You’ve planned a trip from start to finish, but what would you do if the trip had to be cut short? Will you be refunded for the unused parts of your trip? What about change fees or fare differences for a last minute flight home? Travel insurance can reimburse travelers what they lose if the trip is interrupted for a covered reason in the policy. This is similar to Trip Cancellation coverage, except cancellation covers the time leading up to the trip, and Trip Interruption applies once the trip begins. Trip Interruption can reimburse the unused land and water expenses that were pre-paid and not refunded, as well as additional transportation costs to return home early, or rejoin the trip.
Every plan will have a list of covered reasons for Trip Interruption coverage to apply. The covered reasons include certain events that are unforeseeable and out of your control. When comparing travel insurance plans and Trip Interruption coverage, it is helpful to identify any scenarios that are important for you to make sure are covered. This is a quick list of some of the more frequently asked about covered reasons for Trip Interruption.
Sickness, Injury or Death – Interrupting the trip because of a medical emergency. This medical need could be yours, a traveling companion’s or family member’s, including family that isn’t traveling with you. Some plans also extend this to business partners. It is important to think about whether Pre-Existing Conditions will be a factor for any of these groups.
A Pre-Existing Medical Condition –To qualify for a policy that covers Pre-Existing Conditions, the policy must be purchased within 14 or 15 days from the first trip deposit date. After that time, you could still purchase one of those plans, but it would not cover Pre-Existing Conditions. This is specific to the individuals in the traveling party. No additional coverage is needed for non-traveling family members.
Bad Weather – An extended weather delay of your common carrier leads to the trip being interrupted. Different plans require a delay to last a certain number of hours.
Mechanical Breakdown – Mechanical failure of your common carrier delaying the departure for a required number of hours can be a covered reason for Trip Interruption.
Unannounced Strike – A common carrier delay for a set number of hours due to a labor strike causes the trip to be interrupted.
Damage to Home, Destination, or Workplace – One of these structured is made uninhabitable by a fire, flood or natural disaster and the trip needs to be interrupted. Compare different plans to confirm whether only home, destination and workplace can be covered. Not all plans cover all three.
Terrorism – Interrupting the trip because of a terrorist attack in a city listed on your travel itinerary.
Losing Your Job – Involuntarily termination of employment can a covered reason to interrupt the trip. Different plans require that you’ve worked there for one or multiple years.
Required To Work –Previously approved vacation time is revoked and you have to interrupt the trip to work instead.
Bankruptcy of a Travel Supplier – Trip Interruption because an airline, cruise company, or other travel supplier goes insolvent, and cannot fulfill their obligations.
Mandatory Evacuation – A natural disaster results in a mandatory evacuation being issued at the destination.
Hurricane Warning – A hurricane warning is issued by NOAA and causes the trip to be interrupted.
The other common covered reasons are hijack, quarantine, jury duty, theft of passports or visas, and revocation of military leave, among other events.
Many plans will contain similar covered reasons, but are different with the requirements for coverage, such as how long a flight delay is required to last.
There are other travel related benefits in effect during the trip, in addition to Trip Interruption. Learn more about how Missed Connection coverage and Trip Delay coverage also protect you during while traveling.
Please contact TripInsurance.com with any questions. Agents are happy to help 24/7.
