Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Travel Protection Plan?
- When should I buy the Protection Plan?
- Do I need to insure my airfare cost?
- Does the plan cover my frequent flyer miles? Can I insure my frequent flyer miles?
- My friend and I are going to be traveling together. Am I covered if my friend cancels his or her trip?
- The Travel Protection Plan was recommended to me by the organization planning my tour. I plan to travel on my own for additional days before and/or after the tour. May I insure this portion of my Trip as well?
- If I have a medical expense while on my trip, must I first file a claim with my personal insurance?
- How do I know that The Travel Protection Plan is a reputable product?
- Will the Travel Protection Plan cover Pre-Existing Conditions?
- Does Cancel For Any Reason really mean I can cancel for any reason?
- Am I covered if the tour operator, airline or cruise line ceases operations or becomes financially insolvent?
- What if I don't want to take my Trip because of terrorist attacks?
- Can I choose the benefits I wish to purchase? For example, can I just buy Trip Cancellation Protection?
- Who should I call if I need medical assistance while I am traveling?
- How do I file a claim?
- After I submitted my Enrollment online, I realized I entered the wrong Departure Date. What should I do?
- What if, after insuring my trip, my trip cost increases? For example, I may later book airfare or add a trip extension. Can I increase the insurance to cover the additional Trip Cost?
- Can I upgrade to add Cancel for Any Reason and pay the additional premium?
- How do I obtain Cancel for Any Reason coverage?
- How does the Cancel for Any Reason benefit work?
Before Purchase: When to Purchase and How to Determine the Cost
Before Purchase: Coverage Clarification
After Purchase: Claims and Emergency Assistance
- What is the Travel Protection Plan?
- When should I buy the Protection Plan?
- Pre-Existing Conditions Exclusion Waiver
- Financial Default
- Cancellation for Work Reasons (some state restrictions apply please; see Description Of Coverage)
- Optional Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR)
- Do I need to insure my airfare cost?
- Does the plan cover my frequent flyer miles? Can I insure my frequent flyer miles?
- My friend and I are going to be traveling together. Am I covered if my friend cancels his or her trip?
- If you decide to take your Trip, the plan will reimburse your additional cost as a result of a change in the per-person occupancy rate for prepaid travel arrangements, or
- If you decide not to take your Trip, your covered, prepaid cancellation penalties will be covered by the plan.
- The Travel Protection Plan was recommended to me by the organization planning my tour. I plan to travel on my own for additional days before and/or after the tour. May I insure this portion of my Trip as well?
- If I have a medical expense while on my trip, must I first file a claim with my personal insurance?
- How do I know that the Travel Protection Plan is a reputable product?
- Will the Travel Protection Plan cover Pre-Existing Conditions?
- Does Cancel For Any Reason really mean I can cancel for any reason?
- Am I covered if the tour operator, airline or cruise line ceases operations or becomes financially insolvent?
- What if I don't want to take my Trip because of recent terrorist attacks?
- Can I choose the benefits I wish to purchase? For example, can I just buy Trip Cancellation Protection?
- Who should I call if I need medical assistance while I am traveling?
- How do I file a claim?
- the benefit provision(s) that are the basis of the claim (i.e. Medical Expenses),
- the name of the company that arranged the Trip (i.e., tour operator, cruise line, or charter operator),
- the Trip dates and the amount that the Insured paid for the Trip.
- After I submitted my Enrollment online, I realized I entered the wrong Departure Date. What should I do?
- What if, after insuring my trip, my trip cost increases? For example, I may later book airfare or add a trip extension. Can I increase the insurance to cover the additional Trip Cost?
- Can I upgrade the Travel Protection Plan to add Cancel for Any Reason and pay the additional premium?
- How do I obtain Cancel for Any Reason coverage?
- How does the Cancel for Any Reason benefit work?
Before Purchase: When to Purchase and How to Determine the Cost
Our Travel Protection Plan provides protection for losses due to Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Travel Delay, Medical, Evacuation and Baggage Loss/Delay. The optional Travel Protection Plan with CFAR offers Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR).
Buy within 21 days of booking your trip for several time-sensitive benefits.
The time-sensitive benefits are:
You may purchase the plan at any time prior to your trip departure, but if your payment is received more than 21 days after the date of your initial trip deposit/payment, you will not be eligible for the time-sensitive benefits. The Travel Protection Plan with CFAR is not available for purchase after 21 days from your initial trip deposit/payment.
If, after you purchase The Travel Protection Plan, you make additional trip arrangements or your trip costs increase, you must insure those additional arrangements/costs within 21 days to continue your eligibility for the time-sensitive benefits.
Notify USI Travel Insurance Services in writing by email, fax or mail of the new travel arrangement costs you want to insure and include the additional insurance premium. Please include a daytime phone number and your Confirmation Number. Fax to 610-537-9835, email to select@travelinsure.com or mail to The Travel Protection Plan, 2950 Camino Diablo, Suite 300, Walnut Creek, CA 94597-3991.
If you need assistance during business hours (Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Pacific Time), call our Customer Service Representatives: Toll Free 800-937-1387 or Phone: 925-932-1387.
If your airfare is subject to a cancellation penalty or restriction (most are), we recommend that you insure it. If you indicate that you want to insure your airfare by checking the "Air" checkbox on the Enrollment Form, you must include 100% of your airfare cost in your Trip.
No, frequent flyer miles cannot be insured. However, if the cancellation is for a covered reason listed in the Policy, the frequent flyer “rebanking" or "rebooking” fee can be covered.
The Travel Protection Plan covers Traveling Companions. A "Traveling Companion" means a person or persons with whom the Insured has coordinated travel arrangements and intends to travel with during the Trip. A group or tour leader is not considered a Traveling Companion, unless the Insured is sharing room accommodations with the group or tour leader.
If your Traveling Companion, as defined, cancels his or her Trip for a reason covered by the Travel Protection Plan, you are protected in two ways:
See the Travel Protection Plan Description of Coverage for complete details about this benefit.
Yes, you may insure the days you are traveling on your own. Include the prepaid expenses as part of your Trip in the Trip Cost listed on your Enrollment Form and be sure to include those dates when you enter your departure and return dates.
No. One of the advantages of the Travel Protection Plan is that if offers Primary medical coverage.
The Travel Protection Plan is underwritten by National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pa., a Pennsylvania insurance company, with its principal place of business at 175 Water Street, New York, NY 10038, and currently authorized to transact business in all states and the District of Columbia.
Before Purchase: Coverage Clarification
Yes, if you purchase the plan within 21 days of your initial trip deposit/payment, insure 100% of your trip cost and are medically able to travel at the time you pay your premium, the Pre-Existing Conditions exclusion is waived. For a complete explanation of the Pre-Existing Conditions Exclusion waiver, please review the Description of Coverage.
Yes, if you purchase the optional Travel Protection Plan with CFAR, you really can cancel for any reason not already covered by your plan, provided you cancel at least two (2) days prior to your trip’s scheduled departure. If you are forced to cancel for a reason not otherwise covered by your plan, Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage will reimburse you 75% of your prepaid, forfeited, non-refundable payments for the insured Trip arrangement(s) up to the policy limit shown on the Schedule of Benefits. To be eligible for this benefit, you must purchase the optional Travel Protection Plan with CFAR within 21 days of your initial Trip payment/deposit. In all cases, the CFAR benefit is in effect only if you insure 100% of your Trip cost.
Yes, if you purchase The Travel Protection Plan within 21 days of your initial trip payment/deposit. You will be covered for financial default of an airline, cruise line, or tour operator. Certain exclusions may apply, please see the Description of Coverage for a complete explanation of your coverage.
Please view the Alert List and Strike List.
The Travel Protection Plan offers coverage if you choose to cancel your trip due to terrorist attacks in a city on your trip itinerary occurring within 30 days of your scheduled arrival.
The Travel Protection Plan is only offered as a package of benefits.
After Purchase: Claims and Emergency Assistance
If you need medical assistance while traveling, please contact the Worldwide Assistance Center at 1-800-356-7208 (within the US and Canada) or 1-715-342-3541 (collect; outside the US and Canada).
If you need to file a claim, please contact the Claims Department at 1-800-356-7208 (within the US and Canada) or 1-715-342-3541 (collect; outside the US and Canada) as soon as reasonably possible.
Be prepared to provide:
A claim form will be completed for you to review and sign along with a list of items you must attach to substantiate the loss. The completed form and any attachments should be returned to: Claims Department, P.O. Box 47, Stevens Point, Wisconsin 54481. Call 1-800-356-7208 (within the US and Canada) or 1-715-342-3541 (collect; outside the US and Canada) for assistance. All California claims will be administered by Mercury Claims Administrator Services, LLC.
After Purchase: Policy Changes
If you realize that information on your enrollment form is incorrect please notify USI Travel Insurance Services in writing by e-mail, fax, or mail of the correct information. Please include a daytime phone number and your Confirmation Number.
Fax: 610-537-9835
Email: select@travelinsure.com
Mail to: The Travel Protection Plan, 2950 Camino Diablo, Suite 300, Walnut Creek, CA 94597-3991
If you need assistance during business hours (Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Pacific Time), call our Customer Service Representatives: Toll Free: 800-937-1387 or Phone: 925-932-1387.
You may increase your covered Trip Cost anytime prior to departure. However, if you purchased the coverage within 21 days after making your initial payment or deposit for your trip and your total Trip Cost later increases, you must purchase additional coverage within 21 days of scheduling your new trip arrangement(s). This will retain your eligibility for: (1) Financial Default, (2) Pre-Existing Conditions Exclusion Waiver, (3) Cancel for Work Reasons (CFWR), and (4) Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) (if purchased).
Example: If you later purchase an airfare, add a tour extension, or your tour costs increase for some reason, you must increase the Insured Trip Cost indicated by contacting USI Travel Insurance Services. Requests for increases must be in writing and the additional premium payment be made within 21 days after confirmation of the additional arrangement(s).
Notify USI Travel Insurance Services in writing by email, fax or mail of the new travel arrangement costs you want to insure and include the additional insurance premium. Please include a daytime phone number and your Confirmation Number. Fax to 610-537-9835, email to select@travelinsure.com, or mail to The Travel Protection Plan, 2950 Camino Diablo, Suite 300, Walnut Creek, CA 94597-3991.
If you need assistance during business hours (Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Pacific Time), call our Customer Service Representatives: Toll Free: 800-937-1387 or Phone: 925-932-1387.
Yes, you can upgrade to the Travel Protection Plan with CFAR, but you must do so within 21 days of the initial trip payment/deposit.
Simply purchase the Travel Protection Plan with CFAR within 21 days of your initial trip deposit/payment and Cancel for Any Reason is included. You must insure 100% of your prepaid trip cost. (Cancel for Any Reason is not available to NY residents.)
The Cancel for Any Reason benefit will pay 75% of your prepaid non-refundable Trip payments/deposits if your Trip is cancelled for any reason not otherwise covered by the Policy, provided: (a) you purchase the Travel Protection Plan with CFAR within 21 days; (b) you insure all prepaid Trip costs including 100% of any subsequently booked Trip arrangements within 21 days of payment/confirmation of those additional arrangements; and (c) The insured cancels the Trip at least 2 days prior to scheduled departure.
Note: These Frequently Asked Questions are not intended to be complete policy language. For more complete details, refer to the Description of Coverage. Since each situation is unique, we cannot guarantee any benefits until the entire claim has been reviewed by the claims office.