STEVENS POINT, Wis., Sept. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), residents and travelers spanning a swath of the country from North Carolina in the south along the East Coast to the north as far as Nova Scotia can anticipate a series of hurricane and tropical storm advisories in advance of Hurricane Earl, currently a category 4 storm. Residents and travelers should anticipate sustained storm force winds as high as 140 miles an hour and "a dangerous storm surge" that will likely "raise water levels by as much as 3 to 5 feet," according to the NHC. Travel Guard North America (www.travelguard.com), a leader in travel insurance and assistance plans, announced today that it will provide emergency travel and medical assistance services free to all U.S. travelers and families affected by Hurricane Earl.

Travel Guard's free services offer travelers emergency travel assistance such as flight rebooking, hotel booking, cash wire transfers, message relay and emergency travel arrangements as well as emergency medical assistance for medical evacuations, coordination of medical arrangements and more. Travel Guard is extending its offer of free assistance services to those with loved ones in areas affected by the storm. Travelers and family members seeking Travel Guard's services can call 866-644-6811.

"Now that hurricane season is in full force, we're doing everything we can to help travelers prepare for the eventualities associated with travel to areas frequently visited by seasonal hurricanes and tropical storms," said Dan McGinnity, Travel Guard North America Vice President. "It's typical for us to see an increase in calls for help from customers this time of year. Call volume has increased 144% this week alone, but when a major storm like Earl strikes, we consider it our responsibility to extend our expertise to affected travelers."

Travel Guard's assistance service centers have access to the most current information regarding airline flight schedules, can act as emergency travel counselors and are prepared to help customers with alternative travel solutions.

Travel Guard North America's core plans (Platinum, Gold, Silver, My Travel Guard, Basic and other select plans) include coverage for trip cancellation, interruption and delay in the event of a natural disaster or inclement weather. All coverages are subject to policy terms, conditions and limitations.

For more information about Travel Guard's selection of travel insurance and assistance service plans, travelers can talk to their travel agent, 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 allow 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.

    Contact: Dan McGinnity/Carol Mueller         Erin McKeon/ Korin Lamourt
             Travel Guard                        MMG Mardiks
                       800-826-7791 x14850/13050   212-219-7560 ext. 6767/6764
             dan.mcginnity@travelguard.com       emckeon@mmgmardiks.com
             carol.mueller@travelguard.com       klamourt@mmgmardiks.com

SOURCE Travel Guard