TRAVEL INSURANCE
Your trip with Traverse Journeys is bound to be a transformative and memorable experience. To provide peace of mind throughout your adventure, and possibly leading up to your departure, Traverse Journeys requires proof of some travel insurance, which is designed to protect yourself and potentially the investment of your trip against the unexpected.
Travel insurance that includes travel medical coverage is required for all trips with Traverse. The coverage must have a minimum $150,000 of medical coverage and include injury, medical, evacuation, and repatriation. Most domestic US health insurance plans do not cover international travel claims or provide a global network of contracted doctors, facilities, and travel assistance services. We want to make sure you are covered in case of an emergency or non-emergency illness or injury while abroad.
We have carefully selected a trusted travel insurance service provider who is a reliable resource for your travel insurance needs and questions. Wanderwell is a Certified B-Corp and a 1% for the Planet member, offering both Travel Medical and Trip Protection style plans. As part of our commitment with Wanderwell, a portion of your purchase price for insurance will be donated to WeForest through 1% for the Planet to provide a positive environmental impact for your trip.
While you are not required to obtain your insurance through Wanderwell, they are our top recommendation because of their like-minded business ethos with a give-back component and their stellar customer care. We can’t tell you how many times Wanderwell has been on the frontline fighting on clients’ behalf in cases of travel mishaps.
For most of our standard trips, the Wanderwell Voyage is a comprehensive trip protection style plan designed to cover the most common perils related to trip cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay. It also includes $250,000 in Primary travel medical, Emergency Medical Evacuation coverage, and much more. Click here to quote and purchase the Wanderwell Voyage plan.
For trips that include extreme sports, Mountaineering, and any activities above 4,500 meters (14,763 feet), the Safe Treker trip protection style plan is more appropriate. Click here to quote and purchase the Safe Treker plan (*make sure to select your activities in the Sport Selector field of the quoting pathway). Traverse trips that fall under this category due to trekking and/or elevation include Mt. Kilimanjaro, Machu Picchu, Nepal, Bhutan and Everest Base Camp.
Once insurance is obtained, a copy must be sent to Traverse. Failure to provide proof of insurance within 30 days of booking will result in trip booking suspension until proof of insurance has been provided.
*Refer to the travel insurance service provider and sample policy certificate for specific coverage details.
*Time-sensitive items apply, ie pre-existing conditions coverage and to add Cancellation for Any Reason upgrade.
Do we have to purchase our travel insurance through Wanderwell?
You are not obligated to purchase through our trusted partner. You have the freedom to shop for the insurance that best suits your needs and comfort and meets a minimum $150,000 of medical coverage and include injury, medical, evacuation, and repatriation.
When should we buy our trip insurance?
The sooner you purchase a trip protection plan, the more it can cover, as there are time-sensitive benefits that can be applied (ie coverage for pre-existing conditions, optional Cancellation for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade *if eligible). Plus, coverage isn't effective until the day after the policy purchase. To have access to the maximum coverage available, it is generally recommended to purchase a trip protection plan within 10 days of making your initial trip payment of any kind for this trip (ie flights, packages, tours...whichever is made first) AND prior to making your final major pre-trip purchase.
Why do I need travel insurance? Check out our blog here that reviews 5 reasons you need travel insurance
Note on Covid-19
Travel medical coverage should cover medical costs if a person contracts COVID-19 during their trip. However, since COVID-19 is currently a "known threat", travel insurance underwriting companies are warning that, for anyone purchasing a policy since January 30, 2020, there is no specific coverage for this particular concern with regards to Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption benefits. A traveler would need to purchase the "cancel for any reason" (CFAR) upgrade, if eligible, to be able to cancel due to reasons related to COVID-19.
If a traveler is afraid or hesitant to travel due to potential health risks, purchasing a travel insurance policy with an optional "Cancel For Any Reason" (CFAR) included or upgraded benefit may be a good idea. However, CFAR benefits like this are generally only available if you are within 10 days from the date you made the initial trip payment of any kind for the relevant trip.
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links for products that we love that are made by brands that we trust. By purchasing from those links on our site, we can earn a commission – which is at no extra cost to you and helps keep our site running with valuable information like this. Win-win! Thank you for supporting our small business and sustainable tourism!
