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 to determine what your total prepaid Trip expenses will be. You should include any prepaid expenses for travel arrangements you are making on your own, such as airfare. You will show the 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 Description of Coverage for complete details.)
2. Do I need to insure my airfare cost?
If your airfare has any cancellation penalty or restriction (most do, check with your airline), you may wish to insure it. If you choose to insure your airfare by checking the “Air” checkbox under travel arrangements, you must include 100% of your airfare in your trip cost to qualify for the time sensitive benefits.
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 Companion means “a person or persons with whom the Insured has coordinated travel arrangements and intend to travel with during the Trip.”
5. Cal Discoveries 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 Cal Discoveries 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 Cal Discoveries or for personal travel.
Coverage Clarification
See the Description of Coverage for complete details on the items below.
7. Will Travel Protection cover Pre-Existing Conditions?
Pre-Existing Condition: The Insurer will not pay for loss or expense incurred as the result of injury, Sickness or other condition of the Insured, a Traveling Companion, Business Partner, or an Immediate Family Member book to travel with the insured, which within the 60 day period before the Insured’s coverage began: (a) first manifested itself, worsened, became acute, or had symptoms which would have prompted a reasonable person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment;(b)required taking prescribed drugs or medicine, unless the condition for which the prescribed drugs or medicine is taken remains controlled without any change in the required prescription; or (c) required treatment by a Physician or treatment had been recommended by a Physician.
Pre-Existing Condition: The Insurer will not pay for loss or expense incurred as the result of injury, Sickness or other condition of the Insured, a Traveling Companion, Business Partner, or an Immediate Family Member book to travel with the insured, which within the 60 day period before the Insured’s coverage began: (a) first manifested itself, worsened, became acute, or had symptoms which would have prompted a reasonable person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment;(b)required taking prescribed drugs or medicine, unless the condition for which the prescribed drugs or medicine is taken remains controlled without any change in the required prescription; or (c) required treatment by a Physician or treatment had been recommended by a Physician.
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 Default means either (a) the complete suspension of operations due to financial circumstances, whether or not a bankruptcy petition is filed or (b) a partial suspension of the operations following a filing of a bankruptcy petition. Travel Protection covers Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption due to Financial Default of an airline, cruise line or tour operator resulting in the complete cessation of services.
- Excluded is the organization, from which the insured purchased his/her Trip or this coverage.
- Financial Default occurring on or before the Insured’s coverage effective date or less than 14 days after the Insured’s coverage effective date will not be covered.
- Coverage applies only if insurance was purchased within 15 calendar days of initial Trip payment.
9. Does Travel Protection cover Terrorist Acts?
Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption benefits are expanded to include 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 provided that the Terrorist Act (or Acts) occurs within 30 days of the Scheduled arrival.
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 $500,000 for Medical Evacuation. This benefit also includes: Repatriation of Remains. The plan also includes 24-Hour Travel 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 Worldwide Assistance Center, available 24 hours a day.
- From within the United States and Canada, call toll free: 877-295-9618
- From outside the U.S. and Canada, call collect: 715-342-3541*
* 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, contact the Claims Department at 877-295-9618 (toll free) or 715-342-3541 (collect).
Please be prepared to provide:
- The Plans benefit provision that is the basis for the claim Report Your Claim (i.e. Medical Expenses, Lost Luggage)
- The name of the company that arranged the trip
- The Insured Trip Dates
- The amount insured for the trip
16. What are my duties in the event of a loss?
In the event of a loss, please:
- Contact the Claims Department as soon as reasonably possible
- Complete and sign the Claim Form provided by the Claims Department within 90 days
- Provided documentation necessary to substantiate the loss
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 and issues a full refund of all payments (for example, due to low traveler participation), we will provide a full refund of your premium, less the original $5.00 administration fee. Simply return Confirmation/Receipt along with a short letter requesting a refund of your premium and include a copy of the letter given to you by the tour company confirming the cancellation of the Trip.
You are not eligible for a refund if you have filed a claim on the policy.