Trip Insurance
1. For our Travelers, the policies must be purchased with pre-existing conditions waived. If you don’t have pre-existing conditions waived in a policy, any medical conditions you have will not be covered under the policy (for example, if you become ill on a trip because of a pre-existing condition, or if you are unable to attend the trip because of a pre-existing condition).
Getting a waiver of pre-existing conditions is typically accompanied by two methods:
First, you need to be certain that the plan you are looking at specifically offers a Pre-Existing Conditions Waiver. Not every plan offers this waiver.
Second, you will need to purchase the travel protection plan within a specific time frame from the day your first deposit for your trip is received. For the TravelSafe Classic plan, this time frame is 21 days. So, if you book and send in a payment for a Special Journeys trip on February 1, you may qualify for the Pre-Existing Condition Waiver in the TravelSafe Classic plan up to February 22nd.
2. When traveling on cruises and on international trips, Medicare and Medicaid will not cover medical costs. Medicare and Medicaid only cover costs inside the United States and US territories. When you take a cruise or international trip with Special Journeys, we strongly recommend purchasing at least a basic travel insurance policy to cover any medical costs.
3. Because of the travel schedule of the Special Journeys team and the strict signup deadlines to waive pre-existing conditions, we do not sell travel insurance. We recommend TravelSafe Insurance (travelsafe.com or 888-885-7233). Other companies offering travel insurance include: Travel Guard by AIG (www.travelguard.com or 888-989-1954), Travelex Insurance Services (www.travelexinsurance.com or 800-228-9792), and Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (www.bhtp.com or 844-411-2487).
How Do I Get the Pre-Existing Condition Waiver?
First, not every plan offers this waiver. You’ll want to be sure the plan you are looking for offers this coverage. Also, the Pre-Existing Conditions Waiver is a time-sensitive benefit. So, you’ll have to purchase your travel protection plan within a specific time frame from the day your first deposit for your trip is received, which is 21 days for the TravelSafe Classic plan.
Travel and Medical Insurance
Travel insurance protects you from certain financial risks and losses associated with traveling. If you buy travel insurance, we recommend TravelSafe, which describes its insurance policy this way:
Cancellation
Trip cancellation coverage can reimburse for prepaid, unused, non-refundable trip payments or deposits.’ The cancellation must be for a Covered Reason (which depends on the specific policy terms).’ There are specific notice conditions that must be met such as time limits and methods of communicating cancellation.
Trip cancellation coverage is effective until the scheduled departure date and time of your trip. If you are unable to continue your trip for a covered reason, but travel has begun, you may qualify for trip interruption.
If You Have a Medical Emergency While Traveling
If you get sick or injured while traveling, travel insurance protects you from the unexpected costs of care. It can reimburse your trip cost if you have to cancel due to a covered reason, or it can cover medical bills incurred while traveling.
If You Have Delays
Delays can bring unexpected costs your way. Travel insurance reimburses you for additional accommodations and meals when you are delayed during your trip for a covered reason.
If Something Happens to Your Things
Baggage delay, lost or stolen luggage can put a damper on your trip. With travel protection, you can get reimbursed for your things.
When purchasing a travel insurance policy, it is critical to ensure that the policy does NOT exclude pre-existing medical conditions. You can usually accomplish this by paying for the insurance within a specific time period after signing up for the trip.
We recommend travel insurance for travelers with pre-existing health issues that are concerned about cancellation issues. We recommend that all travelers purchase travel insurance for cruise vacations. We highly recommend that all travelers on International vacations purchase travel insurance.
Travel Insurance typically costs 5 to 10% of the total trip cost. Another (more expensive) option is a ‘Cancel for Any Reason’ policy which still has a deadline for cancelling but does not require that you meet a pre-qualified, valid reason for cancelling as covered by your policy.
Special Journeys does not sell travel insurance, and these types of policies are very date-sensitive. We recommend contacting TravelSafe Insurance (www.travelsafe.com or 888-885-7233). Other companies offering travel insurance include: Travel Guard by AIG, Travelex Insurance Services, and Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection.