What Are You Willing To Lose?Travel Insurance vs. Covid 19
Good Afternoon, Dear Friends!
With the current questions and travel bans, I have spoken a great deal with clients who are evaluating and determining the best plan of action regarding their travel plans. We have clients who are moving forward with their travel plans, others who have used their travel insurance to safely cancel, and others who are canceling without the reimbursements that travel insurance provides. So the question follows:
Travel Insurance = ? or ??
Given the uncertainty revolving around travel, I would like to give you a short explanation of the travel insurance options available through Freedom Travel along with the pros & cons of buying coverage for your trips.
The first question you might ask is, “Why buy travel insurance?”
My answer is this: Buy travel insurance if you cannot afford to lose the overall cost of your trip & if you want to safeguard your trip against unforeseen inconveniences.
Your next question might be, “What Does Travel Insurance Cover?”
- Situations that are out of your control:
- Closed Borders
- Canceled or Delayed Flights
- Medical or Health Related Cancellations*
- Medical Attention While Traveling
- Inconveniences:
- Lost Luggage
- Missed Tours/Excursions (Due To Situations Out Of Your Control)
What Does Travel Insurance NOT Cover?
- Fear: If you cancel your trip due to fear of a situation (rather than a specific circumstance), insurance will not cover your trip & cancellation fees.
*Did You Know?? Travel insurance reimburses trip costs due to cancellation caused by personal medical conditions (some policies even cover pre-existing), medical conditions of family members, and medical conditions of travel companions.
So in the case of COVID-19, how does travel insurance work?
You CAN use your trip insurance if:
- you, a family member or a travel companion are diagnosed with a physical ailment and have a letter from the doctors,
- the airport is closed or your flight has been canceled,
- you cannot go on your trip because you’re quarantined—and can provide documentation.
Unfortunately, fear of contracting the new coronavirus is not a covered reason for canceling a trip under standard policies.
The plans that I recommend are:
Worldwide Trip Protector Plus – Great! This policy includes Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) Now You can cancel your trip, regardless of the reason, and be reimbursed for 75% of your trip cost with no questions asked.
Worldwide Trip Protector – Great too! This policy offers extensive coverage and covers 100% of trip costs with a wide range of reasons from trip cancellation or interruption.
Help! I Don’t Have Travel Insurance!
Believe it or not, some people are willing to gamble and don’t have travel insurance. In those cases, here are the options:
- Cancel the trip—I will do everything possible to recover any refundable costs, or…
- Reschedule the trip—I will move dates and adjust so that you don’t lose any money, but there may be price changes.
Let’s Still the Troubled Waters
I am so very thankful for all of you & your continued support of traveling and adventuring. In the midst of these troubled waters, we remain firm and joyful, always taking note of the beauty that surrounds us. As my dad used to say, “There’s no shortage of gratitude.”
Make use of this “social distancing” time—start dreaming of your next vacation, and give me a call! Let’s make it a reality.
Keep Calm & Travel On!
Annie
