Even last minute pre-trip planning at www.medexassist.com can help save limbs, lives, and lots of money and provide the peace of mind of knowing a traveling loved-one is well-protected

Expecting the unexpected -- like vacationing in what turns out to be a war-zone (as happened last summer) or sharing a plane ride with someone with a drug resistant strain of TB (as happened last month) -- may well be the sign of a storied traveler, but preparing for more mundane maladies and mishaps -- particularly as the summer holiday season approaches -- is the truer test of the well-equipped trip- taker.

"Common, everyday occurrences are far more likely to delay, derail and destroy a trip than exotic ailments and catastrophic acts of man and nature," explains Dr. Walter B. Koppel, medical director of MEDEX Assistance, one of the world's leading providers of emergency medical and security assistance to travelers.

Despite recent headlines and their attendant hype, ordinary events such as bad reactions to local food and beverage, heart attacks and strokes, sometimes brought on by the stress of travel, and injuries caused by the odd slip, trip or misstep resulting from a traveler's fatigue are more likely to lay a traveler low than a case of TB.

Indeed, according to MEDEX Assistance case files, the leading cause of hospitalization and death while traveling are motor vehicle accidents of virtually every description including automobiles, busses, trucks, scooters, motorcycles, snow mobiles, jet skis, golf carts, ATVs and even boats.

Pre-Trip Planning: Better Late Than Never

Dr. Koppel advises that smart pre-trip planning goes well-beyond simple lost luggage or trip cancellation insurance. A travel assistance and international medical insurance program can minimize many nasty surprises and facilitate the proper care and resolution of travel emergencies when they do arise, without breaking the bank.

"We're talking about real, global assistance and coverage involving medical issues that are frequently the difference between obtaining quality care or finding yourself in a world of hurt, a world away, and at the mercy of a local healthcare system.

MEDEX Assistance coverage is easily accessible, affordable -- in most cases $4.00 per day per person or less -- and can be booked quickly and securely online at www.medexassist.com up to minutes before a trip is to begin.

Source: MEDEX Assistance Corp.