What Are Travel Insurance Exclusions?

Common Travel Insurance Exclusions

Exclusions often differ from one policy to the next, even if the plans are offered by the same travel insurance provider.

Different types of travel insurance also come with unique exclusions. For example, multi-trip plans may have additional exclusions compared to single-trip policies.

With that said, the most common exclusions include:

• Pre-existing medical conditions: Most plans won’t reimburse claims relating to a medical condition that you had before your policy’s effective date.
• Expected events: Trip cancellations or interruptions due to events that were known, foreseeable, or expected.
• Named Storms: Severe storms or natural disasters that were named prior to purchasing your policy.
• High-risk activities: Participation in extreme adventure sports like skydiving, bungee jumping, or scuba diving.
• War or civil unrest: Acts of war, civil disturbance, or insurrection.
• Unlawful acts: Unlawful acts committed by the insured, family member, or traveling companion.

How to Find a Travel Insurance Policy’s Exclusions

A full list of policy exclusions can be found within a plan’s Certificate of Insurance. This is an official document that is sent to policyholders right after they buy travel insurance.

You often don’t have to go reading through the fine print to find exclusion information, as most insurance documents will have specific sections dedicated to listing out what’s not covered by the policy.

A Certificate of Insurance can also be accessed before purchasing a travel policy. This is helpful for travelers that want to fully understand their travel protection before financially committing to it.

What Are Exclusion Waivers?

An “exclusion waiver” in travel insurance is a provision that allows coverage for situations or activities typically excluded by the standard policy.

This waiver removes the restriction, provided certain conditions are met, enabling coverage for scenarios such as pre-existing medical conditions or high-risk activities that would otherwise be excluded.

Qualifying for travel insurance exclusion waivers typically requires meeting specific criteria, such as:

• Timely Purchase of Insurance: Many exclusion waivers, especially for pre-existing medical conditions, require you to buy the policy within a specified period after making your initial trip deposit, often 10-21 days.
• Full Trip Coverage: Some insurers require you to insure 100% of your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs to qualify for certain waivers.
• Stable Medical Conditions: For pre-existing condition waivers, your health may need to be stable for a certain period (e.g., 60-90 days) before purchasing the policy.
• Documentation: Providing detailed and accurate documentation, such as medical records or trip invoices, may be required to demonstrate eligibility.
• Additional Costs: You might need to pay an additional premium for the waiver, depending on the policy and the activity or condition being covered.

Always review the terms and conditions and fine print of the policy to ensure you qualify and meet all requirements for the waiver.