The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant uncertainty in both domestic and international travel. From weekend trips to two-week-long getaways, vacationing in this day and age can stress out even the most experienced travelers.
Many concerned travelers are typing “cancel for any reason travel insurance COVID” into a search engine, and for good reason. Some are concerned about losing their deposits on nonrefundable flight tickets, vacation rentals, amusem*nt park tickets, and more if they cancel their trip during these uncertain times. Others worry circ*mstances will change and their destination will see higher COVID cases prior to their trip, making them feel uneasy about going.
However, travelers can protect their trip investments with a travel insurance plan. The best travel insurance plan for you might be one with a Trip Cancellation for Any Reason (CFAR) benefit, which would provide coverage for those nonrefundable trip deposits if you decided to cancel your trip for any reason.
Beyond COVID-19, there are many other reasons why a traveler might decide to cancel their trip. Someone could be feeling apprehensive about flying or want to travel during a different time of the year when work isn’t so stressful and finances aren’t so tight.
A travel insurance plan with a Trip Cancellation for Any Reason benefit provides the flexibility many travelers need. It can also provide additional travel-related benefits and even emergency medical coverage.
What Is Travel Insurance (or Trip Cancellation Insurance)?
What exactly is trip cancellation insurance and what is covered in a trip cancellation insurance plan? Travel insurance (sometimes referred to as “trip cancellation insurance” or “travel cancellation insurance”) is a short-term insurance policy that provides coverage for the unexpected when traveling.
Most travel insurance plans are available to U.S. citizens and residents who are traveling domestically and/or abroad. A primary benefit of travel insurance is the Trip Cancellation benefit. This benefit reimburses travelers for eligible nonrefundable trip expenses if they cancel a trip for a covered reason, like a sickness or injury that prevents them from traveling or dangerous weather causing their airline to cancel their flights. (More on covered reasons below.)
When faced with a situation that will delay or cancel your trip, you could be forking out more money than you intended or wasting your trip deposits when you miss out on activities and reservations you already paid for.
The best trip cancellation insurance for you could be a plan that covers these situations and offers additional travel-related benefits too. Here are a few scenarios it could cover:
- Cancellation of your trip due to a covered reason, such as a death in the family
- Delay or cancellation of a common carrier
- Damaged or lost baggage expenses
- Expenses related to unexpected sickness, injury, hospitalization, or death while traveling
- Compensation if your travel companion cancels and your travel costs increase
Some travel insurance plans, like WorldTrips’ Atlas Journey plan, also provide travel assistance services. These services could include:
- Worldwide travel, medical, emergency, and security assistance
- Concierge services
- Embassy and consular services
- Medical referrals
- Translator or interpreter referral
- Assistance with lost or stolen luggage and personal items
These services can be the support you need when you face a frustrating travel mishap or stressful emergency while traveling in an unfamiliar area. You can see the full list of travel assistance services for our Atlas Journey plans here.
Trip Cancellation Insurance Covered Reasons
You may be wondering “What is a covered reason for trip cancellation with a travel insurance plan?” A primary benefit of travel insurance, known as a Trip Cancellation benefit, provides reimbursem*nt of prepaid and nonrefundable expenses to travelers who cancel their trip for a reason listed in their policy documents.
Let’s look at some examples of trip cancellation insurance covered reasons. Remember: whether or not these are covered reasons depends on the specific plan you choose.
- You get in an accident en route to your departure flight.
- Your family member suddenly passes away.
- You or your travel companion become injured or too ill to travel.
- You are hospitalized for COVID-19 prior to your trip and advised not to travel by your doctor.
- Your flight is canceled due to civil unrest or an unannounced strike.
- Your common carrier ceases services for a period of time (often more than 12 hours) due to a natural disaster or severe weather.
- Your airline defaults or declares bankruptcy.
- Your hotel or Airbnb is made uninhabitable due to a natural disaster.
- You are laid off from your job or required to work.
These are just a few of the situations that trip cancellation insurance coverage could help you manage.
Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance
You may consider searching for cancel for any reason travel insurance that better fits your trip needs. Trip Cancellation for Any Reason, or CFAR, is an optional benefit upgrade for some travel insurance plans.
Your Trip Cancellation benefit will already reimburse you up to 100% of your trip cost for unused, prepaid, nonrefundable deposits made toward your trip if you cancel due to a covered reason listed in your policy documents.
A CFAR benefit will provide reimbursem*nt (often 50% or 75%) for these same payments made toward your trip if you cancel for any reason that is NOT covered by your Trip Cancellation benefit, such as fear of catching COVID in your destination due to a rise in cases or non-covered changes to your health status.
IMPORTANT! Most plans will only allow you to add a CFAR benefit if you purchase your travel insurance plan within a certain number of days after you make your first payment toward your trip. This time frame is often 3 weeks. Additionally,some travel insurance plans may not allow you to add a CFAR benefit if you purchase your coverage within 48 hours of your departure. The common time requirement to purchase a travel insurance plan is:
- within 21 days of the date you made your first trip payment and
- more than 2 days prior to your departure
The best travel insurance plan is one that provides the coverage you need in the event you decide to cancel your trip. Some travelers may be satisfied with a basic travel insurance plan that covers only the specific covered reasons laid out in the plan. Others may prefer the additional freedom that comes with upgrading to trip cancellation insurance for ANY reason.
Just make sure you read your plan’s policy documents and ensure you are following the correct procedures. For example, you may be required to cancel within a certain number of days prior to your trip to be eligible for CFAR coverage.
EXAMPLE: HOW THE CFAR BENEFIT WORKS
Let’s say you’ve planned your first international trip since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. You’re worried about getting sick and being unable to travel, so you decide to purchase a travel insurance plan like WorldTrips’ Atlas Journey travel insurance. Because you are also nervous about traveling generally, you upgrade the base plan to include a Trip Cancellation for Any Reason (CFAR) benefit and select the option of coverage for 75% of your trip expenses.
When the trip rolls around, you have doubts about traveling due to the increase of COVID-19 cases at your destination. You decide you aren’t ready to travel internationally just yet, so you cancel your trip three days prior to your departure. (Note that Atlas Journey requires you to cancel your trip 2 or more days in advance of your departure when using the CFAR benefit.)
So, all those trip deposits you put down, like Airbnb reservations and nonrefundable tickets? You will get reimbursed for 75% of those trip expenses.
What Is the Best CFAR Travel Insurance for Me?
The best CFAR travel insurance for you is the plan that covers your travel priorities at a price that fits your budget and provides travel assistance services when you need them. WorldTrips’ Atlas Journey travel insurance could be the right option for you and your travel companions. This comprehensive travel insurance plan is available to U.S. citizens and residents traveling domestically and/or abroad. It provides a Trip Cancellation benefit, Trip Interruption benefit, Travel Delay benefit, emergency medical coverage, and more.
Atlas Journey features three levels of coverage: Premier, Preferred, and Economy. Its Trip Cancellation benefit reimburses 100% of eligible trip costs up to the plan level’s maximum limit if you cancel due to a covered reason.
If you want cancel for any reason coverage so you can have more freedom to cancel your trip, upgrade your base Atlas Journey Premier or Atlas Journey Preferred plan to include a Trip Cancellation for Any reason benefit. If purchased, this benefit will cover 50% or 75% of trip costs – you decide during the purchase process – when you cancel a trip at least 48 hours before the scheduled departure.
When searching for a CFAR travel insurance policy, make sure it allows you to cancel for any reason without additional penalties when you follow the parameters of the policy. Knowing you are covered if you decide to cancel your trip may be well worth the higher premium.
Make sure to view your plan’s policy documents BEFORE purchasing to make sure you have coverage for all your individual needs. Premium amounts vary based on plan, trip cost, and age, and coverage can vary slightly based on your state of residency.
To see policy documents for a specific Atlas Journey plan, visit the Atlas Journey page. Scroll down and select “Policy Documents” above the gray benefit chart. Select the state where you are a resident and then choose the plan that interests you. Be sure to review conditions for all the benefits that are most important to you and pay special attention to policy exclusions.
Trip Cancellation Insurance Cost
Are you wondering how much a trip cancellation plan costs? Below is a quick trip cancellation insurance cost example from the Atlas Journey quote engine. (Keep in mind, a CFAR upgrade will increase your travel insurance premium.)
- Trip Cancellation Without CFAR: A 45-year-old taking a $1,500 trip for 7 days will pay $61* for Atlas Journey Economy, $83* for Atlas Journey Preferred, and $101* for Atlas Journey Premier.
- Trip Cancellation With CFAR: Adding the Trip Cancellation for Any Reason benefit to the plan above will increase the overall premium. The Atlas Journey Preferred policy premium will increase to $116.89* with 50% reimbursem*nt and to $126.85* with 75% reimbursem*nt. The Atlas Journey Premier policy premium will increase to $142.23* with 50% reimbursem*nt and $154.36* with 75% reimbursem*nt.
*Prices accurate as of March 2023.
Trip Cancellation Insurance for COVID
With the risk of contracting COVID-19 before or during your trip, having trip cancellation insurance for COVID may be of the utmost importance to you. A Trip Cancellation benefit can save you money and provide support in stressful situations.
For example, let’s say you are sick or hospitalized due to COVID-19 before departing on your trip and your doctor advises you not to travel. Illness that prevents you from traveling is a valid covered reason for cancellation under many travel insurance policies, including Atlas Journey, so your prepaid and nonrefundable trip expenses could be covered.
Emergencies can also happen while you’re traveling. Travel insurance with emergency medical coverage can help pay your medical bills if you catch a severe case of COVID-19 while traveling. This can be especially helpful if you are traveling abroad, where your primary health insurance may not cover you or may have limited coverage. Just make sure you purchase a travel insurance plan that provides coverage for COVID-19-related medical expenses. For example, eligible medical expenses related to COVID-19 are covered the same as any other illness under our Atlas Journey plans, up to the Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expense maximum benefit for the plan you choose.
What about quarantine? Trip cancellation plans may provide some coverage if you are quarantined during your trip dates. For example, Atlas Journey includes a Travel Delay benefit that will reimburse you up to $150 per day (up to a $2,000 maximum) under Atlas Journey Preferred or up to $200 per day (up to a $2,000 maximum) under Atlas Journey Premier if you are delayed for 5 or more hours due to a covered reason, such as quarantine, while en route to your trip, during your trip, or while returning from your trip.
Finally, let’s say you want to be able to cancel if you become concerned about COVID conditions in your destination. Remember: general COVID concerns are NOT a valid reason for canceling your trip under most travel insurance plans. You’ll need to look for COVID travel insurance with Cancel for Any Reason coverage that would reimburse you if you if you were to cancel your trip due to a reason not already covered under your policy’s Trip Cancellation benefit. (This CFAR benefit is discussed in additional detail above.)
When searching “best travel insurance COVID,” make sure your plan offers both Trip Cancellation coverage and emergency medical coverage to fit your travel needs. You may want to look for a plan that will cover the cost of mandatory quarantine due to testing positive for COVID-19 too. Read your plan’s policy documents to ensure you understand the requirements necessary to use each listed benefit.
Should I Buy Trip Cancellation Insurance?
Are you still wondering “Should I buy trip cancellation insurance?” Think of it this way – if you have a valid trip cancellation insurance plan while traveling, you’ll be protected from a number of potential losses. If you add the CFAR benefit, you will have the freedom to cancel your trip for any reason, no matter how small. Consider your unique situation before deciding whether trip cancellation insurance is right for you.
