6 Simple Steps To Filing a Travel Insurance Claim

According to the numbers produced by the US Travel Insurance Association, only 3% of Americans who have their travel plans go awry are covered by travel insurance ( source). If you’re one of them, good for you for being prepared!

While you’re probably still coping with the disrupted travel plans, you’re also likely trying to file a claim, identifying what information is needed and trying to speak with a claims administrator. What follows are general guidelines for filing a travel insurance claim.

1. Read your travel insurance policy.

Before you purchased your policy, hopefully you at least skimmed it to get an idea of what is covered. Now it’s time to pull out the policy document to make sure you understand the details of what’s covered and what is not. If you are a RoamRight travel insurance policyholder, you received a link to your policy, or Description of Coverage, in your purchase confirmation email. You can also access PDF documents of RoamRight policieson our website.

Read all of the provisions and exclusions to see which pertain to you. This will help you understand what information you may need to provide, as well as set expectations about the possible outcome of your claim request. It may be helpful to print out the document and have a highlighter handy when you’re reading.

Take care to note any state-specific language that may be in your policy, often listed towards the end of the document. This is based on the state of residency you identified when you bought the travel insurance. Some states even have their own policies completely. When in doubt, refer to the policy that was included with your confirmation email, or call the RoamRight customer service team to get a copy of your policy.

2. Understand your coverage limits.

If you read your policy and have questions, or are not sure if you are covered for a particular incident, call RoamRight. We understand that travel insurance policies can be confusing and want to make sure that you know what benefits you are entitled to.

The purchase confirmation email that you received when you bought your policy also includes a link to your Confirmation of Benefits. This document outlines the details of your trip, as well as the benefit limits that are included in the plan you purchased.

3. Keep all receipts – before and during your trip.

One of the most common reasons why a claim may be denied is because there isn’t enough supporting documentation. If you’re going to file a claim for lost baggage and state that you had expensive shoes or electronics in your luggage, we’ll need to verify that you purchased that item and how much the item is worth. Likewise, if you must purchase additional clothing because your luggage was lost on your way to your destination, we will need to get copies of those receipts in order to cover those expenses.

If you incur expenses such as arranging alternate transportation during a travel delay, we’ll need to see a receipt for that as well. As a general rule, it’s best to keep all receipts, including meal receipts, until after you return home and your claim – if you have one – has been closed.

4. Complete the proper claim form.

You have three different options to file a RoamRight travel insurance claim. The fastest method is to file a claim online through the My Account sectionof the RoamRight website. You can also call us directly and we can email you the claim form(s) you need to complete, or you can download a claim form from our website. You can then mail, fax, or email your claims forms to us. Be prepared: Claims forms ask for a lot of information; read and follow the instructions carefully to avoid any delays in processing your claim.

If you are filing for a medical claim, please be prepared to have a medical professional complete part of the form. For example, we’ll need verification that your pediatrician said your daughter had strep throat and should not travel. Similarly, we may also request birth or death certificates if applicable, doctor statements or other supporting material that will help us make a decision regarding your claim.

 5. Please be patient.

You’ll receive an email confirmation when your claim request has been received by RoamRight. This notification will also include the name of your claims administrator. While any of our claims administrators can assist you if you call with a question, this person will be most familiar with your situation.

At RoamRight, we take the time to carefully review each claim, protecting our travelers as allowed by the travel insurance policy they purchased. We strive to make claims decisions within a few weeks of receiving all of the necessary information and supporting documents for the claim. When a decision has been reached, you will receive an Explanation of Benefits, which will notify you if your claim has been approved or denied and – if denied – for what reasons. If your claim was approved, you’ll also receive a check for the covered amount.

6. Ask questions!

If you have questions, or are simply wondering about the status of your claim, please contact us. We want you to be comfortable with the claims process and understand the status of your claim. You can reach our claims department directly by emailing claims@roamright.comor calling 1-855-762-6252 .

Have you ever had to file a claim for travel insurance?

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.