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Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ISC takes over travel insurance marketplace TravelInsurance.com
Integrated Specialty Coverages (ISC), a multi-line programme administrator, has acquired US-based independent travel insurance marketplace Financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed. The acquisition is said to enhance ISC's specialty insurance programme portfolio. enables consumers to compare and purchase travel insurance online. The platform features products from carriers such as Generali, AXA and Travel Guard, and boasts more than 130,000 verified third-party reviews. co-founder Drew Sharma said: 'We built to simplify a complex product, making travel insurance transparent and easy to compare and buy online. 'From day one, our focus was to deliver a seamless experience for travellers. ISC shares that same commitment to simplifying insurance, and with its unmatched strength in technology, analytics, operations, and a top-tier management team, we see an incredible opportunity to accelerate our growth and continue setting the standard in the travel insurance market.' will retain its brand as well as maintain its direct-to-consumer model and relationships with carriers. The company's founders will remain at the helm and drive its growth as part of the ISC team. ISC will use its technology and resources to expand presence and strengthen its position as a travel insurance platform. The integration of marketplace with ISC's technology infrastructure and data capabilities is expected to deliver enhanced value to consumers. ISC CEO Matt Grossberg said: ' brings a best-in-class platform, deep industry relationships and a loyal customer base to ISC. 'Their tech-forward approach and commitment to customer experience perfectly complements our vision of making specialty insurance easy and accessible to consumers. We are thrilled to welcome co-founders Stan Sandberg and Drew Sharma and the entire team to ISC.' Vista Point Advisors was the exclusive financial advisor to for this transaction. "ISC takes over travel insurance marketplace was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ISC takes over travel insurance marketplace TravelInsurance.com
Integrated Specialty Coverages (ISC), a multi-line programme administrator, has acquired US-based independent travel insurance marketplace Financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed. The acquisition is said to enhance ISC's specialty insurance programme portfolio. enables consumers to compare and purchase travel insurance online. The platform features products from carriers such as Generali, AXA and Travel Guard, and boasts more than 130,000 verified third-party reviews. co-founder Drew Sharma said: 'We built to simplify a complex product, making travel insurance transparent and easy to compare and buy online. 'From day one, our focus was to deliver a seamless experience for travellers. ISC shares that same commitment to simplifying insurance, and with its unmatched strength in technology, analytics, operations, and a top-tier management team, we see an incredible opportunity to accelerate our growth and continue setting the standard in the travel insurance market.' will retain its brand as well as maintain its direct-to-consumer model and relationships with carriers. The company's founders will remain at the helm and drive its growth as part of the ISC team. ISC will use its technology and resources to expand presence and strengthen its position as a travel insurance platform. The integration of marketplace with ISC's technology infrastructure and data capabilities is expected to deliver enhanced value to consumers. ISC CEO Matt Grossberg said: ' brings a best-in-class platform, deep industry relationships and a loyal customer base to ISC. 'Their tech-forward approach and commitment to customer experience perfectly complements our vision of making specialty insurance easy and accessible to consumers. We are thrilled to welcome co-founders Stan Sandberg and Drew Sharma and the entire team to ISC.' Vista Point Advisors was the exclusive financial advisor to for this transaction. "ISC takes over travel insurance marketplace was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.


New York Times
26-03-2025
- New York Times
After Heathrow Debacle: Who Pays for a Ruined Vacation?
Last Friday's power outage in Heathrow Airport disrupted vacations across the world, causing countless thousands of travelers to miss prepaid reservations and forgo long-anticipated adventures. Among them were Sheila Addison, a therapist from Seattle, who missed out on a four-day whisky-tasting in the Scottish Highlands, forfeiting a $500 nonrefundable hotel room and a rare break from her work routine; Zachary Wang and friends from Brown University, who lost $260 in 'Les Misérables' tickets, $180 from an Airbnb reservation and two days of spring break in London; and Steve Wehr of Hyde Park, N.Y., who missed two days in Jordan — including the first day of a cruise — a loss of about $1,500. Who pays when your vacation gets ruined through no fault of your own? The answer, all too often, is you. Though travelers can recoup some losses through refunded flights and vouchers for meals and hotel stays, airlines generally do not pick up the tab for reservations that can't be canceled, expensive last-minute flights that must be booked, or missed family events like weddings. Unfortunately, there is no perfect way to protect yourself, but there are three imperfect ones. Here's what you can do: Find the right travel insurance Mr. Wehr does not expect to recover that $1,500 he lost by missing two days in Jordan. 'We didn't have trip insurance,' he lamented in an email. It probably wouldn't have mattered. Travel insurance is generally a 'covered peril' type of policy, meaning that the fine print has a list of events that you are covered for, like illness, hijacking and natural disasters. Guess what is almost never on there: airport power outages. 'It covers a lot. It doesn't cover everything,' said Stan Sandberg, a co-founder of an online marketplace. Companies try to update policies to match the current travel environment, he said, but only one he knew of covered what happened at Heathrow. Indeed, Travel Guard's Deluxe and Preferred plans specifically protect against airport closures caused 'by a fire or a power outage.' But they 'must result in a delay of the Insured's Trip for at least 48 consecutive hours,' according to the policy. So even if Mr. Wehr had chosen one of those plans, he would have had to show that his delay was long enough. Claims adjusters are sticklers by nature. Comparison shop on sites like or its competitor SquareMouth, and make sure the policies best cover the risks that fit your own circumstances (infirm relatives) or your destination's (hurricanes). It is usually best to avoid policies offered at checkout by airlines and online travel agencies, which are generally one-size-fits-all, and to not put too much hope into policies included with some credit cards. Another option is a Cancel for Any Reason, or CFAR, plan that typically allows you to back out of a trip, no questions asked, though you often don't get a 100 percent refund. But most require you to cancel 48 hours before the trip starts, Mr. Sandberg said — which wouldn't have helped the typical Heathrow strandee. But Iris Planamento of Manchester Township, N.J., was not typical. She was on her way to see London, Paris and Normandy with E.F. Go Ahead Tours when her flight got canceled. The company's CFAR plan is AnyReason Protection, a $75 add-on that offers trip credit, not your money back — but that expires only at airport check-in. Ms. Planamento was delighted to confirm she was covered and plans to rebook soon. 'Give a plug to the company,' she said — not a common sentiment among stranded travelers. Leave yourself enough time Losing one day of a weeklong trip to Paris is a shame, but don't ask the rest of us for sympathy. Missing a wedding or a cruise ship departure is another story. Here's a basic rule: Book flights that are scheduled to arrive at least 24 hours in advance of anything you can't miss. You'll want to extend that cushion based on a number of factors, like how crushed you'd be to miss the wedding and whether your cruise ship's next port of call is reachable by 20 daily flights or one monthly tugboat. You'll also want to consider your backup plan. If you're headed from New York to Chicago and your flight gets canceled, there's a pretty decent chance you'll be on another flight that day from the same or another area airport, or, worst case scenario, you could drive overnight. There are fewer options if you're headed from Hawaii to Dubrovnik, Croatia, to catch an island-hopping cruise. The carrier you choose matters. As you book, look at how many flights a day each airline has, and lean toward the one with the most flights, even if it's somewhat more expensive. Airlines are often very stubborn about booking you on competitors, sometimes even if they're in the same alliance. Your wallet size matters, too. Those with a financial cushion need less of a time cushion: If you'd be willing to plunk down a few grand for a new last-minute flight, a 24 hour cushion might be plenty. Fight, efficiently and politely Gloria-Jean Masciarotte's flight to London turned around midflight and returned to Boston. She and her family were able to cancel most of their plans, but 'the fly in the ointment,' she said, was their $3,146 Airbnb rental. Airbnb did not declare the outage a 'major disruptive event' — nor should they have, given the company's definition of that term. But after two days of texts and phone calls, she said, she was able to finagle a $2,730 credit. Once something does go wrong, take action. Be the person who waits in line at the customer service desk while on hold with the customer service line and writing the airline via social media. Get in touch with hotels as soon as possible to ask for a refund, but settle for a partial one. Realize that if your prepaid plans include a vacation rental, it is your host, in most cases, who must grant a refund, not the company. They also stand to lose money through no fault of their own, so be really, really nice. Actually, be nice to everyone, even if you happen to run into, say, the people in charge of Heathrow's backup power supply. They're already stressed enough. Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2025.

Associated Press
28-01-2025
- Associated Press
Travel Insurance is Critical for This Wave Season as 2025 Demand for Cruise Bookings Boom
- allows travelers to compare and purchase cruise travel insurance with ease to protect their vacations - NEW YORK, N.Y., Jan. 28, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — the leading platform for comparing and purchasing travel insurance from global providers, makes it easier for cruisers to compare plans and find the most personalized coverage at the best price during the 2025 Wave Season. According to Cruise MarketWatch, 15 new ships with a combined passenger capacity of 38,629 are set to enter the market and are projected to facilitate a total of 33.7 million passengers by the end of 2025, representing a 4.9% increase over 2024 and a 22.4% rise compared to 2019. 'Cruises can be a fantastic travel experience, but they come with unique risks,' said Stan Sandberg, co-founder of 'From missed connections to medical emergencies, travel insurance is necessary for protecting your investment. Shopping around for the right coverage tailored to your needs is essential for finding the best coverage at the best price.' offers comprehensive plans that can cover these scenarios and more, including: Trip Cancellation and Interruption: Reimbursement for non-refundable costs due to covered reasons like illness or emergencies. Missed Connections: Coverage for costs to catch up with your cruise at the next port. Missed Ports of Call: Compensation for skipped ports due to itinerary changes and other unforeseen inconveniences. Medical and Dental: Emergency expenses incurred during the trip. Baggage and Personal Effects: Protection for lost or damaged belongings. Unlike the coverage offered by cruise lines, which often limits options, allows travelers to choose the plan that they feel is more appropriate for them, and at times, more economical. also advises that insurance should be purchased immediately after booking to maximize benefits, like obtaining an upgrade such as 'Cancel For Any Reason' coverage and to qualify for Pre-existing Condition coverage. Purchasing early can ensure that travelers secure pre-departure protection and comprehensive coverage all throughout the cruise. To compare and buy travel insurance or for more information and travel tips, visit helps simplify the complicated world of travel insurance by providing consumers with the easiest way to compare and buy trip insurance coverage online. A member company of the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, is owned and operated by DigiVentures Holdings, LLC, a licensed agency that works with some of the largest travel insurers in the industry. Purchases can be made directly through the website, with policies sent by email within minutes. MEDIA CONTACT: Brenda Urban Percepture [email protected] Keywords: Insurance, Travel Insurance, travel planning, cruises, vacation, trips, getaways, cruise lines, NEW YORK, N.Y. Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P123661 AP-R15TBLLI