By the middle of last week, American families decided to take actions that would shatter a COVID-19 era record. As of Tuesday, November 24, 2020, FlightRadar24 – which tracks real-time air traffic globally – reported that 6,972 planes had crisscrossed the United States airspace ferrying families to Thanksgiving holidays.
The report claimed that the U.S. flights that Tuesday accounted for a whopping 65 per cent of the global count of planes in the air the same day. Even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had cautioned Americans to shelve travel plans for the holiday due to the pandemic, an estimated 6.3 million Americans will travel by plane for this year’s Thanksgiving, way above the AAA estimate of 2.4 million issued earlier in November.
What these data also reveal is the resilience of the human spirit in pursuit of happiness. Even with the United States recording an astonishing number of COVID-19 infections and the health authorities hinting on caution, families are willing to brave the odds all for the holiday cheers and the love of family get-together. They are willing to take the risk. But do not be fooled by these seemingly acts of naked bravery, these travelling families are taking very calculated risks in adjustment to the mood and palpitation of the times.
According to Reuters, recent data gleaned from Squaremouth, an insurance performance and measurement comparison portal, showed a 170 per cent spike in the number of insurance policies purchased for domestic trips ahead of the imminent 2020 holiday season. The data also revealed that some 40% of all Thanksgiving travelers specifically searched for coronavirus cover, replacing top concerns from previous years, such as weather and financial defaults, and an escalating rise in the overall living cost.
Read Also: UK set to roll out covid-19 vaccine on Dec 7
Understanding that no circumstance can extinguish the human quest for happiness and holiday cheers, countries such as the United Kingdom and France, currently facing a second wave of COVID-19 infections, are considering relaxation of lockdown rules for families to travel and celebrate the yuletide holidays.
This spirit of happiness is a global paradigm. It is conceivable, therefore, that Nigerians will like the Americans likely brave the odds to embrace and enjoy the holidays. However, there is a need to emulate global standards by employing tools for calculated risks. In other words, do not embark on local or international travel without considering a travel insurance that has covid-19 cover.
For the local trips, ensure that you have a comprehensive vehicle insurance, life assurance as well as home insurance policy against the seasonal harmattan-fueled fires.
For those who would be embarking on international holiday trips, ensure that you get – ahead of the travel – a well-packaged travel insurance policy.
This is where Leadway Assurance Company Limited comes in. The foremost Nigerian insurer prides itself on ‘insuring happiness’ for millions of customers and businesses over the last 50 years. Reputed to be the largest insurance company in Nigeria as per balance sheet, Leadway Assurance has maintained a six-year leading streak of the being the highest claims-paying insurer in the country.
The Leadway Assurance’s innovative Travel Insurance policy takes care of all travel-associated risks, faced during international trips such as: the frustration of a cancelled flight, stolen/missing valuables, like luggage, jewelry or monies that ruin a well-planned holiday. That is not all, there is also the frightening risk of falling ill or having an accident while away at a favourite destination, prompting an unplanned medical expense and inconvenience in a foreign country. Leadway’s Travel insurance has all these risks fully covered.
But the icing on the cake is the Leadway Travel Gold Plan which provides an additional legal cover, in the event that an incidence leads to litigation during the trip.
So, embrace the joy of the season with a sense of caution; call Leadway Assurance professional advisors for further information via its virtual communication channels – 012800700, Social Media handles @LeadwayAssurance on Facebook & Instagram and @Leadwayinsure on Twitter or send an email to Lcs@leadway.com. You can also request a call back from our experienced advisors by visiting www.leadway.com/call-me
