Travel Insurance Post-Covid
Travel Insurance Post-Covid: the new travel norm? Yes, this will make your future travels slightly more expensive but given the uncertainty of so much around Covid, any 2021 travel must be booked with a travel insurance policy to back it. Did you know that many countries are presently requiring proof of travel insurance to enter? There are so many articles out there about travel insurance and the constantly changing requirements that we can’t cover it all, but we can give you a tour operator/agent perspective. Check out our Travel Insurance Page!
As a tour organizer and agent for travel services who put customers first, we have always recommended travel insurance. It was never compulsory, it was an individual choice, but now things are different; the pandemic has changed this. The volume of cancellations this year is something that the industry has never before experienced. Many travel companies have closed or will close. The likelihood of disruption due to travel will continue to go up. Many disruptors come in the form of natural disasters, political instability, terrorism, and now again a transmittable virus that is a global pandemic. This will not be the last one. A choice to not protect oneself against disruption is a gamble for losing money.
Choosing not to purchase travel insurance is choosing to be ok with associated losses on travel costs and absorbing unforeseen costs. Here at Pure Adventures, we will not include the cost of travel insurance into a trip price but will leave it up to you to find the best policy for your circumstances, with our recommendations for trusted insurance providers and best offers. Our recommendations will go a little bit further and fall on the conservative side of deciding whether or not to travel. We will also require a signed waiver, should you decline to take insurance. (More on this below) At this point, we recommend that anyone booking travel in 2022 should book a “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) supplement to a baseline policy.
CFAR will provide the most flexibility around reasons for cancellation, but not 100% financial reimbursement. You must look at each company and their CFAR policy terms to know the difference, but expect that you must cancel at least 3 days in advance, and expect to get in the neighborhood of 75% reimbursement. CFAR policies could add 10-12% of your trip cost to the trip budget. [USA Today 2021 travel survival guide ] IMPORTANT: CFAR must be booked shortly after you book any travel; there is a time limit in which you can obtain this coverage! This applies to pre-existing condition coverage as well in traditional travel insurance policies. This is step 1 before Booking – know what travel insurance you will get once you do book.
Here are some common questions that have a heightened logic in the pandemic:
- What if I get sick while traveling?
- What if the travel company I booked through goes out of business?
- What coverage do I have for pre-existing conditions, how is it defined?
- Can I be evacuated if I’m stuck or forced into Quarantine?
These questions and more are answered by each insurance carrier. Here is one trustworthy resource: InsureMyTrip.com
As mentioned above, should you be traveling with us at Pure Adventures and you decline travel insurance, we will require a signed waiver. The waiver will state that you accept whatever losses may come about due to cancellation, trip interruption, or circumstance that impacts your travel and that you release Pure Adventures from any responsibility to recover or reimburse those costs. And, full disclosure, Pure Adventures will retain some fees for work performed prior to the cancellation as well as the work of unwinding all travel booked that is being canceled.
We recommend these resources for your protection in the travel future:
InsureMyTrip.com: broker for numerous policy options; not just one company
Global Rescue: more than just insurance, this solution is most comprehensive and highly recommended for less developed countries and remote destinations
Travel Safe: flexible time frames with slightly better booking windows for extra coverage
World Nomads: global provider, does not cover destinations with Covid-19 travel bans or government ‘warnings’!
Trip Mate/Trip Assure: Travel Insurance provider, US-based part of Generali
Berkshire Hathaway Travel Insurance: Travel insurance provider, US-based
No matter what path you take, read your policies, know your limits, and know your filing time frames; travel insurance post covid is not something to leave to the last minute. You alone are responsible to be aware and you do sign your understanding when you purchase travel and purchase travel insurance. Set up reminders and date limits in your planning tools. Stay abreast of developments with border openings/closings. Stay up to date on CDC and US State Department travel information. These sites provide up-to-date information on travel insurance policy coverages and exclusions.
