Traveling means different things to different people and it often takes new forms every time we do it. Sometimes it’s more adventurous, sometimes you’re looking for a relaxing vacation, other times it’s more of a learning experience or even a business trip, just to name a few options. For the most part, you can tailor your travel insurance plan to align with any risks you might encounter during your travels. For example, if you’re going mountain climbing, you might want to consider hazardous sports coverage, among other elements.
No matter what kind of adventure you’re planning to take and how extensive your policy is, there will always be some exclusions to your coverage that you need to keep in mind. Most, if not all, travel insurance policies include intoxication on their list of things that could nullify your insurance claims. The rules here aren’t hard and fast, but it’s important that you understand what might happen if you experience an emergency situation on your trip while you’re intoxicated.
When you file an insurance claim, your insurer’s next step is to do its due diligence to determine the extent to which they’re obligated to cover you. This starts with the bills, receipts, and other documentation you provide, but it extends beyond that. Travel insurance providers might reach out to the issuers of your bills and receipts to confirm what happened and ask additional questions. It is possible that your travel insurance provider will deny your claim if you’ve been drinking and they’re able to find evidence of it.
Here are some examples that provide more context about travel insurance covering drinking:
Documentation
If you end up in an accident or something happens to your belongings while you’re intoxicated and it’s documented in any of the proof you submit with your claim that you were under the influence, you’re much less likely to get reimbursed by your insurer. For example, if you need to get to a clinic after sustaining an injury and the record states your blood alcohol level or your police report for stolen items indicates that you were intoxicated or have had too much alcohol, you might be out of luck, even if you feel as though the incident for which you’re filing a claim was unrelated to drinking alcohol. You’ll see different types of documentation in different destinations, so you never know what your bill or report might include.
Unrelated Incidents
There are certain elements of your travel insurance policy that are much less likely to be impacted by the alcohol exclusion clause. For example, if your flight is delayed or canceled and your insurance covers trip delays or cancellation, it won’t really matter if you’ve had a a few drinks at the airport–you’ll likely still be covered. If your claim is about an event or experience that is totally unrelated to drinking alcohol, your reimbursement shouldn’t be in jeopardy.
So what’s the bottom line here? People drink on vacation, and that’s okay. Basically, just be careful when you’re drinking–no matter where you are traveling. So go on that cruise, book that ski trip, or head to the beach, just make sure you avoid drinking in situations that are already risky, be aware of your surroundings.
