Choosing Travel Insurance for Academic Trips

The type of coverage you look for in a travel insurance plan for academic trips should not vary much from personal trips. Look into the travel medical coverage on the plans, make sure it fits your needs. Be sure the potential loss of luggage is covered as well - especially if you are making several stops or have a couple layovers on the trip. All of these factors may influence the type of policy that you would want to consider purchasing.

Travel Medical Coverage

You know your medical needs best. When looking at the available plans, it is important to consider whether your primary medical coverage will provide benefits if you become ill or injured during your trip. If your primary plan will not cover you at your destination, you would want to look at an All-Inclusive product, which in addition to including Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage, will usually include medical and emergency medical evacuation benefits.

Baggage Coverage

The last thing you want to worry about when doing a head count on the bus at the airport is: where is my luggage? Sometimes your bags do not reach your final destination as quickly as you do. While baggage delay/loss coverage doesn't keep your luggage where it needs to be, it can help by reimbursing you for the replacement of lost or delayed items. This coverage can provide one less thing to worry about.

Trip Cancellation

There are two ways to cover your group for cancellations: you can cover the trip against those mishaps listed in the policy, and those that are outside of those listed in your policy.

If a participant needs to cancel their trip due to a covered peril, reimbursement is up to 100% of the pre-paid, non-refundable trip cost. However, Cancel For Any Reason (also known as CFAR) is an optional coverage that if selected, allows participants to cancel their trip for any reason (or for something other than one of the covered perils). With this added flexibility, reimbursement is usually a percentage of the pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses.

There are usually certain requirements that must be met to be eligible for Cancel For Any Reason benefits, and coverage may not be available to residents of all states. Both of these benefits can help to ensure that you don't lose all of your pre-paid expenses in the event the trip has to be cancelled.

Trip Interruption

In most cases, student illness and injury are the most likely causes for a trip to be interrupted, but there are many others. How about if a student's family member at home falls ill, or unfortunately passes away while they are on their trip? Recently, terrorism and political unrest have made us all on edge. These unfortunate events, too, need to be considered when reviewing your insurance options.

Although you may not be homesick, one or more of your students may be. In this case, and others that fall outside of the hazards listed in your policy, Interruption for Any Reason (commonly known as IFAR) will be the coverage that you will want. As with CFAR, there are certain eligibility requirements and this coverage is not available to residents of all states.

Written by on 4/17/15.
Was this helpful?