Samantha International Travel Insurance Plans help cover unexpected costs incurred during your trip. Plans typically include trip cancellation and travel medical coverage.
Some travel insurance providers also provide assistance services that overcome language barriers, arrange transportation, and cover the cost of a one-way flight home in case your trip is interrupted. Examples of these include Atlas, GeoBlue and Seven Corners.
Cancel for Any Reason
The cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) option is an add-on to many travel insurance plans. It allows travelers to cancel their trips and receive a percentage of their insured prepaid trip costs back. Reasons for cancelling a trip may include personal emergencies, severe weather, or a change in work schedule.
CFAR policies are typically offered on higher plan options, and their coverage limits tend to be higher than standard plans. For example, Trawick offers a CFAR option on its Safe Travel Explorer plan, which reimburses up to 75% of unused trip expenses. Other providers, such as John Hancock, offer a similar plan with greater reimbursement amounts.
When shopping for a CFAR policy, consider the terms and conditions carefully to ensure that it is a good fit for your specific needs. Also, evaluate coverage limits to determine the maximum amount of reimbursement available. Then, compare prices to find a CFAR policy that fits your budget. The best travel insurance with CFAR will provide flexible coverage and protect your trip investment.
Trip Cancellation
Typically, standard travel insurance plans reimburse up to 100% of your trip cost if you cancel for reasons accepted by the policy. However, these plans may exclude certain events known to the traveler at the time of purchase. That’s why many travelers opt for a plan with CFAR coverage, which is available on some policies for an additional premium.
CFAR reimburses your prepaid and non-refundable expenses if you cancel for any reason not explicitly listed in the policy (excluding terrorism and financial default). Some of these reasons include:
If you choose to purchase a plan with CFAR, be sure to select this option when entering your travel information. This will filter out plans that don’t include this feature. Be aware that this coverage can add 40% to 60% to the price of your plan.
Also, most CFAR travel insurance policies require you to add it to your coverage before your initial trip deposit or within a specified time frame from when your first payment is due, which usually ranges from seven days to 21 days.
Medical Coverage
Medical coverage is an essential part of any travel insurance plan. Travel medical policies are different than standard health insurance plans as they typically provide higher benefit limits and other coverages specific to international travel. These coverages can include:
Reasons for medical coverage on vacation can range from a broken leg to an infected cut. In these cases, it’s important to have access to quality medical care in a timely fashion. Travel medical plans can help with this by covering the cost of the emergency visit as well as facilitating any necessary evacuation.
For added peace of mind, some travel medical plans also include foreign language assistance and can act as a healthcare advocate to assist with navigating unfamiliar health care systems. Additionally, some travelers choose to purchase a separate stand-alone plan that covers pre-existing conditions.
For example, the Atlas and Voyager plans from GeoBlue are great options for US citizens traveling abroad. Pace students participating in a Pace-arranged program abroad have the option to add this additional insurance to their Program Fee for the duration of their trip.
Emergency Evacuation
The right travel insurance policy can help you deal with unforeseen circumstances that could derail your trip, such as medical emergencies, natural disasters including severe weather, lost or stolen passports and other mishaps.
It also provides a network of support to help you with everything from arranging emergency medical care to finding overnight accommodations and helping you get your plane home if you are evacuated for any reason.
Evacuating in an emergency requires careful preparation and clear plans. Make sure you have a designated meeting spot and communicate that to out-of-town family members, as well as any local contacts you might need.
Listen to local radio and TV broadcasts for evacuation instructions and follow the directions provided by public safety officials. Seven Corners Assist helped this traveler get to the hospital after a sudden illness while in Myanmar. Click here to learn more about our medical coverage.
Our policies are designed specifically for travelers while they’re away from home, filling in gaps in domestic insurance and providing additional coverages like trip cancellation and emergency medical evacuation.
