial participants, those with medical contraindications to the vaccines, those who need to travel for emergency or humanitarian reasons (with a US government-issued letter affirming the urgent need to travel), those who are traveling on non-tourist visas from countries with low-vaccine availability (as determined by the CDC), and other very narrow categories.
• Those who receive an exception will generally be required to attest they will comply with applicable public health requirements, including, with very limited exceptions, a requirement that they be vaccinated in the U.S. if they intend to stay here for more than 60 days.

Contact Tracing:

• The CDC is also issuing a Contact Tracing Order that requires all airlines flying into the United States to keep on hand – and promptly turn over to the CDC, when needed – contact information that will allow public health officials to follow up with inbound air travelers who are potentially infected or have been exposed to someone who is infected.
• This is a critical public health measure both to prevent the introduction, transmission, and spread of new variants of COVID-19 as well as to add a critical prevention tool to address other public health threats.

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Destinations unknown: how to create travel and transport policies that balance safety and flexibility.

By Melanie Lockwood Herman

If you haven’t updated your travel and transportation policies lately, they may be out of sync with your current reality. This article explores a pragmatic approach to creating new or updated travel and transport policies that will help you get out in the community where your mission comes to life.

Make Traveler and Community Safety Top of Mind

Three years of managing through a global pandemic reminded nonprofit leaders that personal safety is key to mission success. In the pre-pandemic era, many nonprofit travel policies focused on the twin pillars of cost and compliance. Such policies reminded employees to always choose the most economical mode of travel, while imposing strict requirements for use of organization credit cards and completion of expense reimbursement forms.

While cost and compliance remain valid considerations, in today’s new reality, safe travel practices should headline travel communications. Staff whose travel choices put cost ahead of safety cannot be effective mission ambassadors. Remember that negative experiences leave a deeper imprint than positive ones. You’re more likely to remember the one time an airline lost your suitcase than the dozens of times your bag arrived safely. One business traveler we spoke with for this story explains: “We were required to stay in a dumpy hotel to save a few bucks; next time I’m asked to travel, I’m going to find an excuse not to. It was impossible to sleep with the noise happening in the rooms on either side of mine.”

Heather Chadwick, Director of Risk & Policy at Teach For America (TFA), told me that TFA now prohibits staff from using “any home-sharing services (Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, etc.) for lodging, since laws for such services vary for each state and these services may create greater safety, security and harassment risks compared to hotels offered through our centralized travel booking site. We are aware that home-sharing can sometimes be more economical, but we do not allow exceptions because of our concern for the safety of the TFA team.” TFA also keeps safety top-of-mind for vehicle rentals. Heather reports that TFA staff may “not use any peer-to-peer car rental services (Getaround, Turo, Maven, etc.) for transportation since laws for these services vary for each state and these services may create greater safety or security risks.”

Tip: When you read your travel and travel reimbursement policies, does your commitment to safe travel leap off the page? Or is it buried in dense narrative about submitting timely expense reports and getting advance approval before booking trips?

Provide Important Information in an Accessible Format

A common experience for frequent travelers is landing in a distant city and struggling to remember the name and address of your destination. I’ve taken a few trips where I wound up sitting in the baggage claim area to recharge my phone so I could look up the name and address of my hotel. To avoid that scenario, I write down that important info on a small piece of paper and keep it tucked in a pocket. Working outlets on a plane are nice, but not always available!

A colleague I consulted about this topic told me that at his company they have taken that small piece of paper one step further: they provide a handy, business-sized card to all travelers. The card lists the services and points of contact the traveler might need in an emergency. The company also requires that travelers post their full itineraries on calendars available to the team.

Tip: Before printing up handy cards for travelers, ask your team what numbers, services, providers, web addresses and other information they would find most valuable on a small, printed card. Set a reminder to review the printed cards at least twice annually to make sure they remain up-to-date. With a plethora of providers offering low-cost printing for business cards, the small expense to create a travel safety card will pay off the first time a traveler relies on the information. And the peace of mind a printed card offers is priceless.

Revisit Dollar Limits and Per Diems

While a growing number of nonprofits simply ask travelers to use discretion and judgment in booking reasonably priced accommodations, others continue to use per diem rates. If you’ve been part of the wave of people traveling for pleasure and business after three years of staying close to home, you’ve probably noticed that travel costs are much higher this year. According to NerdWallet, “…the overall cost of travel is up 16% compared with May 2019…” although airfare ticked downward in 2023 after hitting record levels in mid-2022.

One of my colleagues in the insurance industry told me his company has increased per diem amounts for all travel categories across the board, and has set separate per diem rates for each meal of the day and by type of location. The company’s policies don’t have city-specific rates, but rates are higher for major metropolitan areas. The Federal government’s FY 2023 per diem rate for lodging is incredibly low at $98, but 316 non-standard areas in the US have higher per diem rates. And the Federal Travel Regulation allows for actual reimbursement when the per diem rate is insufficient.

Another colleague, who leads operations for an international nonprofit, told me her organization has changed its travel policies to permit staff to book refundable fares and provide a per diem of 100% of meals and incidentals expense, instead of the prior practice of providing 50 or 75%. She added that the nonprofit is now more generous in covering airplane seat upgrades, day rooms for long layovers, and contributing to lounge memberships.

Tip: If you have chosen the dollar limit or per diem route, consider whether you’re requiring travelers to spend endless hours (time = money) finding safe, suitable accommodations instead of focusing their attention on your mission and their critical work tasks.

Ask, Don’t Assume, That Staff Are Available to Travel

One senior nonprofit leader I interviewed for this article told me that “A trend we’re seeing is an overall decrease in some employees’ desire to travel for work, or for as long or often.” If you’re a member of the Gen X or Baby Boomer generation, you may recall a time when you were told, not asked, about an upcoming business trip. And that was long before business travel expectations were added to position descriptions!

Keep in mind that a staff member’s availability and interest in travel will likely change during the course of their employment at your nonprofit. Following an intense period of caring for an elderly parent or after the kids have finally left the nest, a team member may be eager to resume travel. Check in with team members regularly to inquire about availability to travel; don’t assume the employee’s preference last year remains true today.

Tip: If a high-performing employee tells you they are unable to travel outside the area, refrain from questions that simply satisfy your curiosity about why. Accept the employee at their word, encourage them to reach out if that preference changes, and ask if it would be ok to revisit the topic in a year’s time.

You Can’t Go Back: Recognize the Staying Power of Remote Work

Heather Chadwick shared that Teach For America’s business travel practices have changed significantly in recent years, but while business travel has increased some, she doesn’t expect it will ever return to pre-pandemic levels. She adds, “We continue to balance budget constraints with org-wide needs and we recognize the impact that in-person work can have so we are trying to be intentional about when in-person work happens.”

Tip: Convene your team to talk about remote versus in-person meetings. What circumstances truly warrant the inconvenience and cost associated with business travel? At NRMC we believe site visits for Risk Assessments are very helpful when the mission of the nonprofit includes delivering diverse programs from multiple facilities. If a client’s team mostly works remotely, we conduct the entire Risk Assessment without ever getting on an airplane or on the road.

Be Proactive: Just Because It Hasn’t Happened Doesn’t Mean It Can’t or Won’t

A senior risk leader from an international nonprofit told me that “From supervision, and housing policies and protocols, to insurance coverage (travel-related, medical, repatriation, etc.), travel crisis communications plans, medical/health considerations/assessment, to general travel safety provisions, we take proactive steps to help ensure the health and safety of everyone who travels under our auspices.”

Being proactive and prepared are key to building organizational resilience. No nonprofit mission can afford to be stalled or waylaid because of an incident leaders believed could never happen. Advance preparation to equip travelers with tools and a safety mindset will reduce the likelihood of mishaps, and ensure that travelers know what to do and who to call if something does happen.

If you’re relying on providers that offer emergency assistance, seek assurances that those services will be available when you and your travelers need them. One senior nonprofit leader told me her organization has grown concerned about the performance of emergency evacuation providers who may be overtaxed and unable to live up to their promise of immediate and potentially life-saving services.

Tip: Risk readiness requires thinking of disruptive events and circumstances that have never happened. Invite your team to brainstorm potentially disruptive events that could impact staff travel. Ask: what can we do now to ensure resilience should that ‘what if’ event occur?

It’s a New Day: Refresh Your Travel and Transportation Policies

Each of the people I reached out to for this article offered insights into some of the most relevant trends and developments that will guide future decisions about staff travel as well as valuable recommendations to colleagues updating travel policies. These insights and recommendations included:

• “Approach your policies in a way that addresses business needs and realities, yet leaves room to reasonably accommodate, when possible, the increased overall travel health and safety concerns and needs some individuals may have coming out of the pandemic.”
• “Communicate, don’t assume! If you don’t have a travel policy, develop one.”
• “The most important thing we did was to emphasize that staff are not required to travel if they are uncomfortable traveling—no questions asked. While we emphasized it initially due to different tolerances/circumstances with the pandemic, we are also referring to it in other contexts, such as in connection with travel to countries with anti-LGBTQ laws.”
• “Make sure you’re looking at your policies through an equity lens. For example, our organization has added additional benefits for parents with small children.”

With respect to policies concerning the transport of clients and participants, remember to:

• Ensure all drivers have been screened and deemed eligible to drive on your behalf.
• Institute checks to verify that vehicles your nonprofit owns are properly maintained and checked to ensure safety features are working as intended; these checks should be more frequent than the safety inspections required by your state.
• Properly train drivers and require them to sign a pledge agreeing to safe driving practices.
• Carefully review telematic devices and other tech tools available from your automobile insurer, and use those that have more advantages than disadvantages for your nonprofit.
• Regularly review accident and incident reports to identify root causes and follow-up items.

In the Disney/Pixar film “Up,” the globetrotting, profound Charles F. Muntz says, “Adventure is out there.” When I’m asked how I cope with the drudgery of business travel, I sometimes reply: “I love traveling because that’s where the people are!” Personally, every flight delay or cancellation, every disappointing hotel stay, and every moment of utter exhaustion has been well worth it. Without traveling to the places where nonprofits serve people and communities, my appreciation for the incredible work and impact of our sector would be a teeny fraction of the vast whole.

An up-to-date travel policy grounded in simple safety messages should be a resource, not a burden, to staff who travel to support your mission. And a practical, clearly-written transportation policy should inspire pride among those who drive on your behalf. You owe it to your mission and your traveling ambassadors and passengers to right-size and streamline these polices without delay. The world around you is waiting: are you ready?

Melanie Lockwood Herman is Executive Director of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. She has always loved to travel, and is grateful anytime an airline delays takeoff to address maintenance and mechanical issues. Whenever possible, she sits in the window seat of the exit row. She welcomes your questions about any topic in this article or your tips for finding low-cost, last minute trips anywhere, at [email protected] or 703-777-3504.

Everything You Need to Know About Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance

Travel can be an exciting time filled with adventures and memories you will make with your loved ones to last a lifetime. However, these adventures come with their own share of risks.

A robust, comprehensive insurance plan that is built just for travel can offer you peace of mind as you embark on a journey dotted with varying degrees of adventure. In this blog, we will take a closer look at everything you need to know about Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance.

Importance of Safe Travels USA Comprehensive

Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance is a plan specifically designed for visitors coming to the US. From protecting you and your loved ones in unpredictable situations, such as medical emergencies, this is one of the top comprehensive insurance plans that we recommend for visitors coming to the USA. Here are some of the reasons why Safe Travels USA Comprehensive is among the top plans among visitors coming to the USA.

• Hospital Room and Board Expenses
• ICU Room and Board Charges
• Physician’s Visits
• Prescription Drugs
• Acute Onset of Pre-existing Conditions
• Emergency Medical Evacuation
• Ambulance Service Benefits

Who is eligible to buy Safe Travels USA Comprehensive?

You must be a non-US citizen between the ages of 0-80 traveling to the USA outside your home country with a coverage length of a minimum of 5 days up to a maximum of 364 days. It also covers the acute onset of pre-existing conditions for ages up to and including 69, where the limit is up to the medical policy maximum purchased per policy period except for any coverage related to cardiac conditions or stroke, which will be limited to $25,000. You can read about this plan in detail on our website.

Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Benefits

There are several valuable benefits under the Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance Plans. Whether you’re a solo traveler or a senior citizen visiting your family for a short holiday, there are tailored benefits to suit your needs and travel itinerary. Here are some of the benefits of choosing the Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance Plan.

• Physician visits
• Emergency Medical Treatment of Pregnancy – $1000 per policy period
• Cardiac Conditions – up to $25000 per policy period for ages up to 69 or $15000 per policy period for ages 70 and over.
• Well Doctor visits up to $125 for one visit per policy period.
• Outpatient medical expenses
• Dental treatment for injury, for pain to sound natural teeth – $250 per policy period
• Covering emergency medical expenses
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment
• Lost Baggage
• Repatriation of Remains
• Emergency Evacuation

Visit our website for more.

Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Cost

The cost for the Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance Plan can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the traveler’s age, trip duration, coverage amount, and deductible. Get in touch with our agents to get quotes from multiple carriers. Regardless of cost, buying in a robust travel medical insurance plan is invaluable and offers complete protection in a foreign land.

What Coverage is Offered by Safe Travel USA Comprehensive Insurance?

Here are some of the coverage options offered by Safe Travels USA Comprehensive.

• Medical Treatment, including prescription, hospitalization
• Insurance for up to $1,000,000 in accident and sickness medical expenses. Age restrictions apply.
• Medical Maximum per policy period – $50,000, $100,000, $250,000, $500,000, $1,000,000
• Deductible per policy period – $0, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2,500, $5,000
• Co-insurance per policy period 100% up to the policy maximum
• The urgent care co-pay is $30 per incident if the $0 deductible is chosen.
• Repatriation of Mortal Remains 100% up to $50,000 per policy period
• Local Burial/ Cremation – $5,000 per policy period
• Medically Necessary Repatriation 100% up to $15,000 per policy period
• Emergency Reunion
• Wellness Benefit
• Sports Activity Coverage, if chosen (provides coverage for injuries incurred during amateur, club, intramural, interscholastic, and intercollegiate activities, such as archery, tennis, swimming, cross country, track, volleyball, golf, ballet, basketball, cheerleading, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, hockey, karate, lacrosse, polo, rowing, rugby, and soccer.

Any sport not listed is excluded from the policy. You can read about the plan’s coverage on our website.

How to Claim Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance

Filing a claim with Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance is a simple and straightforward process. VisitorPLANS provides free help in the claims process. You can contact your insurance agent for further assistance.

Step 1 – Notify the Provider Step 2 – Furnish the necessary documents, such as receipts Step 3 – Fill out a claim form Step 4 – Submit.

How to Choose the Right Coverage For Your Travel Needs?

Choosing the right coverage depends on a number of factors. Your age, destination, duration of stay, policy maximum, and deductible have an impact on the final coverage required for your travel. We highly recommend consulting with one of our travel health insurance agents to assess your specific needs and help you select the right plan.

Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance Plan – FAQs

What does the safe travels usa comprehensive insurance plan cover.

It covers medical expenses, baggage loss, repatriation of remains, emergency medical evacuation, and more.

Who is eligible for the Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Plan?

Non-US citizens traveling to the USA and outside their home country, including business travelers, are eligible.

Is Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance suitable for senior travelers?

Yes! The Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance plan offers coverage for travelers between the ages of 0-89, making it an excellent option for senior citizens.

Can I extend my coverage while traveling if my trip extends unexpectedly?

Yes! Safe Travels USA Comprehensive allows the flexibility to extend your coverage as the dates shift.

Can I purchase the Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance Plan for my family?

Absolutely! Simply contact our agents at 1-855-5-VISITOR or 1-510-353-1180 to purchase this plan for your family.

How do I file a claim with Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance?

You will need to fill out a claim form, notify the provider, and furnish the necessary details with receipts. For free assistance, contact our agents at VisitorPLANS.

Is the coverage offered by Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance limited to the USA only?

No. You may be eligible for other options with global coverage. Kindly check with your insurance agent at VisitorPLANS here.

Does the Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Plan cover pre-existing conditions?

No, but it provides limited coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions. Contact our agents for more.

With a solid insurance plan, such as Safe Travels USA Comprehensive, you can focus on planning your itinerary, knowing the plan has you covered in case of an emergency. It is no wonder that this happens to be one of our most popular comprehensive plans with the appropriate coverage for travelers coming into the USA.

To explore all plans for travelers coming into the USA, click here. You can also connect with our agents to learn about the best insurance options today.

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How to write an effective corporate travel policy

Everything you need to do business travel right.

Writing an effective corporate travel policy

There’s a lot to consider when arranging business travel, so it makes sense to have a robust corporate travel policy in place. Setting out all the relevant procedures will help keep your employees safe while working to reduce your business’s travel spend. Some of the key steps to creating your ideal company travel policy include:

• Defining your objectives. These could include keeping costs down, ensuring employees are safe and comfortable and helping them make decisions on their travel.
• Ensuring your travel policy reflects travelers’ needs. Consider the most common destinations for your business travelers and the best way to get to them, are there specific needs or considerations related to your company’s activities?
• Giving your employees options. Everyone likes to have a choice, so try to give your employees a selection of hotels or airlines. You can keep costs down by capping the hotel star rating or class of airline ticket.
• Setting clear guidelines for all aspects of travel and more. Your travel policy needs to be all-encompassing so it leaves no room for doubt – that includes everything from airline booking rules to the policy on areas such as additional expenses and the acceptance of gifts.
• Making sure everyone knows what the travel policy is. All relevant documents need to be readily available to everyone within your company whether via the intranet or a travel platform. The policy needs to be clearly communicated to all, including line managers so they can enforce it.

Corporate travel policy best practices

When writing a corporate travel policy document, one size doesn’t fit all. You should start by thinking about the nature of your organization – is it pretty strict or relaxed? Make sure your travel policy follows the same tone.

Highlight how important it is that your employees read the document, not least for their own safety, and clarify what they need to do in an emergency situation, as well as who they’d need to contact.

Other information you should include is how business travelers should get to and from airports, and to what extent they’re permitted to combine their business travel with their own leisure.

Empower your employees by giving them a choice of hotels while capping the star rating or cost per room. Impress upon them the fact that complying with your travel policy will ensure the smooth and easy reimbursement of additional expenses. Finally, keep reviewing your corporate travel policy. Flexibility is key, and your travel policy and procedures should be open to the changing requirements of your employees and your business.

Remind your senior leaders that this is for them as well as business travelers –if everyone follows the policy it will help your company offer more effective support to its strategic partners, as well as allow better management of its expenses budget.

What to include in your corporate travel policy

There are many aspects of business travel to consider before writing your corporate travel policy. While your policy should reflect the unique needs of your business and employees, you’ll need to establish policies for these fundamental areas:

• Airline, rail, hotel and rental car reservations.
• The use of other transportation, such as taxi cabs.
• Rules for on-site spending, including meals, entertainment and phone calls.
• Security relating to travel – both in terms of personal safety and work materials.
• The rules around gifts and favors that may be bought or received during business travel.
• The approval process that employees and managers need to follow.
• The system for the payment of any expenses incurred during travel.

Laying out your travel expense policy

Establishing a clear and fair expenses policy is vital to the health of your business – poor management of travel expenses costs your business money. Here’s how we’d recommend your policy approaches a range of key expenses:

Additional travel State that travel costs will cover the purposes of business travel only – whether to events, meetings or training – and that non-business or leisure travel comes out of the employee’s pocket. You should also encourage business travelers to use the most cost-effective mode of transport, taking expected journey time into account. Accommodation Empower your business travelers by giving them control over their own spending – capping their budgets by hotel star rating or amount per room. You could provide average room rates in each location, and ask them to stay within that range. Specify that standard rooms should be the required room type, and clearly outline whether your business will cover minibar charges, Wi-Fi costs, etc. Meals Depending on your company culture, you can be as explicit as you like with your meal policy. Many companies find it easier to offer a daily allowance that covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, but your policy should include a statement about alcoholic beverages – usually to clarify that they will be at the employee’s cost, unless they’re with a client. Tips Many corporate travel policies cover tips to 20 percent, but only when it’s already been included in the bill as a service charge. If a business traveler decides to add a tip for anything else it should be out of their own pocket, or at a manager’s discretion. Entertainment Entertainment can cover eating, drinking or any other hospitality. The most effective way to manage entertainment expenses is by setting a limit or range, and advising that managerial approval will be required for any reimbursement above and beyond this amount.

How to forecast your budget

Using data on traveler behavior and previous expenses is key to setting intelligent forecasts for your annual expenses budget. Different employees will travel in different ways, to different locations, and at different frequencies. However, having data on the average flight cost per mile, as well as the nightly hotel, average meal and ground transportation costs, will mean you can accurately predict and anticipate your expenses budget for the year ahead.

Setting expense limits

For the most part, business travelers want to do what’s right for their company – and many companies find that giving employees control over their own spend can actually reduce overspending. Find a happy middle ground by giving employees control while setting key limits.

For example, meal expenses can be set as an overall allowance per day, giving the employee the choice of how much to spend individually on breakfast, lunch and dinner.

When it comes to booking accommodation, give employees the choice of a standard room in any hotel of a certain star rating or a maximum price per night.

For ground transportation, a corporate travel policy should clearly advise employees to choose the most cost-effective method considering the journey time. Most business travelers will accept being restricted to flying economy on short-haul trips.

Handling expense claims

It’s important that business travelers have a clearly defined method of claiming back their expenses. Ask them to fill out an expense report for the date, amount, category, location and business purpose of their claim – and decide whether you’d like them to file receipts for all their expenses, or just ones that exceed a certain amount.

Give your employees a time frame for submitting expenses – this will help your business maintain a stable and accurate cash flow. Similarly, let them know when they can expect money to be credited back into their accounts. Depending on the amount spent, it might be a good idea to clarify who will approve their expenses in each case.

Setting up your guidelines and procedures

There is no one, uniform corporate travel policy. If your policy doesn’t fit with the nature of your organization, it’s unlikely to ever meet the expectations of your stakeholders. Fundamentally, your travel policy and procedures must be adapted to your business’s culture, and be flexible around the needs of your employees, industry and economy. They also need to be widely circulated and understood.

Your guidelines and procedures will help your business travelers make decisions within the framework of your corporate travel policy. They should include procedures for all bookings – after all, it’s important that employees are clear on what is expected of them at every point of their business trip.

It might also be necessary to include a section about the consequences of not following the set guidelines and procedures.

Considering safety and security procedures

The safety, security and well-being of employees must be at the heart of every corporate travel policy. While they’re engaged in business travel, your employees are your responsibility, so it’s crucial your policy has procedures in place that can ably respond to personal risk, severe weather or political unrest in a foreign country.

Highlight how important it is that your employees read your corporate travel policy document for their own safety, and clarify what they need to do in an emergency situation and who to contact. If your employees are regularly flying out to high-risk countries, organize additional travel safety and security training. We work closely with International SOS to offer enhanced medical and security assistance, and keep your employees safe on the road.

Take a look at how else we’ll support your employees at every stage of their journey.

Delivering the travel policy to employees

Once you’ve written your corporate travel policy, you need to make sure your employees read and understand it. Whether you choose to deliver the policy in a printed document, via intranet or in an email, there are some general ways to make sure it’s communicated as effectively as possible.

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• COVID-19 travel advice

Considering travel during the pandemic? Take precautions to protect yourself from COVID-19.

A coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine can prevent you from getting COVID-19 or from becoming seriously ill due to COVID-19 . But even if you're vaccinated, it's still a good idea to take precautions to protect yourself and others while traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you've had all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including boosters, you're less likely to become seriously ill or spread COVID-19 . You can then travel more safely within the U.S. and internationally. But international travel can still increase your risk of getting new COVID-19 variants.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you should avoid travel until you've had all recommended COVID-19 vaccine and booster doses.

Before you travel

As you think about making travel plans, consider these questions:

• Have you been vaccinated against COVID-19 ? If you haven't, get vaccinated. If the vaccine requires two doses, wait two weeks after getting your second vaccine dose to travel. If the vaccine requires one dose, wait two weeks after getting the vaccine to travel. It takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination.
• Have you had any booster doses? Having all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including boosters, increases your protection from serious illness.
• Are you at increased risk for severe illness? Anyone can get COVID-19 . But older adults and people of any age with certain medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 .
• Do you live with someone who's at increased risk for severe illness? If you get infected while traveling, you can spread the COVID-19 virus to the people you live with when you return, even if you don't have symptoms.
• Does your home or destination have requirements or restrictions for travelers? Even if you've had all recommended vaccine doses, you must follow local, state and federal testing and travel rules.

Check local requirements, restrictions and situations

Some state, local and territorial governments have requirements, such as requiring people to wear masks, get tested, be vaccinated or stay isolated for a period of time after arrival. Before you go, check for requirements at your destination and anywhere you might stop along the way.

Keep in mind these can change often and quickly depending on local conditions. It's also important to understand that the COVID-19 situation, such as the level of spread and presence of variants, varies in each country. Check back for updates as your trip gets closer.

Travel and testing

For vaccinated people.

If you have been fully vaccinated, the CDC states that you don't need to get tested before or after your trip within the U.S. or stay home (quarantine) after you return.

If you're planning to travel internationally outside the U.S., the CDC states you don't need to get tested before your trip unless it's required at your destination. Before arriving to the U.S., you need a negative test within the last day before your arrival or a record of recovery from COVID-19 in the last three months.

After you arrive in the U.S., the CDC recommends getting tested with a viral test 3 to 5 days after your trip. If you're traveling to the U.S. and you aren't a citizen, you need to be fully vaccinated and have proof of vaccination.

You don't need to quarantine when you arrive in the U.S. But check for any symptoms. Stay at home if you develop symptoms.

For unvaccinated people

Testing before and after travel can lower the risk of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 . If you haven't been vaccinated, the CDC recommends getting a viral test within three days before your trip. Delay travel if you're waiting for test results. Keep a copy of your results with you when you travel.

Repeat the test 3 to 5 days after your trip. Stay home for five days after travel.

If at any point you test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 , stay home. Stay at home and away from others if you develop symptoms. Follow public health recommendations.

Stay safe when you travel

In the U.S., you must wear a face mask on planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation. The mask must fit snugly and cover both your mouth and nose.

Follow these steps to protect yourself and others when you travel:

• Get vaccinated.
• Keep distance between yourself and others (within about 6 feet, or 2 meters) when you're in indoor public spaces if you're not fully vaccinated. This is especially important if you have a higher risk of serious illness.
• Avoid contact with anyone who is sick or has symptoms.
• Avoid crowds and indoor places that have poor air flow (ventilation).
• Don't touch frequently touched surfaces, such as handrails, elevator buttons and kiosks. If you must touch these surfaces, use hand sanitizer or wash your hands afterward.
• Wear a face mask in indoor public spaces. The CDC recommends wearing the most protective mask possible that you'll wear regularly and that fits. If you are in an area with a high number of new COVID-19 cases, wear a mask in indoor public places and outdoors in crowded areas or when you're in close contact with people who aren't vaccinated.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• If soap and water aren't available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub your hands together until they feel dry.
• Don't eat or drink on public transportation. That way you can keep your mask on the whole time.

Because of the high air flow and air filter efficiency on airplanes, most viruses such as the COVID-19 virus don't spread easily on flights. Wearing masks on planes has likely helped lower the risk of getting the COVID-19 virus on flights too.

However, air travel involves spending time in security lines and airport terminals, which can bring you in close contact with other people. Getting vaccinated and wearing a mask when traveling can help protect you from COVID-19 while traveling.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has increased cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces and equipment, including bins, at screening checkpoints. TSA has also made changes to the screening process:

• Travelers must wear masks during screening. However, TSA employees may ask travelers to adjust masks for identification purposes.
• Travelers should keep a distance of 6 feet apart from other travelers when possible.
• Instead of handing boarding passes to TSA officers, travelers should place passes (paper or electronic) directly on the scanner and then hold them up for inspection.
• Each traveler may have one container of hand sanitizer up to 12 ounces (about 350 milliliters) in a carry-on bag. These containers will need to be taken out for screening.
• Personal items such as keys, wallets and phones should be placed in carry-on bags instead of bins. This reduces the handling of these items during screening.
• Food items should be carried in a plastic bag and placed in a bin for screening. Separating food from carry-on bags lessens the likelihood that screeners will need to open bags for inspection.

Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds directly before and after going through screening.

Public transportation

If you travel by bus or train and you aren't vaccinated, be aware that sitting or standing within 6 feet (2 meters) of others for a long period can put you at higher risk of getting or spreading COVID-19 . Follow the precautions described above for protecting yourself during travel.

Even if you fly, you may need transportation once you arrive at your destination. You can search car rental options and their cleaning policies on the internet. If you plan to stay at a hotel, check into shuttle service availability.

If you'll be using public transportation and you aren't vaccinated, continue physical distancing and wearing a mask after reaching your destination.

Hotels and other lodging

The hotel industry knows that travelers are concerned about COVID-19 and safety. Check any major hotel's website for information about how it's protecting guests and staff. Some best practices include:

• Enhanced cleaning procedures
• Physical distancing recommendations indoors for people who aren't vaccinated
• Mask-wearing and regular hand-washing by staff
• Mask-wearing indoors for guests in public places in areas that have high cases of COVID-19
• Vaccine recommendations for staff
• Isolation and testing guidelines for staff who've been exposed to COVID-19
• Contactless payment
• Set of rules in case a guest becomes ill, such as closing the room for cleaning and disinfecting
• Indoor air quality measures, such as regular system and air filter maintenance, and suggestions to add air cleaners that can filter viruses and bacteria from the air

Vacation rentals, too, are enhancing their cleaning procedures. They're committed to following public health guidelines, such as using masks and gloves when cleaning, and building in a waiting period between guests.

Make a packing list

When it's time to pack for your trip, grab any medications you may need on your trip and these essential safe-travel supplies:

• Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol)
• Disinfectant wipes (at least 70% alcohol)
• Thermometer

Considerations for people at increased risk

Anyone can get very ill from the virus that causes COVID-19 . But older adults and people of any age with certain medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness. This may include people with cancer, serious heart problems and a weakened immune system. Getting the recommended COVID-19 vaccine and booster doses can help lower your risk of being severely ill from COVID-19 .

Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19 . If you're unvaccinated, staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 . If you must travel and aren't vaccinated, talk with your health care provider and ask about any additional precautions you may need to take.

Remember safety first

Even the most detailed and organized plans may need to be set aside when someone gets ill. Stay home if you or any of your travel companions:

• Have signs or symptoms, are sick or think you have COVID-19
• Are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test
• Have been diagnosed with COVID-19
• Have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 in the past five days and you're not up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines

If you've had close contact with someone with COVID-19 , get tested after at least five days. Wait to travel until you have a negative test. Wear a mask if you travel up to 10 days after you've had close contact with someone with COVID-19 .

• How to protect yourself and others. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Domestic travel during COVID-19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Requirement for face masks on public transportation conveyances and at transportation hubs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/face-masks-public-transportation.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• International travel. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel/index.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• U.S citizens, U.S. nationals, U.S. lawful permanent residents, and immigrants: Travel to and from the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Non-US. citizen, non-U.S. immigrants: Air travel to the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• People with certain medical conditions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Stay up to date with your vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Pack smart. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/pack-smart. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Travel: Frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/faqs.html. Accessed Feb. 7, 2022.
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) information. Transportation Security Administration. https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus. Accessed Feb. 7, 2022.
• WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/articles-detail/who-advice-for-international-traffic-in-relation-to-the-sars-cov-2-omicron-variant. Accessed Feb. 7, 2022.
• VRHP/VRMA Cleaning guidelines for COVID-19. Vacation Rental Management Association. https://www.vrma.org/page/vrhp/vrma-cleaning-guidelines-for-covid-19. Accessed Feb. 7, 2022.
• Safe stay. American Hotel & Lodging Association. https://www.ahla.com/safestay. Accessed Feb. 7, 2022.
• Khatib AN, et al. COVID-19 transmission and the safety of air travel during the pandemic: A scoping review. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. 2021; doi:10.1097/QCO.0000000000000771.

Products and Services

• A Book: Endemic - A Post-Pandemic Playbook
• Begin Exploring Women's Health Solutions at Mayo Clinic Store
• A Book: Future Care
• Antibiotics: Are you misusing them?
• COVID-19 and vitamin D
• Convalescent plasma therapy
• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• COVID-19: How can I protect myself?
• Herd immunity and coronavirus
• COVID-19 and pets
• COVID-19 and your mental health
• COVID-19 antibody testing
• COVID-19, cold, allergies and the flu
• COVID-19 drugs: Are there any that work?
• Long-term effects of COVID-19
• COVID-19 tests
• COVID-19 in babies and children
• Coronavirus infection by race
• COVID-19 vaccine: Should I reschedule my mammogram?
• COVID-19 vaccines for kids: What you need to know
• COVID-19 vaccines
• COVID-19 variant
• COVID-19 vs. flu: Similarities and differences
• COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms?
• Debunking coronavirus myths
• Different COVID-19 vaccines
• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
• Fever: First aid
• Fever treatment: Quick guide to treating a fever
• Fight coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission at home
• Honey: An effective cough remedy?
• How do COVID-19 antibody tests differ from diagnostic tests?
• How to measure your respiratory rate
• How to take your pulse
• How to take your temperature
• How well do face masks protect against COVID-19?
• Is hydroxychloroquine a treatment for COVID-19?
• Loss of smell
• Mayo Clinic Minute: You're washing your hands all wrong
• Mayo Clinic Minute: How dirty are common surfaces?
• Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pregnancy and COVID-19
• Safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Safety tips for attending school during COVID-19
• Sex and COVID-19
• Shortness of breath
• Thermometers: Understand the options
• Treating COVID-19 at home
• Unusual symptoms of coronavirus
• Vaccine guidance from Mayo Clinic
• Watery eyes

U.S. travel resources

• Check CDC recommendations for travel within the U.S.
• Review testing requirements for travel to the U.S.
• Look up restrictions at your destination .
• Review airport security measures .

Related resources

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Travel safety policy, summary of policy.

This policy applies to all Dartmouth Travelers and any Dartmouth Entity or individual organizing, administering, or funding Dartmouth Travel.

Affected Parties

Policy statement.

Table of Contents

• Information for Dartmouth Travelers
• Dartmouth Entities Organizing, Administrating, or Funding Student Travel  
• Travel Resources
• Effectiveness of Policy, Amendments, and Dispute Resolution  

Dartmouth College (referred to in this Policy as "Dartmouth") is committed to supporting travel opportunities for all members of the Dartmouth community, both domestically and abroad, and encourages off-campus and experiential study, research, fieldwork, community-based learning, internships, and other activities. These experiences help members of our community develop important competencies through first-hand travel experience. Dartmouth recognizes that its scholars are part of intellectual communities that span the globe, and supports its students, staff, and faculty to travel to perform scholarly work, attend scientific conferences, present their discoveries, serve as peer reviewers, and engage in other forms of academic and scholarly partnership. Supporting these activities requires managing risks and weighing the benefits to participants to maximize personal safety and compliance with regulations while enhancing the academic experience and respecting commitments to our off-campus partners.

This policy applies to all Dartmouth Travelers and any Dartmouth Entity or individual organizing, administering, or funding Dartmouth Travel .

III. INFORMATION FOR DARTMOUTH TRAVELERS

A. Travel Registry

The Global Dartmouth Travel Registry ("Travel Registry") is used to assist in identifying the needs of Dartmouth Travelers in the event of an emergency. Registration in the Travel Registry is required for all Dartmouth Travelers traveling to international locations.

B. Travel Exceptions

Before traveling, Dartmouth Travelers must determine if a location they are traveling to requires a " Travel Exception ". Participating in Dartmouth Travel without an approved Travel Exception when one is required is prohibited; expenses for such travel will not be covered by Dartmouth.

Using travel risk assessments conducted by several international organizations, Dartmouth identifies when Dartmouth Travelers are required to obtain a Travel Exception before departure. Dartmouth's requirements for a Travel Exception may change based on updated assessments or changing conditions. Dartmouth Travelers are required to sign a release of liability form as part of the Travel Exception process.

C. Visas and Immigration

A visa or other documentation may be required for any Dartmouth Travel off campus. Dartmouth Travelers are responsible for confirming what documentation is needed well in advance of departure.

Dartmouth has partnered with a third-party vendor for assistance with visa and passport services for Dartmouth Travel. Individuals who are not United States citizens or lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders) should contact Dartmouth's Office of Visa and Immigration Services to understand any impact that traveling may have on their ability to re-enter the United States.

D. Compliance with Dartmouth Policies

Dartmouth Travelers must comply with all applicable handbooks, codes of conduct, and policies and procedures while participating in Dartmouth Travel. Additionally, Dartmouth programs or activities may have specific policies and procedures (e.g., requirements imposed by sponsors of research) that Dartmouth Travelers are expected to follow. Failure to comply with applicable policies and procedures may subject Dartmouth Travelers to disciplinary action.

E. Financial and Staffing Arrangements and Vendor Contracts

Official Dartmouth bank accounts may be opened only with prior approval from the Controller's Office, which will consider United States federal and local rules and regulations (e.g., banking and tax) applicable to the country in which the account will be opened. Legal matters, such as those related to contracts, employment and/or engagement of independent contractors in support of Dartmouth programs operated internationally, must be reviewed by Procurement Services and the Controller's Office, with consultation to the Office of the General Counsel and the Office of Risk and Internal Controls Services as needed, before execution to ensure compliance with regulatory and other legal requirements. For more information on international staffing, see the Dartmouth International Staffing Policy .

F. Incident Reporting and Clery Act Compliance

All health and/or safety incidents should be reported to the Dartmouth Traveler's program or department. In emergency situations, or when Dartmouth Travelers learn of health or safety incidents that are of immediate concern, they should report such matters as soon as possible to their program or department and to Dartmouth Safety and Security . When communicating about incidents, it is important to include information about the date, time, and location of the incident, identify who was involved, and provide a brief description of the incident. To report events like the theft of a camera, laptop, or other personal belongings, Dartmouth Travelers are encouraged to email a summary of the incident to their Dartmouth program administrator and/or faculty advisor. Having detailed information about incidents enables Dartmouth to better support travelers.

Responsible employees (known as Campus Security Authorities or CSAs) are required to disclose the occurrence of certain crimes and incidents to Dartmouth Safety and Security to ensure that Dartmouth meets federally mandated reporting requirements. For more information about CSAs and reportable offenses, please read Dartmouth's Clery Act resources or contact Safety and Security at +001 (603) 646-4000.

IV . DARTMOUTH ENTITIES ORGANIZING, ADMINISTERING, OR FUNDING STUDENT TRAVEL

A. Orientations and Pre-Departure Resources

While an in-person pre-departure orientation is considered best practice, especially for trip organizers, less experienced travelers, or travel to unfamiliar locations, at minimum a department, program, or unit ("Dartmouth Entity") organizing, administering, or funding Dartmouth Travel by students should disseminate these sharable resources to Dartmouth Travelers during the travel planning process, well in advance of departure. For consultation on developing orientation materials for Dartmouth Travel, email the Travel Safety Working Group at [email protected] . 

B. Continued Oversight

In addition to providing pre-departure orientation and resources, Dartmouth Entities have the following responsibilities when organizing, administering, or funding Dartmouth Travel by students:

• Ensure that any required Travel Exceptions are approved prior to departure. Read Dartmouth's guidance for organizing student travel for more information.
• Maintain records of signed risk acknowledgement and release of liability forms .
• Ensure Dartmouth Travel to international locations is registered in the Travel Registry prior to departure.
• Advise travel participants to enroll with the United States State Department or the nearest embassy or consulate of their country of citizenship at their travel locations.
• Maintain and communicate clearly written emergency response protocols, including identifying the primary contact for travel emergencies and after-hours support and filing that information with Dartmouth Safety & Security and the Deans' on-call lists.
• Maintain an active record of travel itineraries, emergency contacts , and on-site contact details (e.g., mobile phone number including country code for international numbers, web or app-based messaging information, local addresses, and/or other information beyond a Dartmouth email address).
• Except as may be otherwise required, issue Dartmouth funding, academic credit, etc., only after all required forms are completed and filed with the sponsoring department or program, any required Travel Exceptions have been approved, and, if traveling internationally, Dartmouth Travel has been registered in the Travel Registry.

V. TRAVEL RESOURCES

Additional resources are available to Dartmouth Travelers on the Global Dartmouth website. These resources may be amended from time to time by the Travel Safety Working Group.

VI . EFFECTIVENESS OF POLICY, AMENDMENTS, AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

This Policy is effective as of August 1, 2022, and replaces the previous Dartmouth Travel Safety Policy, revised in August 2021. This Policy may be revoked or amended by Dartmouth, in whole or in part, from time to time. The Provost (or their designee) and the Executive Vice President (or their designee), acting together, shall have the power to make revocations or amendments. Any such revocation or amendment shall become effective upon adoption by the Provost or the Executive Vice President, or as of such other time as the Provost or the Executive Vice President shall specify. Questions or disputes regarding the application, interpretation, or implementation of this Policy shall be resolved by the Provost and the Executive Vice President, in consultation with the Director of Risk and Internal Controls Services and the Office of the General Counsel as needed. The decision of the Provost and the Executive Vice President shall be binding on Dartmouth and all individuals subject to this Policy.  

DEFINITIONS

Dartmouth Entity : A Dartmouth department, program, or unit.

Dartmouth Travel : Travel that Dartmouth requires, supports, supervises, controls, or manages, which is financially supported by Dartmouth or through any Dartmouth account, and/or is expected to result in the granting of academic credit from Dartmouth. This includes travel supported by external grants (e.g., from federal agencies or private foundations) made to Dartmouth.

Dartmouth Travelers : All Dartmouth community members (students, faculty, staff, alumni, volunteers, and others who are participating in Dartmouth programs) participating in Dartmouth Travel.

Travel Exception : A required review of a Dartmouth Traveler's proposed plan to travel to a higher risk location. Higher risk locations are determined using travel risk assessments conducted by various international organizations, following the International SOS (ISOS) assessment most closely. A Travel Exception is either approved or declined by the Global Dartmouth team.

Travel Registry : Dartmouth's registration system used to assist in identifying the needs of Dartmouth Travelers in the event of an emergency. This includes facilitating delivery of support services.

Effective Date

Last revised date, office of primary responsibility, last reviewed date, next review date.

The best travel insurance policies and providers

It's easy to dismiss the value of travel insurance until you need it.

Many travelers have strong opinions about whether you should buy travel insurance . However, the purpose of this post isn't to determine whether it's worth investing in. Instead, it compares some of the top travel insurance providers and policies so you can determine which travel insurance option is best for you.

Of course, as the coronavirus remains an ongoing concern, it's important to understand whether travel insurance covers pandemics. Some policies will cover you if you're diagnosed with COVID-19 and have proof of illness from a doctor. Others will take coverage a step further, covering additional types of pandemic-related expenses and cancellations.

Know, though, that every policy will have exclusions and restrictions that may limit coverage. For example, fear of travel is generally not a covered reason for invoking trip cancellation or interruption coverage, while specific stipulations may apply to elevated travel warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Interested in travel insurance? Visit InsureMyTrip.com to shop for plans that may fit your travel needs.

So, before buying a specific policy, you must understand the full terms and any special notices the insurer has about COVID-19. You may even want to buy the optional cancel for any reason add-on that's available for some comprehensive policies. While you'll pay more for that protection, it allows you to cancel your trip for any reason and still get some of your costs back. Note that this benefit is time-sensitive and has other eligibility requirements, so not all travelers will qualify.

In this guide, we'll review several policies from top travel insurance providers so you have a better understanding of your options before picking the policy and provider that best address your wants and needs.

The best travel insurance providers

To put together this list of the best travel insurance providers, a number of details were considered: favorable ratings from TPG Lounge members, the availability of details about policies and the claims process online, positive online ratings and the ability to purchase policies in most U.S. states. You can also search for options from these (and other) providers through an insurance comparison site like InsureMyTrip .

When comparing insurance providers, I priced out a single-trip policy for each provider for a $2,000, one-week vacation to Istanbul . I used my actual age and state of residence when obtaining quotes. As a result, you may see a different price — or even additional policies due to regulations for travel insurance varying from state to state — when getting a quote.

AIG Travel Guard

AIG Travel Guard receives many positive reviews from readers in the TPG Lounge who have filed claims with the company. AIG offers three plans online, which you can compare side by side, and the ability to examine sample policies. Here are three plans for my sample trip to Turkey.

AIG Travel Guard also offers an annual travel plan. This plan is priced at $259 per year for one Florida resident.

Additionally, AIG Travel Guard offers several other policies, including a single-trip policy without trip cancellation protection . See AIG Travel Guard's COVID-19 notification and COVID-19 advisory for current details regarding COVID-19 coverage.

Preexisting conditions

Typically, AIG Travel Guard wouldn't cover you for any loss or expense due to a preexisting medical condition that existed within 180 days of the coverage effective date. However, AIG Travel Guard may waive the preexisting medical condition exclusion on some plans if you meet the following conditions:

• You purchase the plan within 15 days of your initial trip payment.
• The amount of coverage you purchase equals all trip costs at the time of purchase. You must update your coverage to insure the costs of any subsequent arrangements that you add to your trip within 15 days of paying the travel supplier for these additional arrangements.
• You must be medically able to travel when you purchase your plan.

Standout features

• The Deluxe and Preferred plans allow you to purchase an upgrade that lets you cancel your trip for any reason. However, reimbursement under this coverage will not exceed 50% or 75% of your covered trip cost.
• You can include one child (age 17 and younger) with each paying adult for no additional cost on most single-trip plans.
• Other optional upgrades, including an adventure sports bundle, a baggage bundle, an inconvenience bundle, a pet bundle, a security bundle and a wedding bundle, are available on some policies. So, an AIG Travel Guard plan may be a good choice if you know you want extra coverage in specific areas.

Purchase your policy here: AIG Travel Guard .

Allianz Travel Insurance

Allianz is one of the most highly regarded providers in the TPG Lounge, and many readers found the claim process reasonable. Allianz offers many plans, including the following single-trip plans for my sample trip to Turkey.

If you travel frequently, it may make sense to purchase an annual multi-trip policy. For this plan, all of the maximum coverage amounts in the table below are per trip (except for the trip cancellation and trip interruption amounts, which are an aggregate limit per policy). Trips typically must last no more than 45 days, although some plans may cover trips of up to 90 days.

See Allianz's coverage alert for current information on COVID-19 coverage.

Most Allianz travel insurance plans may cover preexisting medical conditions if you meet particular requirements. For the OneTrip Premier, Prime and Basic plans, the requirements are as follows:

• You purchased the policy within 14 days of the date of the first trip payment or deposit.
• You were a U.S. resident when you purchased the policy.
• You were medically able to travel when you purchased the policy.
• On the policy purchase date, you insured the total, nonrefundable cost of your trip (including arrangements that will become nonrefundable or subject to cancellation penalties before your departure date). If you incur additional nonrefundable trip expenses after purchasing this policy, you must insure them within 14 days of their purchase.
• Allianz offers reasonably priced annual policies for independent travelers and families who take multiple trips lasting up to 45 days (or 90 days for select plans) per year.
• Some Allianz plans provide the option of receiving a flat reimbursement amount without receipts for trip delay and baggage delay claims. Of course, you can also submit receipts to get up to the maximum refund.
• For emergency transportation coverage, you or someone on your behalf must contact Allianz, and Allianz must then make all transportation arrangements in advance. However, most Allianz policies provide an option if you cannot contact the company: Allianz will pay up to what it would have paid if it had made the arrangements.

Purchase your policy here: Allianz Travel Insurance .

American Express Travel Insurance

American Express Travel Insurance offers four different package plans and a build-your-own coverage option. You don't have to be an American Express cardholder to purchase this insurance. Here are the four package options for my sample weeklong trip to Turkey. Unlike some other providers, Amex won't ask for your travel destination on the initial quote (but will when you purchase the plan).

Amex's build-your-own coverage plan is unique because you can purchase just the coverage you need. For most types of protection, you can even select the coverage amount that works best for you.

The prices for the packages and the build-your-own plan don't increase for longer trips — as long as the trip cost remains constant. However, the emergency medical and dental benefit is only available for your first 60 days of travel.

Typically, Amex won't cover any loss you incur because of a preexisting medical condition that existed within 90 days of the coverage effective date. However, Amex may waive its preexisting-condition exclusion if you meet both of the following requirements:

• You must be medically able to travel at the time you pay the policy premium.
• You pay the policy premium within 14 days of making the first covered trip deposit.
• Amex's build-your-own coverage option allows you to only purchase — and pay for — the coverage you need.
• Coverage on long trips doesn't cost more than coverage for short trips, making this policy ideal for extended getaways. However, the emergency medical and dental benefit only covers your first 60 days of travel.
• American Express Travel Insurance can protect travel expenses you purchase with Amex Membership Rewards points in the Pay with Points program (as well as travel expenses bought with cash, debit or credit). However, travel expenses bought with other types of points and miles aren't covered.

Purchase your policy here: American Express Travel Insurance .

GeoBlue is different from most other providers described in this piece because it only provides medical coverage while you're traveling internationally and does not offer benefits to protect the cost of your trip. There are many different policies. Some require you to have primary health insurance in the U.S. (although it doesn't need to be provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield), but all of them only offer coverage while traveling outside the U.S.

Two single-trip plans are available if you're traveling for six months or less. The Voyager Choice policy provides coverage (including medical services and medical evacuation for a sudden recurrence of a preexisting condition) for trips outside the U.S. to travelers who are 95 or younger and already have a U.S. health insurance policy.

The Voyager Essential policy provides coverage (including medical evacuation for a sudden recurrence of a preexisting condition) for trips outside the U.S. to travelers who are 95 or younger, regardless of whether they have primary health insurance.

In addition to these options, two multi-trip plans cover trips of up to 70 days each for one year. Both policies provide coverage (including medical services and medical evacuation for preexisting conditions) to travelers with primary health insurance.

Be sure to check out GeoBlue's COVID-19 notices before buying a plan.

Most GeoBlue policies explicitly cover sudden recurrences of preexisting conditions for medical services and medical evacuation.

• GeoBlue can be an excellent option if you're mainly concerned about the medical side of travel insurance.
• GeoBlue provides single-trip, multi-trip and long-term medical travel insurance policies for many different types of travel.

Purchase your policy here: GeoBlue .

IMG offers various travel medical insurance policies for travelers, as well as comprehensive travel insurance policies. For a single trip of 90 days or less, there are five policy types available for vacation or holiday travelers. Although you must enter your gender, males and females received the same quote for my one-week search.

You can purchase an annual multi-trip travel medical insurance plan. Some only cover trips lasting up to 30 or 45 days, but others provide coverage for longer trips.

See IMG's page on COVID-19 for additional policy information as it relates to coronavirus-related claims.

Most plans may cover preexisting conditions under set parameters or up to specific amounts. For example, the iTravelInsured Travel LX travel insurance plan shown above may cover preexisting conditions if you purchase the insurance within 24 hours of making the final payment for your trip.

For the travel medical insurance plans shown above, preexisting conditions are covered for travelers younger than 70. However, coverage is capped based on your age and whether you have a primary health insurance policy.

• Some annual multi-trip plans are modestly priced.
• iTravelInsured Travel LX may offer optional cancel for any reason and interruption for any reason coverage, if eligible.

Purchase your policy here: IMG .

Travelex Insurance

Travelex offers three single-trip plans: Travel Basic, Travel Select and Travel America. However, only the Travel Basic and Travel Select plans would be applicable for my trip to Turkey.

See Travelex's COVID-19 coverage statement for coronavirus-specific information.

Typically, Travelex won't cover losses incurred because of a preexisting medical condition that existed within 60 days of the coverage effective date. However, the Travel Select plan may offer a preexisting condition exclusion waiver. To be eligible for this waiver, the insured traveler must meet all the following conditions:

• You purchase the plan within 15 days of the initial trip payment.
• The amount of coverage purchased equals all prepaid, nonrefundable payments or deposits applicable to the trip at the time of purchase. Additionally, you must insure the costs of any subsequent arrangements added to the same trip within 15 days of payment or deposit.
• All insured individuals are medically able to travel when they pay the plan cost.
• The trip cost does not exceed the maximum trip cost limit under trip cancellation as shown in the schedule per person (only applicable to trip cancellation, interruption and delay).
• Travelex's Travel Select policy can cover trips lasting up to 364 days, which is longer than many single-trip policies.
• Neither Travelex policy requires receipts for trip and baggage delay expenses less than $25.
• For emergency evacuation coverage, you or someone on your behalf must contact Travelex and have Travelex make all transportation arrangements in advance. However, both Travelex policies provide an option if you cannot contact Travelex: Travelex will pay up to what it would have paid if it had made the arrangements.

Purchase your policy here: Travelex Insurance .

Seven Corners

Seven Corners offers a wide variety of policies. Here are the policies that are most applicable to travelers on a single international trip.

Seven Corners also offers many other types of travel insurance, including an annual multi-trip plan. You can choose coverage for trips of up to 30, 45 or 60 days when purchasing an annual multi-trip plan.

See Seven Corner's page on COVID-19 for additional policy information as it relates to coronavirus-related claims.

Typically, Seven Corners won't cover losses incurred because of a preexisting medical condition. However, the RoundTrip Choice plan offers a preexisting condition exclusion waiver. To be eligible for this waiver, you must meet all of the following conditions:

• You buy this plan within 20 days of making your initial trip payment or deposit.
• You or your travel companion are medically able and not disabled from travel when you pay for this plan or upgrade your plan.
• You update the coverage to include the additional cost of subsequent travel arrangements within 15 days of paying your travel supplier for them.
• Seven Corners offers the ability to purchase optional sports and golf equipment coverage. If purchased, this extra insurance will reimburse you for the cost of renting sports or golf equipment if yours is lost, stolen, damaged or delayed by a common carrier for six or more hours. However, Seven Corners must authorize the expenses in advance.
• You can add cancel for any reason coverage or trip interruption for any reason coverage to RoundTrip plans. Although some other providers offer cancel for any reason coverage, trip interruption for any reason coverage is less common.
• Seven Corners' RoundTrip Choice policy offers a political or security evacuation benefit that will transport you to the nearest safe place or your residence under specific conditions. You can also add optional event ticket registration fee protection to the RoundTrip Choice policy.

Purchase your policy here: Seven Corners .

World Nomads

World Nomads is popular with younger, active travelers because of its flexibility and adventure-activities coverage on the Explorer plan. Unlike many policies offered by other providers, you don't need to estimate prepaid costs when purchasing the insurance to have access to trip interruption and cancellation insurance.

World Nomads offers two single-trip plans.

World Nomads has a page dedicated to coronavirus coverage , so be sure to view it before buying a policy.

World Nomads won't cover losses incurred because of a preexisting medical condition (except emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains) that existed within 90 days of the coverage effective date. Unlike many other providers, World Nomads doesn't offer a waiver.

• World Nomads' policies cover more adventure sports than most providers, so activities such as bungee jumping are included. The Explorer policy covers almost any adventure sport, including skydiving, stunt flying and caving. So, if you partake in adventure sports while traveling, the Explorer policy may be a good fit.
• World Nomads' policies provide nonmedical evacuation coverage for transportation expenses if there is civil or political unrest in the country you are visiting. The coverage may also transport you home if there is an eligible natural disaster or a government expels you.

Purchase your policy here: World Nomads .

Other options for buying travel insurance

This guide details the policies of eight providers with the information available at the time of publication. There are many options when it comes to travel insurance, though. To compare different policies quickly, you can use a travel insurance aggregator like InsureMyTrip to search. Just note that these search engines won't show every policy and every provider, and you should still research the provided policies to ensure the coverage fits your trip and needs.

You can also purchase a plan through various membership associations, such as USAA, AAA or Costco. Typically, these organizations partner with a specific provider, so if you are a member of any of these associations, you may want to compare the policies offered through the organization with other policies to get the best coverage for your trip.

Related: Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?

Is travel insurance worth getting?

Whether you should purchase travel insurance is a personal decision. Suppose you use a credit card that provides travel insurance for most of your expenses and have medical insurance that provides adequate coverage abroad. In that case, you may be covered enough on most trips to forgo purchasing travel insurance.

However, suppose your medical insurance won't cover you at your destination and you can't comfortably cover a sizable medical evacuation bill or last-minute flight home . In that case, you should consider purchasing travel insurance. If you travel frequently, buying an annual multi-trip policy may be worth it.

What is the best COVID-19 travel insurance?

There are various aspects to keep in mind in the age of COVID-19. Consider booking travel plans that are fully refundable or have modest change or cancellation fees so you don't need to worry about whether your policy will cover trip cancellation. This is important since many standard comprehensive insurance policies won't reimburse your insured expenses in the event of cancellation if it's related to the fear of traveling due to COVID-19.

However, if you book a nonrefundable trip and want to maintain the ability to get reimbursed (up to 75% of your insured costs) if you choose to cancel, you should consider buying a comprehensive travel insurance policy and then adding optional cancel for any reason protection. Just note that this benefit is time-sensitive and has eligibility requirements, so not all travelers will qualify.

Providers will often require CFAR purchasers insure the entire dollar amount of their travels to receive the coverage. Also, many CFAR policies mandate that you must cancel your plans and notify all travel suppliers at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure.

Likewise, if your primary health insurance won't cover you while on your trip, it's essential to consider whether medical expenses related to COVID-19 treatment are covered. You may also want to consider a MedJet medical transport membership if your trip is to a covered destination for coronavirus-related evacuation.

Ultimately, the best pandemic travel insurance policy will depend on your trip details, travel concerns and your willingness to self-insure. Just be sure to thoroughly read and understand any terms or exclusions before purchasing.

What are the different types of travel insurance?

Whether you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy or rely on the protections offered by select credit cards, you may have access to the following types of coverage:

• Baggage delay protection may reimburse for essential items and clothing when a common carrier (such as an airline) fails to deliver your checked bag within a set time of your arrival at a destination. Typically, you may be reimbursed up to a particular amount per incident or per day.
• Lost/damaged baggage protection may provide reimbursement to replace lost or damaged luggage and items inside that luggage. However, valuables and electronics usually have a relatively low maximum benefit.
• Trip delay reimbursement may provide reimbursement for necessary items, food, lodging and sometimes transportation when you're delayed for a substantial time while traveling on a common carrier such as an airline. This insurance may be beneficial if weather issues (or other covered reasons for which the airline usually won't provide compensation) delay you.
• Trip cancellation and interruption protection may provide reimbursement if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason, such as a death in your family or jury duty.
• Medical evacuation insurance can arrange and pay for medical evacuation if deemed necessary by the insurance provider and a medical professional. This coverage can be particularly valuable if you're traveling to a region with subpar medical facilities.
• Travel accident insurance may provide a payment to you or your beneficiary in the case of your death or dismemberment.
• Emergency medical insurance may provide payment or reimburse you if you must seek medical care while traveling. Some plans only cover emergency medical care, but some also cover other types of medical care. You may need to pay a deductible or copay.
• Rental car coverage may provide a collision damage waiver when renting a car. This waiver may reimburse for collision damage or theft up to a set amount. Some policies also cover loss-of-use charges assessed by the rental company and towing charges to take the vehicle to the nearest qualified repair facility. You generally need to decline the rental company's collision damage waiver or similar provision to be covered.

Should I buy travel health insurance?

If you purchase travel with credit cards that provide various trip protections, you may not see much need for additional travel insurance. However, you may still wonder whether you should buy travel medical insurance.

If your primary health insurance covers you on your trip, you may not need travel health insurance. Your domestic policy may not cover you outside the U.S., though, so it's worth calling the number on your health insurance card if you have coverage questions. If your primary health insurance wouldn't cover you, it's likely worth purchasing travel medical insurance. After all, as you can see above, travel medical insurance is often very modestly priced.

How much does travel insurance cost?

Travel insurance costs depend on various factors, including the provider, the type of coverage, your trip cost, your destination, your age, your residency and how many travelers you want to insure. That said, a standard travel insurance plan will generally set you back somewhere between 4% and 10% of your total trip cost. However, this can get lower for more basic protections or become even higher if you include add-ons like cancel for any reason protection.

The best way to determine how much travel insurance will cost is to price out your trip with a few providers discussed in the guide. Or, visit an insurance aggregator like InsureMyTrip to quickly compare options across multiple providers.

When and how to get travel insurance

For the most robust selection of available travel insurance benefits — including time-sensitive add-ons like CFAR protection and waivers of preexisting conditions for eligible travelers — you should ideally purchase travel insurance on the same day you make your first payment toward your trip.

However, many plans may still offer a preexisting conditions waiver for those who qualify if you buy your travel insurance within 14 to 21 days of your first trip expense or deposit (this time frame may vary by provider). If you don't need a preexisting conditions waiver or aren't interested in CFAR coverage, you can purchase travel insurance once your departure date nears.

You must purchase coverage before it's needed. Some travel medical plans are available for purchase after you have departed, but comprehensive plans that include medical coverage must be purchased before departing.

Additionally, you can't buy any medical coverage once you require medical attention. The same applies to all travel insurance coverage. Once you recognize the need, it's too late to protect your trip.

Once you've shopped around and decided upon the best travel insurance plan for your trip, you should be able to complete your purchase online. You'll usually be able to download your insurance card and the complete policy shortly after the transaction is complete.

Related: 7 times your credit card's travel insurance might not cover you

Bottom line

Not all travel insurance policies and providers are equal. Before buying a plan, read and understand the policy documents. By doing so, you can choose a plan that's appropriate for you and your trip — including the features that matter most to you.

For example, if you plan to go skiing or rock climbing, make sure the policy you buy doesn't contain exclusions for these activities. Likewise, if you're making two back-to-back trips during which you'll be returning home for a short time in between, be sure the plan doesn't terminate coverage at the end of your first trip.

If you're looking to cover a sudden recurrence of a preexisting condition, select a policy with a preexisting condition waiver and fulfill the requirements for the waiver. After all, buying insurance won't help if your policy doesn't cover your losses.

Disclaimer : This information is provided by IMT Services, LLC ( InsureMyTrip.com ), a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 5119217) and a member of the Tokio Marine HCC group of companies. IMT's services are only available in states where it is licensed to do business and the products provided through InsureMyTrip.com may not be available in all states. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not create or modify any insurance policy terms in any way. For more information, please visit www.insuremytrip.com .

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The complete guide to corporate travel policies

Travel risk management policy.

Start writing your own corporate travel policy with our comprehensive template

What should be included in a travel risk management policy template.

• Policy scope
• Roles and responsibilities
• Planning and approving travel
• Travel risk assessment
• Incident reporting and traveler support

Section 1: Policy scope

Section 2: roles and responsibilities, section 3: planning and approving travel.

• Any political instability in the region
• Potential for natural disasters
• General security concerns in the region
• Regional endemic diseases
• Entry requirements (particularly since the Coronavirus outbreak )
• Any travel restrictions in place
• Issues with transport (air traffic control strikes, for example)
• The transmission rates of COVID-19 in the area

Section 4: Travel risk assessment

• The health of the traveling employee. Does the employee face any medical risks? Do they require any medical care during the trip?
• The traveler’s profile, including their gender and religion, and whether these factors place them at a higher risk in the destination country
• The travel patterns the employee will take, including their travel itinerary and how this will impact them
• The procedures the traveler should follow in case of travel and/or hotel cancellations
• Any high-risks associated with the country and environment the employee will travel to, including any illness and disease present, natural disasters, and crime rates.

Section 5: Incident reporting and traveler support

Section 6: insurance, learn how to write a comprehensive business travel policy with our ebook..

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How to Build Your Corporate Travel Safety Policy

After hitting a pause button several years ago, companies are back to sending employees on the road. According to the Global Business Travel Association, business travel will continue to spike in the years ahead, with growth between 5.8 and 6.9 percent through 2019.

Retailers are central to this surge in employee travel. As they look to become more nimble, many are focused on maximizing global sourcing opportunities, seeking new customers in emerging markets, and sending employees to comb the globe for the next jungle superfood or local fashion to turn into a trend on Brooklyn streets.

Of course, opportunity—as it often does—runs headlong into risk. More international assignments put more workers outside of the protective shield that companies try to place around their workforce via their corporate travel safety policy.

It’s tempting to let the prospect of capitalizing on the next hot global marketplace overwhelm security concerns. In a survey of clients, International SOS, a provider of medical and security assistance, found that of 3.5 million international trips taken by employees, 25 percent were to what the firm identifies as high- or extreme-risk destinations.

Companies aren’t blind to the security and safety risks of international travel. In a world where luxury hotels have become recognized terrorist targets, most organizations appreciate the importance of helping traveling workers stay safe. So why do companies struggle to make security central to their corporate travel safety policy?

The Coordination Challenge

Communicating with traveling employees, tracking their whereabouts, and extending help to them if necessary are important parts of an organization’s effort to protect employees from harm. However, a survey of 300 corporate security directors by Security Director’s Report ( SDR ) found that many international trips that employees take go without a security review. Without sufficient advanced notification of employees’ travel plans, threat assessment and logistical planning to support safe travel are impossible.

The SDR survey points to another difficult challenge: goal alignment. Employers may fail to meet their responsibilities for protecting traveling workers because responsibilities fall to different business areas and functions, which often have different objectives. Individuals with responsibilities often have such diverse roles as corporate security managers, risk managers, travel managers, medical directors, insurance managers, legal managers, heads of HR, global HR, and line managers.

Improving the security of traveling workers overall relies on the extent to which the different players fill the security aspects of their broader assignment. For example, a corporate travel manager may issue a request for proposal (RFP) to develop a preferred list of hotel properties, with the ultimate goal of improving efficiency and reducing the cost of travel. Within the RFP, hotel properties will be asked a range of questions on which their suitability will be judged, from services and amenities, available technology, rate proposal, to whether or not they will provide a traveler with free transportation to a new hotel if they are oversold.

Modernizing PoE Networks for Loss Prevention and Physical Security: Familiar vs. Right

A safety and security module will typically be part of this RFP, but the extent to which security criteria is examined in the selection of preferred properties can vary. A travel manager, whose primary objective is to please workers who want convenient and quality accommodations and heed management’s desire to trim expenses, may not let something like incomplete responses on safety issues interfere with property selection.

So what is the key? In a word, coordination. With the amount of corporate travel ramping up, security management might start by mapping out the security roles that different function areas are expected to play in the protection of traveling associates and ensuring that the responsibility for those roles are assigned to specific employees.

Security staff might also want to review how well information is being shared among departments. It can be helpful to use a comprehensive database that houses all travel-related information, including employee profiles, corporate and employee contact information, and risk intelligence information on travel destinations. Through a centralized data collection point, security, HR, and the corporate travel department can better coordinate their activities and responsibilities with respect to ensuring the safety of traveling employees.

Finally, security leaders might find it helpful to determine whether individuals who provide security advice to traveling employees are sufficiently informed and knowledgeable, and get them up to speed if they’re not.

Components Needed for Your Corporate Travel Safety {Policy

There are challenges beyond coordination to keeping a corporate travel safety policy operating effectively, including cost and management complacency.

In a presentation at the 2015 National Retail Federation (NRF) PROTECT loss prevention conference in Long Beach, CA, Scott McBride, vice president of loss prevention, safety, security, and emergency response for American Eagle, described how his company’s travel safety program has, over time, built out to include a complete compendium of traveler safety information.

A corporate travel safety policy typically includes the following items:

• Risk ratings for travel locations,
• A traveler tracking system,
• Pre-trip assessments, training, and awareness briefings,
• A travel safety website, and
• An emergency response plan in the event a traveling worker runs into trouble.

It should also define a process for examining employee travel itineraries, comparing them against the unique risks and availability of services in the destination region, and concluding if additional security steps need be taken before travel, such as specialized traveler education or equipping the employee with tracking technology.

But a travel safety program starts with a company travel policy, which McBride says to write with your duty of care in mind. To demonstrate a company’s due diligence, it should cover and include the following elements:

• A statement from management that employees’ personal safety is a primary concern of the organization and that it does not want business interests to put workers at undue risk.
• How the company will determine which destinations are unsafe for travel, such as prohibiting employees to travel to countries or regions the US State Department has declared as unsafe.
• Responsibilities related to business travel for both employees and those in charge of monitoring the safety of travel destinations.
• Special action employees should take if they are traveling to high-risk locations.
• The individuals who are responsible for the daily monitoring for notices about travel to high-risk countries to ensure the safety of employees during their travel out of the country.
• Procedures for communicating warnings to employees and for locating and communicating with employees in a crisis event.
• Actions employees must take before departure, such as leaving their supervisors with a detailed itinerary, flight information, destination contact information, contact numbers, and updated emergency contact information.

As he built off the corporate travel safety policy in his company’s program, McBride said his team realized that ancillary policies are also important part. Data security , for example, has become an integral part of minimizing a company’s risk with respect to workers traveling abroad.

Some of the ancillary policies his team identified included the following:

• Travel Code of Conduct.“We have a travel code of conduct policy in addition to an ethics policy,” McBride explained. More than just keeping workers in line, American Eagle strives to provide traveling workers with information that will prevent them from unwittingly getting into sticky situations, which can result when local laws or customs differ from the United States, such as on the treatment of homosexuality or alcohol consumption. “What about people living in a hotel overseas for two months? What are the acceptable behaviors? You need to spell those out in a policy so you have evidence you told people about them,” McBride warned.
• Foreign Ground Transportation Policy. “With us, you’re not permitted to rent a car if you can’t read the language,” said McBride.
• Foreign Corrupt Practices Policy.Traveling workers need to be aware of actions they might take—to smooth out a travel snafu, for example—that could violate the FCPA.

McBride and other security pros SDR interviewed offered additional tips for enhancing the value of a travel safety program—without breaking the bank. Review the expert advice by reading the full article, “ Keeping International Travelers Safe .”

This article was excerpted from “ Keeping International Travelers Safe ,” which was originally published in 2015. This post was updated May 29, 2018.

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Americans who have traveled internationally stand out in their views and knowledge of foreign affairs

Do people who travel think differently about the world? A new Pew Research Center survey suggests they do.

Americans who have traveled internationally are more interested in and knowledgeable about foreign affairs, feel closer to others around the world, and favor a more active foreign policy, according to the survey of 3,576 U.S. adults conducted in spring 2023. We also surveyed people in 23 other countries about their international travel habits.

This analysis examines international travel with a focus on Americans’ travel, including which Americans travel abroad and how their interest in the world and views of international affairs differ from others.

For this analysis, we surveyed 3,576 U.S. adults from March 20 to March 26, 2023; 3,581 U.S. adults from March 21 to March 27, 2022; and 10,606 U.S. adults from June 14 to June 27, 2021. Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

For non-U.S. data, this report draws on nationally representative surveys of 27,285 adults conducted from Feb. 20 to May 22, 2023. All surveys were conducted over the phone with adults in Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Surveys were conducted face-to-face in Hungary, Poland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. In Australia, we used a mixed-mode probability-based online panel.

Here are the June 2021 survey questions and responses used in this analysis. Those for the March 2022 survey may be found here , as well as those for the March 2023 survey .

How many Americans have traveled internationally?

Roughly three-quarters of Americans (76%) have visited at least one other country, including 26% who have been to five or more. About a quarter (23%) have not traveled internationally, though most in this group say they would if they had the opportunity.

Related:  How experience with international travel varies across 24 countries

To analyze how Americans’ travel experiences relate to their attitudes on other questions, we placed people into three categories:

• Globe-trotters have traveled to at least five other countries. About a quarter of the U.S. public (26%) falls into this category.
• Casual travelers have traveled to between one and four other countries. Half of Americans fall into this category.
• Nontravelers have never left the United States. This category includes 23% of Americans.

Compared with Americans, people in many European nations are more likely to have traveled to five or more other countries. For instance, 88% of Swedes have done so.

However, international travel is much less common in many middle-income nations. It is strongly correlated with a nation’s gross domestic product per capita. (For more on international travel and views about global engagement, read “Attitudes on an Interconnected World.” )

Who travels internationally?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, older people are more likely than younger people to have traveled internationally. Americans ages 65 and older are more than twice as likely as adults under 30 to fall into our globe-trotter category (37% vs. 17%).

Income is even more strongly related to travel than age. Two-thirds of upper-income Americans have traveled to at least five countries, compared with 9% of Americans with lower incomes.

Similarly, Americans with a postgraduate degree are far more likely to be globe-trotters than those with a high school education or less (59% vs. 10%).

Residents of suburban and urban areas generally have more international travel experience than people who live in rural areas.

There are no significant partisan differences when it comes to international travel: 26% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents qualify as globe-trotters, as do 28% of Republicans and GOP leaners.

Do travelers know more about the world?

Globe-trotters are especially likely to say they are interested in foreign affairs and follow international news. Casual travelers, in turn, are more likely than nontravelers to do so.

Globe-trotters are also the most knowledgeable about international affairs. In 2022, we conducted an international affairs quiz , asking Americans 12 questions related to international news. On average, globe-trotters got 8.2 of the 12 questions correct, compared with 6.4 for casual travelers and 4.2 for nontravelers.

Is international travel related to views of global engagement?

International travel experience is also linked to Americans’ views about international affairs and their feelings of connection to other people around the world.

When asked which comes closest to their view, 57% of globe-trotters say the U.S. should be active in world affairs, while 43% say the U.S. should pay less attention to problems in other countries and concentrate on problems at home. In contrast, most casual travelers and nontravelers say the U.S. should focus on problems at home.

In all three groups, at least half of respondents say that when the U.S. is making foreign policy, it should take other countries’ interests into account – even if that means making compromises. But globe-trotters are especially likely to hold that view.

Globe-trotters are also particularly likely to say they feel close to people around the world, with 42% saying so. By comparison, 34% of casual travelers and 30% of nontravelers say this.

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Richard Wike is director of global attitudes research at Pew Research Center

Janell Fetterolf is a senior researcher focusing on global attitudes at Pew Research Center

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Field Safety Reminders for the Spring/Summer

Following these simple steps supports safe and successful research.

Five reminders for the Spring/Summer fieldwork & travel season

Register all University travel >100 miles via UC Away (Calnet login required) for travel insurance documentation, 24/7 travel assistance, and a destination-specific trip brief. 

For international travel, review the US Department of State (DOS) Travel Advisory for your destination(s). Travel to State Department Level 4 / 'Do Not Travel' destinations requires further campus review beyond your department. See International Travel Guidance, Protocol, & Approval Processes for more information.

Outdoor workers and researchers should complete online Heat Illness Prevention ( EHS 702 ) and Wildfire Smoke Protection ( EHS 704 ) training for compliance with Cal/OSHA, available via the UC Learning Center. Additional optional training such as weather forecasting, off road driving, safe & inclusive fieldwork, preventing harassment, and mental health in the field is available via the UC Field Safety Leadership Training Library

Create a written field safety plan to review with all participants and carry with you. A template is available on the EH&S Field Safety Program webpage.

Review your plans and discuss safety concerns and precautions in advance of travel with your supervisor or advisor. Maintain a check-in plan and a campus contact to be able to discuss new or emerging concerns during travel and make informed decisions together.

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Government Advice on Where in the Middle East is Safe to Travel to This Summer

T raveling to Israel has become harder since the re-start of the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Now, with the recent strike launched by Iran into Israeli territory, many people are rethinking their travel plans to any country in the area. In the last few days, multiple airlines have canceled flights to Tel Aviv. This will make getting a commercial flight into Israeli territory increasingly difficult.

Israel is, of course, not the only country in the line of fire. Amidst the recent hostilities, the UK government was among the first to warn its citizens against traveling to certain countries. They quickly listed Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen as countries that they advise people not to travel to. Regarding Israel, the UK’s foreign office uses a heat map to warn travelers against reaching certain parts of the country. Any trip that takes people within 3 miles of the Gaza Strip falls in the red zone. These areas are places where people are told to stay out of. When it comes to the Holy City of Jerusalem, it’s technically within the yellow zone.

The yellow spots on the map indicate areas that should only be reached if travel is essential. Overall, tourists are being told to avoid the country altogether. With the recent hostilities, there’s no telling which part of the country may or may not be attacked next. Also, as mentioned, many airlines are canceling their flights. Therefore, logistically, it will become more complex and more expensive to travel there this summer.

Egypt and Turkey are two other countries reasonably close to the conflict that travelers frequent. In Turkey, there are no travel restrictions. However, some countries advise people to stay away from the area that borders Syria. Despite this, most popular tourist destinations within the country will be accessible to tourists this summer. There could be an issue with flights from certain parts of the world. However, this remains to be seen. There hasn’t been a massive cancellation of flights to Turkey, as there have been flights to Israel.

When it comes to Egypt, things are operating as usual. The UK foreign office mentions that all of the popular tourist attractions within the region are “generally safe.” This doesn’t mean that travelers shouldn’t be on the lookout for some of the usual dangers in the area. In Egypt, fraud and theft are two uncomfortable issues that tourists have been known to be victims of for years. At this point, however, it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll end up in the middle of a war zone if they travel to the country. All popular resorts that run along the Nile River are set to continue operating as usual. As mentioned earlier, some air travel routes could change to reach these destinations. That’s something that tourists should be aware of.

Atlanta Airport Cracks Down on 'Unticketed' People at Airport

The policy limits access to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to passengers, employees, and people with "legitimate" reasons to be there.

Madeline Holly-Carothers • Apr 25, 2024

The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia will limit public access to the airport for the foreseeable future. The goal, according to Atlanta news station WBS-TV 2, is to, “Address the growing unhoused population at the airport” and to improve security protections. The idea is to limit public access to people without a flight or airport-related reason to be in the area.

Here’s what to know about the decision which took effect on April 22.

Improving Safety at the World’s Busiest Airport

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. According to the airport’s website, it sees around 286,000 passengers a day, on average, with more than 2,000 flights arriving and departing daily. As one of the city’s epicenters, complaints from passengers or employees there about panhandling or harassment related to non-travelers at the airport seem to have prompted serious intervention.

Atlanta’s city council first approved the regulation in February. WSB-TV 2 reported that much of its support came from airport employees and travelers wanting safer experiences at the airport.

The city council’s decision rules out panhandling, loitering, or sleeping in the area . The airport’s access will now be limited to passengers with tickets, employees, and contract workers. People meeting passengers and anyone with “legitimate business” at the airport are also allowed inside, according to WSB-TV 2.

Who it Will Impact

The decision will likely affect people who don’t have housing and often find shelter by spending time at the airport. According to the Atlanta Mission , a faith-based nonprofit that has served the city’s homeless population since 1938, more than 2,000 people sleep on the city’s streets each night. Some have found pseudo-shelter, charity, and general interaction at Hartsfield-Jackson, but that option is now null.

The changes will also affect the airport’s Sky Train, parking decks, and even the car rental zone.

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Outback helicopter rescue prompts travel warning from authorities ahead of remote dry season tourism

Travellers set to explore one of northern Australia's most renowned tourist destinations are being urged to properly prepare for remote travel as the Kimberley region welcomes visitors for the dry season. 

On Sunday, Kununurra police rescued a tourist and his passenger by helicopter after they became stranded for two days in a remote area of the East Kimberley.

John Small's vehicle broke down after travelling through floodwater on the Duncan Highway, where he managed to contact authorities through the SOS mode on his phone.

Mr Small said he packed enough food and water to last 10 days and, after his experience, urged other visitors to check road conditions ahead of travel. 

"I would go and check with the local police to see what was open and what was closed … always carry extra water and always carry some tucker," he said. 

Kununurra Acting Officer In Charge Gerard Gibson said Mr Small was stuck in an area where no other vehicles were passing through.

He said the Kimberley landscape was unlike anywhere else in the country and required extra precautions.

"People may underestimate the conditions, temperatures, vastness. So we ask people to do as much research as they can about where they're travelling," Senior Sergeant Gibson said.

Travellers urged to stock supplies

Sergeant Cameron Willis is a Kimberley police officer and also works as a search mission controller in land search operations.

As tourists descend upon the region, Sergeant Willis said it was important for travellers' vehicles and communication systems to be prepared ahead of their journey.

"Carry enough water and supplies, always let someone know where you're going and. if you can, carry a personal locator beacon, which activates a GPS signal that goes off to AMSA, which is the Australian Maritime Safety Agency," he said.

A majority of the West Kimberley's national parks reopened for the season this week  after major closures last year due to a one-in-100-year flood event.

Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions parks and visitor services regional leader Sarah Mullineux said people venturing on hikes needed to take extra care as well as being croc-wise.

"For most of them you're walking through riverbeds sometimes, uneven surfaces, even clambering over rocks to go through a trail and experience an amazing sight," she said.

"So just being really prepared, sun smart, and considering the heat risk."

Beautiful but remote

Sergeant Willis said while the Kimberley was a beautiful part of the world to explore, the remoteness and lack of knowledge were often how people ran into trouble.

"Sometimes it's hundreds and hundreds of kilometres between certain towns and if you get off the beaten track from where people normally go, then you're by yourself and you can get stuck," he said.

As someone who enjoys maps and searching vast landscapes, the role is an enjoyable line of work for Sergeant Willis. But he said nothing was more rewarding than locating a person who had become lost.

"Finding someone who's lost and in distress and getting them back to their families is a really big thing," he said.

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• Travel Preparation and Advice

Safe Travels Armor

The Safe Travels Armor plan covers trip cancellation 100% up to $15,000 and trip interruption 150% up to $22,500. Also included is $100,000 primary emergency accident and sickness medical coverage. It covers pre-existing medical conditions when coverage is purchased within 14 days of deposit and the full, nonrefundable trip cost is insured. It offers $1,000 for potential accommodations/lodging expenses due to trip delay and airline ticket change fee.

This plan offers Optional Coverages including**:

• Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) provides reimbursement for 75% of the prepaid, non-refundable, forfeited payments you paid for your trip if you cancel your trip for any reason not otherwise covered by this plan. Must be purchased within 14 days of the initial trip deposit date. To qualify for the CFAR benefit, you must insure the full, nonrefundable trip cost. Residents of MA & PA must purchase the plan at least 60 days prior to their Scheduled Departure Date. (Not available to residents of NY)
• Rental Car Damage Coverage $50,000

**Additional cost and terms apply. Available options differ by state.

This plan is only available U.S. Residents

Plan Highlights

• Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical and Evacuation, Baggage – and more
• COVID is treated the same as any other illness
• Up to $100,000 of Primary Medical coverage
• Designed for those who are looking for the highest available benefits
• Cancel for Any reason available within 14 days of deposit
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
• Lost Baggage and Baggage Delay
• Pre-Existing Coverage on plans purchased within 14 days of initial deposit
• Available to US residents traveling within the United States and abroad

Benefits of Coverage

Plan definitions.

The plan will reimburse you if you are prevented from taking your covered trip due to any of the unforeseen Events listed on your plan. The event must occur before you depart on your covered trip and while your coverage is in effect. Covered expenses include a. Forfeited, prepaid, non-refundable, and non-refunded published payments or deposits that you paid for Your unused trip. Should you elect to reschedule your trip instead of cancelling, in lieu of covering these expenses we will pay for change fees charged by your travel supplier.

We will reimburse you for the percentage of the prepaid, forfeited, non-refundable Payments or Deposits you paid for your Trip shown on the Confirmation of Coverage If you cancel your Trip for any reason not otherwise covered by this Certificate. Must be purchased within 14 days of the trip deposit date, and the full, non-refundable trip cost is insured. Residents of MA & PA must purchase the plan at least 60 days prior to their Scheduled Departure Date. (Not available for residents of NY)

If you or your traveling companion, booked to travel with you, are prevented from continuing or resuming your trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as sickness, injury, death, strike, bankruptcy, terrorist attack, called to military duty, subpoenaed for jury duty. Please see your state certificate for details.

If you are delayed for 12 or more hours, while in route to or from your trip due to a defined unforeseen event such as delay of common carrier, traffic accident, weather, stolen passports or visas, quarantine, hijacking, unannounced strike, mandatory evacuation order due to a natural disaster, adverse weather or natural disaster resulting in the obstruction of public roadways or curtailment of public transportation. We will reimburse you, up to the plan maximum for covered additional expenses on a one-time basis.

For the expense of replacing necessary personal effects if your checked baggage is delayed or misdirected by a Common Carrier for more than 12 hours while on your trip. Primary Coverage.

For the loss, theft or damage to baggage and personal effects while checked with a Common Carrier during your trip. Primary Coverage.

If You used frequent traveler awards (frequent flyers miles or hotel rewards) for any part of a covered trip, for the fees incurred by you for re-depositing those awards in Your account if the covered trip is canceled due to any of the unforeseen events under trip cancellation and/or trip interruption coverage.

If you miss your cruise or tour departure, scheduled during your Trip, that results from cancellation or delay, for three (3) or more hours, of all regularly scheduled airline flights due to Inclement Weather. Coverage is secondary to any compensation provided by a Common Carrier.

For necessary covered expenses while on your covered trip and as a result of an accidental injury or emergency sickness that first manifests itself during the covered trip and the initial documented treatment is given by a physician during this trip.

Exclusion is waived if coverage is purchased within 14 days of the initial trip deposit date, and the full, non-refundable trip cost is insured, and you are medically able to travel on the policy effective date.

If You suffer an accidental injury or emergency sickness that warrants your emergency medical evacuation while you are on a covered trip. Covers medically necessary transportation, including reasonable and customary medical services and supplies incurred in connection with your emergency medical evacuation. Expenses for transportation must be: a. recommended by the attending physician; b. Required by the standard regulations of the conveyance transporting You; and c. Reviewed and pre-approved by our assistance company.

If you die due to an accidental injury or covered sickness during the covered trip covers costs to return your body to your primary residence.

We will reimburse you for the cost of repairs and rental charges imposed by the rental company while the car is being repaired, the actual cash value of the car or the maximum benefit. You must be a licensed driver and listed on the rental agreement in order for coverage to apply.

You may cancel this Policy for refund by giving Trawick International notice of cancellation during the free look period.

FREE LOOK PERIOD ~ is 14 days except in the following states: Arkansas 15 day Free Look, Texas 15 day Free Look, Virginia 15 day Free Look, Florida 21 day Free Look, Indiana 30 day Free Look, New York: After the14-day Free Look period has expired the insured may cancel their policy at any time with a pro-rata refund if the insured has not started their trip and a claim has not been filed or intended to be filed.

These plans are underwritten by Starr Indemnity & Liability Company, a Texas domiciled corporation (NAIC Company Code: 38318: TX license number: 93542) with its principal place of business at 399 Park Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022. Starr Indemnity & Liability Company is currently authorized to do business in all states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Not all coverages may be available in all jurisdictions. This website contains only a brief description of the coverages available under each plan, and the policy will contain reductions, limitations, exclusions, and termination provisions. These plans provide insurance coverage during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provide you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverage. You may wish to compare the terms of these policies with your existing life, health, home, and automobile insurance policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer or insurance agent or broker. Plans are administered and distributed by Trawick International Inc., an Alabama corporation (AL License: 79102 and FL license numbers: L084218 & W706244 (Travel)) with its principal place of business at 300 Fairhope Avenue, STE G, Fairhope, AL 36532. Trawick International Inc is doing business as Trawick International Inc in California (CA license number: 0K02805). If you have any questions about the plans offered on this website you may contact Trawick International at the following: Toll-free customer hotline: (888) 301-9289 or email at [email protected]

Privacy Policy

Trawick International’s Privacy Policy

Welcome to our website.  We appreciate your interest in us.  We take the privacy of our customers very seriously and are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, and transfer your personal data, and your rights in relation to the personal data stored by us when you use our website or otherwise engage with our services.

Effective October 3, 2023

This policy sets out the following:

• What personal data we collect about you and how;
• How the data is used;
• Our legal basis for collecting your information;
• Who we share your data with;
• Where we transfer your information;
• How long we retain your information for;
• Your rights and choices in relation to the data held by us;
• How to make a complaint in relation to the data held by us;
• How to contact us with any queries in relation to this notice, or the personal data held by us.

Who is Trawick International?

Trawick International (“we,” “us,” or “our”) provides worldwide travel medical insurance, travel insurance, trip insurance for trip cancellation or trip interruption, international student insurance, group travel insurance, and many other products designed specifically for those traveling.  Our travel insurance programs are designed for those traveling to the USA, individuals traveling abroad, US Citizens who are traveling in the USA and non US citizens traveling from their home country but not visiting the USA.  We offer an extensive worldwide network of quality physicians, hospitals, and pharmacies.  We cover employees, corporations, schools, frequent world travelers, international students, study abroad programs, missionary trips, and just the casual vacation traveler.  Our individually customized plans can cover hospital stays, doctor visits, x-rays, prescriptions, ambulance, emergency evacuation, repatriation, flight insurance, trip interruption, trip cancellation, trip delay, and lost baggage.   

For the purposes of European data protection laws, if you are visiting our  website www.trawickinternational.com (or otherwise engaging with our services from the European Economic Area (or "EEA"), the data controller of your information is Trawick International.

What is personal data?

In this privacy policy, references to "personal information" or "personal data" are references to information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual. Some examples of personal data are your name, address, email, and telephone number, but it may also include information such as your IP address and location in certain jurisdictions.

What personal data do we collect?

We collect personal data that you provide to us when you sign up for our services, such as your contact information and financial information. We may also collect commercial information based on how you interact with our services, such as the products or services you’ve purchased or other Internet or network activity, such as your website browsing history or mobile device information.

Below are some more details on the type of personal data we collect.

Information that is provided by you:

In order to provide services to you we may ask you to provide personal information. This may include, amongst other things, your name, email address, postal address, telephone number, gender, date of birth, passport number, bank account details, credit history and claims history, citizenship status, marital status depending on the service you are seeking. The personal information that you are asked to provide, and the reasons why you are asked to provide it, will be made clear to you at the point at which we ask you for it or upon request.

Some of the information that you provide may be “special category” (or “sensitive”) personal data. Sensitive personal data relates to your racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation, and can sometimes be inferred from other, non-sensitive, information that you have provided.

Information that we collect on our website:

When you visit our website, we will seek your consent to collect certain information from your device. In some countries, including countries in the EEA, this information may be considered personal information under applicable data protection laws.

Specifically, the information we are seeking to collect includes information like your IP address, device type, unique device identification numbers, browser type, broad geographic location ( e.g., country or city-level location) and other technical information. We may also collect information about how your device has interacted with our website, including the pages accessed and links clicked.

Collecting this information enables us to better understand visitors to our website, where they come from, and what content on our website is of interest to them. We use this information for our internal analytics purposes and to improve the quality and relevance of our website to our visitors.

Some of this information may be collected using cookies and similar tracking technology, as explained further under the heading “Cookies" below.

Information that we obtain from third party sources:

From time to time, we may receive personal information about you from third party sources but only where we have checked that these third parties either have your consent or are otherwise legally permitted or required to disclose your personal information to us.

For information about a third party’s usage and/or sharing of your personal data, please refer to the third party’s own privacy statement.

We may, where we are legally permitted to, also collect personal data from the following sources in order to provide services to you:

• Credit reference agencies;
• Anti-fraud and other databases;
• Government agencies;
• Electoral register;
• Court judgments;
• Sanctions lists;
• Family members; and
• In the event of an insurance claim: the other party to the claim, witnesses, experts, loss adjusters, solicitors, and claims handlers.

How is personal data used?

We may need to use your personal data in order to carry out the following activities:

• To set you up as a new client (including carrying out “know your customer” checks);
• To provide you with an insurance quote;
• To provide our products and services to you;
• To respond to your inquiries;
• To accept payments from you;
• To communicate with you about your policy;
• To renew your policy;
• To obtain reinsurance for your policy;
• To process insurance and reinsurance claims;
• For general insurance administration purposes;
• To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations;
• To model our risks;
• To defend or prosecute legal claims;
• To investigate or prosecute fraud;
• To respond to your enquiries; or
• To secure our network and our website, debug the website and repair errors;
• To conduct audits related to our interactions with you;
• To make our products and services better and to develop new products and services;
• To send you notices and information regarding our products or services, including notifying you about special promotions or offers, where we are legally permitted to do so; and
• Enforce our Terms and other usage policies and comply with legal requirements.

Our legal basis for collecting your information:

Our legal basis for collecting and using your personal data will depend on the personal data concerned and the specific context in which we collect it.

We will normally collect personal data where we need the information to provide you with our services / perform a contract with you, where the processing is in our legitimate interests and not overridden by your data protection interests or fundamental rights and freedoms, or with your consent.

In some cases, we may use your personal data for a legal obligation, e.g., in order to complete “know your customer” and money laundering checks before taking you on as a new client.

If we ask you to provide personal information to comply with a legal requirement or to perform a contract with you, we will make this clear at the relevant time and advise you whether the provision of your personal information is mandatory (as well as of the possible consequences if you do not provide your personal information). You are under no obligation to provide personal data to us. However, if you should choose to withhold requested data, we may not be able to provide you with certain services.

Similarly, if we collect and use your personal information in reliance on our legitimate interests (or those of any third party), we will make clear to you at the relevant time what those legitimate interests are.

If you are a UK resident, we may collect and use your personal information, including sensitive personal information, on the basis of the insurance derogation in the UK Data Protection Act 2018.

If you are an EU resident, we may collect and use your personal information, including sensitive personal information, on the basis of the substantial public interest of insurance purposes, as regulated in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

If you have questions about or need further information concerning the legal basis on which we collect and use your personal information, please contact us using the contact details provided under the “Contact Us" section below.

Who is your personal data shared with?

We may disclose your personal information with the following categories of recipients.

• To our group companies, third party service providers and partners who provide data processing services (for example data hosting and storage companies, email marketing affiliates, and payment and claims processing companies) or who otherwise process personal information for purposes that are described in this Privacy Policy (see “How is personal data used?”).
• To any competent law enforcement body, regulatory, government agency, court or other third party where we believe disclosure is necessary (i) as a matter of applicable law or regulation, (ii) to exercise, establish or defend our legal rights, or (iii) to protect your vital interests or those of any other person;
• To a potential buyer (and its agents and advisers) in connection with any proposed purchase, merger or acquisition of any part of our business, provided that we inform the buyer it must use your personal information only for the purposes disclosed in this privacy policy;
• To any other person with your consent to the disclosure.

We do not sell (or exchange) your personal information for monetary compensation.

If you are a US resident, from time to time we may share your personal information with third parties for a third party’s own direct benefit and this type of sharing may be considered a sale under certain applicable laws. For more information on the type of information we may share in this manner, please contact us.

International Transfers

Your personal data may be transferred to, and processed in, countries other than the country in which you are resident. These countries may have data protection laws that are different to the laws of your country.

Specifically, the servers of Trawick International are located in the United States. Trawick International partners with many other international companies.  This means that when we collect your information, we may process it in other countries.

We have taken appropriate safeguards to require that your personal data will remain protected in accordance with this privacy policy. We have also taken appropriate  safeguards with our third party service providers and partners.

How long is personal information retained?

We will keep your personal data on our records for as long as we have an ongoing legitimate business need to do so. This includes providing you with a service you have requested from us or to comply with applicable legal, tax or accounting requirements. It also includes keeping your data for so long as there is any possibility that you or we may wish to bring a legal claim concerning our services, or where we are required to keep your data for legal or regulatory reasons. Please contact us using the contact details provided under the “Contact Us" section below should you require further information on our record retention procedures.

We may also retain your personal data where such retention is necessary in order to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of another natural person.

Your Rights as a Data Subject

You have the right to opt out of marketing communications we send you at any time. You can exercise this right by clicking on the “unsubscribe” or “opt-out” link in the marketing e-mails we send you or contacting us.

If you are an EU resident, you will need to opt-in to receive marketing from us. If you then wish to unsubscribe at any point, you can do so by clicking on the “unsubscribe” or “opt-out” link in the marketing e-mails we send you or contacting us.

Similarly, if we have collected and processed your personal information with your consent, then you can withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawing your consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing we conducted prior to your withdrawal, nor will it affect processing of your personal information that was lawfully collected on grounds other than consent.

You have the right to complain to a data protection authority about our collection and use of your personal information. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority.

We respond to all requests we receive from individuals wishing to exercise their data protection rights in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

You may exercise any of your rights in relation to your personal data by contacting us using the details set out in the “Contact us” section at the bottom of this page.

If you are resident in the UK or EU, your principal rights under data protection law are as follows:

• the right to access;
• the right to rectification;
• the right to erasure;
• the right to restrict processing;
• the right to object to processing;
• the right to data portability;
• the right to complain to a supervisory authority; and
• the right to withdraw consent.

If you wish to access, correct, update or request deletion of your personal information, we will ask you to provide us with a copy of any two of the following documents: Driver’s license; Passport; Birth certificate; Bank statement (from the last 3 months); or Utility bill (from the last 3 months). With regards to your right of access, the first access request will be complied with free of charge, but additional copies may be subject to a reasonable fee.

In addition, you can object to processing of your personal information, ask us to restrict processing of your personal information or request portability of your personal information.

If we have collected and processed your personal information with your consent, then you can withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawing your consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing we conducted prior to your withdrawal, nor will it affect processing of your personal information conducted in reliance on lawful processing grounds other than consent. You have the right to complain to a data protection authority about our collection and use of your personal information. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority.

Contact details for other data protection authorities in the European Economic Area, Switzerland and certain non-European countries (including the US and Canada) are available  here .

If you are based in the UK or EU, you may exercise any of your rights in relation to your personal data by contacting us using email or you can use the details set out in the “Contact Us” section at the bottom of this page.

If you are resident in the US, applicable law may entitle you, upon verifiable request, to receive disclosures relating to:

• The categories and specific pieces of information we have collected;
• The categories of sources from which the personal information is collected;
• The business or commercial purpose for collecting personal information; and
• The categories of third parties with whom we share personal information.

If you wish to exercise any of the rights described above, we will ask you to verify your identity. We generally will not charge to reply to your request, but we may charge a reasonable fee or refuse your request if the request is unjustified or excessive.

Automated decision making

In some instances, our use of your personal information may result in automated decisions being taken (including profiling) that legally affect you or similarly significantly affect you.

Automated decisions mean that a decision concerning you is made automatically on the basis of a computer determination (using software algorithms), without our human review. For example, in certain instances we may use automated decisions to establish whether we will propose insurance coverage to a prospective insured. We have implemented measures to safeguard the rights and interests of individuals whose personal information is subject to automated decision-making.

When we make an automated decision about you, you have the right to contest the decision, to express your point of view, and to require a human review of the decision.

As mentioned above, we may use your personal data to send you marketing materials.

If you are a UK or EU resident, you will need to opt-in to receive marketing from us. If you then wish to unsubscribe at any point, you can do so by clicking on the “unsubscribe” or “opt-out” link in the marketing e-mails we send you or contacting us.

If you are resident in the US, you do not need to opt-in to receive marketing materials from us, and you have the right to opt-out of receiving such communications. If you would like to stop receiving marketing information from us, please unsubscribe by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in the relevant marketing email or contacting us.

Trawick International is committed to keeping our customers’ data safe. We have security measures in place designed to protect against the loss, misuse, and/or alteration of personal data under our control. Although we cannot ensure or guarantee that loss, misuse, or alteration of data will not occur, we use our best efforts to prevent this. If you have any concerns that your Trawick International account or personal data has been put at risk, please contact us.

Our sites use cookies (a small piece of information that is placed on your computer when you visit certain websites) to distinguish you from other users, to track your browsing pattern and to build a profile of how you and other users use our sites. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse any of our sites and also allows us to improve our sites. If you have an online account with us, we also use cookies to recognize you to pre-fill forms to save you time. Trawick International does not mandate cookies for you to access our sites and you may freely set your browser to reject all cookies or prompt you to accept or reject them. Some of the cookies we use are session cookies and only last until you close your browser, others are persistent cookies which are stored on your computer for longer. We may collect information through web beacons about your web browsing activities such as the address of the page you are visiting, the address of the referrer page you had previously visited, the time you are viewing the page, your browsing environment, and your display settings. We do this in order to optimize your browsing experience, the use of web-based services and provide you with relevant information on Trawick International products and services when you have opted-in to receiving such correspondence.

We will not respond to Web browser “do not track” signals. If you would like additional information about online tracking and various opt-out mechanisms, please see https://youradchoices.com/

Because we may link to social media sites, and from time to time may include third-party advertisements, other parties may collect your personally identifiable information about your online activities over time and across different web sites when you visit this Site.

Please note that not all tracking will stop even if you delete cookies.

Children's Data

Our websites and applications are not directed to children under 16 and we do not knowingly collect any personal information directly from children under 16. If you believe that we are processing personal information pertaining to a child inappropriately, we ask you to contact us using the information provided under the “Contact Us” section.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time in response to changing legal, technical, or business developments. When we update our Privacy Policy, we will take appropriate measures to inform you, consistent with the significance of the changes we make. We will obtain your consent to any material Privacy Policy changes if and where this is required by applicable data protection laws.

You can see when this Privacy Policy was last updated by checking the “effective date” displayed at the top of this Privacy Policy.

Any changes will be effective only after the effective date of the change and will not affect any dispute arising prior to the effective date of the change.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us using the following contact details:

Post Office Box 2284

Fairhope, Alabama USA 36533

Toll Free Telephone Number: +1 (888) 301-9289

Terms and Conditions of Use

Important information.

The information contained in this website is not intended to be an offer to sell or a solicitation in connection with any product or service by Trawick International Inc., in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be unlawful or in which Trawick International, Inc., is not qualified to do so. Products and services described in this website may not be available in all jurisdictions. Not all insurance products described in this website are available to all persons in all States, Countries, or other jurisdictions at all times.

All products contain certain conditions, restrictions, limitations and eligibility requirements. The information contained in this website is not intended to be a complete description of all terms, exclusions and conditions applicable to the products and services. For complete terms, exclusions and conditions applicable to the products offered please contact Trawick International .

By using this website, you agree to the terms of its use. If you do not agree to these terms, PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS WEBSITE. For additional information or questions, please contact Trawick International or your independent insurance broker or agent.

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF USE

Effective Date: October 6, 2023

INTRODUCTION

THESE TERMS & CONDITIONS OF USE (“T&C”) GOVERN YOUR USE OF TRAWICK INTERNATIONAL, INC.’S (“COMPANY”, “WE”, “OUR”, OR “US”) WEBSITE LOCATED AT WWW.TRAWICKINTERNATIONAL.COM OR OTHER WEBSITES CONTROLLED BY COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES AS WELL AS ANY DOCUMENTS EXPRESSLY INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE AND ANY RULES AND POLICIES PUBLISHED ON THIS WEBSITE (THE “WEBSITE”).

BY ACCESSING THIS WEBSITE, YOU AGREE TO THE T&C, REVISIONS, AND MODIFICATIONS. ALL CHANGES ARE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON POSTING, AND APPLY TO ALL ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE WEBSITE THEREAFTER. ANY CHANGES WILL NOT EFFECT ANY DISPUTES ARISING PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHANGE. WE MAY SEND YOU NOTICES WITH RESPECT TO THE WEBSITE IN VARIOUS MEDIUMS, INCLUDING BY EMAIL ADDRESS, POSTAL MAIL, AND/OR BY POSTING ON THE WEBSITE.

ARBITRATION NOTICE: EXCEPT FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF DISPUTES DESCRIBED IN THE “ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER” SECTION BELOW, AND IF YOU DO NOT OPT-OUT AS SET FORTH IN THAT SAME SECTION, YOU AGREE THAT DISPUTES BETWEEN YOU AND COMPANY OR ITS AFFILIATES WILL BE RESOLVED BY BINDING, INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION, AND YOU WAIVE YOUR RIGHT TO BRING OR RESOLVE ANY DISPUTE AS, OR PARTICIPATE IN, A CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, REPRESENTATIVE, COLLECTIVE, OR PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ACTION OR ARBITRATION.

ACCESS TO THIS WEBSITE

To access the Website or some of its resources, you may be asked to provide certain personal details or other information. It is a condition of your use of the Website that all the information you provide on the Website is correct, current, and complete.

In addition, certain other services of the Website, such as applying for coverage, may be governed by additional or different terms and conditions. You should carefully review those terms and conditions as they are referenced and/or presented to you.

We reserve the right to withdraw, amend, disable or suspend this Website, and any service or material we provide on the Website, in our sole discretion with or without notice. We will not be liable if for any reason all or any part of the Website is unavailable at any time or for any period. From time to time, we may restrict access to some parts of the Website, or the entire Website, to users, including registered users.

We have the right to disable any user name, password or other identifier, whether chosen by you or provided by us, at any time in our sole discretion for any or no reason, including if, in our opinion, you have violated any provision of the T&C.

Your privacy matters to us. Your use of the Website is also subject to our Privacy Policy that is available online here (“Privacy Policy”) and is incorporated into and made a part of these Terms of Use. The Privacy Policy is subject to change, and you are encouraged to review the Privacy Policy whenever you supply the Website with any information because you agree that Company can collect, use, and share your information consistent with that policy.

RESTRICTIONS ON USE

You may use this Website only for your internal, non-commercial purposes. You agree not to use this Website in any way that violates any applicable federal, state, local or international law or regulation. You further agree to maintain and update your registration data as needed to keep it accurate, current and complete. You may not use this Website or any of the content, defined below, contained on it for any other purpose, including any unpermitted commercial purpose, unless we provide our prior written consent to such use.

Uses requiring our prior written consent include the following, without limitation:

• Co-branding this Website;
• Framing this Website;
• Using any robots, scrapers, spiders, data mining tools, or any similar device, tool, software, or process;
• Hyper-linking to specific product or coverage information; or
• Reselling or remarketing the content, as defined below.

"Co-branding" means displaying a name, logo, trademark or other means of attribution or identification of any party in a manner reasonably likely to give a user the impression that the other party has the right to display, publish or distribute this Website or its content. You will cooperate fully with Company and its affiliates in causing any unpermitted or unauthorized activity of yours or a third party authorized by you to cease immediately. To the extent that such unpermitted or unauthorized use continues after notice from Company or its affiliates, you agree to pay or reimburse us for any and all costs (including attorney fees if applicable) associated with ending or terminating such use.

You agree not to impersonate or attempt to impersonate the Company, a Company employee, another user or any other person or entity (including, without limitation, by using e-mail addresses associated with any of the foregoing).

PROHIBITED USES AND ACTIONS

Additionally, you specifically agree not to:

• decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, modify, reduce the Website to human perceivable form or create derivative works based upon the Website or any part thereof;
• disable any licensing or control features of the Website;
• “frame” the Website or any portion thereof or otherwise cause the Website or its contents to appear to be provided by anyone except Company and its affiliates;
• merge the Website or materials with another program or create derivative works based on the Website or materials;
• remove, obscure, or alter any notice of the copyright or other proprietary legends on the Website or materials;
• sublicense, assign, translate, rent, lease, lend, resell for profit, distribute or otherwise assign or transfer the materials or access to the Website to others;
• use the Website by means of any automated program, expert system, electronic agent or “bot,” and shall not give any person or entity access to the Website;
• utilize any “scraping,” copying, republishing, licensing, or selling the data or information on the Website.

PURCHASES AND PAYMENT

Company accepts a variety of payment methods as reflected on the Website. Before you can submit a request for purchase using the Website, you may be required to provide a valid card number and associated information for a payment card that you are authorized to use, including any of or all of the following: (i) your name as it appears on the card; (ii) the credit or debit card type, (iii) the card’s expiration date; (iv) any activation numbers or codes needed to charge your card; and (v) the billing address or zip code or postal codes associated with your card. You authorize Company and/or its affiliates, payment processor to use information you submit to charge your card or other payment method for the price of purchase requested, in addition to any taxes, fees, and charges as described in the T&C, at our convenience, including as early as at the time of the purchase request is submitted.

PROPRIETARY INFORMATION & TRADE SECRETS

The material and content accessible from this Website and any other website Company or its affiliates owns, operates, licenses or controls (the “content”) is the proprietary information of Company and its affiliates or the party that provided the Content to us, and Company and its affiliates or such party retains all right, title and interest in the content. Accordingly, the Content may not be copied, distributed, republished, uploaded, posted, rented, leased, distributed, modified or transmitted in any way without the prior written consent of Company and its affiliates, except that you may print out a copy of the content solely for your own personal use. In doing so, you may not remove or alter, or cause the removal or alteration of, any copyright, trademark, trade name, service mark or any other proprietary notice or legend appearing on any of the content. Modification or use of the content, except as expressly provided herein, may violate Company’s and its affiliates’ intellectual property rights or a third party’s rights. Neither title nor intellectual property rights in the content are transferred or licensed to you by these Terms or your access of this Website.

Certain information provided to you by Company or its affiliates through non-public portions of the Website may be confidential or trade secret information. You may use or disclose such information only to the extent necessary for the purposes it was disclosed to you. You may not use the Website to circumvent the terms of any referral agreement or in any other manner that is not consistent with the business purpose of the Website. When reasonable, you must return or destroy such information when you have fulfilled such purpose.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Company and its affiliates (or the party that provided to Company) are the owner or licensee of all intellectual property rights on the Website (including trademarks, service marks and logos) and in the material published on it. Those works are protected by copyright laws and treaties around the world. All such rights are reserved, and we or those parties retain all rights with respect to such respective marks. In accessing the Website you agree that you will access its contents and use it solely for your personal, non-commercial use. The Website, including its contents, may not be downloaded, copied, reproduced, transmitted, stored, sold or distributed without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. This excludes downloading, copying and/or printing of pages of the Website for personal, non-commercial home use only.

The Company’s name and logo may not be used in any way, including in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of materials on this Website, without prior written permission. You are not authorized to use our logo as a hyperlink to this Website unless you obtain our written permission in advance, although we permit you to use certain designated features of the Website to use our logo as a hyperlink for designated purposes. You may link to our homepage, provided you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it, but you must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval or endorsement on our part without our express written consent.

Except as provided below, none of the materials of the Website may be copied, distributed, displayed, downloaded, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Company and its affiliates or the intellectual property right owner. Unauthorized use of any materials contained on this Website may violate copyright laws, trademark laws, the laws of privacy and publicity, and/or other regulations and statutes. If you believe that any of the materials infringe on any of your intellectual property rights or rights of others, please contact us immediately at the address provided below. Except as expressly provided herein, Company and its affiliates and the third parties reserve all rights with respect to the Materials, and may pursue all legally available options under both civil and criminal laws (and may cooperate with law enforcement agencies) in the event of any violations, including but not limited to the right to terminate accounts of any user who has infringed a third party’s copyright. Pursuant to Title 17, United States Code, Section 512(c)(2), notifications of claimed copyright infringement should be sent to the Designated Agent. ALL INQUIRIES NOT RELEVANT TO THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE.

HYPER-LINKS

We may hyper-link from the Website to other websites that are not maintained by, or related to, Company or its affiliates. Such hyper-links are provided as a service to you, and the other websites may not be officially sponsored by or affiliated with this Website or Company and its affiliates. Such other websites are solely responsible for their content. We are under no obligation to maintain any link on this Website and may remove any such link at any time in its sole discretion for any reason whatsoever. Access hyper-links and third party websites at your own risk.

COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ABOUT THE CONTENT OF HYPER-LINKED OR THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES. SUCH HYPER-LINKS ARE PROVIDED TO YOU “AS-IS” “WHERE IS,” AND WE SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO COMPLETENESS OR ACCURACY OF THESE HYPER-LINKS OR THE WEBSITES THAT ARE HYPER-LINKED TO THIS WEBSITE. THE INCLUSION OF ANY HYPER-LINK TO A THIRD-PARTY WEBSITE DOES NOT NECESSARILY IMPLY ENDORSEMENT BY OR AFFILIATION WITH COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES OF THAT WEBSITE.

SOCIAL MEDIA FEATURES

This Website may provide certain social media features that enable you to:

• link from your own or certain third-party websites to certain content on this Website.
• send e-mails or other communications with certain content, or links to certain content, on this Website.
• cause limited portions of content on this Website to be displayed or appear to be displayed on your own or certain third-party websites.

You may use these features solely as they are provided by us and solely with respect to the content they are displayed with and otherwise in accordance with any additional terms and conditions we provide with respect to such features. Subject to the foregoing, you must not:

• establish a link from any website that is not owned by you.
• cause the Website or portions of it to be displayed, or appear to be displayed by, for example, framing, deep linking or in-line linking, on any other site.
• link to any part of the Website other than the homepage.
• otherwise take any action with respect to the materials on this Website that is inconsistent with any other provision of these Terms of Use.

You agree to cooperate with us in causing any unauthorized framing or linking immediately to cease. We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice. We may disable all or any social media features and any links at any time without notice in our discretion.

SUBMISSIONS

You hereby grant to Company and its affiliates the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display all stories, anecdotes, “Similes,” content, remarks, suggestions, ideas, graphics, inventions, methods, process, algorithms or other information communicated to us through this Website (collectively, the “Submission”), and to incorporate any Submission into other works in any form, media or technology now known or later developed. We may use any submission in our business (including without limitation, for products or advertising) without incurring any liability for royalties or any other additional consideration of any kind, and will not incur any liability as a result of any similarities to the submission that may appear in our future operations. By providing a Submission, you warrant that you have the right to provide the Submission and that all moral rights in the Submission have been waived.

COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES CANNOT AND DOES NOT GUARANTEE OR WARRANT THAT ANY FILES AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOADING FROM THE INTERNET ARE FREE OF VIRUSES, WORMS, TROJAN HORSES OR OTHER CODE THAT MAY HAVE CONTAMINATING OR DESTRUCTIVE PROPERTIES. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING SUFFICIENT PROCEDURES AND CHECKPOINTS TO SATISFY YOUR PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS FOR SECURITY, FOR ACCURACY OF DATA INPUT AND OUTPUT, AND FOR MAINTAINING A MEANS EXTERNAL TO THIS WEBSITE FOR RECONSTRUCTING LOST DATA. WE DO NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR RISK FOR YOUR USE OF THE INTERNET OR THE WEBSITE.

USE THIS WEBSITE AT YOUR OWN RISK. EXCEPT AS MAY BE EXPRESSLY STATED IN OTHER APPLICABLE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OR SIMILAR AGREEMENT, THE CONTENT IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND "AS AVAILABLE" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT ANY FUNCTIONS OR CONTENT CONTAINED IN THIS WEBSITE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, OR THAT THIS WEBSITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. WE DO NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION REGARDING USE OF THE CONTENT OR RESULTS THEREOF IN TERMS OF ACCURACY, RELIABILITY OR OTHERWISE EXCEPT FOR THE PERSON AND/OR FOR THE USE INTENDED. THE CONTENT MAY INCLUDE TECHNICAL INACCURACIES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS, AND WE MAY MAKE CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS AT ANY TIME. YOU, AND NOT COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES, ASSUME THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION IN THE EVENT OF ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE ARISING FROM THE USE OF THIS WEBSITE OR THE CONTENT. WE MAKE NO WARRANTIES THAT YOUR USE OF THE CONTENT WILL NOT INFRINGE THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS AND ASSUME NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN SUCH CONTENT.

BY ACCESSING THIS WEBSITE, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MAY BE WAIVING RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO CLAIMS THAT ARE AT THIS TIME UNKNOWN OR UNSUSPECTED, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUCH WAIVER, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND, AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVE, THE BENEFITS OF SECTION 1542 OF THE CIVIL CODE OF CALIFORNIA, AND ANY SIMILAR LAW OF ANY STATE OR TERRITORY, WHICH PROVIDES AS FOLLOWS: "A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR."

The descriptions of products and services contained on this Website are intended to provide a reference guide to the types of products and services offered by Company and its affiliates and are not intended to be relied upon by clients or business partners. Some products and services referenced on this Website may not be available in all areas. Please contact us directly if you wish to obtain specific information concerning the products and services referenced on this Website. All of the information in this Website, whether historical in nature or forward-looking, speaks only as of the date the information was posted on this Website, and we do not undertake any obligation to update such information or to remove such information from this Website, if it is not or is no longer accurate or complete.

LIMITATION ON LIABILITY

TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW OR REGULATION, COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES, ITS SUBSIDIARIES, LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, CONTENT PROVIDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, ACTUAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY OR OTHER DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF USE, REVENUE OR INCOME, PAIN AND SUFFERING, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, OR SIMILAR DAMAGES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES THAT RELATES IN ANY WAY TO THE USE OF OUR WEBSITE OR WHICH MAY ARISE OUT OF ANY PERSON'S ACCESS OR INABILITY TO ACCESS THIS WEBSITE OR RELIANCE ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THIS WEBSITE. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL THE COLLECTIVE LIABILITY OF COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, CONTENT PROVIDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS, AND DIRECTORS TO ANY PARTY (REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE) EXCEED THE GREATER OF $100 OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO COMPANY OR ITS AFFILIATES FOR THE APPLICABLE CONTENT OR SERVICE OUT OF WHICH LIABILITY AROSE. BECAUSE SOME STATES OR JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, IN SUCH STATES OR JURISDICTIONS, COMPANY’S LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW IN SUCH STATE OR JURISDICTION WHICH YOU HEREBY CONSENT TO.

INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Company and its affiliates, its subsidiaries, licensors, content providers, service providers, employees, agents, officers, directors and contractors (the “Indemnified Parties”) from any breach of these T&C by you, including any use of the content other than as expressly authorized herein, and any claim that your submission violates a third party’s intellectual property or other rights, including the rights of publicity and privacy, or defames a third party. You agree that the Indemnified Parties will have no liability in connection with any such breach or unauthorized use, and you agree to indemnify any and all resulting loss, damages, judgments, awards, costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees of the Indemnified Parties in connection therewith. You will also indemnify and hold the Indemnified Parties harmless from and against any claims brought by third parties arising out of your use of the content and this Website.

INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE

You may not post, send, submit, publish or transmit in connection with the Website any material that:

• you do not have the right to post, send, submit, publish or transmit, including any proprietary material of a third party;
• advocates illegal activity or discusses an intent to commit an illegal act;
• is vulgar, obscene, pornographic or indecent;
• does not pertain directly to the Website;
• threatens or abuses others; or libels, defames, invades privacy or stalks; or is racist, harassing, threatening or offensive;
• seeks to exploit or harm minors or older adults by exposing them to inappropriate content, asking for personally identifiable details or otherwise;
• infringes any intellectual property right or other right of any entity or person, including violating anyone’s copyrights or trademarks, or their rights of privacy or publicity;
• violates any law or may be considered to violate any law;
• impersonates or misrepresents your connection to any other entity or person, or otherwise manipulates headers or identifiers to disguise the origin of the content;
• advertises any commercial endeavor (e.g., products or services) or otherwise engages in any commercial activity (e.g., conducting raffles or contests, displaying sponsorship banners or soliciting goods or services, or any combination thereof) except as may be specifically authorized on this Website;
• solicits funds, advertisers or sponsors;
• includes programs that contain viruses, worms, Trojan horses or any other computer code, files or programs designed to interrupt, destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software, hardware or telecommunications or any combination thereof;
• amounts to a "pyramid" or similar scheme;
• disobeys any policy or regulations established from time to time regarding use of this Website or any networks connected to this Website; or
• contains hyper-links to other websites that contain content that falls within any description set forth above.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MONITOR USE OF THIS WEBSITE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE COMPLIANCE WITH THESE TERMS OF USE, AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REMOVE OR REFUSE ANY INFORMATION FOR ANY REASON. NOTWITHSTANDING THESE RIGHTS, YOU REMAIN RESPONSIBLE SOLELY FOR THE CONTENT OF YOUR SUBMISSIONS. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT NEITHER COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES NOR ANY THIRD PARTY THAT PROVIDES CONTENT TO US WILL ASSUME OR HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY ACTION OR INACTION BY US OR SUCH THIRD PARTY WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUBMISSION OF YOURS. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED HEREIN, COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES AND THE THIRD PARTIES RESERVE ALL RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO THE WEBSITE, AND MAY PURSUE ALL LEGALLY AVAILABLE OPTIONS UNDER BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LAWS (AND MAY COOPERATE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES) IN THE EVENT OF ANY VIOLATIONS.

ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING SECTION CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT REQUIRES YOU TO ARBITRATE CERTAIN DISPUTES AND CLAIMS AND LIMITS THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU CAN SEEK RELIEF FROM COMPANY. Excluding claims for injunctive or other equitable relief, for all other claims related to the Website, including any goods or services purchased through the Website, any dispute or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including without limitation, any and all disputes, claims (whether in tort, contract, statutory or otherwise) or disagreements concerning the existence, breach, interpretation, application or termination of this Agreement shall be resolved by final and binding arbitration pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act and in accordance with the JAMS Inc. Comprehensive Arbitration Rules & Procedures then in effect. There shall be no right or authority for any claims to be arbitrated on a class action basis. The arbitration shall take place in Fairhope, Alabama or at the option of the party seeking relief, by telephone, online, or via written submissions alone; however such election shall not prohibit Company from attending such an arbitration in person. Said arbitration shall be administered by JAMS. The arbitral tribunal (“Tribunal”) shall be composed of one arbitrator, who shall be independent and impartial. If the parties fail to agree on the arbitrator within twenty (20) calendar days after the initiation of an arbitration hereunder, JAMS shall appoint the arbitrator. The arbitration shall be conducted in the English language. The decision of the arbitrator will be final and binding on the parties, subject to all rights of appeal allowed by JAMS. Judgment on any award(s) rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The arbitrator shall have the authority to determine arbitrability of any disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement. Nothing in this Section shall prevent either party from seeking immediate injunctive relief from any court of competent jurisdiction, and any such request shall not be deemed incompatible with the agreement to arbitrate or a waiver of the right to arbitrate. The parties undertake to keep confidential all awards in their arbitration, together with all confidential information, all materials in the proceedings created for the purpose of the arbitration and all other documents produced by the other party in the proceedings and not otherwise in the public domain, save and to the extent that disclosure may be required of a party by legal duty, to protect or pursue a legal right or to enforce or challenge an award in legal proceedings before a court or other judicial authority. The arbitrator shall award all fees and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, to the prevailing party. Any judgment rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

You may choose to opt out of the agreement to arbitrate by mailing a written opt-out notice (“Notice”) to Company. The Notice must be postmarked no later than thirty (30) days after the date you accept these T&C for the first time. The Notice must be mailed to: Trawick International, Inc., Post Office Box 2284 Fairhope, Alabama USA 36533, to the attention of General Counsel. This procedure is the only mechanism by which you can opt out of the agreement to arbitrate. Opting out of the agreement to arbitrate has no effect on any other parts of this Agreement, or any previous or future arbitration agreements that you have entered into with Company or its affiliates.

GOVERNING LAW

These Terms of Use are governed and interpreted by the laws of Alabama, United States of America notwithstanding any principles of conflicts of law. We make no representation that materials on this Website are appropriate or available for use in other locations. Those who choose to access this Website from other locations do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with applicable local laws.

If you are a consumer, the provisions in these T&C are intended to be only as broad and inclusive as is permitted by the laws of your State of residence. If you are a New Jersey consumer, the terms of “Disclaimer” and “Limitation of Liability” sections above do not limit or waive your rights as a consumer under New Jersey law and the provisions in this Agreement are intended to be only as broad and inclusive as is permitted by the laws of the State of New Jersey. In any event, we reserve all rights, defenses and permissible limitations under the law of your State of residence.

At this Website, Company and its affiliates make no active effort to collect personal information from individuals under the age of eighteen (18). We require that Website users must be of legal age to enter into agreements (typically, at least eighteen (18) years of age or older).

NOT A SECURITY OFFER

The information contained on this Website is not an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any security. No security is offered or will be sold in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

SEVERABILITY

If any part of the T&C is unlawful, void or unenforceable, that part will be deemed deleted and will not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. The waiver of a breach of any provision of the T&C by a party will not operate or be construed as such party’s waiver of any other or subsequent breach. The T&C constitute the entire agreement between you and Company and its affiliates relating to this subject matter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any additional terms and conditions on this Website will govern the items to which they pertain.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Company and its affiliates are an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin. Consistent with the American Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.

For further information, or inquiries about the T&C, please contact:

Trawick International, Inc. Attn: General Counsel Post Office Box 2284 Fairhope, Alabama USA 36533 Toll Free: (888) 301-9289

NOTICE AND PROCEDURE FOR MAKING CLAIMS OF COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS PROVIDED EXCLUSIVELY FOR NOTIFYING THE SERVICE PROVIDERS REFERENCED BELOW THAT YOUR COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL MAY HAVE BEEN INFRINGED. ALL OTHER INQUIRIES WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

Pursuant to Title 17, U.S. Code, Section 512(c)(2), written notification must be submitted to the following Designated Agent/Service Provider:

Trawick International, Inc. Fairhope, Alabama USA 36533

Name of Agent Designated to Receive Notification of Claimed Infringement: Daryl Trawick

Full Address of Designated Agent to Which Notification Should be Sent: Post Office Box 2284 Fairhope, Alabama USA 36533

Telephone Number of Designated Agent: (888) 301-9289

To Be Effective, the Notification Must Include the Following:

• A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed;
• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site;
• Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to locate the material;
• Information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to contact the Complaining Party, such as an address, telephone number, and if available, an electronic mail address at which the complaining party may be contacted;
• A statement that the Complaining Party has a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
• A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the Complaining Party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Politics latest: Humza Yousaf scraps speech as he battles for future - but Sky News understands he won't be resigning today and is 'coming out fighting'

Scotland's first minister Humza Yousaf is battling to save his job as he faces a motion of no confidence. Listen to this week's Electoral Dysfunction podcast with Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Jess Phillips while you scroll.

Friday 26 April 2024 09:29, UK

• Yousaf to cancel speech as he fights for his future
• Sky News understands first minister will not resign today, Sky News understands
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• 'When they start caring about us, maybe we'll care back': Politics Hub special explores breakdown in trust between voters and politicians
• Serena Barker-Singh:  Stark and bleak view from Target Towns voters
• Latest  Electoral Dysfunction podcast explores what the local elections will bring
• Live reporting by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill

The optics are "tricky" for Scotland's first minister as he cancels a major event while embroiled in a fight for his political future, Sky's  Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies says .

Humza Yousaf cancelling a speech he was due to deliver on independence in Glasgow this lunchtime, Sky News understands (see previous post).

Connor says it has been an "incredibly troubling time for Humza Yousaf" after the Scottish Greens said they would join opposition parties in backing a no-confidence motion in him next week. 

It comes after Mr Yousaf ended a power-sharing agreement with the Greens yesterday in a move Connor says "backfired, potentially sensationally".

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf is to cancel a speech he was due to deliver on independence in Glasgow this lunchtime, Sky News understands.

The first minister's future is in the balance after the Scottish Greens said they will join other opposition parties in backing a motion of no confidence in him next week ( see that post at 6.30am ). 

However, he will not be resigning today, Sky News understands.

A source close to Mr Yousaf told  Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies  last night that he will not be quitting and is "coming out fighting" ( see post at 8.38am ).

The government "wants the credit" for falling inflation, but "didn't want to take the blame" for rising inflation, Labour's shadow business and trade secretary tells Sky News

"I think that inconsistency is fair to point out," Jonathan Reynolds says. 

He was responding to a question on whether, when blaming the government for rising costs of energy, food and fuel, his party can really say it wouldn't have been the same under a Labour government. 

He says Labour would look at why inflation was higher in the UK than in comparable countries and what it can change in future. 

He says the UK's "very significant exposure to fossil fuels, particularly gas prices," was partly to blame.

"That's why Labour's plan is for that sprint to clean, renewable energy and more nuclear energy to make sure we are never as exposed as that again."

People in Scotland "need change", shadow business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds tells Sky News, after Scottish Labour said they will back a motion of no confidence in First Minister Humza Yousaf. 

"It really does take something to make the Conservative group in Westminster look stable and organised, but the SNP have managed to provide that," he says. 

He says when he is in Scotland people tell him "they don't have one failing government, they've got two".

" They desperately want governments in both jurisdictions working together in a way which is about tackling the real problems people face," he says. 

He was responding to a question on whether Labour in Scotland were "putting party above country" by backing the tabled no-confidence motion and calling for new elections in Scotland.  

He says people across the UK are facing a choice between a "changed Labour Party focusing on growing the economy, or more chaos is under the Conservative Party across the UK or the SNP in Scotland".

"People want a chance ....  to have their say on those things," he says.

"The sooner they get it across all of the UK, but particularly in Scotland, the better it will be."

Mr Yousaf's political future hangs in the balance as the Scottish Greens, Labour and Lib Dems all say they will back the motion put forward by the Conservatives ( see post at 6.30am ). 

However, Sky News understands the first minister will not be resigning today ( see post at 8.38am ).

Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf will not be resigning today, Sky News understands.

A source close to Mr Yousaf told Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies last night that he will not be quitting and is "coming out fighting".

It comes after speculation late last night that he could on the verge of going.

Connor says it is unclear though whether a speech on independence will go ahead as planned later.

Mr Yousaf is facing a political crisis after the Scottish Greens said they would vote against him in a motion of no confidence.

The first minister had decided to bring the power-sharing deal between his party the SNP and the Scottish Greens to an end this morning, sparking the dramatic row.

The government's Rwanda bill "can't be justified," the shadow business and trade secretary tells Sky News as he is asked whether Labour would still scrap the scheme if it is shown to be effective. 

Jonathan Reynolds says he "strongly disagrees" that the law is already acting as a deterrent after Ireland's deputy prime minister said the threat of deportation to Rwanda is causing migrants to head for Ireland instead of the UK ( see post at 7.10am ).

"This is not really a deterrent, this is all about politics," Mr Reynolds says.

"We don't think the scheme can be justified. We don't think it can be justified on cost. We don't think it is effective. 

"We think there are proper, serious things you can do with that resource that would make a real impact on the problem of illegal migration."

He adds: "Just look at how this affects the perception of Britain around the world as well - a huge cost to our reputation as a serious country.

"So no, I'm afraid I cannot justify the Rwanda scheme at all in any way."

The controversial Safety of Rwanda Bill, which declares the African nation a safe country to deport asylum seekers to, became law yesterday after it was passed by parliament earlier this week. 

A question about who would be eligible to be sent to Rwanda under the government's new law appears to have left policing minister Chris Philp confused. 

In an awkward exchange on Question Time, an audience member asks him whether people who arrive in the UK from the Democratic Republic of Congo could be sent Rwanda, despite a long history of conflict between the neighbouring nations. 

The audience member asks: "Had my family members come from Goma [a city on the Democratic Republic of Congo's border with Rwanda] on a crossing right now, would they then be sent back to the country they are supposedly warring - Rwanda?"

"Does that make any sense to you?"

Mr Philp replied: "No, I think there's an exclusion on people from Rwanda being sent to Rwanda."

After the audience member clarified that his parents were "not from Rwanda". 

The Conservative MP then appeared to ask: "Well, I mean, Rwanda is a different country to Congo isn't it?

"It's a different country?"

The comment sparked laughter from the audience as shadow health secretary Wes Streeting looked in surprise around the room.

Mr Philp continued: "There is a clause in the legislation that says if somebody would suffer, I think the phrase is 'serious and irreversible harm' by being sent somewhere, they wouldn't be sent.

"So there is that safety mechanism built into the legislation."

The Rwanda Bill became law on Thursday after being granted Royal Assent. 

The prime minister has said the first flights will get off the ground in 10 to 12 weeks. 

Read more here:

The battle for a town that no one there wants.

Sky News is reporting from Grimsby in the run-up to the general election as one of its Target Towns - a key constituency prized by both Conservatives and Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

But it turns out that Grimsby doesn't really want them.

It hasn't always been a town doused in apathy. 

In 2016, 70% of people here voted to leave the EU - one of the highest results in the country - and in the 2019 election, the constituency turned Tory for the first time since the Second World War.

But five years on, polling by Sky News found that since then, the number of people saying they "almost never" trust the British government to place the needs of the nation above the interests of their own party has nearly doubled - from 26% to 49%.

It's a stark but bleak view. Voters described both leaders as uninspiring and uninteresting.

When asked what they make of the current prime minister, words like "weak" and "performative" were used. 

Voters couldn't make their minds up about the Labour leader, saying they were unsure about him or his policies.

The lack of a clear dividing line between the two parties could be a problem in the general election, especially as both parties have been trying to show a bit more leg this week ahead of a fully-fledged election campaign.

Labour has shown a hint of more radical policies, with their announcement on aiming to nationalise railways within five years. 

But have they waited a bit too long to impress the people of Grimsby?

The Conservatives ratified their Rwanda policy into law, but voters here weren't hugely enthused by that either, with one member of the audience tonight proclaiming they care much more about housing and the environment. 

They asked - why is the centre of political debate about Rwanda and a policy we don't really care about?

Apathy might override this election.

By  Jennifer Scott , political reporter

Voters in Grimsby - one of Sky News's election Target Towns - have been offering their views on politics, politicians and "broken promises".

The electoral battle in Grimsby and Cleethorpes,  the Target Towns , will be fierce. Labour will need an 11.7 point swing to win this newly-merged constituency back from the Conservatives.

In 2019, residents in Grimsby voted Tory for the first time since the end of the Second World War. The old Cleethorpes constituency was always more of a bellwether, having voted Conservative since 2010.

However, it has shed some of its rural, Conservative-voting residents in the merger.

Speaking on the  Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge , small business owner Shannon said she might not vote in the next general election later this year as she "just can't trust anything anybody says".

She said she has felt this way since Brexit - something Grimsby was overwhelmingly in support of - because "we were promised 'x' and 'y' and it hasn't happened, so I'm just totally disengaged from it".

Asked whether local MPs on the panel - Conservative Lia Nici and Labour's Melanie Onn - could change her mind, Shannon said "possibly", but reiterated how let down local people feel.

"We're promised a lot, but it's never delivered," she said. "Talk of things happening... and then it doesn't happen and people are just fed up... have been told this is what we're going to get, but it doesn't actually happen. And that's why people have just lost faith."

Following the prime minister's trip to Europe this week, Beth Rigby , Jess Phillips and Ruth Davidson examine whether Rishi Sunak is convincing on the world stage and ask if his announcement on defence spending will help the Conservatives' chances in next week's local elections.   

And after the Rwanda bill was passed this week - is this another win for the prime minister or a policy that he should have dumped months ago?   

Plus, what's the future for Scottish First Minister Hamza Yusuf following the breakdown of the coalition between the SNP and the Greens. Ruth Davidson who was the leader of the Scottish Conservatives gives her verdict.   

And how do MPs get deselected if they behave badly and can you become an MP if you have a past?  The team answer more of your questions. 

Listen here to the latest episode of Sky's Electoral Dysfunction podcast:

👉 Tap here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts 👈

Email Beth, Jess, and Ruth at  [email protected] , post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.

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