Over the past few weeks, we have seen some exciting announcements from Europe about travel regulations for international travelers. Greece was the first European nation to announce that it would allow international travelers to visit, if they can show proof of vaccination against the COVID-19 virus. Then, Italy announced that it would be opening immediately to international travelers, who also can show evidence of immunization. The announcement by Italy and Greece marks a huge milestone for international travelers who want to frequent Europe.
On the domestic side, New York has announced that it hit its COVID-19 vaccination milestone, which allows it to end all restrictions put in place during the pandemic. You can now travel to New York City and enjoy all of the activities the great city has to offer, without any restriction.The announcements of popular destinations opening back up have caused an increase in travel booking for the summer and beyond.
With increased travel activity, many travelers are looking to safeguard their investment in their trip and procure travel insurance, causing many travelers who have never purchased a travel protection plan to buy one now. Many of these new travel insurance customers may have questions. So we have provided answers to help travel professionals better advise their clients to obtain travel insurance that will meet their needs.
Travel Insurance Questions
Can you package travel insurance into their trip quote? How much of their trip should they insure?
Yes, we highly advise that you inform the customer to purchase travel insurance from a travel insurance provider when they’re booking travel. Your customer should protect the entire value of their trip. What type of travel insurance do you recommend, since there are so many different travel insurance offerings?
Trip cancellation insurance protects the covered expenses, in case of many unforeseen circumstances as listed in the policy. For a fraction of the trip cost, your client can alleviate the risk of losing money if they must cancel for a named reason. They may have never heard of, or even considered, purchasing insurance coverage like this before—but, if they’re paying out a lot of money upfront for an organized tour or airfare, this is a must-have for them. In this world, where anything can happen and COVID-19 is still a threat, trip cancellation insurance is something you should advise your client to have.
What is Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage?
Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) is a benefit that has become quite popular as a voluntary upgrade on some travel insurance plans over the past year. The CFAR benefit allows travelers to cancel their trip up to two days before their trip is supposed to start, and they will receive a certain percentage back of all their prepaid expenses.
Not every travel protection policy offers it, so you must advise your client on what plans and providers provide. Also, you must be aware that providers may have different regulations for their CFAR benefit. For example, at Trawick International, we offer up 75% reimbursement of prepaid activities, but other providers may not.
Is the Trawick customer service hotline for a travel insurance organization a concierge service?
No, it’s not. The customer service line should be used to answer your travel insurance plan questions and help during emergencies. The customer service line can help customers if they have lost their passport or become ill when traveling. Call center representatives are not available to make reservations for shows and dinner for your clients.
What is travel medical insurance?
These plans do not provide trip cancellation coverage. They provide out-of-country medical coverage for US Residents who are traveling to other countries. Travel medical insurance covers eligible emergency accident and sickness medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, and repatriation expenses in addition to other travel benefits while traveling.
Bailey Foster serves as VP of Trip Insurance for Trawick International. She is responsible for overseeing the Trawick International Trip Cancellation product. Ms. Foster has nearly 20 years of insurance experience, with a proven track record of escalating responsibility. Bailey has developed a strong knowledge of insurance ethics and business practices related to the travel industry. Her experience enables her to provide proactive account management, training, consulting and support. To become a Trawick International partner, call 888-301-9289 or email info@trawickinternational.com.