Travel Guard Offers Free Assistance to U.S., Canada Travelers, Families Affected by Haiti Earthquake

STEVENS POINT, Wis., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Travel Guard announced today that it will provide free emergency travel and medical assistance services to travelers and families affected by this week's earthquake in Haiti. Services available through Travel Guard include coordination of emergency medical arrangements and evacuations, temporary lodging, cash wire transfers, passport replacement, translation services, message relay, emergency travel arrangements, and luggage tracking for items lost during the quake.

Travel Guard is also coordinating with its network of medical and evacuation specialists and air ambulance providers to monitor evacuation and assistance needs and facilitate evacuations from the area. Travelers in Haiti or their family members are encouraged to contact Travel Guard's assistance coordinators for travel help or assistance in communicating with family members at home.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all whose lives have been devastated by this tragic event," said Dean Sivley, CEO of Travel Guard North America.  "We have a number of Travel Guard customers who are in the area and we are diligently working to provide the assistance they need including medical case management, relaying messages to family members and coordinating emergency travel arrangements. We are also extending these services to any U.S. and Canadian travelers and their family members who have been affected by the quake. We feel it is an important part of our social responsibility as a global provider of travel insurance plans and assistance services."    

Family members seeking these services for their relatives can call Travel Guard's 24-hour World Service Center at 866-644-6811.  From Haiti or areas outside the U.S., travelers can call Travel Guard collect at 715-295-1209.

Travel Guard is the nation's leading provider of travel insurance plans and assistance services.  For more information about Travel Guard, travelers can visit www.travelguard.com or call Travel Guard's World Service Center at 1-800-826-1300.

About Travel Guard

Travel Guard, a Chartis company and worldwide leader in travel insurance and assistance, provides products and services to millions of travelers around the globe, including a wide range of emergency services through its wholly-owned assistance centers located in Asia, Europe and the Americas.  Travel Guard helps leisure and business travelers alike solve problems and manage risks.  Travel Guard's global reach, unparalleled service quality and proven operational capabilities allows clients to receive best-in-class care.  Travel Guard's suite of technology platforms enables seamless integration with all major travel distribution systems and supplier channels.  The travel insurance products marketed by Travel Guard are underwritten by insurance company subsidiaries and affiliates of Chartis Inc.  For additional information, please visit our websites at www.travelguard.com and www.travelguardworldwide.com.

The travel insurance products marketed by Travel Guard in the United States are underwritten by National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pa., with its principal place of business in New York, NY. This is only a brief description of the coverages available.  The Policy will contain reductions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions.  Coverage may not be available in all states.

SOURCE Travel Guard