Hi everyone!
I offered to create a simple overview of trip insurance for the HYC BVI trip. I’ve operated a trip insurance brokerage for almost 20 years and can give an overview of how it works, what to watch out for, and make some recommendations. Feel free to email with any questions as well: [email protected].
Trip Cancellation Coverage: This coverage reimburses 100% of the insured trip cost if you need to cancel for a covered reason. The list of covered reasons is long, but the most common is someone getting sick or injured and not being able to travel. Your physician would need to verify that you are unable to travel, which is something they do often. I’ve personally had 2 instances of needing to cancel, and both times the physicians were familiar with the procedure. I emailed my physician the form, and they emailed it back without issue.
Other common reasons for cancellation include a death in the family, severe weather or hurricane, your home is damaged, jury duty, termination from job, and more.
Trip Interruption Coverage: This is similar to trip cancellation, but covers you during the trip. For example: If you get sick or there’s a death in the family, it reimburses the portion of the trip you “lost” by going back early.
Travel Medical Coverage: This provides emergency medical coverage abroad, where your health insurance from home may not cover you. This is a must-have when abroad, and the best plans provide primary coverage and have zero deductible. The company will also provide assistance services in finding care and any other help needed, which is very comforting in a foreign country when you don't know where to go. They can even help with language barriers in getting care.
Emergency Medical Evacuatiuon Coverage: This covers the costs in the event you need to be transported to an adequate local facility, or even a flight back home. Rare, but when evacs happen the cost can easily get north of $100k.
Other “Nice to have” Coverage: The 2 above are most important and provide 95% of the value, but trip insurance includes some other coverage. Trip Delay reimburses you for extra costs incurred from a covered delay. Baggage Loss protects your belongings from loss or theft. Baggage Delay coverage reimburses you for items you need to purchase in case your bags arrive late. 24/7 Assistance gives you someone to call if you need help.
Optional "Cancel For Any Reason" Coverage: Also known as CFAR, this has become a very popular plan upgrade. With this upgrade, your list of covered reasons to cancel your trip is extended to "everything". More details in the FAQ...but the key here is timing.
If you want this upgrade, you need to buy your plan soon after your first payment towards the trip. In this our case with this trip, that would be when you pay the $1,500 deposit. Since we don't know all costs yet, you can "lock in" coverage now at whatever trip cost you do know...then adjust the policy later as you know more.
My favorite plan right now is from an insurer called Travel Insured International. It is only offered through brokers/aggregators, and the coverage/pricing is excellent. The plan name is FlexiPAX; this is the plan I always buy.
The button below is a link to quote/purchase. It will highlight the FlexiPAX plan, but you can also see and compare other offerings from all major companies.
Plan Highlights:
- $100,000 Primary emergency medical coverage (per person, this is ample coverage)
- $500,000 Evacuation coverage per person, very ample
- Hurricane/weather coverage includes NOAA warnings, this expands scope of coverage (April is a little early for hurricane season but you never know)
- Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) is available as an upgrade (if purchased right after first deposit, within 21 days for this plan but some comanies are shorter time windows)
- They offer low-cost coverage limit upgrades at checkout, totally optional
- Their pricing tends to work well for all group combinations (families, couples, different ages, etc)
- Here is a full list of covered reasons for cancellation and the rest of the policy documentation
Here’s a sample quote I ran for 2 adults, 2 children, $20,000 trip cost, 7 day trip. This is for all travelers, not per person:
How much does trip insurance cost?
In general, about 4-10% of the trip cost. The main factors are cost of trip, age of travelers, length of trip, and any extras like CFAR (see below)
When should I buy my policy?
I recommend buying immediately after your first payment towards your trip, so in this case after the $1,500 deposit. This locks in your coverage, and gives you access to benefits like the CFAR upgrade and coverage for pre-existing conditions. You can add additional costs as you know them.
How does “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) upgrade work?
The list of covered reasons included with the plan is comprehensive, but some people like knowing they can cancel for any reason. This upgrade lets you do that. If something comes up that’s not on the list of covered reasons, you can cancel and get 75% of your trip costs reimbursed. You do need to 1) Buy right after first deposit, 2) Insure the full trip cost, and 3) Cancel at least 48 hours before departure.
What is Primary medical coverage?
This means the insurance company pays medical bills without seeking any other coverage you may have. With Primary coverage, the insurer is "first in line" to pay no matter what. With Secondary medical coverage, you need to exhaust any other coverage before the trip insurance company kicks in.
Is my whole group covered by the same policy?
Family members in the same household can be on the same policy. For example: Mom, Dad, and kids all on the same policy.
How do I buy my policy?
You can buy online with a credit card. The insurance company will email you a confirmation, and you can add additional covered costs as you know them. The blue buttons on this page take you to the comparison tool where you can get quotes and purchase.
What costs can be covered?
Anything that is pre-paid and non-refundable can be insured. This can include the deposit, boat charter costs, skipper fee, airfare, hotel, mooring fees, etc. Keep documentation for all costs.
How does severe weather/hurricane coverage work?
Hurricane and weather coverage applies if you buy the policy before the storm is named and the storm makes your destination unsafe to stay in, causes mandatory evacuations, leads to a NOAA hurricane warning, or creates major travel delays or missed connections to the trip.
Who is covered?
Everyone listed on the policy is covered for medical emergencies, cancellation, interruption, baggage, delays, etc. For example: If dad gets sick and the doctor advises against travel, the whole family can cancel and receive reimbursement. For cancellation coverage, it extends to Family Members, for example a parent or grandparent passing away.
What is covered under trip interruption insurance?
Trip interruption reimburses you for the portion of the trip you miss if you have to return home early due to an emergency. For example, if you get sick or there’s a family emergency back home, it covers the “lost” part of your trip and any additional transportation costs to get home.
Does travel insurance cover COVID-19-related disruptions?
Yes, most plans now include coverage for COVID-19. This can include trip cancellation if you test positive before traveling, medical expenses if you get sick on the trip, and even quarantine costs in some cases.
What happens if I need to cancel due to a work obligation?
Work-related cancellations aren’t typically covered under standard trip insurance. If this is a concern, I recommend looking into “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) coverage. It lets you cancel for reasons not otherwise covered and reimburses 75% of your trip costs.
Does trip insurance cover adventure activities?
Most plans will cover common activities like snorkeling and sailing, but higher-risk activities like scuba diving may require additional coverage. If you’re planning anything adventurous, it’s worth double-checking the policy.
Are pre-existing medical conditions covered?
They can be! To get coverage for pre-existing conditions, you’ll need to buy your policy shortly after making your first trip payment (usually within 14-21 days). This is called a “pre-existing condition waiver,” and it’s included in most comprehensive plans if purchased early.
How does medical evacuation work in the BVI?
If there’s a serious medical emergency and local facilities can’t provide adequate care, evacuation insurance covers the cost of transporting you to the nearest suitable hospital—or even back home if necessary.
