Coronavirus (COVID-19) and travel insurance - what you need to know
Please read your plan documents carefully. Cancellations due to fear of travel are not covered. However, our plan may provide coverage if you become injured or ill prior to your Trip or while on your trip.
- Before you buy travel insurance
- If you are currently traveling
- If you want to cancel or change your policy
Before you buy travel insurance
These benefits may include emergency medical, emergency medical evacuation, trip delay and trip interruption coverage if you contract COVID-19 while traveling.
You may also be eligible for trip cancellation coverage for pre-paid non-refundable travel expenses such as flights, hotels and excursions covered by your Travel Protection Plan as part of your covered trip, if after you purchase your Travel Protection Plan, your doctor advises you that you are unfit to travel on your scheduled departure date due to being diagnosed with COVID-19.
Your World Nomad’s Travel Protection Plan can help with emergency medical treatment for unexpected injury or sickness, including contracting COVID-19 while you are traveling on your trip. You may also be eligible for Trip Interruption benefits if your travel arrangements have changed mid-trip because you’ve contracted COVID-19. You may also qualify for Trip Cancellation coverage if after you purchase your Travel Protection Plan and your doctor advises you that you are unfit to travel on your scheduled departure date due to being diagnosed with COVID-19. Please note, pre-existing conditions are excluded.
No, World Nomads does not offer a Cancel for Any Reason option.
If you postpone your trip, your current travel protection plan may extend to your new trip dates provided:
• The new trip dates are no more than 12 months from your original trip dates and no more than 24 months from your original purchase date.
• Additional costs, if required based on the new or postponed trip, will be collected. Plan costs will not be reduced or refunded for coverage for the new or postponed trip.
No, the World Nomad’s Travel Protection Plan does not provide Trip Cancellation due to the fear of traveling.
If you are currently traveling
If your flight is delayed or cancelled, Trip Interruption and Trip Delay benefits may be available. Please check your specific travel protection plan for terms and conditions. Time restrictions may apply. Also, please check with your travel provider to determine your options.
If you become ill with COVID-19 prior to your departure and after the effective date of your plan, you may be eligible for Trip Cancellation coverage. These claims will require a confirmed diagnosis from a physician with proof of illness that states you are medically unable to travel at the time of departure.
If you become ill with COVID-19 while on your trip and your plan includes medical expense coverage, you may be covered for Medical Expense and Trip Interruption benefits with a confirmed diagnosis, including proof of illness from a doctor. Please review your specific plan for the details and limits of such coverage.
If you want to change or cancel your policy
You may be eligible for a refund. Check your travel protection plan document for details.
If your travel provider cancels your trip and provides a full refund of your trip costs, upon request, we will refund the costs of your travel protection plan so long as no payable claim has been filed.
If you postpone your trip, your current travel protection plan may extend to your new trip dates provided:
• The new trip dates are no more than 12 months from your original trip dates and no more than 24 months from your original purchase date.
• Additional costs, if required based on the new or postponed trip, will be collected. Plan costs will not be reduced or refunded for coverage for the new or postponed trip.
A refund: To qualify for a refund, you must not have started your trip or made any claims, and your trip costs must have been refunded in their entirety by your travel suppliers without any cancellation penalties or travel credits. Read 'How do I cancel my Travel Protection Plan?' 'Do I qualify for a refund?' and 'What’s the fastest way to get a refund?' for more details.
An amendment: If your trip dates have not passed and your rescheduled trip is to the same destination and the same number of days as your original trip, and within 365 days of the purchase date, then you can change the dates of your Plan to cover you on the new trip. To do so, just log into your membership. If you don’t have a membership, you can create one here. Travel Protection Plans can only be amended prior to the departure date shown on your Plan documents.
If you’ve already started your trip but had to end it early, unfortunately, you won’t be able to get a refund for the remaining days of your Plan. You also won’t be able to put your Plan on hold to reactivate at a later date.
Unfortunately, no. If you unexpectedly end your trip early, you won’t be able to get a refund for the remaining days of your policy. Additionally, any unused portion of your policy cannot be put on hold to be used at a later date.
If you’re still within the 'free look' period of your policy, you can cancel your plan via your member account, if you’ve set one up. Please refer to your policy for more details on the 'free look' or review period. The number of days depends on your state; some states don't offer a 'free look' period.
If you purchased as a guest and don’t have a member account, you can create one here. You’ll just need to input your email address and the policy number from your last purchase.
If you are past the 'free look' period, it’s still possible to cancel. But to qualify for a refund, you must not have started your trip or made any claims, and your trip costs must have been refunded in their entirety by your travel suppliers without any cancellation penalties.
Send us an email confirming those qualifications and attach documentation that shows that you've received a refund from your travel supplier/s.
You won’t be eligible for a refund on your Travel Protection Plan if your trip costs have been returned to you in the form of travel credits or vouchers. Credits and vouchers do not count as refunds. However, should this be your case, we can change the dates of your policy for a future trip.
If the travel supplier provided a travel credit, this is not a full refund for the cost of your trip. If the trip is non-refundable, there is an insured trip cost and the Travel Protection Plan cannot be refunded.
Maybe you’ve decided not to travel after all, or your plans changed right after you bought the Travel Protection Plan. All our Travel Protection Plans are subject to a period within which you may be able to cancel your plan without any penalty. This period is called a 'free look' or review period. This is the time to examine your coverage in greater depth to see if it’s the right match for your travels. If it’s not, then you can get a refund on the Plan Cost as long as you haven’t started your trip, made a claim or used the policy in any other way. Read your policy documents to see how long the free look period is for you (It varies by state.) Details should be under the 'Satisfaction Guarantee' section of your Travel Protection Plan.
You can only get a refund on your Travel Protection Plan only if you’re within the 'free look' or review period (Check the 'Satisfaction Guarantee' section of your plan documents to see how long this period is for you.)
First, we cannot process refunds over the phone – you’ll need to contact us through email. Second, please do not request a refund of your Travel Protection Plan by making a claim through your membership. In fact, making a claim slows down the process since it blocks our system from canceling your Travel Protection Plan.
Next step: Check to see if you are eligible for a refund (Read, 'Do I qualify for a refund?'). You need to meet each of these requirements – no exceptions.
Unless you've bought your Travel Protection Plan recently, you’re likely outside the free cancellation period. Which means that you should email our customer service team (Select 'Travel Protection Plan' and then 'My Plan' in the contact form). You need to write to us as our call center cannot process refunds.
You may be able to cancel your Travel Protection Plan on your own if you’re still within the 'free-look' or review period. Check your plan documents under the 'Satisfaction Guarantee” section for details on how long this period is. Typically, it is 10 days although some states do not have one. You should see an option to cancel in your membership if this period has not ended.
Why can't I get a refund on my Travel Protection Plan if my travel supplier/s gave me a travel credit or voucher?
If the travel supplier provided a travel credit, this is not a full refund for the cost of your trip. If the trip is non-refundable, there is an insured trip cost and the Travel Protection Plan cannot be refunded.
Once your request for a credit has been approved, you have until June 30, 2023 to purchase a new Travel Protection Plan and request a refund on your original Travel Protection Plan (You must complete travel by June 30, 2024). Just email us your new Plan number, and the cost of your original Travel Protection Plan will be returned to you through your original payment method. The credit cannot be redeemed at the time of purchase, only after you’ve bought a new Travel Protection Plan.
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