Do you like to fly into exotic places? Do you snatch up a bargain when you see it? Perhaps you were one of those adventurous souls who were the first to return to Indonesia after the tsunami. If so, you probably already know how handy international travel insurance can be. Thousands of travelers found out the hard way about the difficulties resulting from trip delays when the volcano on Iceland interrupted air travel for weeks. You could have saved yourself some frustration if you had had global travel shield international travel insurance at the time.

Global Travel Shield is an American Express Travel Related Services Company. American Express has  been in business for over 150 years. With a travel insurance policy through Global Travel Shield you have access to the customer support network of American Express. The volcanic eruption that shutdown air traffic over Europe for weeks is an extreme case and most international travel insurance is designed to cover the average problems that crop up, not the extreme cases. For example, the global travel shield international travel insurance will cover up to two nights in a hotel if your flight is delayed or canceled. In many instances the airline companies will take care of you if the delay is their fault but if you have chosen to travel on bargain airlines, this may not be the case.

However, global travel shield international travel insurance offers other kinds of travel insurance:

- Global Air Trip Protector

- Global Baggage Protection

- Global Trip Delay

- Trip Cancellation or Interruption

- Global Medical

You should seriously consider a Global Medical plan if you are traveling to a country where the medical services are not as developed as here or where the general living standard does not encourage hygiene. You should consider this a requirement if you are traveling off the beaten path. There is only so much prevention you can do. If you find yourself on a cruise ship and your body develops a serious health problem, you may need to be evacuated. There is a limit to services offered on a ship. Or imagine yourself enjoying the exotic sites of India when a spider bites you. Some of those creatures can bring forth powerful reactions.

As with any insurance policy you should read it carefully before you purchase it and know what proof you need to obtain to be reimbursed for travel related mishaps. It varies with each policy. When I travel, I keep the telephone number for the travel insurance company with me at all times. So far, I have been quite lucky in my travels but the occasional incident has occurred, allowing me to experience health services in different countries. I have not yet had to use global travel shield international travel insurance but I do have experience with other American Express Travel Related Services and I was quite pleased with their response.

Their customer service department provided me with exactly what I asked for and was easy to get a hold of. As far as pricing goes, you should check out a number of competitive products and choose the one that suits your needs. Travel is one of those activities many people develop an individual style for. So no one policy will fit every traveler. Know yourself. Consider what you are likely to do and what risky situations that could lead to. Those are the ones you want to protect yourself for. If you travel with carry-on luggage only, no matter where you go, baggage loss is not an insurance coverage you need.