International travel plans are often contingent upon whether a traveler is able to obtain a visa to visit the foreign country. If the visa application is denied, or not received in time, the trip might have to be cancelled. While most travel insurance plans include trip cancellation coverage, benefits are only available if the trip is cancelled for one of the covered reasons listed in the policy. Most policies include a range of various reasons that can be covered, from jury duty to a death in the family, however, a denied or late visa application is not one of those covered reasons.
If a traveler is concerned this situation may keep their trip from happening, they should look for a policy offering cancel for any reason coverage. This allows a trip to be cancelled without any explanation, even if the reason is a visa being denied or not approved in time for the trip. There are some limitations to this coverage benefit. First, the coverage is only available for a short time from the initial trip deposit date, normally about 14 days, but some plans allow up to 30 days. Second, it usually is a selectable upgrade that raises the premium by 40% or more. Third, in order to use the coverage, the trip must be cancelled at least 2 days before the trip departure date. There is no coverage for a last minute change of mind. Next, a claim will reimburse less than the full trip cost, normally around 75%, depending on the plan. Last, the entire trip cost must be insured in order to qualify for cancel for any reason coverage. This means all pre-paid and non-refundable expenses of the trip have to be insured.
Remember, every policy has a money back guarantee of at least 10 days. This allows the traveler to cancel the travel insurance policy and receive a refund of the premium. Some long term travel medical plans offer the money back guarantee until the day before the scheduled departure date. So, if a visa is not received in time, they could be able to cancel their policy and get a refund.
Always refer to the certificate of insurance for details.
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