What Travel Insurance Does Not Cover

Unfortunately, unexpected things do happen at times. Some of you may have those stories to tell. Sometimes luggage is lost, trips are delayed, and you may get sick, injured, or worse.

Enter: travel insurance. Travel insurance is designed to give you some peace of mind and help protect you against unforeseen events.

While it covers many things, it doesn’t cover everything. It’s essential to read (and make sure you understand) all the terms and conditions of the policy you plan to buy.

So, pay attention to the exclusions included in the policy when considering what travel insurance is best for your situation so your expectations are realistic.

As an overview, consider these five areas travel insurance typically doesn't cover:

1. Disappointing weather

There’s a huge difference between disappointing weather and weather that cancels or delays flights and makes a destination uninhabitable. While the rainy weather in Cancun may not be ideal for your beach days, it’s not a valid insurance claim. Neither are named storms if you haven’t yet purchased an insurance plan.

If a tropical storm or hurricane has already been named (or after an official government agency has issued a warning), your policy won’t provide coverage related to that particular weather event. If you purchased your policy before the storm or hurricane was named, you are eligible to file a claim. Be sure you understand the terms of your policy, and consider purchasing travel insurance as soon as you make your initial trip payment to make the most of your coverage.

2. Certain medical issues

While travel insurance covers many things, certain medical issues will be an exception. At Travelex, our policies don’t provide coverage for conditions like psychological disorders, trips taken outside the advice of your doctor, intentional self-inflicted injuries, and traveling for the purpose of receiving medical treatment.

Pre-existing conditions

Think about what medical conditions you already have that may impact your trip and discuss them with your doctor. Coverage for pre-existing conditions will vary based on which plan you select, so be sure to read the policy wording carefully. For most of our plans, any existing medical conditions within a 60-day period immediately preceding your policy purchase date are not covered. For our Travel Med plan, the window is 180 days rather than 60.

However, to help with certain pre-existing condition concerns, our Travel Select plan has a pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver. This means certain pre-existing medical conditions are waived when the plan is purchased within 15 days of an initial trip deposit, as long as the traveler is medically able to travel at the time of plan purchase.

3. Invalid cancellation reasons

While there are certainly valid reasons to cancel a trip and receive coverage (such as sickness, injury or death, inclement weather, employment termination, and others), it is important to know you can’t just cancel a trip for any reason at all. Review your policy to make sure you understand what cancellation reasons are covered.

If you would like to include the option to cancel a trip for any reason not covered by the Travelex Travel Select base policy, you can opt to supplement your travel insurance plan with our Cancel For Any Reason upgrade available on the Travel Select plan (refer to the policy for purchase and state restrictions, all terms of the policy apply). This allows you to cancel a trip, truly for any reason, at least 48-hours prior to your scheduled departure date.

4. Irresponsible or high-risk behavior

Some things are just common sense, while others need clarification. Leaving your belongings unattended does not constitute automatic coverage for theft. In the same line of thought, don’t assume travel insurance is going to cover you when you engage in certain risky personal behaviors. Take personal responsibility when considering what kind of behaviors you engage in — and their possible consequences — before you act.

A few examples of scenarios that won’t be covered by our Travelex policies include:

• Consequences of being under the influence of alcohol or narcotics, especially above legal limits
• Committing any unlawful acts
• Participating in a civil disorder or riot
• Ignoring or breaking driving rules, or driving under the influence of alcohol

5. Claims submitted with a lack of documentation

When submitting a travel insurance claim, it’s critical that you have the proper documentation to receive reimbursement. As a rule of thumb, keep all documentation for your trip that you receive before and during travel. This includes receipts, itemized bills, unused tickets, doctor’s notes, police reports, and proof of airline delays, etc.

Here are a few examples of documentation you will need for various claim types if you’re a Travelex policyholder:

• If you cancel a trip because of a medical reason, you will need proper documentation from your doctor. This could range from a doctor’s note to a full diagnosis.
• If you have a medical emergency that causes you to seek medical attention while on your trip, be sure to keep all paperwork from the medical provider. You should also contact the travel assistance provider listed in your policy, to assist with proper approvals and to help make sure you have all the documentation you will need.
• If you have a travel delay, keep all receipts for additional costs such as meals, accommodations, and transportation.

Remember, what we’ve highlighted here is just an overview of what travel insurance doesn’t cover. It’s important for you to ask clarifying questions and discuss any concerns with our friendly Customer Service team well before your trip. You can also take advantage of our 15-day free-look period to make sure you understand the terms of your travel insurance policy.

We are here to help you navigate the often-confusing waters of travel insurance. Let us assist you with the travel insurance for your next trip so you can dream, explore, and travel on in confidence.

The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries and may be changed without notice. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. If you have questions about coverage available under our plans, please review the policy or contact us at 1-800-228-9792 or [email protected]. Travelex Insurance Services, Inc. CA Agency License #0D10209. Travel Insurance is underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company; NAIC #22276