[December 10, 2012]

Annual Allianz Travel Insurance Survey Shows Jump in Percentage of Travelers Who Trust Other Travelers' Reviews

As the countdown to the holiday travel season begins, travel reviews are playing an even bigger role in travelers' vacation planning, reveals the fourth annual Allianz Travel Insurance Vacation Confidence Index. Seventy-six percent of consumers traveling this holiday season (up from 69 percent last year) say they find other travelers' reviews trustworthy. Combined with the survey's other major finding that Americans plan to spend 12 percent more on holiday travel this year over last, user reviews have become even more critical for travel suppliers such as hotels and cruise lines.

"Consumers understand that travel is a significant investment, and they are looking for ways to validate their choices," said Alan Josephs, Chief Marketing Officer of Allianz Global Assistance USA. "Travelers want reassurance from peers that their selection is going to provide them with the best experience possible."

Allianz Travel Insurance provides its customers with coverage should a planned trip be cancelled or interrupted for unforeseen circumstances that are included in the purchased policy.* For additional information, visit http://www.allianztravelinsurance.com.

To Trust or Not to Trust

Young Americans ages 18-34 (77%, up 7 points from 2011) and Americans with higher household incomes (77% of those with an annual HHI of $75,000) are most likely to find other travelers' reviews "trustworthy," followed by those ages 35-54 (70 percent), and American seniors (61 percent), ages 55+.

Although lower income Americans are the least likely to find other travelers' reviews "trustworthy" (64% of those with an annual HHI of less than $25,000), they have shown the biggest increase from 2011 with a 14 percent jump in 2012.

Peer Reviews Have Say in Travel Plans

More Americans are taking others' reviews into account when they're planning their own vacations. Half of Americans who are confident they will take a holiday trip in the next year "factor" other travelers' reviews into their own booking plans, up 9 points from those who answered similarly last year. The other half of Americans taking a holiday trip "don't factor" other travelers' reviews into their plans, down 9 points.

Just as young Americans are more likely to find other travelers' reviews "trustworthy," they are also most likely to factor other travelers' reviews into their own booking plans (47 percent, up five points from 2011).

Social is Certainly the New Normal

Among travelers under 35 who share reviews of their travel experiences online, social networking sites such as Facebook (News - Alert), Twitter and Pinterest are most popular. 35 percent say that they share their travel experiences socially, up six points from 2011 and nearly three times the proportion of those who post on travel review sites (12 percent). Adults over 35 don't shy away from social networks either, utilizing them 12 percent of the time and seeking out travel review websites 8 percent of the time.

The Allianz Travel Insurance Vacation Confidence Index is based on a telephone survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs from November 7 - 12, 2012 of a nationally representative sample of 1,000 randomly-selected adults aged 18 and over residing in the U.S. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within ±3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of adults in the U.S. been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/gender composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

* Conditions, limitations and exclusions apply. For a complete description of the coverage, carefully review the terms and conditions of the certificate of insurance. Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: Oakwood Terrace, Ill), or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: Richmond, VA), depending on the insured's state. Allianz Global Assistance and Allianz Travel Insurance are brands of AGA Service Company. AGA Service Company is the licensed producer and administrator of this plan and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage because of the affiliation between AGA Service Company and Jefferson Insurance Company.

Allianz Global Assistance USA

Allianz Global Assistance USA is a leading consumer specialty insurance and assistance company with operation centers in 29 countries. In the United States, Allianz Global Assistance USA (AGA Service Company) insures 13 million customers and is best known for its Allianz Travel Insurance plans.

In addition to travel insurance, Allianz Global Assistance USA offers event ticket protection and unique assistance services such as international medical assistance and concierge services. The company also serves as an outsource provider for in-bound call center services and claims administration for health insurers, property and casualty insurers, and credit card companies.

For more information about Allianz Global Assistance USA, please visit allianzassistance.com. To learn more about Allianz Travel Insurance plans, please visit allianztravelinsurance.com or Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/AllianzTravelInsuranceUS.

Allianz Global Assistance

How can we help

International leader in Assistance, Travel Insurance and health, life & home care services, today Allianz Global Assistance counts more than 10,920 employees who speak 40 different languages and work throughout the world with a network of 400,000 service providers and 180 correspondents. 250 million people, or 4% of the world's total population, benefit from its services, which the Group provides on all five continents.

Allianz

Allianz is the 20^th largest company in the world (Forbes Global 2000, 2011) and 62^nd most valuable global brand (Interbrand, 2012). Allianz has 151,000 employees worldwide and 76 million customers in more than 70 countries. In 2011, Allianz had over 103 billion euros in revenue and over 1.6 trillion euros under management. In the US, Allianz brands include:

Ipsos Public Affairs

Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research.

Ipsos has media partnerships with the most prestigious news organizations around the world. In the U.S., UK and internationally, Ipsos Public Affairs is the media polling supplier to Reuters (News - Alert) News, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, and the Hispanic polling partner of Telemundo Communications Group, a division of NBC Universal (News - Alert) providing Spanish-language content to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world.

Ipsos Public Affairs is a member of the Ipsos Group, a leading global survey-based market research company. We provide boutique-style customer service and work closely with our clients, while also undertaking global research. To learn more, visit: www.ipsos-na.com

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