Travel Insurance if My Pet Dies
Many travelers who buy travel insurance are interested in Trip Cancellation to protect their trip investment if they are forced to cancel their trip. If they cancel for a reason listed in their policy, they can be refunded 100% of their prepaid and non-refundable trip payments. However, if a traveler cancels for a reason that is not listed as a covered reason, they will not be refunded.
Unfortunately, for travelers with pets, the Trip Cancellation benefit does not provide reimbursement to cancel your trip due to the death of a pet. However, some policies can cover your for an illness, injury, or death of your service animal.
How Can I Get Cancellation Coverage for a Pet?
The only way to be covered by travel insurance for the death of a pet is with the Cancel For Any Reason benefit. This optional upgrade can be added to some single trip policies for 14-21 days after you make your first trip booking.
Under the Cancel For Any Reason, you can be reimbursed for 75% of your prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses if you cancel for a reason not otherwise covered by your policy, such as the death of a pet. However, this benefit is time-sensitive. In order for coverage to be available under this benefit, you must:
- Purchase your policy within 14-21 days of making your first trip booking
- Insure 100% of your prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses
- Cancel your trip in its entirety at least 2-3 days before your scheduled departure date
What Does Trip Cancellation Cover?
Although a pet’s death is not covered by standard Trip Cancellation policies, many top concerns of most travelers can be. Some of these covered reasons include:
- An illness, injury, or death of you, your traveling companion, or your family member
- A hurricane, natural disaster, or other severe weather preventing you from traveling
- A terrorist attack at your destination
- A strike of a common carrier preventing you from travel
- An involuntary termination of employment