Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
U.K. citizens and their families who make more than one trip
abroad per year may find an annual travel insurance policy works out
cheaper. Check
www.moneysupermarket.com
, which compares
prices from providers for single- and multitrip policies.
Trip Cancellation Insurance
Trip-cancellation insurance will help
retrieve your money if you have to back out of a trip or depart early,
or if your travel supplier goes bankrupt. Trip cancellation tradition-
ally covers such events as sickness, natural disasters, and Department
of State advisories. The latest news in trip-cancellation insurance is
the availability of
expanded hurricane coverage
and the
“any-rea-
son”
cancellation coverage—which costs more but covers cancella-
tions made for any reason. You won't get back 100% of your prepaid
trip cost, but you will get a substantial portion.
TravelSafe
(
&
888/
885-7233;
www.travelsafe.com) offers both types of coverage. Expe-
dia also offers any-reason cancellation coverage for its air-hotel pack-
ages. For details, contact one of the following recommended
insurers:
Access America
(
&
866/807-3982;
www.accessamerica.
com);
Travel Guard International
(
&
800/826-4919;
www.travel
guard.com);
Travel Insured International
(
&
800/243-3174;
www.
travelinsured.com); and
Travelex Insurance Services
(
&
888/
457-4602;
www.travelex-insurance.com).
Libraries
The
New York Public Library
is on Fifth Avenue at
42nd Street (
&
212/930-0800
). This Beaux Arts beauty houses
more than 38 million volumes, and the beautiful reading rooms have
been restored to their former glory. More efficient and modern, if
less charming, is the mid-Manhattan branch at 455 Fifth Ave., at
40th Street, across the street from the main library (
&
212/340-
0833
). There are other branches in almost every neighborhood;
most provide public computer terminals and are equipped with
Wi-Fi. You can find a list online at
www.nypl.org
.
Lost & Found
Be sure to tell all of your credit card companies the
minute you discover your wallet has been lost or stolen and file a
report at the nearest police precinct. Your credit card company or
insurer may require a police report number or record of the loss.
Most credit card companies have an emergency toll-free number to
call if your card is lost or stolen; they may be able to wire you a cash
advance immediately or deliver an emergency credit card in a day or
two. Visa's U.S. emergency number is
&
800/847-2911
or 410/
581-9994. American Express cardholders and traveler's check hold-
ers should call
&
800/221-7282.
MasterCard holders should call