ForImmediateRelease April24,2012 MOSTAMERICANSUNPREPAREDFORTRAVELCATASTROPHES SurveyFindslessthan30%ofthosewhosetravelplanswereimpactedhadtravelinsurance OneineightU.S.adults(12%)eitherhadtheirtravelimpacted,orconsideredchangingtheirtravelplans,dueto naturaldisastersorworldeventssincesummer2010,accordingtorecentlyreleasedfindingsofasurvey conductedfortheUSTravelInsuranceAssociation. Yet,oftravelersimpacted,only29%hadtravelinsurance,thesurveyrevealed.Ofthose,96%reported satisfactionwiththeirtravelinsurance,andnearlyhalf49%saidtheywereverysatisfied. Surprisinggroupmostimpactedbynaturalandworldevents Accordingtothesurvey,1834yearoldswerethemostlikelytohavetheirtravelplanschangedorimpactedby naturalorotherevents(20%),followedbycollegegraduates(17%),andparentsofachildunder18(16%). Understandably,thesegroupswerealsomorelikelytosaytheywouldpurchasetravelinsuranceforanupcoming trip(34%of1834yearolds,28%ofcollegegraduates,and26%ofthosewithachildathome).

Additionally, morethanaquarter(27%)ofthosewhosehouseholdincomeexceeded$50,000saidtheywouldlikelypurchase travelinsurance.Slightlymorethanoneinfive(22%)aged55oroldersaidtheyplannedtopurchasetravel insurance. Whoistravelingin2012 Fouroutoffiveadults(82%)withhouseholdincomeofover$50,000saidtheyplannedtotakealeisuretripof100 milesormorein2012,comparedto54%ofhouseholdswithlowerincome,whilemarriedadultswereslightly morelikelytotakeavacationthanthosewhowereunmarried(75%vs.64%). Travelatyourownrisk MostAmericansrecognizetheimportanceofinsuringtheirhomes,autos,andtheirhealth.Likewise,its importanttoconsiderinsuringyourtravels,suggestsUStiA.Alteringtravelplansduetounforeseeneventssuchas storms,andothernaturaldisastersliketheIcelandVolcanoin2010,andtheJapantsunamiin2011cancost travelersmoneyforextrahotelstays,meals,andtransportation. Travelinsurancecanreimbursetravelersforexpenseswhentheirtripisdelayedorinterruptedbyunforeseen disasterssuchasstorms,floods,orearthquakes.Duringacrisis,travelinsuranceandassistanceservicescanalso playanimportantroleinhelpingwithevacuationplansandotherarrangementstokeeptravelersoutofharms way.

 UStiAadvisesthattravelinsuranceoffersotherimportantpeaceofmindbenefits.Ifatravelerbecomesinjured orill,travelinsurancearrangesneededmedicaltreatment,reimbursescostsnotcoveredbytraditionalhealth insurance,and,whenneeded,providesmedicalevacuation.Whenatravelerorfamilymemberbecomesilland hastocancelatrip,travelinsurancewillreimbursenonrefundableexpenses.Travelinsurancealsohelpsprotect personalbelongingsandbaggagewhiletraveling,helpsinprovidinglegalassistancewhenthingsgowrong overseas,andoffersavarietyofotherbenefitstotravelers. Assistanceservicesincludedinmanytravelinsurancepoliciesoravailableseparatelyaidtravelerscaughtin emergencysituations,suchasthe2011uprisinginEgypt,orthe2012CostaConcordiatragedyoffthecoastof Italy.Servicescanincludeprovidingimportantsafetyintelligence,assistinginreplacementoflostdocumentssuch aspassports,andevenhelpingarrangetransportationoutofadestinationdeemedunsafe. TRIPfortravelsafetyandsecurityinformation Tofindhelpfulinformationonhowtostaysafe,andtipsontravelsecurity,visitwww.TRIP.ustia.org.Anacronym forTravelResponsibly,Informed,andProtected,thisconsumeradvocacywebsite,sponsoredbyUStiA,contains articlesandtimelytipsontravelhealth,safety,andsecurity,includinglinkstoresourcessuchastheU.S.State Department,andeverythingfromcurrencyconversiontoweatherandflightinformation. Aboutthesurvey SurveyfindingsarebasedonanIpsospollconductedforUStiAinFebruary,2012.Anationalsampleof1,037 adultsaged18andolderfromIpsosU.S.onlinepanelwereinterviewedonline,andasked:Duringthepast1218 months,haveanyofyourtravelplansbeenimpacted(orhaveyouconsideredchangingtravelplans)asaresultof storms(HurricaneIrene,wintersnoworotherstorms),naturaldisasters(earthquakes,volcaniceruptions, tsunamis)orotherdisastersorworldevents(oilspill,nuclearmeltdowns,civilunrest)? AboutUStiA UStiApromotesfairness,integrity,andacommitmenttoexcellenceinthetravelinsuranceindustry.Witha missiontoeducatethepublicontravelinsurancewhilemaintaininghighindustrystandards,UStiAisanonprofit associationofinsurancecarriersandalliedbusinessesinvolvedinthedevelopment,administrationandmarketing oftravelinsuranceandassistance. Travelinsuranceandassistanceplansareavailablefromtravelagencies,airlines,touroperators,hotelsand resorts,andinsurancebrokers,aswellasthroughtheInternet.Formoreinformation,consumeradviceonhowto shopfortravelinsurance,andalistingofUStiAmembercompanies,visittheUStiAwebsite,www.ustia.org. ### Contact: LindaKundell KundellCommunications 2128772798 LRKPR@aol.comor Kundellcom@nyc.rr.com @kundellpr