Comprehensive travel insurance plans are the most widely known form of coverage with the most trip protection coverage available for a single trip. Typically, a comprehensive plan will offer a variety of benefits for travelers, covering a wide range of concerns, such as trip cancellation and going home early, flight delay, baggage loss or damage, 24-hour assistance and some travel medical coverage.
These the most widely known travel insurance plans because they are available for nearly any type of trip for travelers of any age.
Coverage Limits
Coverage limits for comprehensive travel insurance vary between plans and dictate the maximum amount of reimbursement in case of a claim. Typically, trip cancellation and trip interruption limits directly reflect your total trip cost. Other limits, such as medical, baggage and travel delay coverage are independent of this.
Several plans also have optional benefits that can tailor coverage to your specific trip needs. For example, if you’re traveling with business or sports equipment, you may want to compare comprehensive plans that offer coverage options for these items. If you are particularly concerned about illness or injury while traveling, you may want to compare plans with more travel medical or evacuation coverage. Also, several plans offer pre-existing condition waivers, if purchased within a specific time window. These options, often available with comprehensive plans, help to allow you to find the right plan for your trip.
Plan Exclusions
Most travel insurance plans will include a list of exclusions (such as events and items) that are not covered under the listed benefits. It’s always advisable to make sure you are well acquainted with the terms of any plan you are considering. This may help you feel more comfortable that the coverage you do buy will meet your needs and help to avoid issues in the event you file a claim.
Some exclusions can include travel delays that do not meet the required minimum or expensive sports equipment needed for your trip. Also, many plans will exclude pre-existing conditions or adventure activities from medical coverage.
Another popular coverage is trip cancellation. Many plans only provide coverage for a specific list of covered reasons for cancellation. We recommend reviewing this list to be fully aware of which reasons are included and which are not. This can help you to prepare for a claims process, if necessary.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article serves as a general overview of benefits and should only be used for informational purposes. Refer to your individual certificate of insurance for specific coverages, exclusions and benefits. When in doubt, please contact one of our licensed agents for additional assistance.
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Question
We have put a deposit on a cruise in June, 2018 and used points to already book our airfare. Can we still sign up for cruise insurance as we do not pay for the full cruise until April? How are our airline points impacted if we cancel?
By PatriciaS - February 12, 2018
Answer
You can purchase most policies up until the day before departure, however; you may not be eligible for some time sensitive benefits if you do not purchase within 10-21 days of the initial trip deposit/payment. Some time sensitive benefits are, but not limited to: Pre-Existing Condition Waiver, Financial Default, Terrorism, Cancel For Any Reason and Cancel For Work Reasons. When purchasing travel arrangements with points or miles, you can insure the prepaid non-refundable taxes and fees you paid to redeem the points or miles.
By MattG - February 14, 2018
Question
Do you insure Disney tickets in case of cancellation due to death in the family?
By StarlaC - May 24, 2018
Answer
Yes, as long as the park tickets are prepaid and non-refundable, you can include it in your Trip Cost that you insure along with all other prepaid non-refundable travel arrangements. The number one covered reason for Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption is the unforeseen illness or injury of you or a traveling companion that deems you unfit to travel, by order of a licensed physician; or the unforeseen hospitalization or death of a family member. To see all of the covered reasons to cancel or interrupt your trip, please click on the dollar amount that appears under the words "Trip Cancellation" when viewing a quote.
By MattG - May 26, 2018
Question
Is there any travel insurance that covers booking agency default?
By KatharineB - September 14, 2018
Answer
Trip Cancellation does provide coverage for Financial Default of a travel supplier, such as an airline or cruise line. It does not cover Financial Default of a travel agent or booking agencies.
By MattG - September 17, 2018
Question
Can I get an annual policy? One of my trips is 33 days long.
By LynnM - December 31, 2018
Answer
We do provide annual medical policies for trips that take place outside of your home country. Typically, the trips cannot be longer than 90 days per trip with most plans. To obtain a quote, please fill out the quote form with your very first trip's details and once you arrive on the results page, please click on the button labeled “medical†on the bottom left and view our plans that are labeled “multi trip". Our multi-trip medical plans provide both medical and medical evacuation coverage.
By MattG - January 2, 2019
Question
My husband and I would like to book a condo for 59 days next year. If we had to cancel for health reasons, would we be able to get our non-refundable first installment payment back?
By MargaretM - January 14, 2019
Answer
The number one covered reason for Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption is the unforeseen illness or injury of you or a traveling companion that deems you unfit to travel, by order of a licensed physician; or the unforeseen hospitalization or death of a family member. To see all of the covered reasons to cancel or interrupt your trip, please click on the dollar amount that appears under the words "Trip Cancellation" when viewing a quote. Trip Cancellation reimburses 100%.
By MattG - January 15, 2019
Question
If the passenger who purchased the ticket dies unexpectedly, can the family obtain the full refund of the cabin (two passengers). Everyone is grieving and no one can travel in her place.
By MercedesM - January 9, 2020
Answer
All travelers who are insured are covered to cancel the trip if one traveler is cancelling due to a covered reason, such as a death to one of the travelers or a death in the family. Trip Cancellation reimburses 100%.
By MattG - January 9, 2020
Question
For what reasons can I cancel a 4 month stay at a Utah home? I will be alone with a dog.
By JudyW - November 2, 2021
Answer
The number one covered reason for Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption is the unforeseen illness or injury of you or a traveling companion that deems you unfit to travel, by order of a licensed physician; or the unforeseen hospitalization or death of a family member. To see all of the covered reasons to cancel or interrupt your trip, please click on the dollar amount that appears under the words "Trip Cancellation" when viewing a quote. If you wanted to still have flexibility to cancel for reasons not covered with Trip Cancellation, you can look into Cancel for Any Reason. There are typically 3 conditions that must be met to purchase a Cancel For Any Reason Rider: Purchase the policy within 10 - 21 days of First Trip Payment; Insure ALL prepaid and non-refundable travel expenses prior to departure; Trip arrangements must be canceled more than 48 -72 hours prior to the departure date. If you meet all 3 of these conditions, this benefit will typically reimburse you 75% of your trip cost, unless otherwise noted.
By MattG - November 3, 2021