By Patrick Chong

The foreign and commonwealth office draws up an extensive list of countries that should not be travelled to quite regularly, and is from that, that our, and other global travel insurance providers’, underwriters decide which countries travel insurance should be provided for. We look at the government travel advice and decide from that whether or not we can provide insurance to travelers.

Although global travel insurance does, by its nature, cover the majority of the world, the current climate ensures that there are some places where the likelihood of incident means that UK travel insurance providers are unable to offer protection. Thankfully, the list is clear of the majority of popular holiday destinations, and you’re unlikely to have your big holiday plans affected. The most likely group to have their travel plans altered by the foreign office’s travel advice are business travelers.

The foreign office’s travel advice is not to travel to the following countries, even if it means losing business – the risk from the warzones listed below is just too great to make the reward worth the danger:

Here’s our top 10 countries to avoid traveling to, and the reasons for the high risk factor! The risk is far from conclusive (the foreign office’s travel advice lists many more countries), but to me, these are the ones that all travelers should avoid like the plague:

10) Liberia

Economic hardship in Liberia is currently making outbreaks of violence common, and foreigners (especially westerners) are at risk targets due to their affluence. This extra likelihood of incident ensures that no UK travel insurance provider would risk offering you cover if you choose to visit Liberia

9) Nepal

Occasional acts of terrorism and political violence in urban areas make Nepal off-limits for those who want to get travel insurance. In September this year, three nearly simultaneous bombs went off in the capital of Kathmandu, killing 3 and injuring many innocent bystanders.

8) Haiti

Haiti is considered off limits to many travelers on account of the high risk of kidnappings and civil unrest that is prominent. At the time of writing, there have been 12 kidnappings of American travelers in 2007 – mostly criminal in nature. In the past, these kidnappings have ended in physical and sexual assaults and shootings. The potential for spontaneous protests and demonstrations has also been known to result in unexpected violence, day or night. It’s no surprise that the government’s travel advice is not to travel here!

7) Yemen

Due to the high levels of terrorist activity in Yemen, westerners are advised to steer clear of Yemen. If this is not possible, then all travelers are encouraged to stay vigilant and to keep a low profile to avoid attacks or kidnapping. The situation is so grave that the US Embassy often restricts American citizens from certain hotels, restaurants and shopping areas.

6) Israel

The Gaza Strip and West Bank has seen immense violence in recent months between Israeli and Palestinian factions, and shootings, kidnappings and violence demonstrations have occurred in each. The region’s continued instability makes travel to Israel widely recommended against – the risk of abduction or worse makes travel insurance impossible to obtain.

5) Democratic Republic of Congo

The democratic republic of Congo remains one of the most dangerous places to travel in Africa, where violence, neglect and corruption has left the country distinctly damaged. Fighting erupted in the streets of Kinshasa in March this year, and the situation remains volatile despite the immediate threat of violence calming down. Travel outside of Kinshasa is difficult and dangerous with security, especially in the north and easy, being unstable. Any traveler brave enough to travel to the Congo should be extremely cautious, avoid the North Kivu district which is the backdrop to armed conflict between government troops and army rebels, avoid crowds and keep a close eye on local media.

4) Burma (Myanmar)

While the human rights situation makes Myanmar an ethically uneasy place to visit, currently there is a lot of personal risk involved as well. Throughout September, the anti-government protests sparked a violent crackdown from the authorities and made international headlines. Although the dusk-til-dawn curfew imposed in some of the towns has been lifted, it still remains an uncertain time to visit the country and you’re unlikely to find any global travel insurance company who will insure you.

3) Colombia

Colombia remains one of the most dangerous places to travel in the world thanks to the crime the country suffers from. The illicit drug trade in urban areas such as Cali and Buenaventura means that there is often a high risk of violence, while the more rural areas expose visitors to the country at risk from narcoterrorist groups who will often kidnap civilians to use for ransom or to gain media attention. Naturally UK travel insurance companies are loathe to insure travelers who choose to ignore these warning and travel to Colombia anyway.

2) Afghanistan

With the war on terror in Afghanistan still fresh in the mind, it’s no surprise that the country remains a big no-go area. Western tourists are obvious kidnap and assassination targets, as many of the disbanded Taliban and Al-Qa’ida forces remain at large and hostile to the new regieme. Additionally, the country remains unsafe due to tribal groups, explosive devices, landmines, military operations and acts of terrorism. Unsurprisingly, the government’s travel advice is to avoid travelling here at all costs!

1) Iraq

Given the high profile nature of western kidnappings by various insurgent groups, and the regular acts of terrorism and hostility to Western troops, it is no surprise that no travel insurance companies will insure travelers to the troubled country. The instability is caused by various groups – Ba’ath regime remnants, transnational terrorists and criminal elements have been known to attack convoys en-route to venues, hotels, restaurants, checkpoints and police stations.

While holidaymakers are unlikely to be affected by these less touristy locations, their riskiness means that business travellers will have to forgo their travel insurance if they are unable to cancel their trips.

About the Author: Patrick Chong is the managing director of Journey’s Travel, their commercial website, Insuremore, offers

cheap UK travel insurance

with free cover against acts of terrorism and a quick and easy online claims service.

Source:

isnare.com

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By Patricia Holland

The commercial and industrial plumbing supply industry requires fixtures from stainless steel materials to the latest in ergonomically engineered products like industrial lavatories and sinks. Commercial plumbing equipment has evolved from a simple stainless steel soap dispenser to five-star rated state-of-the-art lavatory basins that feature photovoltaic technology that turns light into energy emitting a measured spray of low pressure water at the wave of a hand. With this kind of innovative technology, many companies find product conservation technology equates to much lower operations and utility costs allowing the focus of the investment on more affordable technology and a superior product.

With many companies going “green”, the concern for the planet coupled with the rising cost of doing business, niche technology products offer the opportunity for a better choice. Would you splurge on new technology if over the life of the product the cost of the natural resource savings outweighs the cost the product? In the midst of uncertainty and in our ever changing environment product decisions based on conservation results in rewarding our global economy as well as lowering operating costs.

Imagine affordable technology that takes the pressure off by improving space and reducing operating costs. With the United States leading the way in technology, the costs of operations is constantly being shattered by the commercial liability and fierce regulatory standards facing professional plumbers. Plumbing professionals will agree that the less labor intense the product fitting coupled with the hazards of installation, new plumbing products like industrial lavatory and sinks offer far more value and longevity than antiquated plumbing systems and designs within the last 10 years. It is time to close the gap that continues to bring long term values.

Gone are the days of getting by with facilities adequate for a residence. Users demand easy access and functionality. Ownership requires reliability and durability. And the government mandates safety and access compliance. So today’s public restroom, washing and cleaning facilities must do the job right, save time and money, and meet with all applicable regulations. Simply put, industrial lavatories and sinks are a must in any public washroom.

Users, owners and regulators alike come away pleased with their investment in this new technology. Convenience, safety and compliance issues present no problems by selecting the sinks that meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and TSA requirements. Everything from the sink height to ease of access makes a difference in having your business not only fully user friendly but compliant.

These state-of-the-art product lines of industrial lavatories and sinks meet the stringent demands of today’s users while keeping your company in compliance. Whether it’s everyday wash fountains, faucets, showers, and washroom accessories, or emergency equipment such as eye wash and drench facilities, these demands can be met with a wide selection of styles, sizes and colors. With a focus on niche technology, these products are sought out by traversing the expanse of commercial industries from industrial lavatories and sinks to business storage needs nationwide to offer the public new technology on many new and used product lines, including building signage which includes interior and exterior signs, modern benches and plastic locker systems designed to withstand extreme weather conditions.

Product lines such as paper towel dispensers are supplied in many major Hotels, Restaurants, Retail Stores, Doctor’s offices, Hospitals, Schools, Gymnasium and Spas throughout the continental U.S. Project managers call for bids on master plans for these products based on design project needs and work with procurement professionals worldwide.

Distributors, manufacturers, and retailers rely heavily on the ability to warehouse and distribute products based on their company’s requirements and timelines. Management and manufacturing administrators deliver inspected products directly to your designated delivery site saving time and money.

About the Author: XPB Locker. Read more about commercial bathroom equipment.

Source: isnare.com

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