Trip Insurance: Be Covered

The added expense of trip insurance could be one of the best investments your clients make—but convincing them could be a hard sell, as many may mistakenly believe they are adequately covered through their credit cards, current health insurance, or tour provider. Educating clients is vital.

Canceling or Interrupting a Trip

When a volcano in Iceland erupted in 2010, spewing particles into the air and grounding planes for almost a week in some areas, the largest air traffic shutdown since World War II resulted. More than five million tourists worldwide were left stranded. Hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and other catastrophic events can also cause changes in plans, but most often it's the traveler's own life that gets in the way. Common reasons for canceling or interrupting a trip include:

• Sickness, injury, or death of the client, family member, or traveling companion.
• Being laid off from or required to work.
• Jury duty.
• Simply changing one's mind.

There is a range of options available for trip cancelation or interruption, and it's important for clients to understand the fine print regarding accepted reasons for cancelation. While "For Any Reason" cancelation insurance riders might cost a bit more, there's also a peace of mind associated with such finality.

Clients should also be advised about pre-existing condition contingencies. While this term is usually associated with health conditions, here it can apply to other circumstances. If a client purchases a trip, for example, then gets called for jury duty, it's too late to purchase trip cancelation insurance. If the hurricane is brewing or the volcano is smoking—too late. Therefore, it's wise for clients to make the purchase when they make their trip deposit.

To read more about trip insurance for your clients, click here to read this article in its entirety in the digital edition of Groups Today magazine.