Frequently Asked Questions

Before Purchase

Deciding What To Purchase, Determining The Cost

1. How do I determine what Trip Cost to insure?
Calculate all travel arrangement expenses, per person, that you will be prepaying prior to your trip. If you need help with this, call your tour operator and ask what your total prepaid Trip expenses will be. You should add any prepaid expenses for travel arrangements you are making on your own, such as airfare. You will show your Trip Cost per person for each Participant on your Enrollment form.

You should insure 100% of those arrangements that have any cancellation penalty or restriction. If you insure a lesser amount, the exclusion for Pre-Existing Conditions will not be waived and Post Departure Trip Interruption Benefits will be reduced. (See Travel Insurance Certificate for complete details.)

2. Do I need to insure my airfare cost?
 If your airfare has any cancellation penalty or restriction (most do), you can insure it; you may choose whether you want to insure it or not. If you indicate that you want to insure your airfare by checking the “Air” checkbox in Item 2, you must include 100% of your airfare cost in your Trip Cost.

3. Can I insure the cost of my airline ticket that was purchased with Frequent Flyer Miles?
No, you can only insure prepaid, Trip Costs that you pay for with cash, check/money order or credit card. You cannot insure Frequent Flyer Miles or other payments made in the form of a certificate, voucher or discount.

4. My friend and I are going to be traveling together. Can we enroll on the same Travel Protection Enrollment Form?
 Yes, Traveling Companions may use the same Enrollment Form. Traveling Companions means “a person whose name appears with yours on the same Trip arrangement and who, during the Trip, will share accommodations with you in the same room, cabin, condominium unit, apartment unit or other lodging.”

5. The BEAR TREKS Travel Program is sponsoring my Trip. I plan to travel on my own for additional days before and after -- may I insure this portion of my Trip as well?
Yes, you may insure the days you are traveling on your own. Include the prepaid expenses for this part of your Trip in the Trip Cost you list on your Enrollment Form. Also, be sure to include these dates when you enter your departure and return dates.

6. May I buy the insurance for my personal trips or is Travel Protection only available when traveling with The BEAR TREKS Travel Program?
You may buy the insurance for any of your trips. Travel Protection is offered to all Cal Alumni members, family and friends, either for trips with The BEAR TREKS Travel Program or for personal travel.

Coverage Clarification

See the Travel Insurance Certificate for complete details on the items below.

7. Will Travel Protection cover Pre-Existing Conditions?
 A Pre-Existing Condition is a medical condition for which there is treatment; or a recommendation for treatment, diagnostic test or exam; or for which drugs or medicine are prescribed during the 60-day period prior to your Effective Date of Coverage with Travel Protection.

The policy excludes coverage for your Pre-Existing Conditions and those of a Traveling Companion, Business Partner or an Immediate Family Member traveling with you. Exception: Medical conditions that are treated or controlled solely with prescription medication and remain treated or controlled without an adjustment or a change in medication during the 60 day period prior to your insurance effective date are not considered to be Pre-Existing Conditions.

The policy exclusion for Pre-Existing Conditions will be waived if: You enroll and pay premium for this insurance within 15 days of the date your initial Trip deposit is received (this means enrolling online during this timeframe or postmarking your mailed enrollment envelope containing your premium payment during this timeframe); You insure all prepaid Trip Costs that are subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions; and You are not already disabled from travel at the time you pay your premium.

8. Does Travel Protection provide coverage if my tour operator, airline or cruise line becomes financially insolvent or ceases operating?
 Yes, in some cases. Financial Insolvency means the total cessation of operations due to insolvency with, without, or following the filing of a bankruptcy petition. Travel Insurance Select covers Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption due to Financial Insolvency of an airline, cruise line or tour operator provided that:

9. Does Travel Protection cover Terrorist Acts?
 Some. Coverage for a Terrorist Act (or Acts) which occurs in your departure city or in a city which is a scheduled destination for your Trip is included provided that:

10. Does Travel Protection include any Medical coverage?
Yes, Travel Protection provides up to $25,000 for Accident and Sickness Medical Expenses resulting from an Injury or Sickness during your Trip.

11. Does Travel Protection include Medical Evacuation coverage?
Yes, Travel Protection provides up to $100,000 for Medical Evacuation. This benefit also includes: Repatriation of Remains and 24-Hour Worldwide Assistance Services.

12. May I purchase trip cancellation/interruption insurance without the other benefits?
No, Travel Protection is all-inclusive and the benefits cannot be purchased individually. The majority of the premium you pay for this plan is going toward the Trip Cancellation/Interruption benefits, as these benefits represent the higest percentage of the claims.

13. Do you have a plan for baggage coverage only?
No, Travel Protection is a package plan that includes a variety of benefits including trip cancellation insurance, emergency medical insurance and baggage insurance. Baggage insurance is not offered as a stand-alone benefit.

After Purchasing The Plan

Claims And Emergency Assistance

14. Who should I call if I need medical assistance while I am traveling?
 If you become sick, injured or in need of any of the assistance services listed on the Travel Insurance Certificate, call the ON CALL Assistance Network, available 24 hours a day. When calling, refer to Plan Number 840C.

* You will first need to enter the International Access Code of the country from where you place the call.

15. How do I file a claim?
As soon as possible, file your claim with directly with Travel Protection’s Program Administrator, Trip Mate Agency, Inc, 9225 Ward Parkway, 2 nd Floor, Kansas City, Missouri 64114. You may:

When reporting your claim, refer to Plan Number 840C.

16. What are my duties in the event of a loss?

In the event of a Medical or Dental Expense:
You must provide Trip Mate with all bills and reports for medical and/or dental expenses claimed; you must provide any requested information, including but not limited to, and explanation of benefits from any other applicable insurance; and you must sign a patient authorization to release any information required by Trip Mate, to investigate your claim.

In case of loss, theft or damage to Baggage and Personal Effects:
You should immediately report the situation to the hotel manager, tour guide or representative, transportation official, local police or other local authorities and obtain their written report of your loss; take reasonable steps to protect your Baggage from further damage; and make necessary, reasonable and temporary repairs. Trip Mate will reimburse you for these expenses. Trip Mate will not pay for further damage if you fail to protect your Baggage.

Policy Changes

17. After I submitted my Enrollment online, I realized I entered the wrong Departure Date. What should I do?
 During business hours (Monday – Friday, 8:30 – 5:00 Pacific Time) call our Customer Service representatives, who can accept some changes over the phone: Toll Free: 800-937-1387 or Phone: 925-932-1387. We will advise you if you also need to submit your correction in writing.

Outside of business hours, simply send us any corrections in writing by email, fax or mail and we will confirm the changes. Please include a daytime phone number and reference your Confirmation Number. Fax to 925-932-0442, email to info@travelinsure.com or mail to Travel Protection, 2950 Camino Diablo, Suite 300, Walnut Creek, CA 94597-3991

18. What if, after insuring my trip, my trip cost increases (for example, I later book airfare or add a trip extension)? Can I increase the insurance to cover that expense?
 Yes, you can increase the Trip Cost you are insuring to include these costs, and you may want to act quickly to do so. If you are eligible for the early-purchase benefits including the Pre-Existing Conditions Exclusion waiver, you must purchase the additional coverage within 15 days after paying for the new travel arragements to continue your eligibility.

Notify Travel Insurance Services in writing by email, fax or mail of the new travel arrangements you want to insure and include the additional insurance premium. Please include a daytime phone number and reference your Confirmation Number. Fax to 925-932-0442, email to info@travelinsure.com or mail to Travel Protection, 2950 Camino Diablo, Suite 300, Walnut Creek, CA 94597-3991.

If you need assisistance during business hours (Monday – Friday, 8:30 – 5:00 Pacific Time), call our Customer Service representatives: Toll Free: 800-937-1387 or Phone: 925-932-1387.

19. My tour operator cancelled my Trip. May I cancel my insurance and get a premium refund?
If your tour operator completely cancels a Trip (for example, due to low traveler participation), we will provide you to a full refund of your premium, less a $5.00 processing fee. Simply return Confirmation/Receipt along with a short letter requesting a refund of your premium and include the letter given to you by the tour company confirming the cancellation of the Trip.

 

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