The Difference Between Trip Cancellation and Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance

bridge overlooking cliff and ocean0

Travel is what we live for! We love the excitement it brings, but we know there are some risks involved. This is why we’re armed with travel insurance before departure in case our travel plans don’t go as expected. Find out how to protect your trip if you need to cancel your trip in the rest of this article. We’ll be answering these questions:

What is Trip Cancellation insurance?

Let’s define what Trip Cancellation coverage is, shall we? Simply put, it’s coverage that protects your nonrefundable trip expenses in the event you couldn’t go on your trip and needed to cancel your travel plans for something unexpected and unforeseen. When you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy, trip cancellation is one of the main coverages included in your plan.

bridge overlooking beautiful ocean scenery
When you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy, trip cancellation is one of the main coverages included in your plan.

What is covered by Trip Cancellation insurance?

As far as coverage goes, Trip Cancellation coverage intends to protect the nonrefundable trip costs you’ve made towards your trip. Common reasons to cancel your trip and receive a reimbursement back for those payments include:

  • You, or your traveling companion gets sick, injured, or passes away before your trip.
  • A family member who isn’t traveling with you gets sick or passes away.
  • Your home or destination is not longer inhabitable because of a natural disaster.
  • A terrorist incident prohibits or prevents travel.
  • Unexpected weather or strike causes your travel supplier to stop services.
  • You are summoned to jury duty or to witness in a court case
  • You have been recalled from leave for military or civil servant duties because of a natural disaster or terrorist event
  • Your passport or visa were stolen

If one of these situations were to occur before your trip departure, you would be able to file a claim under Trip Cancellation and get back 100% of those trip costs you paid for in advance. 

For example: You’ve planned your trip to Italy and unexpectedly get too sick to travel right before your trip departure. You would have the opportunity to get your airfare expense back and a tour you already booked after filing a claim. You’ll need a report from a doctor of your condition and any records or receipts to successfully support your claim.

What is Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance?

Now, let’s turn our focus to Cancel For Any Reason and how it’s different from standard Trip Cancellation. Cancel For Any Reason coverage is considered an upgrade in the world of travel insurance. It provides more flexible cancellation terms than normal Trip Cancellation coverage. 

What is covered by Cancel For Any Reason insurance?

With cancel for any reason travel insurance, you can cancel your trip for literally any reason at all. There are some conditions that must be met before getting this specific coverage such as:

  • Cancel For Any Reason coverage must be purchased within a certain time of your first deposit or payment toward your trip. Typically, this is anywhere from 10-21 days, so act fast.
  • You must insure all of your nonrefundable payments under your plan.
  • You must cancel your trip within 48 hours or 2 days of your trip departure –double check your policy time periods on this.

One main difference you’ll want to know about is how much is insured under Cancel For Any Reason policies. If you do need to cancel your trip, you’ll receive up to 75% of your trip costs back after filing a claim. It’s not the full 100% like normal trip cancellation coverage, but you do get the added flexibility of canceling for any reason. That’s a huge benefit in our books!

blue-green colored ocean
If you do need to cancel your trip, you’ll receive up to 75% of your trip costs back after filing a claim.

Some common examples for cancelling that aren’t protected under standard trip cancellation coverage that would be covered under cancel for any reason include:

  • You don’t want to travel to your destination anymore.
  • You feel uneasy about your travel plans and decide to cancel your trip.
  • You are stacked up at work and can’t take time off for your planned vacation.

There are an infinite amount of reasons you could cancel your trip under cancel for any reason insurance, but make sure you’re sticking to the conditions of the policy to get a reimbursement, should you need to file a claim. 

Pro Tip: If you plan on going on your trip, no matter what, upgrading coverage to cancel for any reason might not have much value unless your worries for cancellation aren’t typically covered under normal trip cancellation.  

How much is Cancel For any Reason travel insurance?

Because it’s an upgrade to your comprehensive travel insurance plan, your premium will be more expensive. Sometimes it can cost up to 40% more than standard policies. However, the front-end cost will be well worth it if a travel or medical situation prevents you from taking your trip.

Find the best Cancel For Any Reason and Trip Cancellation travel insurance.

We’re all about good travel deals! The greatest advice we can give when purchasing a travel insurance policy is to shop around and compare. Whether or not you’re looking for trip cancellation and cancel for any reason travel insurance, you can usually find the best plans by using a travel insurance comparison site.