Whether it’s a lazy beach vacay or a skiing adventure, anticipating an upcoming vacation is always part of the fun. When you’ve invested your money, time and energy into planning a getaway, the last thing you want to think about is what could go wrong. Travel is often expensive and sometimes life gets in the way of even the best laid plans. Read on to see what Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance is all about.
Why do I need Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance?
What if you end up getting sick, losing your job or having a natural disaster occur before you’re scheduled to leave? That’s what Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance is for! It’ll protect your travel investment in many instances. If you have to cancel your trip before you’re scheduled to leave, or your trip is interrupted while you’re on vacation, then a Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption policy can cover non-refundable costs like airfares, hotels and tours.
What does TuGo’s Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance cover?
Trip Cancellation Insurance covers the cost of a trip if something happens before your departure date, causing you to cancel your trip. Trip Interruption Insurance covers events that happen on or after you’ve started your trip causing you to disrupt or interrupt your trip, or to return earlier or later than your original return date.
Here’s a basic breakdown of what TuGo covers, but make sure to check and understand your travel insurance policy, including its covered risks, benefits and exclusions, before leaving…
| Coverage | TuGo Travel Insurance |
|---|---|
Unexpected illness, injury and/or death of:
|
✓ |
Quarantine
Self-isolation
|
✓ |
| Pregnancy & Adoption | ✓ |
| Schedule changes, cancellations and delays | ✓ |
| Travel advisory | ✓ |
| Natural disaster or unforeseeable event that makes your home or business unlivable | ✓ |
| Travel visa denial | ✓ |
| Job transfer or loss | ✓ |
Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance is available as a Single Trip or Multi Trip Annual policy.
Looking for comprehensive coverage? If you’re under 59, an All Inclusive Holiday Package bundles Emergency Medical Insurance, Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, and Baggage Insurance.
Can I cancel for any reason?
Keep in mind, there are a few things Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance won’t cover, like cancellations for reasons you knew about before booking a trip, unstable pre-existing medical conditions, or a change of mind. For example, if you need to cancel due to getting sick with COVID-19, we’ll cover that; but, if you need to cancel because you lost your job or your flight’s cancelled due to COVID-19, that won’t be covered.
TuGo’s Cancel For Any Reason coverage
TuGo does offer optional Cancel For Any Reason coverage, which can be added on to Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance or All Inclusive Holiday package. This coverage allows you to cancel for any reason (that isn’t already listed as a covered risk in the policy), including COVID-19, reimbursing you for up to 50% of pre-paid, unused non-refundable travel costs. You’ll need to purchase this coverage within 5 days from the date you pay for, or make a deposit on, your trip; and, if you do decide to cancel, it must be within 5 days before of your scheduled departure date.
I won’t cancel my trip – can I just get trip interruption coverage?
Confident that you won’t need to cancel your travel plans? No problem! TuGo also offers Trip Interruption Insurance as a standalone product. It’s an economical option to ensure you’re covered for unexpected travel interruptions.
4 Tips to make your Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption claim go smoother
Hopefully, you won’t need to make a claim; but just in case you do, here are a few tips to help make the process faster!
- See a doctor before cancelling or interrupting your trip
If you need to cancel or interrupt your trip due to sickness or injury, see a doctor before you do it. If you can’t make it to your family doctor, a nearby clinic will do. Your doctor will need to provide written documentation confirming that it was medically necessary to cancel or interrupt your trip. This should also include the date you were advised to cancel. Keep in mind that this service may not be covered under your provincial health plan; be prepared to pay for the doctor’s note. - Provide documentation for reasons and expenses
You’ll need to clearly outline all the expenses you’re claiming and gather all original receipts and itemized bills. - Show proof of refunds
If you’ve received any refunds from your travel agent, the airline, the hotel or tour company, you’ll need to provide proof of that as well. - Travel paid for with points is not covered
Travel paid for with points is not covered. The policies will cover fees for the points to be reinstated, when possible, but the actual cash value of points is not covered.
Hopefully, you won’t have to cancel or interrupt an upcoming vacation. But if you do, now you’ll have the details you need to make an informed decision as to whether or not this coverage is right for you. We hope we’ve addressed your burning questions, but if not, please post them below.
Safe travels,
Justin
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October 2017 and has been updated for freshness and/or accuracy.
