Cancel for Any Reason
Travel Insurance

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant uncertainty in both domestic and international travel. From weekend trips to two-week-long getaways, vacationing in this day and age can stress out even the most experienced travelers.

Some travelers are still typing “cancel for any reason travel insurance COVID” into a search engine. Some are concerned about losing their deposits on nonrefundable flight tickets, vacation rentals, amusement park tickets, and more if they cancel their trip. Others worry circumstances will change and their destination could see higher COVID cases prior to their trip, making them feel uneasy about going.

However, travelers can protect their trip investments with a travel insurance plan. The best travel insurance plan for you might be one with a Trip Cancellation for Any Reason (CFAR) benefit, which would provide coverage for those nonrefundable trip deposits if you decided to cancel your trip for any reason.

Beyond COVID-19, there are many other reasons why a traveler might decide to cancel their trip. Someone could be feeling apprehensive about flying or want to travel during a different time of the year when work isn’t so stressful and finances aren’t so tight.

A travel insurance plan with a Trip Cancellation for Any Reason benefit provides the flexibility many travelers need. It can also provide additional travel-related benefits and even emergency medical coverage.

What exactly is trip cancellation insurance and what is covered in a trip cancellation insurance plan? Travel insurance (sometimes referred to as “trip cancellation insurance") is a short-term insurance policy that provides coverage for the unexpected when traveling.

Most travel insurance plans are available to U.S. citizens and residents who are traveling domestically and/or abroad. A primary benefit of travel insurance is the Trip Cancellation benefit. This benefit reimburses travelers for eligible nonrefundable trip expenses if they cancel a trip for a covered reason, like a sickness or injury that prevents them from traveling or dangerous weather causing their airline to cancel their flights. 

When faced with a situation that will delay or cancel your trip, you could be forking out more money than you intended or wasting your trip deposits when you miss out on activities and reservations you already paid for.

You may consider searching for cancel for any reason travel insurance that better fits your trip needs. Trip Cancellation for Any Reason, or CFAR, is an optional benefit upgrade for some travel insurance plans.

Your Trip Cancellation benefit will already reimburse you up to 100% of your trip cost for unused, prepaid, nonrefundable deposits made toward your trip if you cancel due to a covered reason listed in your policy documents.

A CFAR benefit will provide reimbursement (often 50% or 75%) for these same payments made toward your trip if you cancel for any reason that is NOT covered by your Trip Cancellation benefit, such as fear of catching COVID in your destination or non-covered changes to your health status.

The best type of travel insurance plan is one that provides the coverage you would need in the event you decide to cancel your trip.  Some travelers may be satisfied with a basic travel insurance plan that covers only the specific covered reasons laid out in the plan. Others may prefer the additional freedom that comes with upgrading to trip cancellation insurance for ANY reason.

Just make sure you read your plan’s policy documents and ensure you are following the correct procedures. For example, you may be required to cancel within a certain number of days prior to your trip to be eligible for CFAR coverage.

With the risk of contracting COVID-19 before or during your trip, having trip cancellation insurance for COVID may be of the utmost importance to you. A Trip Cancellation benefit can save you money and provide support in stressful situations. 

For example, let’s say you are sick or hospitalized due to COVID-19 before departing on your trip and your doctor advises you not to travel. Illness that prevents you from traveling is a valid covered reason for cancellation under many travel insurance policies, including Atlas Journey, so your prepaid and nonrefundable trip expenses could be covered.

Emergencies can also happen while you’re traveling. Travel insurance with emergency medical coverage can help pay your medical bills if you catch a severe case of COVID-19 while traveling. This can be especially helpful if you are traveling abroad, where your primary health insurance may not cover you or may have limited coverage. Just make sure you purchase a travel insurance plan that provides coverage for COVID-19-related medical expenses. For example, eligible medical expenses related to COVID-19 are covered the same as any other illness under our Atlas Journey plans, up to the Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expense maximum benefit for the plan you choose.

What about quarantine? Trip cancellation plans may provide some coverage if you are quarantined during your trip dates. For example, Atlas Journey includes a Travel Delay benefit that will reimburse you up to $150 per day (up to a $2,000 maximum) under Atlas Journey Explore or up to $200 per day (up to a $2,000 maximum) under Atlas Journey Elevate if you are delayed for 5 or more hours due to a covered reason, such as quarantine, while en route to your trip, during your trip, or while returning from your trip.

Finally, let’s say you want to be able to cancel if you become concerned about COVID conditions in your destination. Remember: general COVID concerns are NOT a valid reason for canceling your trip under most travel insurance plans. You’ll need to look for COVID travel insurance with Cancel for Any Reason coverage that would reimburse you if you if you were to cancel your trip due to a reason not already covered under your policy’s Trip Cancellation benefit.

When searching “best travel insurance COVID,” make sure your plan offers both trip cancellation coverage and emergency medical coverage to fit your travel needs. You may want to look for a plan that will cover the cost of mandatory quarantine due to testing positive for COVID-19 too. Read your plan’s policy documents to ensure you understand the requirements necessary to use each listed benefit.