Travel Guard® North America Announces Finalists in Search for the Ultimate Act of Travel Kindness

STEVENS POINT, Wis., Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Travel Guard North America (www.TravelGuard.com) announced today 10 finalists in its search for the ultimate act of travel kindness as part of its contest, World's Unluckiest Traveler® 2: The Rescue. A $10,000 "Hero's Vacation" will be awarded to the ultimate do-gooder who receives the most votes at TravelGuard.com/Unlucky October 1- 31, 2011.

Throughout the summer, entrants shared inspiring tales of roadside rescuers, high-seas heroes and other random acts of kindness away from home. The 10 finalists, as chosen by a panel of travel experts, include "Pass(port) the Karma," the story of a young woman dealing with a stolen wallet in Barcelona. She was stranded at the U.S. consulate with no way to pay for her new documentation, when another traveler stepped in to cover the cost. In "Savior in San Juan," a family cruise was cut short when a couple was forced to make an emergency stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico due to a medical condition. They were scared, alone, struggling with a language barrier, and frustrated with hospital conditions when Henry, a U.S. businessman working in Puerto Rico, appeared.  Henry came to the couples' rescue to arrange an interpreter, amenities and a medical evacuation back home.  And in "Two Russians with Love," language barriers were broken when a kind-hearted airline passenger helped two non-English speaking Russian travelers find their way after realizing they had landed in Cincinnati, not St. Louis, as planned. More details about the finalists can be found at TravelGuard.com/Unlucky.

"From travel delays and cancellations to lost luggage and unexpected weather, we're all familiar with the frustrations that can occur when traveling today," said Carol Mueller, vice-president, Travel Guard North America. "Our contest turns unlucky travel upside-down by shining a light on the every-day heroic acts of travelers. As we enter the final stages of the contest, we look forward to revealing the best stories of random kindness we've gathered from travelers across the world. From flight attendants to hotel employees to fellow travelers, you never know who will appear to save your vacation or help you out of an unfortunate situation."

In addition to the $10,000 grand prize Hero's Vacation, Travel Guard is awarding the person who submitted the winning story with airfare for two anywhere in the U.S. An iPad®2 will also go to a randomly-selected voter.

Voting is open to U.S. and Canadian residents October 1 – 31 at TravelGuard.com/Unlucky. Travel Guard's "World's Unluckiest Traveler" app, available for Android and iPhone®, makes it easy to stay up-to-date with the contest while on the run. The public is also encouraged to share their favorite stories of travel kindness via Facebook and Twitter and other social networks. For more information on the contest and a full set of rules and regulations, visit www.TravelGuard.com.

The 10 finalists were selected by a panel of travel experts, including:

• Rick Seaney – Co-Founder, FareCompare.com
• Harvey Chipkin – Freelance Travel Writer
• Christian DeBenedetti – Freelance Correspondent, Outside
• Eileen Ogintz – Syndicated columnist, Creator of TakingTheKids.com
• Everett Potter – Founder, Everett Potter's Travel Report
• Kim Orlando – Founder, TravelingMom.com
• George Hobica – Founder, Airfare Watchdog

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.

Follow us on Twitter and "like" us on  Facebook.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND OR SALES PRESENTATION IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS CONTEST AND SWEEPSTAKES. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.  The Travel Guard "Random Act of Kindness" Promotion starts May 30, 2011 at 9:00:00 AM EST and ends October 31, 2011 at 11:59:59 PM EST. Open to legal residents of the United States (excluding U.S. Territories), age 21 and over, and residents of Canada (excluding Quebec) over the age of majority in their province/territory, at the time of entry. The Promotion consists of a Video/Photo Contest ("Contest") component and a Voter Sweepstakes ("Sweepstakes") Component. To Enter the Contest: Beginning May 30, 2011 at 9:00:00 AM EST and ending September 5, 2011 at 11:59:59 PM EST go to www.TravelGuard.com and submit either a video or a photo along with an accompanying story describing your submission (between 10 and 200 words), about a random act of kindness by someone who has helped you or someone else when away from home, along with your full name, email address, phone number, country and state/province/territory of residence and a username and password, and the full name, email address, phone number, country and state/province/territory of residence of the Nominee. Contest Entries must be submitted by September 5, 2011 at 11:59:59 PM EST. Limit one Unique Contest Entry per person/household per day. To Enter the Sweepstakes: Beginning October 1, 2011 at 9:00 AM EST and ending October 31, 2011 at 11:59:59 PM EST, go to www.TravelGuard.com, and vote for one of the eligible Contest Entries, enter your full name, email address, phone number, country and state/province/territory of residence and a username and password. You will receive one (1) entry into the Sweepstakes ("Entry") for your Vote if you voted for the eventual Contest Grand Prize Winner. Limit one (1) Vote/Entry per person/email address per day. Odds of winning the Sweepstakes Prize depends on the number of Votes received for the Contest Grand Prize Winner during the Voting Period. Sponsor: Travel Guard Group, Inc., 3300 Business Park Drive, Stevens Point, Wisconsin 54482.  Void in Puerto Rico and all other U.S. territories, Quebec and where prohibited by law. Subject to full official rules, available at www.TravelGuard.com/Unlucky.

Travel Guard's sponsorship of the World's Unluckiest Traveler Contest is not intended to represent in any respect that Travel Guard's insurance plans cover any of the events depicted in any single entry. For full and complete insurance coverage details, please contact Travel Guard directly.

SOURCE Travel Guard