Travel agent insurance policies normally come with multiple protections that can offer protection against a variety of claims. Exactly what your particular travel agent policy offers protection from depends on the policy’s specific terms, conditions and exclusions, and there frequently are variances among policies’ protections. Nevertheless, there are some common risks that many policies offer coverage for. Here are a few incidents that your travel agent policy might protect you from.
What Kinds of Claims Does Travel Agent Insurance Shield Me From?
You Injure Someone While Working
If you were to injure someone while working, you might be held responsible for the financial fallout of the person’s injuries. Depending on the extent of the harm done, this could involve paying medical costs, lost wages, childcare costs, pain and suffering compensation, and other expenses. If sued, you also would likely have to pay legal defense fees.
While such a risk might seem unlikely, it’s actually a fairly common peril. For example, you might leave your bag on the floor where someone could trip over it and fall. If that person had osteoporosis, they might sustain one or more fractures in what would otherwise seem like a minor fall.
Incidents like this are usually covered by general liability coverage, which is included in most policies that offer insurance for travel agents. General liability would probably pay both the legal fees and any settlement associated with a covered claim.
You Destroy a Client’s Computer
Similarly, you could also be held responsible for property damage that you cause in a common accident. For instance, you might be required to replace a computer if you spill a coffee on a client’s laptop while meeting with them. Depending on the value of a computer or other belonging, these claims can be surprisingly expensive.
General liability usually also covers property damage that common accidents which occur during the normal course of business cause. There are exclusions (e.g. most general liability coverage doesn’t protect against auto accidents), but many policies would cover an incident like the one described.
You Provide Bad Travel Advice
In the event that you give a client demonstrably bad advice, they might sue because they hired you for your expertise. Again, such a lawsuit would probably result in legal fees and other expenses -- and could easily exceed the cost of a client’s trip.
A simple example shows just how exposed travel agents often are to this risk. Assume a client was assaulted at a hotel that you reserved for them and sustained serious medical injuries (not to mention lost property) in the incident. They may try to sue you for booking accommodation in an area that wasn’t actually safe. Even if the lawsuit is ultimately unsuccessful, it could be expensive to defend yourself against (and it might be successful).
Many policies that provide insurance for travel agents come with professional liability coverage to protect against this sort of risk. Professional liability normally covers various errors that are made in a professional’s work. An insurance agent who specializes in travel agent insurance can help you determine precisely what errors your particular policy extends protection to.
Your Computer System is Hacked
If your computer system is hacked and client data compromised, you could face multiple expenses associated with the incident. Notification and credit monitoring costs can quickly add up if lots of accounts are compromised, and you’ll also likely need to pay someone to identify and fix the security vulnerability.
To protect against this potential risk, look for a policy that offers insurance for travel agents which includes cyber liability coverage. Cyber liability might protect against several possible data breaches and online attacks depending on a policy’s precise terms.
Find Robust Travel Agent Insurance
There are many potential risks that a robust travel agent insurance policy may protect you from. For help finding a policy that’ll give you lots of coverages, contact the independent insurance agents at World Insurance Associates.