Many travel insurance policies contain very specific provisions that will determine your coverage (or lack thereof) if
your trip is delayed or cancelled. Here are some things to keep in mind:
READ CAREFULLY!
Read your policy or certificate carefully as soon as you receive it (ask for a copy if one is not provided).
FREE LOOK PERIOD?
Your policy or certificate might provide a short “free look” period during which you can cancel the coverage and
obtain a refund of premium. Look carefully for this provision, and note any deadline involved.
WHAT’S COVERED VS. EXCLUDED?
Pay close attention to the perils that are covered by (and excluded from) your travel insurance coverage. Make sure the
policy actually covers the trip cancellation/interruption risks that you need to protect yourself against.
INSURANCE OR WAIVER?
Cruise and tour operators sometimes offer cancellation waivers, which are not insurance and are not regulated by
the Department of Insurance. If you purchase a waiver from a tour or cruise operator, and later have a complaint, the
Department of Insurance might not be able to help.
WEATHER PROBLEMS
Claims paid due to weather conditions are contingent upon mandatory evacuation orders. Travel insurance may not
provide coverage for a storm that has already been named at the time you purchased coverage.
BAGGAGE LIMITATIONS
Pay close attention to special limitations and the list of property not covered in a baggage insurance policy.
If you are
traveling with valuables that exceed the limits of your policy, you may need to purchase additional coverage for the
excess value of those specific items. An endorsement to your homeowners or renters policy may be another possible
source of coverage while you are traveling; check with your homeowner’s/renter’s insurance agent or company.
PRE-EXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS
Pay close attention to how pre-existing health conditions are defined in your travel policy.
CALL BEFORE DELAYING OR CANCELLING
Call your travel insurance company to find out what will be covered before you make the decision to cancel your trip.
Document who you talk to.
DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT!
If you cannot take all or part of your trip, for any reason, document everything that will support your travel insurance
claim. This could potentially include notes on relevant phone calls, names of people you spoke with, copies of relevant
weather reports and/or news articles, printouts of relevant web pages (showing unavailability of alternate lodging or
travel arrangements, for example), and so on.
