Top 10 Travel Insurance Plan Questions Answered

1. Do I need travel insurance?

Many travel professionals recommend that you buy travel insurance prior to your trip. There are many circumstances when travel insurance can come in handy before and during your travels, and it is very common for travel to be complicated by the unforeseen:

• Trip Cancellation coverage is helpful if your child gets sick and can no longer go on the family trip.
• Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expense coverage can help if you experience a medical emergency, such as a heart attack, while traveling far from home.
• Security Evacuation benefits can help get you to safety if you are stranded due to a devastating earthquake.
• Baggage & Personal Effects Coverage can provide you with coverage for essentials that you need to purchase while the airline searches for your lost luggage.

2. Does age affect travel insurance pricing?

Yes, for Arch RoamRight travel insurance plans, the traveler’s age is one of the factors that affects the pricing of the plans.

3. What is the average cost of travel insurance?

Since the price of travel insurance plans can vary based on traveler’s age, length of trip, and other factors, it is difficult to estimate the average cost of a travel insurance plan.

4. What does driveway to driveway mean?

Driveway-to-driveway coverage is a phrase you may encounter when researching travel insurance. Basically, any travel insurance plans that is described as driveway-to-driveway provides coverage outside of just the time you are actually in your travel destination.

These coverages, such as trip cancellation and trip delay, can provide coverage for travelers when they are en route to their final destination, or en route back to their primary residence.

However, it should be noted that often the driveway-to-driveway moniker should not be taken literally. For example, your travel insurance policy would not provide coverage for medical emergencies suffered while driving to the airport for your flight to your destination.

5. When should I buy travel insurance?

You should purchase your travel insurance when you first book your trip since many travel insurance plans have early purchase benefits that can be beneficial, such as a Pre-Existing Conditions Exclusion waiver and optional upgrades like Cancel for Any Reason.

For example, it is important to know that once a hurricane is named, it is no longer considered an unforeseen event, and you therefore may not be covered by a travel insurance policy if it is purchased after the hurricane develops. In 2018, Hurricane Michael was first named a hurricane on October 8. Only travelers who purchased travel insurance prior to October 8 were covered for claims related to Hurricane Michael.

6. What trip payments should I insure?

You should insure the non-refundable portions of your travel plans. This often includes lodging and pre-paid tours or excursions.

You can always purchase the travel insurance and then add additional non-refundable trip costs at a later date (before you leave for your trip). You can do this by calling our customer service team at 1-800-699-3845 Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 9:00PM. Of course, since the cost of travel insurance is decided in part by the cost of your trip, the price of your plan may increase if you add additional trip costs.

7. Who is covered under my travel insurance plan?

Only those that have their own travel insurance policies are covered. At Arch RoamRight, one child is included per covered adult, but they must be listed as a traveler on your plan.

8. What is a Pre-Existing Conditions Exclusion waiver?

A Pre-Existing Conditions Exclusion waiver can result in additional coverage to the trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits when it comes to claims arising from pre-existing medical conditions. This could apply to medical conditions affecting the insured, their traveling companion (insured or uninsured), or either of their family members, as defined.

To be eligible for the Pre-Existing Conditions Exclusion waiver, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• Purchase your travel insurance plan within 21 days of making your first trip payment;
• Insure the entire non-refundable cost of your trip;
• Must not be disabled from travel† at the time your premium is paid; and
• This must be the first and only booking for this same time period and destination.

†For definitions, please refer to the policy

9. When does travel insurance coverage begin?

For Trip Cancellation and the optional Cancel for Any Reason coverages, the coverage begins typically at 12:01AM the day after receipt of your payment for a travel insurance policy. All other coverages begin at 12:01AM on the date you depart on the first scheduled travel arrangement for an insured trip. However, you should consult a copy of your policy for the full terms and conditions.

10. When does travel insurance coverage end?

Coverage ends for Trip Cancellation on the earlier of: the scheduled departure time on the scheduled departure date of your trip, the date and time you depart on your trip, or the date and time you cancel your trip.

Coverage ends for Cancel for Any Reason coverage on the earlier of: 48 hours prior to the scheduled departure time on the scheduled departure date of your trip, the date and time you depart on your trip, or the date and time you cancel your trip.

All other coverages end on the earlier of: the date the trip is completed, the scheduled return date, your arrival at the return destination on a round-trip (or the destination on a one-way trip), cancellation of the trip covered by the policy, or the expiration date of the policy.

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