5 Reasons to Get Business Travel Insurance

Whether it is a brief visit to another part of the country or a week long trip abroad, business trips to visit critical clients and other important companies are a vital part of keeping any business running successfully; and for every trip, you'll need some kind of business travel insurance. If you only have to travel every once in a while, single trip cover may be sufficient, but if you travel many times each year you'll want to invest in some annual business travel insurance. Either way, there's no excuse to scrimp: here are five situations when the small cost of insurance could save you a lot of hassle...

The other company cancels the meeting at the last minute...

An ordinary holiday can be cancelled for all kinds of reasons, but for a business trip there are even more factors that can lead to a meeting being cancelled or rescheduled, leaving you or your company to foot a significant cancellation bill. Business travel insurance will cover cancellation as standard, so even if things change at the last minute, your costs will be covered.

You fall on or before the trip...

If you fall ill on or just before a crucial business trip and there is no-one to replace you, the consequences for your company could be catastrophic. Most good business travel insurance packages will cover the cost of replacing you with a work colleague (including their flights and accommodation) so that the trip can be concluded successfully in your absence.

Some vital equipment is lost or stolen...

Whether it is a PDA filled with important information on it or an expensive laptop with a crucial presentation, most business trips can revolve around a vital piece of equipment - if it is lost or stolen, it can hurt your wallet and ruin the business trip. Annual business travel insurance will provide you with year round cover for business equipment that is lost or stolen while you are away (and in most cases, they will pay for a courier delivery of the new item.) Of course, the data may be irreplaceable, so make sure that you back up any critical information on a USB stick.

Business travel is excluded from your existing insurance...

Many people assume that they have cover for business in the annual travel insurance they already have, but this often isn't the case. Many travel insurance policies are for holidays only and have exclusions for business travel. Read the small print carefully, and make sure you get full travel insurance for business trips if you aren't covered.

You need to be hospitalised after an accident...

Whether it is just a cracked rib or something much more serious, medical care abroad while you are uninsured is no laughing matter. With so many business trips to America (which can have medical costs running into thousands of pounds) it really pays to have some decent business travel insurance. As outlined above, many standard travel insurance policies exclude business trips, so make sure you get the right kind of cover and avoid the threat of massive medical costs.

Business Travelers Hotels

Not every hotel is geared for business travelers. Some are simply meant for holiday travelers, and focus on leisure features. Some hotels offer rooms geared for business travelers, with a stress on committed work areas. Once you've found a potential hotel, call the front desk directly and speak to the concierge or to a well-informed front desk clerk. Inquire about the facilities provided by the hotel such as internet accessibility, conference rooms; transportation etc. if the hotel has the features out lined below then you will definitely have a successful business trip.

Essential features of a great business:

Location: Hotels that are positioned near an airport or located in a city's business quarter generally cater to business travelers. Airport hotels rarely offer views, but they make up for it with expedient location. Location is why many recruiters characteristically plan interviews in airport hotels. It is easier to fly in, meet numerous applicants, do some work in the business center, and fly back home.

Internet Access in the Room: Most hotels offer some form of Internet access whether it's use of the business center's computer, high-speed access in the room, or wireless. The business travelers need to know where the next high-speed Internet fix is coming from, so he can stay productive on the road.

Speedy, Customer Service: Hotel specialists are in the business of providing good customer care. Business hotels make the important difference of offering good customer care quickly and proficiently. A guest's requirements must be met speedily so that he or she can concentrate on the professional reasons they are there primarily.

Business centre: It is absolutely a must for a hotel to have this facility. It should also be equipped with the latest technologies and state-of-the-art office equipment, services include tele-videoconferencing, high-speed Internet access, high-speed duplicating, printing, colour printing, colour copying, scanning and document processing, as well as courier, secretarial services, telex and fax.

Conference Rooms: Conference rooms or boardroom and a meeting room are a must if you plan to hold meetings seminars, promotions and exhibitions. These rooms must be equipped with audio + video conferencing facilities.

Easy Transportation: Business travelers need to be places punctually and with minimum hassle. Good business hotels more often than not offer transportation shuttles to all key business areas, or aid travelers with hiring taxis or private cars.

Restaurants & Bar: Business travelers need to be able to have the facilities of in hotel restaurants, to be able to meet associates over drinks, lunch or dinner. It's best to have at least two types of specialty cuisine restaurants and a bar in the hotel itself.

100% Effort:Good business hotels allow travelers to concentrate on their jobs by working out the small and big stuff (taking care of problems like misplaced luggage etc.). The extra level of service in a good hotel is a boon to the traveler.

On a business trip avoid family or holiday hotels and it is always best to research the business hotel before booking.

Business Travel

The globalization of trade and the World Trade Organization taking a leading role is defining new rules and policies in international trade and commerce. As a result, global and local business travel and their frequency acquired greater importance and urgency than ever before. Business travel for individuals and corporate executives is essential to maintain and promote business.

If you intend to travel on a business mission, you should plan the itinerary of your travel carefully. New air travel companies are surfacing to join the race to attract customers. There is a great competition to provide better traveling facilities at competitive rates. Air service companies are coming up with ingenious schemes to lure customers. These schemes usually take the form of special airfare packages for certain destinations within given spaces of time. Since business trips are usually short, you can make use of packages that include return fares, hotel stays, rental cars and cabs for local transport, and other services.

You should be careful to check whether you are being overcharged for your stay in the hotels to outbalance the undercharge on air tickets. You should also make sure the tickets in the flight you intend to board are available. You need to contact your travel agent well in time to avoid any last-minute hassles in obtaining the ticket.

Before leaving for your destination, you should make note of the distance of the venue of your visit from the airport and the means of transport. You may be allergic to certain types of weather, such as the humidity during monsoon in destination cities that are located on seashore, or the dry air of metropolises that may crack your skin. If you are traveling to colder regions, you need to carry woolens and other cold-weather gear.

You may not know the local language of the country or state you are visiting. You need a translator to communicate with your counterpart. Not the least important part of your planning should be getting to know the geographical situation as well as the time zone of the destination city you are going to visit.