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Trip Delay Insurance: What you need to know

The best-laid travel plans don’t always come to pass, and that’s especially true when it comes to departing on a long-awaited trip. All kinds of things can cause a delay to your planned trip, and trip delay insurance covers you for brief and unexpected delays to the start of your trip.

It’s important to know what kinds of scenarios are covered by travel delay coverage, as well as how this type of coverage differs from other common elements of a good travel insurance policy. When you have a good understanding of what travel insurance covers, you’ll be best positioned to be eligible for benefits if your plans go awry.

 

What does trip delay mean?

Trip delay insurance generally reimburses you for expenses you incur if you’re delayed a defined period of time.

Keep in mind that the delay you’re making a claim for must meet the minimum duration as defined by your policy. For example, if being delayed for 12 hours or overnight means you missed your next flight, that may be covered by your policy. Whereas a short delay of just 45 minutes may not.

Trip delay insurance can also cover the costs of an unexpected hotel room, meals, or local transportation as a result of a delay.

Again, any delay would have to meet the exclusions and conditions of your policy and fall under a covered reason. In addition, any reimbursement would be subject to a maximum limit determined by the insurance company.

So be sure to keep your reasonable expenses within the policy’s agreed limit, and don’t rack up a huge bill on your credit cards as you wait out your delay. If you do, you may not be reimbursed for all of it.

Don’t forget that almost every travel insurance plan includes 24-hour assistance services, so if you’re delayed and you need help finding a hotel or making alternate travel arrangements, you can call for help.

The reason for the delay to your trip has to be one of the covered reasons as defined by your insurance plan. These may include situations like your flight being grounded due to a mechanical issue, a strike, natural disaster, civil unrest, your travel documents being lost or stolen, or inclement weather disrupting travel. Keep in mind that if, say, you missed your flight because you arrived late to the airport, this may not be covered by travel delay insurance as it was within your control.

 

Does travel insurance cover flight delays?

If your trip is delayed due to the fault of an airline — a staffing shortage, overbooking a flight, or something similar — you can’t always expect that the carrier will reimburse you for all related costs. What you’re entitled to claim from the airline will vary by carrier, circumstance, and whether or not you’re in the U.S. or somewhere else, so don’t rely on it as the ultimate failsafe.

If you’ve purchased trip delay coverage, it’s more likely that one way or another, you’ll be able to claim benefits for a delayed flight — be it from the airline or your insurance company. Since flight delays are very common, you don’t want to lose money on your extra expenses if the carrier decides you’re not entitled to reimbursement.

 

What is the difference between trip interruption and trip delay?

There are all kinds of ways your planned trip schedule can be disrupted — from delay to interruption to outright cancellation — and thus there are different kinds of insurance plans for each. Trip cancellation is for situations when your trip cannot go forward at all, and you file a claim to recoup as much as possible of your trip cost.

This is not to be confused with cancel for any reason coverage, which allows you to cancel your trip for any reason and recover a percentage of your non-refundable trip costs.

Trip interruption coverage comes into play when your trip is already underway, but you have to end your trip early due to illness, accident, or some other unforeseen event.

Understanding the difference between each of these scenarios — and ensuring you have coverage for each of them — will help ensure that no matter what happens to your trip you are not totally out of pocket for expenses. Once it comes time to time to fill out a claim form, you’ll hopefully benefit from all the protection of your policy and receive a reimbursement from your insurance company.

PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION

Pre-Existing Medical Condition means an illness, disease, or other condition during the 180 day period immediately prior to the date Your coverage is effective :
  1. received or received a recommendation for a test, examination, or medical treatment for a condition which first manifested itself, worsened or became acute, or had symptoms which would have prompted a reasonable person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; or
  2. took or received a prescription for drugs or medicine. Item (2) of this definition does not apply to a condition which is treated or controlled solely through the taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled without any adjustment or change in the required prescription throughout the 180 day period before coverage is effective under this policy.
  3. required a change in prescribed medication. Change in prescribed medication means the dosage or frequency of a medication has been reduced, increased, stopped and/or new medications have been prescribed due to the worsening of an underlying condition that is being treated with the medication, unless the change is:
    1. between a brand name and a generic medication with comparable dosage; or
    2. an adjustment to insulin or anti-coagulant dosage.
If you, or someone you are traveling with, has a Pre-Existing Medical Condition, you can still buy a policy from us but there is no cover for any claim arising directly or indirectly from that condition.

PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION

Any Medical Condition that, within the last 12 months, required any:

  • surgery, inpatient or outpatient treatment, referrals or investigations of any sort. This includes being on any waiting list, taking any prescription medication, tablets or required medical treatment (This will not apply to common colds, flu or contraceptive medication);
  • medical advice or treatment for any respiratory condition relating to the lungs or breathing;
  • medical advice or treatment for any heart, stroke or diabetic condition;

Hypertension or high cholesterol controlled by 1 prescription drug only and where the dosage has not been changed within the last 12 months will not be considered a pre-existing medical condition

Coverages Available:

*not all coverages are available in all states
Travel Protection Benefits Limits
Trip Cancellation 100% of trip cost (up to a maximum of $20,000)
Single Occupancy Up to trip cost
Cancel for Any Reason Up to 75% of trip cost Up to 50% of trip costs in FL(CFAR not available to NY residents)
Trip Interruption 150% of trip cost
Delay Package
Trip Delay
Maximum $200 per day up to $2,500
Missed Connection Maximum of $1,000 per covered trip
Baggage Package – Excess
Baggage and Personal Effects $2,500 $100 Deductible
Baggage Delay $100 per day up to a maximum of $500
Travel Medical Package – Excess AK, CO, ID, ND, NH – Primary
Travel Medical Expense – Adventure sports included $100,000 $50,000 in NH $50 Deductible
Emergency Dental $750
Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains Up to $500,000
Up to $1,000,000 in NH
Accidental Death & Dismemberment $100,000 or $250,000 or $500,000
Pet Medical Package
Pet Medical Expense Up to $2,000 $100 Deductible
Pet Return Up to $500
Rental Vehicle Damage – Primary Up to $35,000 per rented vehicle- Primary $250 Deductible for loss greater than $2,000
Vacation Rental Damage $1,500 or $3,000 or $5,000

Travel Medical Insurance

Some benefits are subject to an excess (aka, the deductible, or what you have to pay before we pay), as stated in the Policy Schedule, and are per Policy Period.

Benefits Limits
Cancellation and Curtailment 5,000
Emergency Medical Expenses, Evacuation and Repatriation of Mortal Remains 10,000,000 (excess 250 or 50)
Hospital Benefit 25 per day, maximum 100
Personal Accident up to 250,000
Baggage Loss or Delay up to 5,000 (excess 250 or 50)
Personal Money and Passport, limited to 250 in respect of cash 500 (excess 250 or 50)
Personal Liability 500,000
Travel Delay 500
Optional Benefits Limits
Business Extension up to 1,000 (excess 100)
Winter Sports (Ski Equipment) up to 750 (excess 50 or 100)

Travel Medical Insurance

Some benefits are subject to an excess (aka, the deductible, or what you have to pay before we pay), as stated in the Policy Schedule, and are per Policy Period.

Benefits Limits
Trip Interruption 2,000
Emergency Medical Expenses, Evacuation and Repatriation of Mortal Remains 10,000,000 (excess 250)
Hospital Benefit 25 per day, maximum 100
Personal Accident up to 5,000
Baggage Loss or Delay up to 2,000 (excess 250 or 50)
Personal Money and Passport, limited to 250 in respect of cash 500 (excess 250) *** Limited to 250 in respect of cash
Personal Liability 500,000
Optional Benefits Limits
Business Extension up to 1,000 (excess 100)
Winter Sports (Ski Equipment) up to 750 (excess 50 or 100)
Personal Accident up to 250,000
Baggage up to 10,000

Travel Medical Insurance

Some benefits are subject to an excess (aka, the deductible, or what you have to pay before we pay), as stated in the Policy Schedule, and are per Policy Period.

Benefits Limits
Cancellation up to $20,000
Trip Interruption $1,000
Medical and Emergency Expenses $5,000,000 (deductible $250)
Hospital Benefit $25 per day, maximum $100
Personal Accident up to $50,000
Baggage $2,000 (deductible $250)
Personal Money and Passport, limited to $250 in respect of cash $500 (deductible $250)
Personal Liability $500,000
Optional Benefits Limits
Business Extension up to $1,000 (deductible $100)
Winter Sports (Ski Equipment) up to $750 (deductible $50 or $100)

Travel Medical Insurance

Some benefits are subject to an excess (aka, the deductible, or what you have to pay before we pay), as stated in the Policy Schedule, and are per Policy Period.

Benefits Limits
Cancellation and Curtailment 5,000
Emergency Medical Expenses, Evacuation and Repatriation of Mortal Remains 10,000,000 (excess 250 or 50)
Hospital Benefit 25 per day, maximum 100
Personal Accident up to 250,000
Baggage Loss or Delay up to 5,000 (excess 250 or 50)
Personal Money and Passport, limited to 250 in respect of cash 500 (excess 250 or 50)
Personal Liability 500,000
Travel Delay 500
Optional Benefits Limits
Business Extension up to 1,000 (excess 100)
Winter Sports (Ski Equipment) up to 750 (excess 50 or 100)