sample travel insurance policy

5 Types of Travel Insurance (And What They Cover) – Real Examples

It’s only natural to embark on your vacation full of excitement and anticipation.

But exploring unfamiliar destinations, immersing yourself in diverse cultures, and creating unforgettable memories can also result in unforeseen circumstances that can quickly ruin your vacation and leave you out of pocket.

This is where travel insurance comes in.

Travel insurance typically covers 5 areas: trip cancellation/interruption insurance, medical insurance, baggage insurance, emergency medical evacuation insurance, and trip delay insurance.

So in this article, we will delve into the world of travel insurance by exploring the different types of coverage options available to you, what each covers, and providing real-life examples, so you can get a better understanding of how the coverage and policies work.

Table of Contents

• 1.1 Canceled or Interrupted Trip Coverage
• 1.2 Real-life Example
• 1.3 Benefits of Canceled or Interrupted Trip Insurance
• 2.1 Real-life Example
• 2.2 Medical Insurance Coverage & Limitations
• 3.1 Real-life Example
• 3.2 Documenting and Protecting Personal Belongings During Travel
• 4.1 Real-life Example
• 4.2 The Value of Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance
• 5.1 Real-life Example

1. Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance

Picture this:

You’ve planned and have been looking forward to your vacation, eagerly counting down the days until you depart. But then, your trips suddenly gets canceled or interrupted.

What do you do now?

Well, thankfully, you have trip cancellation/interruption insurance that will get you your money back.

Canceled or Interrupted Trip Coverage

When unforeseen circumstances force you to cancel or interrupt your trip, this type of insurance can act as a safety net by reimbursing you for non-refundable expenses, such as flights, accommodation, and tours.

This can apply to your trip being canceled or interrupted due to a sudden illness, a family emergency, or an unforeseen event

Real-life Example

Sarah planned a trip to an exotic destination, but just days before she was due to depart, she fell seriously ill and had to be hospitalized. She therefore had to indefinitely postpone her vacation.

Thankfully, Sarah had invested in trip cancellation/interruption insurance. She was able to recoup the non-refundable costs and reschedule her trip once she recovered.

Benefits of Canceled or Interrupted Trip Insurance

• Financial Security: Trip cancellation/interruption insurance ensures that you will get your money back if unforeseen circumstances force you to alter your travel plans. It reimburses you for the expenses you cannot recover otherwise.
• Peace of Mind: We all know that life can be unpredictable, and travel plans can be derailed in an instant. With this type of insurance, you can travel with peace of mind, knowing that if something unexpected occurs, you won’t be out of pocket.
• Flexibility and Freedom: Trip cancellation/interruption insurance can give you the flexibility to reschedule or make alternative arrangements without incurring substantial financial losses.
• Coverage Tailored to Your Needs: As is true with any type of travel insurance, trip cancellation/interruption policies offer varying levels of coverage, so you can choose the one that best aligns with your specific travel plans and finances. Whether it’s a comprehensive policy that covers a wide range of scenarios or a more budget-friendly option, you can find the coverage that suits your needs and budget.

2. Travel Medical Insurance Coverage

When you’re out of the country, it’s likely that your regular health insurance won’t fully cover any medical expenses incurred abroad.

This is where travel medical insurance comes in by offering you coverage for unforeseen medical emergencies.

So whether it’s a sudden illness, accident, or injury, travel medical insurance will ensure that you will receive the care you need without being hit by the burden of exorbitant costs.

Mark, an enthusiastic globetrotter, embarked on a journey to Sydney. One day, while exploring the city, he unexpectedly fell ill and required medical attention.

While he quickly realized the high costs associated with medical care in a foreign country, Mark had fortunately purchased travel medical insurance before his trip, which covered his medical expenses.

Medical Insurance Coverage & Limitations

While travel medical insurance can offer you invaluable protection, there can be some limitations.

• Coverage Details: A policy may cover just one, some, or all of the following: hospitalization, emergency care, medications, and medical evacuation. So it’s important to pay attention to the policy’s maximum coverage limits and exclusions. Not realizing this is one of the most common travel insurance mistakes people make.
• Pre-Existing Conditions: Some travel medical insurance policies have limitations or exclusions regarding pre-existing conditions. To avoid any surprises, make sure that you understand how a policy addresses these conditions.
• Duration and Geographical Limitations: Keep in mind that policies will have varying durations of coverage and could have restrictions on specific destinations or regions. An example is limitations on coverage for high-risk areas or countries with travel advisories.

3. Baggage Insurance Coverage

There’s no faster way to ruin your trip by having your luggage lost, damaged, or even stolen.

This is where baggage insurance coverage comes in handy.

Baggage insurance coverage typically covers expenses related to the replacement or repair of your belongings.

Policies can vary, so coverage may cover all or part of the expenses you incurred due to lost, damaged, or stolen luggage.

Samantha just landed at her dream destination, ready to embark on a week-long adventure. However, as she waited at the baggage claim, she realized her luggage was nowhere to be found.

Panic started to set in, and she worried about what she would do without her belongings.

Unfortunately, travel baggage insurance didn’t make Sarah’s bag suddenly appear, but she was able to file a successful claim to recover the cost of her belongings.

Documenting and Protecting Personal Belongings During Travel

While baggage insurance coverage can protect you from the financial burden of lost, damaged, or stolen luggage, it’s still important to take steps to protect your belongings during travel.

As mentioned, the insurance policy won’t suddenly make your luggage appear.

• Take photos or videos of the contents of your luggage before traveling, especially of any expensive or valuable items you will be traveling with.
• Keep receipts or invoices of expensive items to prove their value.
• Use locks on your luggage to prevent theft and keep your belongings safe.
• Keep your luggage with you whenever possible and don’t leave it unattended.

4. Emergency Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance

While we often envision exciting adventures and memorable experiences when we travel, one of those memorable experiences could be a medical emergency.

Emergency medical evacuation coverage is a type of insurance that provides financial protection and assistance in situations where immediate medical attention is necessary, and evacuation to a more suitable medical facility is required.

Nick, an avid hiker, embarked on a solo trek in a remote mountainous region. While exploring the rugged terrain, he fell and sustained a severe leg injury.

Inevitably, Nick was far away from medical facilities and assistance, but thankfully the emergency medical evacuation coverage he purchased before he left gave him access to essential medical assistance.

A helicopter evacuation from the remote area to a well-equipped hospital was arranged, so Nick could get the medical attention he needed.

The Value of Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance

The value of emergency medical evacuation insurance soon becomes evident if you travel to remote destinations, where medical facilities are typically scarce or ill-equipped to handle serious medical emergencies.

In these situations, evacuation to a more suitable medical facility becomes essential for proper care and treatment. Not to mention, that transport medical costs can be exorbitant when transporting you out of a remote area.

5. Travel Delay Insurance

When you’re excited about your trip and especially when you have an itinerary you need to stick to, an unexpected delay can certainly throw a wrench into your plans and cause frustration and inconvenience.

That’s where travel delay insurance comes to the rescue by providing coverage for unforeseen circumstances that result in a significant delay during your journey.

These circumstances can include bad weather, airline delays, natural disasters, or even medical emergencies. Necessary expenses incurred during the delay, such as accommodation, meals, and transportation, may all be covered.

John is all set and looking forward to his dream vacation in a tropical paradise.

Unfortunately, his first flight is delayed due to a severe thunderstorm, causing him to miss his connecting flight .

John finds himself stranded at the airport, uncertain about what to do next.

Thankfully, due to the coverage he purchased before he left, John is able to seek immediate assistance from his insurance provider.

They provide him with secure alternative accommodation for the night and cover the costs of his meals and transportation during the unexpected delay.

In conclusion, understanding the 5 main types of travel insurance and what they cover is vital for any traveler.

By evaluating your travel needs and selecting the right coverage, you can embark on your journeys with confidence, knowing that you’re prepared for any unexpected situation that comes your way.

Ella Dunham

Ella Dunham, a Freelance Travel Journalist and Marketing Manager, boasts an impressive career spanning eight years in the travel and tourism sectors.

Honored as one of "30 Under 30" by TTG Media (the world’s very first weekly travel trade newspaper), a "Tour Operator Travel Guru" and "Legend Award" winner, Ella is also a Fellow of the Institute of Travel, a Member of the Association of Women Travel Executives, has completed over 250 travel modules, and hosts travel-focused segments on national radio shows where she provides insights on travel regulations and destinations.

Ella has visited over 40 countries (with 10 more planned this year).

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How to Find the Best Travel Insurance

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Table of Contents

What travel insurance covers

How much does travel insurance cost, types of travel insurance, how to get travel insurance, what to look for in travel insurance, best travel insurance comparison sites, which insurance company is best for travel insurance, when to skip travel insurance, travel insurance, recapped.

Travel insurance can cover medical expenses, emergencies, trip interruptions, baggage, rental cars and more.

Cost is affected by trip length, pre-existing medical conditions, depth of coverage, your age and add-ons.

You can get it through credit cards or third-party companies, & can shop on travel insurance comparison sites.

Before buying, evaluate risks, know existing coverage, obtain quotes online and review policy details warily.

Skip it if you buy flexible airfare and hotels, already have coverage or only book refundable activities.

Booking travel always carries some degree of uncertainty. Travel insurance provides a safety net so you can step out with confidence. You may not need travel insurance for inexpensive trips, but it can provide a sense of security when you prepay for pricey reservations, a big international trip or travel during cold and flu season, which can be unpredictable.

According to insurance comparison site Squaremouth, travelers in 2023 spent an average of $403 for comprehensive coverage, compared to $96 for medical-only policies. Comprehensive plans typically cost between 5% and 10% of the insured trip cost.

Since that price tag is no small amount, it helps to know how to shop smart for travel insurance. Here's how to find the right travel insurance plan for you and your next adventure.

Depending on the type of coverage you’re looking for, the chart below will help you determine what to look for when selecting a policy:

Depending on the policy, travel insurance reimburses you or offers services when something goes awry. There’s even coverage for the worst-case scenario: if you die in an accident while traveling. Accidental death coverage pays your beneficiary a lump sum in that case.

Before you buy, take a little time to get familiar with different types of travel insurance products, how it’s priced, and what it covers and excludes. If you’re traveling during these uncertain times, you’ll want to make sure that the policy you select covers coronavirus-related emergencies. Usually, the more thorough the coverage, the more it will cost.

Travel insurance costs vary depending on:

Length and cost of the trip: The longer and more expensive the trip, the higher the policy cost.

Cost of local health care: High health-care costs in your destination can drive up the price of trip insurance.

Medical conditions you want covered: Conditions you already have will increase the cost of travel insurance coverage.

Amount and breadth of coverage: The more risks a policy covers, the more it will cost.

Your age: Generally the older you are, the higher the price.

Any optional supplement you add to your policy : Cancel For Any Reason , Interrupt For Any Reason and more.

Keep these factors in mind when considering different travel insurance options.

You’ll find a wide selection of travel protection plans when you shop for a policy.

Typically, travel insurance is sold as a package, known as a comprehensive plan, which includes a variety of coverage.

Here are seven of the most common types of travel insurance:

Travel medical insurance

These plans provide health insurance while you’re away from home. Although in some ways these policies work like traditional health plans, generally you cannot use travel health insurance for routine medical events. For example, a routine medical checkup is usually not covered. In addition, these policies often include limitations on coverage and exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

Although most travel insurance plans cover many recreational activities, such as skiing and horseback riding, they often exclude adventure sports, such as skydiving or parasailing, or competition in organized sporting events. You may need to buy a special travel policy designed for adventure or competitive sports.

International travel insurance

Most likely, your U.S.-based medical insurance will not work while you’re traveling internationally, and Medicare does not provide any coverage once you leave the United States outside of a few very specific exemptions. If you plan on traveling abroad, purchasing travel medical insurance could make a lot of sense.

» Learn more: Travel medical insurance: Emergency coverage while you travel internationally

Trip cancellation, interruption and delay

Trip cancellation coverage reimburses you for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses if the tour operator goes out of business or you have to cancel the trip for one of the covered reasons outlined in the policy, such as:

Your own illness.

The illness or death of a family member who’s not traveling with you.

Natural disasters.

Trip interruption insurance covers the nonrefundable cost of the unused portion of the trip if it is interrupted due to a reason outlined in the policy.

Trip delay coverage reimburses you for expenses such as lodging and meals if you’re delayed during a trip (e.g., your flight gets canceled due to weather ).

Many package policies cover all three. These policies are different from the cancellation waivers that cruise lines and tour operators offer, the Insurance Information Institute says. Waivers are cheap, ranging from $40 to $60, and often include restrictions. For example, according to the institute, waivers might not refund your money if you cancel immediately before departure. Waivers are technically not insurance policies.

Some companies offer additional layers of coverage at extra cost. “Cancel For Any Reason” coverage will reimburse a large part of the trip cost, no matter why you back out. And some companies let you pay extra to cover pre-existing conditions if you cancel for medical reasons.

Some insurers and comparison sites let you customize a policy by choosing types of coverage a la carte. For example, TravelInsurance.com is a comparison site that provides quotes from different providers.

Baggage and personal belongings

How does lost luggage insurance work? This coverage reimburses you for baggage and personal belongings that are lost, stolen or damaged during the trip. Some plans also reimburse you for extra expenses if you experience a baggage delay for more than a certain period, such as 12 hours.

Your renters or homeowners insurance may cover personal belongings while you are traveling. It’s best to review your homeowners insurance policy to determine the level of coverage it provides so you do not end up paying for a benefit you already have.

» Learn more: Baggage insurance explained

Emergency medical assistance, evacuation and repatriation

This coverage pays medical expenses if you get sick or injured on a trip . Medical evacuation coverage pays for transporting you to the nearest hospital, and medical repatriation pays for flying you to your home country.

» Learn more: Can I get travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions?

24-hour assistance

This service is included with many package plans. The insurer provides a 24-hour hotline that you can call when you need help, such as booking a flight after a missed connection, finding lost luggage, or locating a doctor or lawyer.

Generally, travel insurance companies do not cover sports or any activity that can be deemed risky. If you’re thinking of incorporating adventurous activities into your vacation, choose a plan that includes adventure sports coverage.

Most travel insurers cover a wide array of services, but the specific options vary. Some plans include concierge services, providing help with restaurant referrals, tee time reservations and more. Many services also offer information before the trip, such as required vaccinations. The only way to know what’s included is to read the policy.

» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?

Accidental death and dismemberment insurance

This coverage pays a lump sum to your beneficiary, such as a family member, if you die in an accident while on the trip. Accidental death and dismemberment insurance policies also pay a portion of the sum to you if you lose a hand, foot, limb, eyesight, speech or hearing. Some plans apply only to accidental death in a plane.

This coverage may be duplicative if you already have sufficient life insurance, which pays out whether you die in an accident or from an illness. You may also already have accidental death and dismemberment insurance through work, so it's best to check your policies to ensure you’re not overpaying.

» Learn more: NerdWallet's guide to life insurance

Rental car coverage

Rental car insurance pays for repairing your rental car if it’s damaged in a wreck, by vandals or in a natural disaster. The coverage doesn't include liability insurance, which pays for damage to other vehicles or for the medical treatment of others if you cause an accident and are held responsible.

Ask your car insurance company whether your policy will cover you when renting cars on the trip. U.S. car insurance policies generally don’t cover you when driving in other countries, except Canada.

Car insurance requirements are complex because they vary among countries. You can usually purchase liability insurance from the rental car company. Learn about car insurance requirements by searching for auto insurance by country on the U.S. Embassy website .

» Learn more: Best credit cards for rental car coverage

A note about single vs. long-term policies

Single trip insurance plans are a great option for those going on a single trip for a specific length of time (e.g., a two-week vacation) and then returning home. The price of the policy is usually determined by the cost of the trip.

Long-term travel policies cover you for multiple trips, but there are limitations to how long you can be away from home, if you can return home during your travels and how many trips you can take. In addition, trip cancellation and interruption coverage is either not offered or capped at a dollar amount that can be significantly below the total cost of all the trips taken during the covered period.

Long-term travel insurance plans — often called 'multi-trip' or 'annual travel insurance' — are a suitable option for those who travel often and are satisfied with the amount of trip cancellation coverage for all the trips they take over the duration of the policy.

» Learn more: How annual (multi-trip) travel insurance works

Below, we include how to obtain travel insurance, along with the pros and cons of each option.

Some credit cards offer trip cancellation and rental car insurance if you use the card to book the trip or car.

When you book a trip with your credit card, depending on the card you use, you may already receive trip cancellation and interruption coverage.

» Learn more: 10 credit cards that provide travel insurance

Here are a handful of credit cards that offer varying levels of travel insurance coverage for purchases made with the card.

on Chase's website

on American Express' website

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.

• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.

• Travel accident: Up to $500,000.

• Rental car insurance: Up to $75,000.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 6 hours.

• Travel accident: Up to $1 million.

• Rental car insurance: Up to the actual cash value of the car.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per trip for delays more than 6 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

Terms apply.

Pros: Coverage is free.

Cons: You can’t customize the insurance to meet your needs. Most credit cards offer secondary car rental insurance, which pays for the costs not covered by your regular car insurance plan.

Travel agents and travel reservation sites

You can buy travel insurance when you book your flight, hotel and car rental.

Pros: Buying is as quick and easy as clicking “yes” when you book reservations. Coverage is inexpensive.

Cons: You can’t customize the coverage.

» Learn more: Airline travel insurance vs. independent travel insurance

Travel insurance comparison sites

You can compare different policies and review quotes at once based on the trip search criteria you’ve input into the search form. Examples include marketplaces like Squaremouth or TravelInsurance.com.

Pros: You can choose a policy that fits your needs and compare policies and pricing in one place.

Cons: Comparing multiple policies takes time.

Travel insurance companies

You can purchase travel insurance directly from an insurance provider.

Pros: You can choose a policy that fits your needs. Many travel insurer websites also offer information to help you understand the coverage.

Cons: You’ll need to go to multiple websites to compare coverage and pricing.

» Learn more: The best travel insurance companies right now

Keep these tips in mind when you’re considering a trip insurance policy.

Evaluate the financial risks you face when traveling. Can you bear those costs yourself, or do you want insurance?

Examine what coverage you already have: Does your credit card offer travel insurance? Do you have renters or homeowners insurance to cover belongings? What is the deductible? Will your health plan cover you in all the locations where you travel?

Get quotes for trip insurance online. Choose a package of the benefits you need and compare prices for similar coverage among carriers.

Narrow your choices and then read the policy fine print to understand what’s covered, what’s excluded and the limits on coverage. You may find that the lowest-priced policy is too restrictive and that paying a little more gets you the coverage you need. Or you might find that the cheapest, most basic policy fits the bill.

If you don’t know which provider to go with, it makes sense to browse a list of plans on a travel insurance comparison site. These online marketplaces will often include plans from the best travel insurance companies along with customer reviews.

Squaremouth

Compare plans from more than 30 providers.

Over 86,000 customer reviews of insurers.

Under its Zero Complaint Guarantee, Squaremouth (a NerdWallet partner) will remove a provider if any customer complaint isn't resolved to its satisfaction.

Has a filter option to see policies that provide COVID-coverage.

TravelInsurance.com

Compare plans from 13 providers.

See good and poor customer ratings and reviews for each insurer when you receive quotes.

“Learning Center” includes travel insurance articles and travel tips, including important how-to information.

Quotes provided from each provider include a link to COVID-19 FAQs, making it easy for customers to review what’s covered or not.

InsureMyTrip

Compare plans from more than two dozen providers.

More than 70,000 customer reviews.

“Anytime Advocates” help customers navigate the claim process and will work on behalf of the customer to help with appealing a denied claim.

Includes a link to plans that offer COVID coverage.

Compare plans from 11 providers.

Search coverage by sporting activity, including ground, air and water sports.

Many types of plans available for students, visiting family members, new immigrants, those seeking COVID quarantine coverage and more.

Compare different insurance plans from 35 providers.

Over 5,600 customer reviews on Trustpilot, with an average 4.9 stars out of five.

Formerly known as AardvarkCompare, AARDY includes a “Travel Insurance 101” learning center to help customers understand various policies and benefits.

Quote search results page includes COVID-coverage highlighted in a different color to make it easier for customers to review related limits.

Whether you’re looking for an international travel insurance plan, emergency medical care, COVID coverage or a policy that includes extreme sports, these providers have you covered.

Our full analysis and more details about each organization can be found here: The Best Travel Insurance Companies Today .

Allianz Global Assistance .

Travel Guard by AIG .

USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services .

Travel Insured International .

World Nomads .

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection .

Travelex Insurance Services .

Seven Corners .

AXA Assistance USA .

There are a few scenarios when spending extra on travel insurance doesn't really make sense, like:

You booked flexible airline tickets.

Your hotel room has a good cancellation policy.

It's already included in your credit card.

You haven't booked any nonrefundable activities.

» Learn more: When you don't need travel insurance

Yes, especially for nonrefundable trips and travel during the COVID-era. Whether you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy or have travel insurance from your credit card, you shouldn't travel without having some sort of travel protection in place to safeguard you and your trip. Travel insurance can protect you in case of an unexpected emergency such as a canceled flight due to weather, a medical event that requires hospitalization, lost luggage and more.

There are many good travel insurance policies out there and a policy that may be great for you may not be good for someone else. Selecting the best plan depends on what coverage you would like and your trip details.

For example, World Nomads offers a comprehensive travel insurance policy that has excellent coverage for adventure sports. Allianz provides coverage for trips of varying lengths of time through its single trip plans and multi-trip plans. Some providers offer add-on options like Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance. If you’re not sure which plan to go with, consider looking at trip insurance comparison sites like Squaremouth or Insuremytrip.

Yes, you can. However, it's better to purchase it sooner rather than later, ideally right after booking your trip because the benefits begin as soon as you purchase a policy.

Let’s say you’re going on a trip in a month and a week before departure, you fall and break your leg. If you’ve purchased a travel insurance policy, you can use your trip cancellation benefits to get your nonrefundable deposit back.

Most comprehensive travel insurance plans offer trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical and dental, medical evacuation, trip delay and lost luggage coverage. Many plans offer COVID coverage, but you’ll always want to check to ensure that the policy you choose provides that benefit if you’re traveling during these times. Some plans may also allow you to add features like Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance.

It depends which credit card you have. Premium travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express offer travel insurance benefits if you book a trip using your card or points.

However, the coverage provided by the credit cards is usually lower than if you purchased a standalone policy. Review the travel insurance benefits on your credit card and check that the limits are adequate before foregoing from purchasing a separate plan.

Let’s say you’re going on a trip in a month and a week before departure, you fall and break your leg. If you’ve purchased a travel insurance policy, you can use your

trip cancellation benefits

to get your nonrefundable deposit back.

It depends which credit card you have. Premium travel cards like the

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Platinum Card® from American Express

offer travel insurance benefits if you book a trip using your card or points.

Unpredictability is one of the mind-opening joys of travel, but travel insurance should contain no surprises. The time you spend to understand your options will be well worth the peace of mind as you embark on your next adventure.

Whether you’re seeking a single or a long-term policy, each travel insurance option offers different strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right policy depends on your trip needs, your budget and how important various benefits are to you.

Keep reading

If you want to dig in deeper to world of travel insurance, these resources will point you in the right direction.

What is travel insurance?

How much is travel insurance?

Is travel insurance worth it?

What does travel insurance cover?

Does travel insurance cover COVID?

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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Travel Insurance

Best travel insurance companies of April 2024

Amy Fontinelle

Heidi Gollub

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 8:41 a.m. UTC April 12, 2024

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WorldTrips is the best travel insurance company of 2024 , based on our in-depth analysis of travel insurance policies. Its Atlas Journey Preferred and Atlas Journey Premier plans get 5 stars in our rating because of the extensive coverage they provide for the price. Both plans come with high limits for important benefits such as emergency medical and evacuation, travel delay and missed connections. WorldTrips travel insurance also offers a pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver if you buy a plan within 21 days of making your first trip deposit.

Best travel insurance of 2024

Why trust our travel insurance experts

Our travel insurance experts evaluate hundreds of insurance products and analyze thousands of data points to help you find the best trip insurance for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content . You can read more about our methodology below.

• 1,855 coverage details evaluated.
• 567 rates reviewed.
• 5 levels of fact-checking.

Travel insurance quotes comparison

Best travel insurance companies, best travel insurance.

Top travel insurance plans

Average cost, medical limit per person, why it’s the best.

If you’re looking for the best travel insurance for international travel, WorldTrips has two top-rated travel insurance plans in our rating:

• Atlas Journey Preferred provides $100,000 per person in emergency medical benefits as secondary coverage, with the option to upgrade to primary coverage. Primary coverage means you don’t have to first file a medical claim with your health insurance company. Atlas Journey Preferred is also the best travel insurance for cruises with $1 million in coverage for emergency evacuation.
• Atlas Journey Premier costs more but gives you $150,000 in travel medical insurance with primary coverage. This plan is a good option if health insurance for international travel is a priority. It also has $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage.

Pros and cons

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheapest of our 5-star travel insurance plans.
• Atlas Journey Premier has $150,000 in primary medical coverage.
• Both plans have top-notch $1 million per person in medical evacuation coverage.
• Each plan includes travel inconvenience coverage of $750 per person.
• 12 optional upgrades, including destination wedding and rental car damage and theft.
• No non-medical evacuation coverage.

Customer reviews

WorldTrips has a rating of 4.27 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 411 reviews of policies purchased through the travel insurance comparison site since 2008.

Best travel insurance for emergency evacuation

Travel insured international.

Top travel insurance plan

If you’re traveling to a remote area, consider Travel Insured International’s Worldwide Trip Protector. It has the best travel insurance for emergency evacuation of travel insurance policies in our rating. This top travel insurance plan provides up to $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage per person and $150,000 in non-medical evacuation per person. It also has primary coverage for travel medical insurance benefits.

• Only plan in our rating that offers $150,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• $500 per person baggage delay benefit only requires a 3-hour delay.
• Optional rental car damage benefit up to $50,000.
• Missed connection benefit of $500 per person is only available for cruises and tours.

Travel Insured International has a rating of 4.39 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 3,402 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2004.

Best travel insurance for missed connections

If you’re looking for good travel insurance for missed connections , it’s worth considering TravelSafe. Its Classic plan includes $2,500 in missed connection coverage for each person on the plan. Some travel insurance companies only provide missed connection coverage for cruises and tours, but TravelSafe doesn’t impose that restriction.

• Best-in-class $2,500 per person in missed connection coverage.
• $1 million per person in medical evacuation and $25,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• Generous $2,500 per person baggage and personal items loss benefit.
• Most expensive of our best-rated travel insurance plans.
• No “interruption for any reason” coverage option.
• Weak baggage delay coverage of $250 per person after 12 hours.

TravelSafe has a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 1,506 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2004.

Best trip insurance for traveling with a pet

Go Ready Choice by Aegis has the most affordable travel insurance of the best-rated travel insurance companies in our rating. It’s also the best trip insurance for pet parents , with an optional Pet Bundle add-on that includes pet medical, pet kennel and pet return benefits.

• Cheapest of our best trip insurance plans.
• Optional pet bundle adds pet medical expense and pet return benefits.
• Low emergency medical and evacuation limits.
• Low missed connection benefit of $500 per person for cruises and tours only.
• Low baggage and personal items loss benefit of $500 per person.

Aegis has a rating of 4.06 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 1,111 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2013.

Best travel insurance for families

Top-scoring plan

Travelex Insurance Services has the best travel insurance for families because you can add kids aged 17 and younger to your Travel Select plan at no additional charge.

• Free coverage for children 17 and under on the same policy.
• Robust travel delay coverage of $2,000 per person ($250 per day) after 5 hours.
• Hurricane and weather coverage after a common carrier delay of any amount of time.
• Low emergency medical coverage of $50,000 per person.
• Non-medical evacuation is not included.
• Low baggage delay coverage of $200 requires a 12-hour delay.

Travelex has a rating of 4.43 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 2,048 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2004.

Best travel insurance for add-on coverage options

Travel Guard Preferred from AIG allows you to customize your policy with a host of available upgrades, making it the best traveler insurance for add-on options . These include “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage , rental vehicle damage coverage and bundles that offer additional benefits for adventure sports, travel inconvenience, quarantine, pets, security and weddings.

There’s also a medical bundle that increases the travel medical benefit to $100,000 and emergency evacuation to $1 million. This is a good option if you’re looking for foreign travel health insurance.

See our full AIG travel insurance review

• Bundle upgrades allow you to customize your travel insurance policy.
• Emergency medical and evacuation limits can be doubled with optional upgrade.
• Base travel insurance policy has relatively low medical limits.
• $300 baggage delay benefit requires a 12-hour delay.
• Optional CFAR upgrade only reimburses up to 50% of trip cost.

Best travel insurance for cruise itinerary changes

Nationwide’s Cruise Choice plan is good travel insurance for cruises . It has a $500 per person benefit if a cruise itinerary change causes you to miss a prepaid excursion.

Cruise Choice also has a missed connections benefit of $1,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay when you’re taking a cruise or tour. But note that this coverage is secondary coverage to any compensation provided by a common carrier.

• Benefits for cruise itinerary changes, ship-based mechanical breakdowns and covered shipboard service disruptions.
• Non-medical evacuation benefit of $25,000 per person.
• Missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person for tours and cruises, after a 3-hour delay.
• Baggage loss benefits of $2,500 per person.
• Travel medical coverage is secondary.
• Trip cancellation benefit for losing your job requires three years of continuous employment.
• No “cancel for any reason” upgrade available.

Nationwide has a rating of 4.02 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 570 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2018.

What is the best travel insurance?

The best travel insurance for international travel is sold by WorldTrips, according to our in-depth trip insurance comparison.

The best travel insurance plan for you will depend on the trip you are planning and the coverage areas that are most important to you.

• Best cruise travel insurance
• Best COVID travel insurance
• Best “Cancel for any reason” travel insurance
• Best senior travel insurance

Best travel insurance for cruises

The best cruise travel insurance is Atlas Journey Preferred sold by WorldTrips . This plan offers solid travel insurance for cruises for a low rate.

Best travel insurance for COVID-19

The best COVID travel insurance is the Trip Protection Basic plan sold by Seven Corners . It is a relatively low cost travel insurance plan with optional “cancel for any reason” coverage that reimburses up to 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.

Best travel insurance for “cancel for any reason” 

The best “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) travel insurance is Seven Corners’ Trip Protection Basic. Adding CFAR coverage to a RoundTrip Basic plan only increases the cost by about 40%, which is lower than other plans we analyzed. For the extra cost, you get coverage of 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses, as long as you cancel at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure.

Best travel insurance for seniors

The best senior travel insurance is the Gold plan sold by Tin Leg . It is an affordable travel insurance plan with travel medical primary coverage of $500,000 and a pre-existing conditions waiver if you insure the full amount of your trip within 14 days of your first trip deposit.

How much is travel insurance?

The average cost of travel insurance is 5% to 6% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs . 

How much you pay for travel insurance will depend on:

• The cost of your trip.
• Your destination.
• The length of your trip. 
• The ages of travelers being insured.
• Your state of residence.
• The travel insurance policy you choose.
• The total coverage amounts in your policy.
• Any travel insurance add-ons you select. 

Here are average travel insurance rates for a 30-year-old female who is insuring a 14-day trip to Mexico.

How much travel insurance should I buy?

Travel insurance companies typically offer several plans with varying maximum limits. The higher the coverage limits, the more you’ll pay for travel insurance. 

Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison site, recommends the following coverage limits for international travel: 

• Emergency medical coverage: At least $50,000. 
• Medical evacuation coverage: At least $100,000. 

If you’re going on a cruise, or to a remote location, Squaremouth recommends: 

• Emergency medical coverage: At least $100,000. 
• Medical evacuation coverage: At least $250,000.

When evaluating travel insurance plans, our team of insurance analysts considered the best medical travel insurance policies to have at least $250,000 in emergency medical coverage and at least $500,000 in medical evacuation coverage. 

When should I buy travel insurance?

The best time to buy travel insurance is within two weeks of making your first nonrefundable travel payment, whether it’s for a plane ticket, hotel stay, cruise or excursion. 

Travel insurance costs the same whether you buy it early or last minute, and buying it early has added benefits: 

• You may be able to add on “ cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage , an upgrade that is typically only available for a limited time after you’ve started paying for your trip. 
• You may qualify for a pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver, meaning your pre-existing conditions will be covered by travel insurance. This waiver is generally added to your policy automatically, provided you buy the travel insurance within a certain window after your first trip deposit.  
• You will be covered over a longer period of time for unforeseen events that could cause you to cancel your trip, such as medical emergencies, inclement weather and natural disasters. 

Expert tip: You can buy travel insurance up to the day before you leave on your trip, but waiting may cost you the opportunity to qualify for a pre-existing conditions exclusion waiver or to buy a “cancel for any reason” upgrade.

Where can I buy travel insurance?

You can buy a travel insurance plan:

• Online. Visit a travel insurance company’s website to buy a policy directly or use a comparison website like Squaremouth or Travelinsurance.com to see your options and compare plans. You may also be able to purchase travel insurance online through an airline, cruise, hotel, rental car company or other provider you book a ticket with.
• In person. A travel agent or insurance agent may be able to assist you in buying travel insurance.

Travel insurance trends in 2024

Americans are changing the way they travel and this includes buying travel insurance when they might have skipped it in the past. As spending on trips continues to rise , travelers have more to lose if their plans are disrupted. 

Based on travel insurance searches from Jan. 1 to April 1, 2024, here are the main benefits travelers are looking for. 

Source: Squaremouth.com

Methodology

Our insurance experts reviewed 1,855 coverage details and 567 rates to determine the best travel insurance of 2024. For companies with more than one travel insurance plan, we shared information about the highest-scoring plan.

Insurers could score up to 100 points based on the following factors:

• $3,000, 8-day trip to Mexico for two travelers age 30.
• $3,000, 8-day trip to Mexico for two travelers age 70.
• $6,000, 17-day trip to Italy for two travelers age 40.
• $6,000, 17-day trip to Italy for two travelers age 65.
• $15,000, 17-day trip to Italy for four travelers ages 40, 40, 10 and 7.
• $15,000, 17-day trip to France for four travelers ages 40, 40, 10 and 7.
• $15,000, 17-day trip to the U.K. for four travelers ages 40, 40, 10 and 7.
• Medical expenses: 10 points. We scored travel medical insurance by the coverage amount available. Travel insurance policies with emergency medical expense benefits of $250,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Medical evacuation: 10 points. We scored each plan’s emergency medical evacuation coverage by coverage amount. Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: 10 points. We gave full points to travel insurance policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if certain conditions are met.
• Missed connection: 10 points. Travel insurance plans with missed connection benefits of $1,000 per person or more received full points.
• “Cancel for any reason” upgrade: 5 points. We gave points to travel insurance plans with optional “cancel for any reason” coverage that reimburses up to 75%.
• Travel delay required waiting time: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance policies with travel delay benefits that kick in after a delay of 6 hours or less.
• Cancel for work reasons: 5 points. If a travel insurance plan allows you to cancel your trip for work reasons, such as your boss requiring you to stay and work, we gave it 5 points.
• Hurricane and severe weather: 5 points. Travel insurance plans that have a required waiting period for hurricane and weather coverage of 12 hours or less received 5 points.

Some travel insurance companies may offer plans with additional benefits or lower prices than the plans that scored the highest, so make sure to compare travel insurance quotes to see your full range of options.

Best travel insurance FAQs

According to our analysis, WorldTrips has the best trip insurance. Two of its plans — Atlas Journey Preferred and Atlas Journey Premier — get 5 stars in our rating.

The best travel insurance policy for you will depend on what type of coverage you need. With so many different policies and carriers, the policy that was best for your friend’s trip to California might not be ideal for your trip to Japan. If you’re looking for the best travel insurance for international travel, you may be willing to pay more for higher coverage levels.

A comprehensive travel insurance plan bundles several types of travel insurance coverage, each with its own limits. To ensure you have adequate financial protection for your trip, your travel insurance policy should include the following travel insurance coverages:

• Trip cancellation . With trip cancellation insurance , you’re covered if you need to call off your trip because of a reason listed in your policy, such as unexpected illness, injury or death of you, a family member or a travel companion, severe weather, jury duty and your travel supplier going out of business. 
• Travel delay. Once your trip has started, travel delay insurance reimburses you for unexpected expenses you incur after a minimum delay, such as five hours. It can cover needs like airport meals, transportation and even overnight accommodation. 
• Trip interruption. If you need to cut your trip early for a reason listed in your policy, trip interruption insurance can reimburse you for any prepaid, nonrefundable payments you’ll lose by leaving early. It can also pay for a last-minute one-way ticket home. 
• Travel medical . Emergency medical benefits are especially important if you need international health insurance for travel outside of the country. Your domestic health insurance may provide limited coverage once you leave the U.S. The best travel medical insurance pays for ambulance service, doctor visits, hospital stays, X-rays, lab work and prescription medication you may require while traveling. 
• Emergency medical evacuation. If you’re traveling to a remote area, or planning excursions such as boating to an island, emergency medical evacuation coverage is a good idea. This coverage pays to transport you to the nearest adequate medical facility if you are injured or sick while traveling. 
• Baggage delay. After a certain waiting period, such as six or 12 hours, this coverage will reimburse you for necessities you need to buy to tide you over while you wait for your bag to arrive. Be sure to save your receipts and look at your coverage limit, as some caps are low, like $200. 
• Baggage loss. Baggage insurance can reimburse you if your bag never arrives, or if your personal belongings are stolen during your travels. Coverage limits apply here, as well as exclusions for certain items such as electronics.  

“Typically, travelers are expected to pay their expenses out of pocket, and then file a claim for reimbursement,” said James Clark, spokesperson for Squaremouth. “However, there are medical situations in which a provider may be required to pre-authorize payment to make sure the policyholder receives the treatment they need.”

According to Clark, “Providers can pre-authorize payment for medical care and emergency evacuations. With that said, every circumstance is unique, and providers will handle each situation on a case-by-case basis.”

Travel insurance covers your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs — as well as extra money you may need to spend due to unforeseen circumstances and emergencies — both before and during your trip.  

Travel insurance coverage varies by plan, but in general travel insurance covers costs associated with these problems: 

• Bankruptcy of a travel insurance company, such as your airline or tour operator. 
• Dangerous weather conditions.
• Delayed and lost luggage.
• Illness or death in your family that requires you to stay home or cut your trip short.
• Illness that needs medical attention.
• Injury requiring medical evacuation.
• Jury duty. 
• Travel delays and missed connections.
• Theft of your personal belongings while traveling.
• Unexpected job loss. 

Travel insurance policies often exclude or limit “foreseeable” losses. Typical travel insurance exclusions include:

• Accidents or injuries caused by drinking or drug use.  
• Canceling your trip because you changed your mind.
• Ending your trip early because you changed your mind.
• Losses caused by intentional self harm, including suicide.
• Losses due to war, civil disorder or riots.
• Medical tourism.
• Medical treatment for pre-existing conditions.
• Mental health care.
• Natural disasters that begin before you buy travel insurance.
• Non-medical evacuation.
• Normal pregnancy. 
• Medical treatment related to high-risk activities.
• Routine medical care, such as physicals or dental care.
• Search and rescue.

Your U.S. health insurance may provide little or no coverage in foreign countries. Check with your health insurance company to see if you have any global benefits and ask how they work. If your health care does extend across the border, the benefits it provides abroad may not be the same benefits it provides domestically. 

Medicare usually won’t pay for health care outside of the United States and its territories, so older travelers planning an international trip should look into the best senior travel insurance with robust medical benefits. 

The best time to buy travel insurance is immediately after booking your trip and making a nonrefundable payment — in other words, as soon as you’re at risk of losing money. This way, you’ll know the total cost that you need to insure and you’ll have the longest window to take advantage of your policy’s benefits if something goes wrong.

You can’t wait until something goes wrong and then buy travel insurance to get reimbursed for your loss. Travel insurance only covers unexpected losses.

Travel insurance companies can decline to cover travel to certain countries. For example, you may find that some trip insurance companies don’t offer coverage to countries with a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory from the U.S. State Department. 

Travel insurance policies also frequently exclude certain risks that you’re more likely to encounter in Level 4 or Level 3 countries. For example, your policy may not cover losses related to declared or undeclared wars or acts of war or losses related to known or foreseeable conditions or events. 

Some credit cards , such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , offer benefits such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement when you use your card to pay for your trip.

Ask your credit card issuer for your card’s benefits guide to see what coverage you may have. Keep in mind that it may not cover all the risks you want to protect against, such as the cost of international health care or emergency medical evacuation .

Business travel insurance makes sense if you are self-employed and paying for your own travel expenses, or if you are traveling internationally and want medical coverage abroad.

You might also consider buying travel insurance for a business trip if your company won’t cover extra expenses if your flight is delayed or you need to head home early.

Cruise travel insurance can help protect you financially if you need emergency medical care in a remote location, or if a delayed flight causes you to miss embarkation and you need to pay extra to catch up to your cruise.

Experts caution that travel insurance you buy through a cruise line may not be as comprehensive as plans you can buy directly from travel insurance companies.

Some travel insurance plans cover rental cars as an optional upgrade, for an additional cost. The 5-star rated travel insurance companies in our rating offer these optional rental car benefits:

• Travel Insured International — Rental car damage and theft coverage of $50,000.
• WorldTrips — Rental car damage and theft coverage of $50,000 with a $250 deductible. 

Travel insurance typically only covers a single trip, although your insured trip can have multiple destinations. 

If you’re looking to insure several trips in the same year, annual travel insurance may be a good option for you.

Travel insurance may be required, depending on the country you plan to visit. But it’s smart to consider buying a travel insurance policy for international travel, even when it is not required. A good travel insurance policy can protect you financially if you need emergency medical assistance when traveling, or if you need to cut your trip short and buy a last-minute plane ticket home because an immediate family member is ill. 

Wondering if travel insurance is worth it? What travel insurance covers

Editor’s Note: This article contains updated information from previously published stories:

• Spirit Airlines scrubs 60% of its Wednesday flights, says cancellations will drop ‘in the days to come.’
• ‘Just a parade of incompetency’: Spirit Airlines passengers with ‘nightmare’ stories want more than apology, $50 vouchers
• ‘This is not our proudest moment’: Spirit Airlines CEO says more flight cancellations expected this weekend
• Hurricane Irma: Flight cancellations top 12,500; even more expected
• Is an annual travel insurance policy right for you?
• How 2020 and COVID-19 changed travel forever – and what that means for you
• COVID-19 or delta variant have you ready to scrap your trip? Here’s how to cancel like a pro
• Sunday: Snow is over, but flight cancellations top 12,000
• After nearly 13,000 Harvey cancellations, Irma is new threat to airline flights
• What’s the difference between travel insurance and trip ‘protection’?
• How to choose the right travel insurance for your next vacation
• Travel insurance can save the day
• Angry passengers brawl after Spirit cancels flights
• What to do when travel insurance doesn’t work
• How lockdowns, quarantines and COVID-19 testing will change summer travel in 2021
• Travelers will pay and worry more on summer vacation this year. But they won’t cancel
• How to find a hotel with COVID testing and quarantine facilities wherever you travel
• Yearning to travel in 2022? First, figure out your budget – then pick a destination
• Pro tips for surviving a long flight during a pandemic: Get the right mask, bring a pillow
• Want to steer clear of contracting COVID-19 on your next vacation? Follow these guidelines
• Post-pandemic travel: Is it OK to ask another passenger’s vaccine status or request they mask up?
• These days, forgetting these important travel items could cost you thousands of dollars
• International travel hacks: When to book flights and hotels, how to deal with COVID-19 rules
• Traveling post-coronavirus: How do you book your next trip when so much remains uncertain?
• The COVID-19 guide to holiday travel – and the case for why you shouldn’t go this year
• Should you travel during the holidays? Americans struggle with their decision
• ‘There’s still pent-up demand’: What you should know about fall travel
• Planning for life after coronavirus: When will we know it’s safe to travel again?
• ‘Busiest camping season’: Travelers choose outdoor recreation close to home amid COVID-19 pandemic
• Considering a camping trip this summer? Tips to make sure your gear is good to go
• RVing for the first time? 8 tips for newbies I wish I’d known during my first trip
• Five myths about travel agents
• Should I buy travel insurance?
• Is travel insurance stacked against you?
• Five myths about travel insurance and terrorism
• These eight things could get your travel insurance claims rejected
• There’s a good chance that your credit card already gives you some kind of travel insurance coverage
• How to avoid a hotel cancellation penalty
• Change fees and travel insurance continue to rise

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Amy Fontinelle has more than 15 years of experience helping people make informed decisions about their money, whether they’re refinancing a mortgage, buying insurance or choosing a credit card. As a freelance writer trained in journalism and specializing in personal finance, Amy digs into the details to explain the products and strategies that can help (or hurt) people seeking greater financial security and wealth. Her work has been published by Forbes Advisor, Capital One, MassMutual, Investopedia and many other outlets.

Heidi Gollub is the USA TODAY Blueprint managing editor of insurance. She was previously lead editor of insurance at Forbes Advisor and led the insurance team at U.S. News & World Report as assistant managing editor of 360 Reviews. Heidi has an MBA from Emporia State University and is a licensed property and casualty insurance expert.

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The complete guide to corporate travel policies

Corporate travel policy (+ free template).

Start writing your own corporate travel policy with our comprehensive template

What’s inside our travel policy template.

• Introduction
• Travel booking process
• Expense categories
• Non-reimbursable purchases
• Expense reporting and reimbursement process
• Travel support, safety and duty of care

Section 1: Introduction

Section 2: travel booking process.

• How to book travel – What is your approved process, method and/or platform for booking business travel? If your company use a platform to enable travelers to book within policy , include the name of your approved booking platform. Otherwise, write out the name and contact details of the company or person they’re supposed to contact in order to request a booking.
• Approval process for senior management - the approval process for c suite and senior members of staff will likely differ from that of other employees. Senior management might require approval from an executive, and executives might require sign-off from other c suite members. All of this must be included in your policy.
• Use of loyalty programs – Many companies don’t allow travelers to collect points for their personal loyalty programs. But if you trust your travelers to do the right thing, you can allow this and include a line in your policy like “Employees may not choose more expensive options only to get loyalty points.”
• Leisure extensions – Sometimes business travelers want to extend their trip into the weekend, or use up some of their vacation days. You should include rules around leisure extensions (or “bleisure”), such as what cost difference is allowable for return flights. It's important to outline what expenses you will cover and what you consider "personal expenses" for "personal travel". Make clear that these are additional costs that do not fall within the ambit of business expenses under your travel policy.
• Traveling with non-employees - travel expenses related to travel with spouses, family members, pets or anyone outside of the company are not normally eligible for reimbursement. These situations can be subject to approval if they are accompanying staff members for business reasons such as attending a conference or for a networking event.

Section 3: Expense categories

Here’s the information to include in each expense category:.

• Approved tool or method for booking
• Preferred vendors (if any)
• Rules on whether or not business class is allowed, such as for flights over a certain duration, or flights taken by employees of a certain seniority level. Highlight whether travelers should go in economy class or business.
• How many days in advance international flights must be booked
• How many days in advance domestic travel must be booked

Accommodation

• Maximum nightly rates per city for hotel rooms
• Preferred vendors and negotiated rate details (if any)
• Rules on standard rooms and upgrades, for example standard rooms are required but room upgrades are allowed if offered at no additional charge
• Reimbursable hotel costs, such as parking
• Rules for booking Airbnb or apartment rentals

Rail travel

• Type of train ticket allowed, such as economy

Taxis and ride-sharing

• When taxis and ride-sharing is allowed, for example when public transportation isn’t viable
• Maximum amount per transaction

Rental and personal car

• Type of rental car class allowed, such as compact or mid-size
• The number of employees expected to share a rental car when traveling together
• How much is reimbursed per mile or kilometer

Conferences & events

• Expense reimbursement process for conference or event registration in cases where it was not pre-paid.
• Process for other conference or event related expenses such as business meals or anything not included in the registration cost.

Food, travel and entertainment

• Reimbursable amount, per breakfast
• Reimbursable amount, per lunch
• Reimbursable amount, per dinner
• Alternatively, a daily maximum or per diem
• Personal meal expenses throughout their trip
• Rules for business meals, such as who approves the amount
• Rules for client entertainment expenses, such as what is allowed

Personal telephone usage

• Cell phone bill amount or percentage that is reimbursable during the weeks that the employee travels. Clarify whether calls for personal reasons will be covered by your company.
• Whether or not personal phone damages or theft are reimbursable during business travel, and if so up to what amount?

Section 4: Non-reimbursable purchases

• In-flight purchases, not airfare
• Excess baggage fees
• Childcare, pet care, and pet boarding
• Costs for family members joining travelers on their trip
• Toiletries or clothing
• Airline club memberships
• Minibar purchases or bar bills
• Laundry or dry cleaning
• Parking fines or traffic violations
• Airline ticket change fees
• First-class rail transportation
• Premium, Luxury or Elite car rentals
• Movies, online entertainment or newspapers
• Spa and health club usage
• Flowers, sweets and confectionery
• Room service
• Additional beds or bedding
• Damage to personal vehicles
• Rental car company insurance

Section 5: Expense reporting and reimbursement process

• What tool to use for expensing
• What items do not need to be added in the expense tool, for example if a trip is booked with your approved booking tool
• Who to submit expense reports to
• What to include in reimbursement requests, such as original receipts
• Deadline for submitting reimbursement requests
• Typical processing time for receiving reimbursement

Section 6: Travel support, safety, and duty of care

• Tracking travelers’ whereabouts – Use this opportunity to let travelers’ know that when they book using your approved method or tool, their trip is tracked. In the event of an emergency, steps will be taken to evacuate them. If you don’t know where they are, you can’t help! Include the name of your approved tool, and what they should do to ensure their trip is accurately tracked if they must book outside of it for a valid reason.
• Travel support – In case of trip cancellations, changes, etc., who should your travelers call? Include contact details for your travel support provider, including phone numbers, email addresses and whatever applies. If there are multiple numbers based on region or language, include those as well.
• Support for emergency needs – In this sub-section, include your duty of care vendor (if you have one) and your travel insurance policy details. Also include the employee name or vendor name they should contact in the event of an emergency.

How to implement your travel policy

• Customize – Customize and finalize the travel policy template. Work with stakeholders to make all of the necessary edits and customizations to the policy; collect all details like travel insurance, nightly rates, etc.
• Automate – Update your automated travel policy. Create or update an automated travel policy so travelers and/or admins can book within policy all the time.
• Deploy – Roll out changes to employees. Depending on the size of your company, roll out your new policy document and automated policy to all employees or an initial subset.
• Listen – Collect feedback on the new policy. Get feedback from employees on the clarity of your travel policy, as well as the ease-of-use of your approved tools and automated policy.

How to improve corporate travel policy compliance

How to improve travel policy compliance with travelperk.

• Is your policy outdated? This could be down to changes within your organization or simply that your current policy isn’t being adhered to. Maybe it’s time to revisit and revamp your policy.
• Monitor your compliance issues. Use travel management software that monitors your policy compliance and use that data to help you understand the reasons behind the barriers you’re facing.
• Self-booking improves policy compliance. Your preferred booking tool plays a role here too. Make use of one that allows your team to book the business trip they want within your policy to avoid confusion and breach of policy.
• Choose an easy-to-use booking tool. Your employees aren’t going to want to use software that is difficult to use, offers little to no support, and has limited options.
• Build your travel expense policy into the booking tool. By doing this, you create an automatic system that allows or rejects different types of travel arrangements based on your business needs.

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Protect your summer travels: 4 insurance providers covering COVID-19

With COVID-19 cases on the rise again , the pandemic doesn't seem to be going away any time soon. However, many airline, hotel, cruise and Airbnb flexible cancellation policies are disappearing faster than home test kits from pharmacy shelves.

The U.S. government doesn't seem to have any plans to remove the requirement for a negative test to allow re-entry to the U.S. So while hospitalizations and fatalities are thankfully lower due to widespread vaccinations and better treatment options, the real risk remains that U.S. travelers still might get stranded abroad for a week or more if they test positive, and may run the risk of missing a trip after a positive test. A recent survey by The Points Guy shows travelers are hesitant to go abroad because of these concerns. So, is purchasing travel insurance your answer to reducing risk and increasing travel confidence?

To manage the financial risk of having your vacation canceled, you might consider travel insurance for your summer trip that will specifically cover you in case you test positive for COVID-19. Travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth.com recently reported that "traveler interest in coverage for contracting COVID-19 is at an all-time high" with 42% of visitors to its website searching specifically for COVID-19-related policies.

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TPG has looked into the latest on why you might want to buy COVID-19-specific travel insurance, and what some of these policies might cost you for the coverage. We've supplied some sample prices and products below, but as always with insurance, be sure to read the policies' coverage fine print, and search for the pricing and policies that best fit your specific budget and needs. Ask questions directly to the insurance supplier prior to purchasing, and carefully document your trip costs and any medical expenses that occur along the way.

Why you may want to buy Covid-specific travel insurance

Many standard travel insurance policies will cover you in the event of an accident, natural disaster, flight cancellation and/or sickness. But many traditional travel insurance policies have had specific clauses saying medical care, trip cancellations and disruptions are not covered in the case of a pandemic. Even now, many policies will not reimburse you for cancellation or trip interruption if the reason you can't travel is due to COVID-19-related border closures, entry requirements or mandatory quarantines.

Many people found this out the hard way as COVID-19 first reared its head around the world in early 2020 and saw their claims denied by their insurer, citing the fine print. TPG has covered this pandemic gap in traditional travel insurance products.

"Look for travel insurance that covers trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical and emergency medical transportation coverage, which also includes epidemic-related coverage that may result in a canceled trip or travel delays," says Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners. He says policies, like his company's OneTrip Prime product, "will provide coverage for personal mandatory quarantines and denied boarding due to suspected illness."

Related: 6 Reasons why you might want to buy travel insurance

Here are some sample Covid travel insurance policies

Travel insurance policies vary widely in terms of what areas of your trip are covered, what support is offered and what the reasons for trip cancellation may be. The basic formula is that the more you spend on the insurance, the more the policy will cover and the more flexibility you will have to use it. Cancel for any reason (CFAR ) policies, for example, are typically the most expensive to purchase, but enable you to get most of your trip refunded if you need to back out for any reason. Travel insurance policies generally require that you purchase the coverage within a certain amount of time from booking the trip (two weeks is common).

As a comparison exercise, TPG priced out a few travel insurance policies from different companies with similar coverage options for a test case of a $10,000 one-week trip to Mexico for two people this summer. Keep in mind, for the information below, these are only sample policies. Your situation may vary widely, with coverage and pricing potentially differing dramatically depending on your specific timing, destinations, tour type and activities planned.

World Nomads

The World Nomads Explorer Plan (underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance) is priced at $197.88 for a sample two-person trip to Mexico. It includes $10,000 of trip cancellation coverage (the lower level of $2,500 coverage is priced at $122.85). The Explorer Plan also covers mishaps due to sports and activities versus the Standard Plan.

In terms of COVID-19-related coverage, the World Nomads website says insurance "purchased by U.S. residents may provide coverage for specified benefits if you test positive for the COVID-19 virus. 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 prepaid nonrefundable 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." (Emphasis is mine on the "maybes.") It appears the "maybes" in this case depend on the insured providing prompt and proper documentation on the reasons for the claim and the amounts to be covered, and on World Nomads approving those reasons and documents.

World Nomads also notes that its coverage "is not available for loss arising from: government intervention including travel bans, border closures or broadly imposed quarantine requirements." So while your personal COVID-19 situation would be covered, external pandemic factors would not be.

Allianz Travel

When I priced out the same sample Mexico trip with Allianz travel insurance, its OneTrip Basic policy came in at $433, including $5,000 of cancellation coverage (out of my $10,000 trip). The policy does have an Epidemic Coverage Endorsement, which "adds covered reasons to select benefits for certain losses related to COVID-19 and any future epidemic."

The fine print states (like most of these policies seem to) that COVID-19-related cancellation or medical reasons would only apply to the covered person specifically, and would not reimburse you for trip cancellation if a country or region is preventing entry and canceling trips due to COVID-19-related restrictions. Allianz policy details include a number of specifics about COVID-19 coverage areas, documentation required for reimbursement, and scenarios where epidemic-related items would and wouldn't apply, all of which potential purchasers should read carefully.

Among the different types of policies, Allianz's Daniel Durazo notes that its OneTrip Prime product "is great when it comes to family vacations, as it covers kids 17 and under for free when traveling with a parent or grandparent."

Seven Corners Travel Insurance

Seven Corners travel insurance offers a wide variety of product options, including Cancel For Any Reason policies, which allow you to get reimbursed even if you canceled your trip just because you were worried about COVID-19. A more common (and inexpensive) option is its RoundTrip Basic policy in which "your medical expenses for treatment for Coronavirus contracted on your trip can be covered."

Other products — including Liaison Travel Plus, Liaison Student Plus, Wander Frequent Traveler Plus or Explore North America Plus — require you to specifically sign up for the "COVID-19 Treatment benefit." In the fine print of the policies, underwritten by the United States Fire Insurance Company, it says "COVID-19 is treated the same as any other sickness for purposes of all coverages that are triggered by sickness or that can reimburse losses resulting from a sickness, including death caused by sickness. Depending on the Plan Design, this can include Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Accident and Sickness Medical Expense, Emergency Medical Evacuation/Medical Repatriation/Return of Remains."

Should you get stuck in a foreign country due to mandatory quarantining after your scheduled trip concludes, the Seven Corners plans "allow for coverage to be extended for the entire duration of a COVID-19-related quarantine, and coverage will be extended for five additional days following the end of the quarantine provided you have not arrived back in your return destination city."

My sample Mexico trip policy with Seven Corners came in at $394, including coverage of 100% trip-cancellation costs (unlike the similar policy at Allianz, which covered half of my $10,000 cost) and 75% of the trip-interruption cost (similar to Allianz). Their premium RoundTrip Choice product added 42% to the price of the Basic policy, but greatly expanded the monetary coverage limits, as well as additional coverage areas.

AIG Travel Guard

AIG's Travel Guard suite of products covers a variety of potential trip and medical costs. Its COVID-19 policy states, "If you contract COVID-19 prior to departure, you would be covered for Trip Cancellation, if you have a confirmed and documented diagnosis and/or you are medically unable to travel at the time of departure due to COVID-19. If you contract COVID-19 while on a covered trip, you would be covered for Medical Expense and Trip Interruption/Curtailment benefits if you have a confirmed and documented diagnosis."

But it should be noted that AIG also mentions that "Due to the World Health Organization (WHO) announcement declaring Coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic, please note that as of, at the latest, March 11, 2020, COVID-19 is a foreseen event and certain coverages will not apply." So again, read the fine print of any policy carefully.

My sample policy price request for the Mexico itinerary for two returned a cost of $572.62 for its Essential base product. The policy summary on the website says it covers 100% of trip costs for cancellation or interruption based on contracting COVID-19 (or other covered reasons) with, of course, proper documentation and certain caveats.

Related: The best travel insurance companies

Bottom Line

Given the stubborn persistence of both the COVID-19 epidemic and its related travel restrictions, purchasing travel insurance, particularly for an expensive trip, can be a wise choice. Most travel insurance policies now include coverage due to COVID-related travel issues, but potential customers should read the fine print carefully to determine exactly what circumstances are covered, and to what extent reimbursement and medical costs will be paid for.

Given that every traveler's needs are unique, and that insurance pricing, policies and processes are constantly evolving, TPG recommends travelers use the samples provided in this post as snapshot examples, rather than specific guidance toward any individual policy type or company.

Travel Insurance Coverage: The Complete Guide

Travelers of all types buy travel insurance coverage: singles, families, honeymooners, seniors, volunteer vacationers, even business travelers. Every traveler and every trip is different, but understanding the benefits and exclusions is important to choosing the right policy or package plan.

Note: In each example, a range of coverage represents the high and low. Actual benefits will depend on the plan you choose.

Trip protection

Trip cancellation Travelers have to cancel their trips for lots of reasons, including:

• Injury or illness of insured, travel companion, family member, or business partner
• Hurricane or natural disaster strikes destination
• Bankruptcy or financial default of travel company
• Terrorism or mandatory evacuation at destination
• Death or hospitalization of destination host
• Home or business damaged, vandalized, or burglarized
• Jury duty or military redeployment
• Required to work, terminated, or transferred
• Victim of felonious assault prior to trip
• Traffic accident prior to trip
• Theft of passport or visa prior to trip
• School year extension

This benefit reimburses 100% of your pre-paid, non refundable expenses if you have to cancel your trip for a covered reason.

Read about trip cancellation coverage .

Trip interruption There are times when travelers must end their trip and return home. Similar to trip cancellations above, trip interruptions come in many forms, including an ill parent, a business going into bankruptcy, mandatory evacuations, and more.

This benefit reimburses up to 150% of the unused trip costs and often additional money for return airfare if you have to end your trip for a covered reason.

Read about trip interruption coverage .

“Cancel for any reason” At times, travelers face situations that cause a trip cancellation for a reason that is not covered under standard cancellation coverage.

This benefit allows you to cancel within a specified number of hours prior to your departure for any reason at all. This coverage must be purchased within a certain number of days from the initial trip deposit (usually 10-15).

Read about ‘cancel for any reason’ coverage .

“Cancel for work reasons” Employment changes can force travelers to cancel their trips. Some work-related reasons include: orders to relocate, being required to work, termination, and more.

This benefit provides 100% reimbursement of non refundable costs if you have to cancel your trip for a work reason. It must be purchased within a certain number of days (usually 14-21) from the initial deposit.

Read about ‘cancel for work reasons’ coverage .

Medical/dental protection

Medical/Dental coverage If a traveler is injured or becomes ill during a trip abroad, it’s likely their health insurance from home won’t cover the associated expenses. A dental emergency, such as a broken tooth, can cause a traveler significant pain, but ignoring the problem until they get home means risking permanent damage or extensive expenses later.

This benefit provides from $10,000 to $250,000 in medical benefits for medical transportation, physician’s expenses, drugs, x-rays, and more. This coverage also pays for emergency dental treatment (limited to a per-tooth maximum between $100 and $250 on average) to resolve acute pain or an injury to natural teeth.

Read about medical/dental coverage .

Evacuation/repatriation coverage If a traveler is injured or killed on their trip and an evacuation is necessary, that transportation can be very expensive and difficult to arrange. Once initial medical treatment is received, the traveler will also have to get home, often requiring a specially equipped and staffed medical flight.

This benefit pays for medically necessary evacuations or the repatriation of a traveler’s remains to their primary residence. Coverage limits range between $25,000 and $1,000,000.

Read about evacuation coverage .

Pre-existing medical condition coverage A pre-existing medical condition is any condition that a traveler has experienced the symptoms of or has had diagnosed and treated prior to their trip.

This benefit is treated as a waiver to the exclusion in a travel plan. It provides protection for medical expenses that result from a recurring condition. Restrictions apply to this coverage.

Read about pre-existing coverage .

Loss or delay protection

Baggage coverage Airline coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged baggage is limited, but a traveler’s risk is not limited to the airlines. Bags can be stolen from a taxi, crushed by a truck, even dropped in the ocean.

Baggage coverage provides replacement value (with maximum limits for any single item) for the items inside as well as replacing the luggage itself.

Read about baggage coverage .

Baggage delay coverage When a traveler’s luggage fails to arrive with the traveler, the initial days of a trip can be very difficult without necessary personal items.

Coverage for delayed baggage provides a certain amount (from $100 to $500 depending on the plan) to purchase the essentials, like toothpaste, clothing, and more.

Read about baggage delay coverage .

Missed connection coverage For travelers on a schedule with departure deadlines, one missed connection can mean disaster. Missed connections occur as a result of severe weather, labor strikes, even overbooking errors.

This benefit provides a certain amount (from $250 to $2,500) for alternative transportation to get your trip back on schedule and “catch up” to the cruise at the next port-of-call.

Read about missed connection coverage .

Travel delay coverage Travel delays come in a variety of forms, including weather delays, flight operation delays, union strikes, and more, but the airlines don’t provide a lot of coverage for delays.

This benefit reimburses you a certain amount each day for basic expenses, such as a hotel room and meals, if your trip is delayed for a covered reason. This coverage starts when the delay reaches a certain number of hours (from 6-12 hours depending on the plan).

Read about travel delay coverage .

Car rental collision coverage If a traveler rents a vehicle and it’s damaged or stolen, the coverage they have from home might not provide for all the related costs, and if it does making a claim will increase your rates significantly.

This benefit provides protection for the cost of repairs and rental charges imposed by the rental company up to the amounts defined in the policy.

Read about car rental coverage .

Life and body protection

Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) Unfortunate travel accidents may cause permanent disability or the death of a traveler.

Accidental death and dismemberment coverage pays an indemnity up to the covered amount for the loss of life or functioning limbs to you or your beneficiary(ies).

Read about accidental death coverage .

Flight accident Flight accidents are those that occur during the airline portion of a traveler’s journey. Some travel insurance plans consider this protection to be AD&D, and some consider it to be life insurance only.

This benefit is often included with a policy’s AD&D protection, but if it is separate, it pays an indemnity up to the covered amount if the insured loses their life or is critically injured due to a flight accident.

Read about flight accident coverage .

Security/Political evacuation A traveler may encounter an unsafe situation caused by local political events, military uprising, civil protests, or impending natural disasters. Escaping these situations can be difficult depending on the traveler’s knowledge of the local area, his or her ability to communicate in the local language, and whether commercial transportation services are even available.

Security and political evacuation coverage provides the coordination and funds necessary to rescue insured travelers from a dangerous situation to a place of safety. Once the danger has cleared, the traveler is then returned home or back to the originating country.

Read about security evacuation coverage .

Assistance services

24/7 assistance services When a traveler is in a foreign county, they may need multi-lingual support to locate medical care, arrange alternative or emergency transportation, track lost luggage, and more.

This benefit ensures that you have the support to find medical assistance, get general travel assistance, restore your identification, and more. While this benefit is standard with most travel plans, the type of help that can be provided by the operators differs from company to company.

Read about assistance services .

Travel medical assistance When a traveler is experiencing a medical emergency, their needs may stretch beyond the simple need for medical care. They may need transportation, communication with their physician, a second opinion, and more.

While nearly all travel plans have assistance services, this coverage is associated with medical emergencies. Operators can arrange telephone conferences with doctors, relay emergency messages back home, and arrange evacuations.

Read about travel medical assistance.

Roadside assistance services Getting a flat tire or locking your keys in the car is bad enough at home, but when you are traveling, it can be dangerous. A traveler driving a foreign car in an unfamiliar area will have difficulty changing a tire on their own. Being locked outside your car is dangerous in any situation.

Within the range of assistance services, some travel protection plans include roadside assistance for common driving hazards.

Read about roadside assistance .

Concierge services The traditional concierge is capable of obtaining last-minute tickets, scoring restaurant reservations, tee times, and spa reservations, and more. While many hotels have eliminated this position from their staff, some travel plans include it in their assistance services.

To enhance a trip experience, travelers with this benefit on their travel insurance plan can contact a hot-line for concierge services.

Read about conci e rge services .

Business assistance services Business travelers face a unique set of problems when traveling. They may need special equipment, an interpreter, event planning support, and more.

Assistance services can often help business travelers with their needs.

Read about business services .

Identity theft services If an identity theft occurs while traveling, the traveler may not know until it causes them trouble on their trip. With identity theft on the rise around the globe, travelers can’t be too careful.

With this coverage, fraud specialists will help you report the theft. Some plans also provide guidance to restore your credit profile.

Read about identity theft services .

Passport/credit card services When a traveler’s credit cards or passport are stolen on a trip, the traveler will have trouble paying for day-to-day expenses and a terrible time getting home.

This benefit provides assistance to get replacement documents so you can return to your home country. In some cases, this coverage allows you some emergency cash until your credit card can be replaced.

Read about passport and credit card services .

Other Benefits in Travel Insurance Coverage

Return of minor children Should a traveler who is traveling with a minor child(ren) be hospitalized due to a covered illness or injury, they will likely have to leave their child(ren) unattended.

This benefit provides payment for airfare and, if necessary, the costs related to an escort (up to the limits defined by the policy) to return the child(ren) to their home country.

Emergency medical reunion When a serious illness, medical evacuation, or repatriation occurs, an individual close to the traveler may need to be with them.

This benefit provides payment for airfare and accommodation expenses (not to exceed the daily limit set by the policy) for one person to be reunited with the hospitalized traveler.

Pet care If a traveler is delayed from returning home due to an unforeseen event or illness, their pre-arranged pet care may not be enough.

This coverage provides payment for additional boarding or care costs if your trip is delayed for a certain amount of time (usually after 24 hours).

Adventure activities Adventure travelers should understand that most travel insurance policies do not cover accidents sustained while participating in activities such as hang gliding, paragliding, bungee jumping, and more.

This benefit adds an optional rider to a trip insurance plan to provide medical coverage for injuries sustained while participating in adventure activities. Each travel insurance company defines adventurous activities differently, so it is important to review the plan details.

Sports activities/equipment Travelers competing in a sport should know that most travel insurance policies do not cover injuries sustained while participating in these activities, including student sporting events. In addition, there is usually no coverage for sports equipment such as skis, bikes, or golf clubs.

This benefit adds medical coverage for injuries sustained while participating in sports. Some plans provide reimbursement (usually no more than $600) to rent equipment if yours is stolen, damaged, or delayed en route. Each travel insurance company defines sports activities differently so it is important to understand the plan.

Damian Tysdal is the founder of CoverTrip, and is a licensed agent for travel insurance (MA 1883287). He believes travel insurance should be easier to understand, and started the first travel insurance blog in 2006.

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Company Travel Policy

A company travel policy is designed to outline a business's travel arrangement procedures and guidelines, stipulating which travel expenses are paid for by the company and how to manage the reimbursement process. A company travel policy should include a purpose statement, scope, authorization and reimbursement section, and travel arrangement processes.

Creating a detailed company travel policy will help ensure all business trips run smoothly, are secured ahead of time, and adhere to all company requirements.

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Company Travel Policy - Free Template

Download this company travel policy template in Microsoft Word format.

Company Travel Policy Template:

Introduction..

When employees travel for company-related purposes, it is [ company name's ] responsibility to provide safe and reliable travel arrangements. This company travel policy serves to clarify the conditions and parameters of a company-paid trip.

The purpose of this company travel policy is to (a) outline the authorization and reimbursement process for travel arrangements and expenses; (b) list the company-paid travel expenses; and (c) establish protocols that oversee the travel arrangement process.

This company travel policy is applicable to all employees under contract at [ company name ], including paid interns, contractors, as well as seasonal, part-time, and full-time employees. [ Company name ] sees traveling out of the city, state, and/or country as a fully-paid business trip, as well as one-day trips that are [ number of hours ] hours away from the office.

Authorization and Reimbursements.

All company travel arrangements must be authorized by senior employees at least [ number of weeks/months ] before the expected travel date, depending on the circumstances and the required travel arrangement time period. Employees are not permitted to authorize their own travel arrangements.

Employees are expected to submit a Travel Expense Report at least [ number of days/weeks ] after the first business day back at work. On the Travel Expense Report, employees must include all company-paid expenses and personal expenses. The finance department is responsible for examining the Travel Expense Report and finalizing reimbursement payments.

Travel Arrangement:

All travel arrangements must be reserved at least [ number of weeks ] weeks before the travel date. The finance department is responsible for the booking and payment of all transportation, accommodation, and travel-related expenses.

Travel Expenses.

[ Company name ] employees are entitled to a company-paid travel ticket for any means of transportation the employee(s) require, including a [ type of class ] return plane, boat, train, and/or coach ticket, [ number of meals ] meals, and [ number of luggage ] luggage. While traveling, employees will be able to use a company-paid taxi service from and to the airport, hotel, and business location. If an employee wishes to travel for personal reasons, they will be financially responsible for the travel fare.

Accommodation.

[ Company name ] employees are permitted to stay in a [ number of stars ][ type of accommodation ] while traveling for company purposes. The finance manager is responsible for securing the [ type of accommodation ] room and paying for an employee's stay.

Other Expenses.

[ Company employees ] will be reimbursed for [ number of meals ] lunch(s) and [ number of meals ] dinner(s) for a maximum of [ $/meal amount ] per meal. If an employee is hosting a client of [ company name ], the entire meal will be reimbursed. In addition, if an employee requires a meeting, boardroom, or conference room while traveling, [ company name ] will book the room and make payment.

Personal Travel.

[ Company name ] will not be financially responsible for any personal expenses and travel arrangements. If an employee chooses to travel with a partner, [ company name ] is not responsible for their partner's accommodation, leisure, and/or travel expenses. An employee is required to submit this information on the Travel Expense Report and produce payslips for their expenses only.

International Travel.

If employees are required to travel out of the country for business, [ company name ] is financially responsible for all travel arrangements, including accommodation, transportation, visas, travel insurance, and medical expenses. International business trips must be authorized at least [ number of months ] months before the expected travel date. The finance department is required to submit a Travel Expense Report before and after the trip. Both reports must be signed off by at least two senior officials before and after the trip.

More Policies:

• Bereavement Leave Policy.
• Cell Phone Policy.
• Company Credit Card Policy.
• Company Travel Policy.
• Company Vehicle Policy.
• Conflict of Interest Policy.
• Cyber Security Policy.
• Dress Code Policy.
• Paid Time Off Policy.
• Social Media Policy.
• Telecommuting Policy.
• Overtime Policy.
• Attendance Policy.
• Expense Reimbursement Policy.
• Sexual Harassment Policy.
• Remote Work Policy.

Company Credit Card Policy

What should be included in a travel policy?

• Introduction .
• Purpose statement .
• Authorization and reimbursements .
• Travel arrangement (both business-related and personal) .

What is corporate travel policy?

A corporate travel policy is a formal document that details the procedures and rules of business-related trips. The policy mainly focuses on the arrangements, expenses, and authorization processes.

How do you write a travel expense policy?

Use our free, customizable company travel policy template in Word format.

What is a travel and expense policy?

A travel and expense policy is an alternative name for a company travel policy, which outlines the travel arrangements and expenses required on a company-paid business trip.

Related Articles:

Employee handbook, expense reimbursement form, conflict of interest policy, code of ethics, professional code of conduct.

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Travel and Entertainment Policy

• Advances – Employees should use their corporate credit card or other personal credit card whenever possible.  Cash advances up to $300 will be made upon receipt of a check request (Form #XXXX) signed by the supervisor.  Employees must return unused advances following completion of a trip along with an expense report (Form #XXXX).  Travel advances must be accounted for within 30 days of receipt, complete with appropriate documentation and reported on an expense report.  A second advance will not be made if a previous advance is outstanding.
• Air Travel – All air travel arrangements are to be made through the approved travel agency, Travel Leaders.Airfare is to be booked at the lowest available fare, assuming there is no more than one stop or one connecting flight for each flight segment, or within five percent of the lowest available fare.   If the lowest fare is a penalty fare, the traveler should use good business judgment in deciding whether the penalty fare option should be booked.  If there is a good to fairly high likelihood of the travel needing changing, the penalty ticket should not be booked and the traveler should choose the next lowest fare or a fare within 5% of the lowest fare.  Requests for nonstop service, specific carriers or specific airports will not be accepted by Travel Leaders unless the fare is within 5% of the lowest available fare or there has been prior approval by the Controller.Travelers should attempt to make arrangements 30 days in advance, but no less than seven days in advance to secure the lowest possible airfare. Travelers must fly coach class.  If traveling internationally, business class travel is acceptable if the travel segment exceeds 10 hours of scheduled flying time and/or the travel is in intra-regional areas outside the U.S. and Canada where extreme differences in check-in privileges result from traveling business class.  Frequent flyer benefits can be used to upgrade the travel class at the traveler’s expense. All air travel is to be booked on a commercial common carrier.  Charters are to be used if it is the only reasonably convenient way to get to a certain place at a certain time and/or it has an associated cost benefit.  Chartered aircraft must have the prior approval of the Controller. When a trip is in progress and changes are necessary, arrangements can be made via the Travel Leaders toll-free 800 number. The purchase of flight or luggage insurance is a personal expense to the employee and is not reimbursable.  The Company provides insurance for accidental injury or death for all employees traveling on Company business. No more than two elected officers may travel together on the same aircraft. For reimbursement of air travel, the passenger receipt must be attached to the expense report documenting the business trip.
• Airline Club Membership – The Company will reimburse, for Vice President and above who travel frequently, the expense of one airline club membership per year, not to exceed $300.
• Travel Management Agency – The travel agency of record is Travel Leaders and is to be used for booking flights and making reservations for hotels and car rentals.  The agency is responsible for assisting employees in managing its travel policy and selecting the most cost effective travel arrangements.  Travel Leaders is a full service travel agency and can support all offices through the use of overnight carriers and point of departure ticket printing.
• Approval of Expense Reports – All expense reports are to be approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor.  The supervisor should validate the business purpose for the expense, the reasonableness of the expense and the completeness of the documentation.  Partially completed, unapproved or poorly documented expense reports should be returned to the employee.  Reimbursement will only be made for properly documented and approved expenses.
• Automobile Rental – The Company will reimburse the reasonable rental of a compact or mid-size automobile.  All automobile rental reservations should be made through Travel Leaders.When traveling in the U.S., employees should decline the optional collision damage insurance and other rental insurance coverage offered by most car rental companies.  The Company provides adequate car rental insurance for travel within the U.S. through its corporate insurance policy and will not reimburse employees for any additional coverage.When traveling outside the U.S., employees should purchase all insurance coverage offered by automobile rental agencies.  The Company will reimburse the employee for the additional coverage. Rental cars should not be used when a shuttle service is available or when taking a taxi would be less expensive than renting a car.  Many hotels provide free limousine service to and from the airport.  The traveler should use the less-expensive mode of transportation as long as it does not interfere with the efficient conduct of business.  Rental cars should be refueled before returning the car to the rental company.
• Babysitting/Child Care Fees – Normal daytime child care expense is an expense of the employee.  However, for employees whose job responsibilities do not normally require travel, an occasional out-of-town overnight business need may require that arrangements, other than family, be made for child care.  In this situation, with approval by the Controller, the Company will reimburse the reasonable cost of child care.
• Cellular/Mobile Phones – The Company will reimburse for the incremental business use cost of a cellular or mobile phone.  Good business judgment should be used in deciding whether a cellular or mobile phone call is appropriate in the given business situation.  Proper documentation is required.  The phone bill must be provided with each call documented with the name of the client or the business purpose for the call.  The Company will not purchase or lease the equipment.
• Conventions and Seminars – The Company will reimburse the reasonable cost of conventions and seminars as long as they relate to the employee’s job function or business.
• Credit Cards and Fees – Most credit card companies will issue a card without any annual fee.  However, the Company will pay the annual credit card fee for one credit card for employees with regular business needs.  The amount of reimbursement will be up to but not to exceed the fee of a corporate credit card.
• Currency Conversion – It is the Company’s desire that when traveling to foreign countries, the employee shall neither gain nor lose as a function of changes in currency exchange rates.  Money can be converted at competitive rates at the arrival airport and converted back to U.S. dollars prior to departure.  When converting money, the foreign exchange receipt showing the conversion must be submitted for reimbursement.Most expenses incurred in foreign travel should be charged to a credit card.   The traveler will be reimbursed upon the receipt of both the original receipt and receipt of the credit card monthly statement which gives the actual currency settlement in terms of U.S. dollars.  If circumstances warrant, a deposit against these anticipated expenses will be made if the risk exists of exceeding credit limits such that future business travel is in jeopardy.All foreign exchange commissions and fees related to cash expenditures will be reimbursed by the Company.
• Dry Cleaning/Laundry – Reasonable expenses for dry cleaning and laundry will be reimbursed if they are incurred as a function of continuous business travel away from home for a period of seven or more days.
• Entertainment – Generally the Company will reimburse the reasonable cost of entertainment as long as a bona fide business purpose exists and a business discussion occurs during the event, immediately before or immediately following the entertainment event.  Examples of entertainment include nightclubs, cocktails, theater, country club or sporting events.  Entertainment expenses require additional documentation relative to the duration of the business discussion, nature of the discussion, the business reason for the entertainment, the expected benefit to be derived, and the names and titles of attendees.  The reimbursement for tickets is limited to the face value or less (i.e. scalper prices are not reimbursed).  As a reminder, the Company can only deduct 50% of entertainment cost for tax purposes.
• Expense Reimbursement – Travelers should file expense reports within five days after completion of the trip.  The Company will not reimburse an employee if the expense report is submitted 45 days or more after the expense was incurred.  If international travel is involved and the traveler charges a foreign currency expense that misses the next billing statement, the 45-day limit will be extended to 75 days.
• Fines – The Company does not reimburse fines or court costs associated with traffic, parking or speeding tickets incurred in conjunction with Company travel.  Employees are encouraged to be good corporate citizens by complying with all state, federal and municipal regulations.
• Frequent Flyer Program – Employees are encouraged to use frequent flyer awards for purchase of Company travel as a way of staying within budget.  However, the Company allows employees to use travel vouchers awarded in conjunction with a frequent flyer program or travel passes given in exchange for flight delays, cancellations or inconveniences, or as a promotion of the airlines for upgrades to business class, first class or personal travel.  If frequent flyer miles are used for Company travel, no reimbursement for value will be made.  Any premium incurred because an employee selected an air carrier for its frequent flyer program is to be paid by the employee.
• Gratuities and Tips – Excellent service is always appreciated and should be recognized.  Guidelines suggest that an adequate level of expression for good services is up to 15% of the value of the service received.  The Company will reimburse tips up to 15%.  For documentation purposes, tips should be included on the charge card payments.  Tips for $5.00 or more, not documented, will not be reimbursed.
• Hotels/Lodging – All hotel/lodging reservations are to be made through Travel Leaders, our designated travel agency.  They will ensure use of preferred hotels with which the Company has negotiated rates.  In cases where no preferred hotel is available, they will secure a hotel at a rate within the range of acceptable per diems which vary by city.  If an employee wishes to stay in a non-preferred hotel and/or accommodations exceed the rate negotiated with the preferred hotel, prior approval by the Controller is required for the difference in rate and must be incurred as a personal expense. Most hotels require an advance deposit or credit card number to guarantee “late arrival.”  When guaranteed reservations have been made and travel plans change, employees are responsible for contacting the travel agency or the hotel to cancel the reservation and avoid a “no show” charge.  When canceling a reservation, the employee should request and make note of the name of the hotel associate making the cancellation, time of call, and cancellation number.  The employee should also remind the hotel to remove the reserve charge from the employee’s credit card.  The Company will not reimburse for a “no show” charge unless it can be demonstrated the charge was incurred for reasons beyond the traveler’s control.The Company will not reimburse for temporary use of hotel health clubs, massages, in-room movies or other items of personal comfort. Frequent travelers should obtain a Company-sponsored telephone credit card and use this card in making long distance calls while on business travel. All hotels provide room receipts.  The request for reimbursement must include the hotel bill detailing all the charges incurred.  In the instance of a shared room, the names of all occupants must be listed. When free lodging is provided by a friend, relative, another employee, or a business acquaintance, a gift of appreciation is appropriate for the host or hostess.  Expenditures of up to $50 will be reimbursed for the gift.  The receipt for the gift or the meal along with an explanation for the charge must accompany the expense report for reimbursement.  This expense is in lieu of a lodging charge.
• Insurance – Automobiles, Personal Items – It may be necessary for an employee to use their personal vehicle for Company business.  It is assumed the employee is adequately insured and meets the statutory minimum insurance requirement in order to operate a motor vehicle on public roads.  Damage losses of personal items left on Company property or with an employee while on Company business are losses of the individual and subject to their personal insurance coverage.
• International Travel – Special tax rules apply to international travel of more than seven days or where the travel will be a combination of business and personal.  The personal expense portion of the trip must be identified.  Any personal tax incurred as a result of personal travel is an expense of the employee.
• Meals – Meals generally fall into one of three categories: meals with a client, with fellow employees, or alone while away from home.  Only those meals with a client present will be reimbursed by the Company.  Generally, meals should be reasonable under the circumstances so as not to be considered lavish or extravagant.  The business purpose for the meal must be clearly stated and meet IRS substantiation requirements.  All reimbursement for meals over $25, including tip, must be accompanied by a credit card receipt.  A restaurant stub with an amount written on it does not meet the “adequate documentation” requirement.  In addition to the business purpose and a receipt, the expense report must also include the names of the people for whom the meal was purchased.   Meals between employees and lunches purchased while traveling away from home will not be reimbursed by the Company as these are routine personal expenses incurred by the employee during the normal business day.
• Medical Charges – Medical charges incurred while away from home should be submitted to the employee’s health insurance provider and will not be reimbursed as travel and entertainment expenses.
• Mileage – The Company will reimburse an employee for business miles driven on their personal vehicle at the allowable IRS rate.  This rate is inclusive of all costs of owning and operating an automobile other than parking fees.  Business miles are considered miles driven:Between the office and a subsequent work related destination.After your first business stop.  If your first business stop is the office, the miles driven to the work location in excess of the miles between work and home (i.e. if going to the airport from your home, report only the miles from the office to the airport).  If the distance from your home to the airport is less than the distance from your home to the office, then no reimbursement will be made. If an employee elects to drive instead of fly, the mileage reimbursement is limited to the lesser of mileage or airfare and other associated travel expenses.
• Parking – The Company will reimburse for parking while on Company business.  When parking at the airport, while out of the city, the employee is encouraged to use the long term parking facility which is less expensive than the short term parking facility.  The business purpose for parking, like all other business expenses, must be stated and documented with a receipt.
• Personal Travel – Personal travel is not reimbursed by the Company.  If an employee takes a combination business trip and vacation, any additional cost incurred as a function of the non-business component of the trip must be incurred as a personal expense and paid by the employee.Travel to a foreign country for business, other than a convention, the duration of which is seven days or less, will be reimbursed.  If non-business activity accounts for 25% or more of the time spent outside of the U.S., or the trip is more than seven days, the expenses allocable to the non-business activity will not be reimbursed.  Any personal travel while on international business must first be approved by the employee’s supervisor and the additional expenses must be incurred as a personal expense and paid by the employee.  If any portion of the trip is deemed personal and the employee is a principal officer or related to the employer (i.e. owner), one half of the cost of the airfare is also deemed to be personal. Travel days are not considered personal days.Foreign travel for a convention is treated like any other foreign travel as long as it directly relates to the employee’s work; and it is as reasonable for the convention to be held in a foreign country as it is in the U.S. because other attendees are not from the U.S.
• Receipts and Documentation – Travel and entertainment expense documentation must be adequate and sufficient to support: The amount (i.e. a receipt) The fact that the employee paid it The time, place, date and description The business purpose or benefit The business relationship of the person or persons entertainedReceipts are required as support for all expenses.  If the expense is $25 or more, a credit card receipt is required as well.  On the rare occasion where a receipt is not provided, a written statement from the employee as to what happened can substitute.  Legitimate business expenses such as books, subscriptions, or dues charged to a credit card over the phone requires the credit card receipt and invoice.  A chronic problem with an employee where receipts are not provided will result in expenses not being reimbursed.  To avoid duplicate payments, original receipts must be attached.  The corporate charge card detail and photocopies of the charge card detail are not considered original receipts by the IRS and are not acceptable documentation. Expenses denominated in a foreign currency charged to a credit card will not be reimbursed until a credit card settlement statement, relative to currency exchange, is provided.
• Refunded/Unused Tickets – The employee must return any and/or all unused tickets to the travel agency in order to get the money refunded.  If the traveler is at the airport, the ticket can be credited against the new ticket.
• Relocation – Employee relocation expenses are governed by a separate policy and administered through the Human Resources Department.  The procedures and forms used for reimbursement or payment of relocation expenses will be provided to the employee.  Relocation expenses are subject to certain personal and business tax regulations.  Therefore, there must be a review of the planned relocation package during the employment offer stage.  A review by the Human Resources Department and the Controller are required before the offer is extended to the employee.  Once an agreement is reached, the employee is to submit all relocation expenses to the Human Resources Department for approval and will then submit the relocation expense report to the Controller for processing.
• Spouse – Travel, Expenses – The Company does not pay for the cost of the spouse traveling with an employee unless having the prior approval of the Controller.  On occasion it may be deemed necessary and appropriate that a spouse travel with the employee, in which case appropriate expenses will be reimbursed and reported as income to the employee on a non-grossed up basis.  The business reason for the traveling spouse must be part of the supporting expense documentation and it must be approved by the Controller.  Some expenses that might be incurred are hotel upgrades to double occupancy, per person cab fare rates, airfare, meals and entertainment.
• Taxis and Limousines – The Company will reimburse the properly documented, reasonable cost of taxis and limousines.  However, limousines that are extravagant or lavish (i.e. stretch limousines) will only be reimbursed up to $50 per day provided a receipt for the service is attached.
• Telephone – While traveling on business, the Company will reimburse personal calls up to 30 minutes per day (if using a calling card) or up to $15 per day (if a calling card is not used).
• Theft – Company property is insured.  It is assumed that associates also maintain adequate insurance on their own personal property.  The Company will not cover the cost of lost or damaged personal property as a function of business travel or Company sponsored events.  Articles purchased as a result of lost luggage should be charged to and paid for by the responsible airline and will not be reimbursed by the Company.
• Train Travel – Train travel to a relatively close destination is considered an adequate means of travel and will be reimbursed if the cost is less than any other means of transportation.  However, when circumstances warrant, cross country travel by train which exceeds five hours will be considered personal travel and will not be reimbursed.
• Travel Approval – The employee and the employee’s supervisor are accountable for the management of travel costs.  Therefore, all travel (job related and non-job related) must be reviewed and approved by the employee’s supervisor prior to the trip.  Review and approval/denial should depend upon rationale such as the business purpose, who is traveling, and anticipated costs.  This policy takes precedent over the supervisor’s approval.

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The complete guide to corporate travel policies 

The business travel policy guide you’ve been waiting for .

Creating a business travel policy for employees can feel really daunting. You don’t want to just throw something together and hope for the best, but it feels impossible to anticipate every possible scenario. The truth is your policy serves as more than a rule book; it's a guide to better decision-making about your corporate travel program and can save you a world of headaches down the road. 

Introduction

What is a travel policy .

• Why do you need a travel policy?
• How to create a travel policy

What to include in a travel policy 

• Travel policy best practices
• How to promote travel policy compliance
• When to review and update your travel policy
• Final thoughts

When it comes to company travel, a travel policy brings it all to one place. It acts as an influencer for travelers to make the most cost-effective choices, an important visibility tool for your managers and HR department, and it protects your people if it’s done right. 

If you’re new to business travel or haven’t looked at your travel policy in a while, we’ll start with the basics and then move into the nitty gritty of corporate travel policies. We’ll touch on a few best practices for writing a travel policy, what to include, and offer plenty of resources along the way. 

Ready to get cracking? Let’s go! 

A travel policy is a guide for business travelers to follow that outlines: 

• How, where, and when to book 
• Approved technology for travel management 
• Preferred suppliers for air travel, land travel, and accommodations 
• Approvals process for out-of-policy bookings 
• Trip extensions and personal travel 
• Expenses and what is covered or not covered 
• Reimbursement processes 
• Business travel insurance information 
• Emergency procedures and contacts 

Your company’s travel policy should reflect your company culture and values, be supportive of your travelers and their needs, and protect your company from unforeseen circumstances. It acts as a central document that guides your team to the processes of embarking on company business travel, from start to finish! 

While you might hear a few grumbles and groans around the words “policy” or “process,” don’t worry! A travel policy does not need to be rigid and inflexible. 

Do your travelers prefer to book on their own? Don’t take away their autonomy. They can still self-book, you’ll just provide them with a better tool and way to do it more efficiently. 

Do your people feel prepared for any event that can cause a travel hiccup? With a travel policy, you can give them clarity and help them feel more prepared when traveling for business purposes. 

Why do you need a travel policy? 

Your travel policy is an extension of your travel program and company culture. It’s the glue that holds your travel program together – from approvals, expenses, booking processes, and emergency contacts. 

Having a travel policy helps you: 

• Control travel costs 
• Determine how reimbursement works 
• Compile a list of trusted and approved travel vendors 
• Manage an employee’s travel experience and safety 
• Cut rogue bookings – and simplify approvals 
• Budget, report on travel expenses and activity and reconcile bookings 

It’s a roadmap or guidebook that your travelers can reference when they’re booking their own travel if they run into a tricky situation abroad, and it helps provide clarity around processes. 

As a company though, your travel policy helps centralize your travel program, makes data and tracking more accurate and easier to navigate, and it saves time and money (including on expense management). Plus, if you take the time to craft your policy in an intentional and inclusive way, you’ll have a policy your travelers are happier to follow. 

How to create a travel policy for employees 

• Determine business travel guidelines 
• Create a travel policy that puts your people first 
• Set reasonable budget limits 
• Simplify the process of expense claims 
• Adopt a user-friendly all-in-one travel platform 

Once you’ve read through our tips, be sure to download our free  travel policy template  so you can get started on creating a travel policy of your own! 

1) Determine corporate travel guidelines 

When you take the time to create a policy that meets the needs of your business, you are making sure that your travelers are safe, costs are controlled, and you’ve made every business trip count. 

Start by looking at what types of travel are allowed and the reason for each trip. 

If you have team members traveling all over the globe, you might want to set some extra safety measures. You should also decide if there will be restrictions on the type of ground transportation used or where employees can stay. 

Create a process for booking flights, hotels, and other ground transportation needs. How far in advance should they be booking? Do different rules apply based on the traveler’s position? Who is the point of contact for bookings and other travel questions? 

Making sure to include your company’s travel insurance info is also important. Make sure to note if your policy covers medical expenses and/or any losses due to cancellations or delays in transportation services due to factors outside an employee’s control. 

Do you have a policy for reporting and documenting expenses? This includes having a system in place for claims (like meal expenses) and a reimbursement process, so your team can easily get their money! 

2) Create a travel policy that puts your people first

You’ve heard the term “duty of care” before, so it’s important to create a corporate travel policy that puts traveler safety and accessibility needs first. You’ll need to define and assign the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved, including a travel manager, if you have one. 

Set up an emergency plan and provide access to traveler safety information. Determine who is the emergency contact (your TMC?) and how to get in touch. Do they have 24/7 emergency support available by phone or chat? What about email support? 

Invite your HR department, the travelers themselves, and your DE&I manager into a discussion to find out what needs your team has as individuals, what hiccups they face when traveling, and what holes exist in your travel program that make it difficult to navigate. 

Working with a TMC is a great way to ensure travelers are kept safe before and during their trip.  

3) Set reasonable budget limits for business travel

You have a budget you need to adhere to, but is it realistic? Setting reasonable budget limits is key to an effective policy. 

Your budget should account for all travel-related expenses, including airfare, accommodation, meals, and ground transportation. And once you’ve set your budget, you can determine reasonable costs for hotels and accommodation, ground transport, flights, and more. Build these caps into your  travel booking software  to help travelers stay within the set parameters, which will later help with accountability. 

It's important to set clear rules on what the company can pay back and what types of expenses are out-of-pocket. 

If you’ve set a maximum daily rate for meals on work trips, it's crucial that travelers understand the limit before racking up additional charges. Requiring receipts can also help keep track of employee spending and make sure they're not going over budget. 

By working with a  travel management company  like Corporate Traveler, you can review your previous year’s expenses and find where you can optimize or make changes based on market changes. 

4) Simplify the process of expense claims 

If you're unfamiliar with how to write a travel expense policy, creating a simple process for claiming expenses is key to getting your team on the same page. Do you have access to a payment system that pays for the majority of expenses at the time of booking? This could be a good way to save time and stress down the road.  

The more you can pay for before your travelers get to their destination, the easier everything is to reconcile after they get home.  

If you have a person in charge of reviewing expense reports and watching pre-trip approvals, make sure to set criteria for claim approvals and look at automating processes to make approvals simple! 

5) Adopt a user-friendly all-in-one travel platform  

Finding the right  corporate travel platform  is essential. The right booking platform can provide travelers with an easy-to-use experience, giving them access to the best fares and availability. 

For example, at Corporate Traveler, we use Melon . It’s a booking tool, reporting suite, travel policy pusher, traveler profile manager, and so much more. Melon features a “recommended spend” function, which helps keep travelers booking in policy. Hello, visual guilt! 

Melon’s simple user interface, combined with dedicated travel consultants and expert 24/7 support, makes it simple to book, manage, and keep track of your business travel. You’ll be able to access Melon-exclusive deals and perks (alongside many negotiated contracts and online deals) and take care of all your travel needs from one place. 

From the get-go, you’ll be able to work closely with our team to ensure that all of your needs are met. We'll help you customize your travel program to meet specific business needs, build your travel policy into the platform, and offer training to staff to help them along the way.   

Putting it all together  

Wow! You’ve reached the end and should have a better idea of how to write a corporate travel policy. High five! Now it’s time to put it all together and get it on paper.  

Maybe you already have something in place that needs some work or an entire overhaul. Check out our easy-to-use template and start checking those boxes! 

Grab our corporate travel policy template builder

Not sure where to start? No worries! We’ve got you. Here’s how to streamline your process with a travel policy template! 

While there’s no one-size-fits-all travel policy for every company, following the set guidelines helps you nail a perfect-for-you policy that can see you through an ever-changing travel climate. 

Travel policy template  

When you’re crafting your business travel policy, there are so many considerations to be made. Things might come up that you never even thought of, but not to worry. We have loads of resources to help you see this through. 

Starting out, it might be looking a little drab and wordy, but depending on your travel program size, a visual travel policy might be just what you need. You can search for examples online or take a look at an example of a visual travel policy we’ve created.  

When building your policy, it’s important to include: 

1. International or foreign travel policies  

When you’ve got travelers all over the globe, you need to build out a policy for international or foreign travel. This is a protects them (and you) on anything from travel safety, to expenses, and everywhere in between. 

Whether your travelers are individuals or entire teams, your international travel policy needs to cover: 

• How and where to book – is that with a travel manager, online booking tool, a travel management company (TMC) ? 
• Travel insurance coverages and contact info – international numbers and policy information 
• Emergency contacts – how to reach them and the process of in-destination emergencies 
• Travel expenses – limits and how to file for reimbursement 
• Travel documentation – who to contact with questions 
• Advance booking timelines – when should they be booking for international travel? 
• Travel extensions – are these allowed and what are travelers expected to cover if they choose to extend their trip for leisure? 

By outlining all of this information in your policy, you’ll streamline the process for your finance teams, travel managers, and your travelers. And really, who doesn’t want to make travel a smoother experience? 

2. Corporate travel policy for business class travel 

Does your corporate travel program have different rules, limits, or allowances for different levels of seniority? Are some junior members expected to travel in economy class, while some executives are allowed to book in business class? 

If some certain exceptions and situations might allow for an employee to book business class, regardless of their position, you should include that in your policy as well. 

Making this as clear as possible will avoid an approvals nightmare down the road. 

3. Corporate meal allowance policy 

It’s great if you’ve already centralized most of your business travel expenses like flights, accommodation, transportation, and car rentals, but your people gotta eat! It’s super important to include a meal allowance policy that clearly outlines which meals (and how much) you’ll cover. 

Some of your team might be traveling with corporate credit cards, while others might need to be reimbursed. The guidelines and procedures for submitting expenses or asking for reimbursement need to be crystal clear! 

Make sure to outline if you have a corporate travel policy for alcohol, too! You don’t want murky policies when it comes to footing the bill for drinks. 

Some things to consider for your meal allowance and alcohol travel policy: 

• Which meals are covered and for how much? 
• Who is footing the bill for an alcoholic beverage with dinner? 
• If entertaining clients, what is the budget, and how flexible is it? 
• What is the process of submitting company card expenses? 
• What is the process for requesting reimbursement? 

Your team will always have questions about the policy on food and drinks, so make sure they can find the info easily and have a point of contact for whoever can offer more clarity. 

4. Executive travel policy 

We briefly touched on executive travel when we talked about traveling in business class, but there is certainly more to the top dogs traveling. 

Executive travel can be a touchy subject if there are more lenient policies in place than there is for less senior team members. Your executives also may need to know the guidelines in place for their own travel, so they don’t accidently go overboard, which could be an accounting nightmare! 

You’ll need to make sure you deliver a guide for approvals, procedures, booking deadlines, meals, accommodation, basically everything. 

Lay it all out. Make your policy as digestible as possible, and for a busy exec, consider bullet points and titles in bold so they can easily skim to the areas they need to know. 

5. Natural disaster or COVID-19 business travel policy  

We can all agree that COVID-19 caused business travel to come to a screeching halt. Across most industries, the pandemic impacted client relationships, the ability to gain new clients and caused budgets to get slashed pretty dramatically.  

While this was only one event, many businesses have begun to consider the “what-ifs” of their travel programs should another outbreak of COVID or something else happen. Crossing our fingers and toes doesn’t cut it, unfortunately. 

There is also the chance of their travel being impacted by a natural disaster. We’ve seen it before – earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, hurricanes. Do you have a plan or policy to aid your team and guide them through the unthinkable? 

In 2022, we surveyed 120 employees across various industries and businesses. More than half, 51% of respondents said their companies didn’t provide resources or tips for safety on their trips. Duty of care isn’t something to put on the back burner, it’s your legal obligation to make sure your team is informed. 

So, what’s the solution, you ask? 

Working with a TMC gives you the backup you need if anything ever happens and you have people traveling abroad. At Corporate Traveler, our travel management software, Melon, is a central place to house your policy for quick and easy access. Plus, our travel experts can help you paint the big picture of what to do, who to call, and how to get your team home safely as quickly as possible. 

Is there anything missing from your travel policy? 

Let’s break it down. If you think of your policy like a sandwich, it should include: 

The bread and butter  

• Where and why: Are there any restrictions on who travels domestically or internationally? Or guidelines around reasons for travel? 
• When: Are there any restrictions on when business travel is a no-no, like during an auditing period or financial downturn? 
• How? How should travel arrangements be booked? Through your corporate travel booking software or with a preferred Travel Management Company (TMC)? How far in advance should domestic and international trips be booked? 
• Preferred suppliers: Do you have preferred partners for air travel, accommodation, ground transport or travel insurance? 
• Approvals: Who’s responsible for giving the green light on trips? 
• Show me the money: What’s the process for managing/submitting expenses, paying for travel and reimbursements? 
• Uh-oh: How will you prevent or deal with non-compliance to the travel policy? 
• Noise level: Getting loads of ‘noise’ and questions about things in your policy? This means it’s not clear and it’s time to review why and where the stumbling block is for travelers (or your finance team!) 

 The filling  

• Classy, baby: Who gets to fly business class, book 5-star properties or order UberLUX? And how does your business handle upgrades or airport lounge access for long-haul flights? 
• All work, some play: What are the conditions if someone wants to extend their business trip to take personal leave? Are you happy for them to enjoy a bleisure trip, and if so, who foots the bill and for what? 
• Loyalty: Are there any travel rewards or business loyalty programs that can be used during booking? 
• Spending money: Do your business travelers have a daily allowance for meals, snacks, and drinks? How much is it, what does it include – and what’s not covered? Can they order room service, drink from the mini-bar, or use the in-house laundry service? 

The not-so-secret sauce  

• Safety first: your policy should support air, accommodation and ground transport suppliers that have been safety and security vetted. Guidelines or information on travel insurance for work trips is also helpful. 
• Now what: What’s the plan of action in the case of Acts of God or Force Majeure events? Does your team know who to call for help? 
• What’s next: Who is responsible for updating and reviewing your travel policy, and how often? 

Corporate travel policy best practices

• Write for skim readers
• Guide travelers to the right resources
• Automate your policies
• Stipulate a timeframe for expense claims
• Be prepared for the unexpected

1. Write for skim readers  

One of the first steps towards writing a people-first travel policy is understanding how your travelers will read it. And the truth is…  

They probably won’t.   

Research has shown that  adults get distracted every 47 seconds . So if a business traveler is looking at your policy, they’re most likely just searching for a specific answer – and they want it fast. So what can you do?  

First, make sure the document is easy to navigate. That means including things like:   

• A table of contents  
• Visual elements to help guide the eye toward crucial information, like flow charts and tables  
• Clear headings and important details in bold  
• Bulleted lists (see what we did here?) 

And even though it’s a technical document, don’t make it sound like one. An effective travel policy should be clear, concise, and easily comprehended. So skip the long, complex sentence structures and technical jargon, and write in plain, simple English. It helps to pretend like you’re writing it so an eighth-grader can understand it.   

2. Guide travelers to the right resources  

Remember when we said travelers will only read your policy to find a solution for a specific need? Whether it’s a link, a phone number, or a step-by-step tutorial – a well-managed travel policy should provide them with the right resources.  

Instead of treating a travel policy as a list of rules, treat it like a resource sheet. Here are some key pieces of information travelers might need to pull up easily:  

Your approved online booking tool (and steps on how to use it)  

• QR codes to download your  mobile travel app   
• Preferred airlines, including class, budgets, and other limits  
• Permissible hotels, including guidelines on star-class and incidental expenses  
• Guidelines on ground transportation (trains, ride-sharing services, rental cars, and personal car usage)  
• How to get travel support  
• Travel insurance carrier  
• Clarification on the reimbursement process (more on this later)  

You can also include other factors specific to your company, but this should at least be the necessary groundwork to help employees make the right choices on their own.  

3. Automate your policies  

Let’s face it: even with the best communication efforts, there’s always a chance that an employee may violate policy, even unintentionally. So, what can you do?  

Build policy into booking.  

By building your travel policy into your travel management software, it becomes unavoidably embedded in the booking process, so even the most easily confused employees end up following by default.   

Automation tools can sound the alarm on out-of-policy bookings and even provide an audit trail. This can be especially helpful for employees who may struggle to remember procedures and policies, especially after big changes to your travel program.  

4. Stipulate a timeframe for expense claims  

No one wants to get stuck waiting on the money they’re owed – or worse – find out they’re not getting reimbursed for an expenditure they thought would be covered.  

Having a clear and well-defined expense claim process is critical in any travel policy. Employees need to know how to claim their travel expenses, how soon they need to submit an expense report, and when to expect reimbursement.   

The policy should also be clear about what expenses are and are not reimbursable, including any limits or exceptions. For example, if an employee needs to book a different seat class to  accommodate a disability , the policy should include the process for requesting and approving this expense.   

Plus, a submission deadline reduces cash flow issues and provides more accurate and complete expense data for that period (your finance team will thank you later).  

5. Be prepared for the unexpected  

As a company, you have a duty-of-care responsibility. When it comes to business trips, you need to be prepared for the unexpected. No matter how much effort you put into planning, there will always be a few hiccups along the way.   

For instance, lost luggage, canceled or delayed flights, and sudden weather or political emergencies in unfamiliar destinations could all leave your employee stranded.   

“Companies need to be prepared to plan for the particular, not just the universal. Every aspect of the travel program needs to be able to fit each of your travelers like a glove, from adaptable plans and experts on call, to technology that makes the journey seamless.” - Emese Graham, DE&I Manager @ FCTG  

Don’t let unexpected situations blindside you. Have processes in place to ensure travel safety and security. Make sure they know what to do, where to go, and who to get a hold of if something goes wrong. Taking a proactive and prepared approach to your policy can minimize the impact of emergencies and take care of your team’s well-being while they’re on the road.  

BONUS TIP: Update your policy regularly  

Here’s a free business travel policy best practice just for you! It isn’t just a “one and done” deal – it’s a living document.  

What’s that mean? As your company grows and travel conditions change, so should your travel policy. Revisit your expense policy at least once a year to keep it relevant and effective – and lead you towards new cost-saving solutions.    

Data is going to be your best friend here. Here are a few key factors you should look into when updating your travel policy:  

• Analyze travel spend patterns – are you throwing a lot of company money at certain suppliers? You might want to see if you can negotiate a new deal or find better rates elsewhere.  
• Identify areas of overspending or inefficiency – are employees accruing high parking or travel costs? See if you can get season tickets or other accommodations.  
• Evaluate the overall performance of your policy – are you still compliant with any new regulations that have come into play since the policy was established? How can traveler experience be improved?  

You may even want to consider enlisting the help of professionals, such as a travel management company with experience in expense management, to give advice on how to optimize your travel policy to better meet the needs of your employees and your business as a whole.   

Building a travel policy that's good for business and travelers and meets their needs is no small feat. But whether you're looking to retain your team, attract new talent, or make life a little easier for your travelers, investing in a well-designed travel policy is definitely worth the effort and great for company culture.  

By following these travel policy best practices and ensuring your policy meets all travelers' needs, you’ll be on your way to smoother, safer, and more enjoyable travel experiences for all.  

How to promote travel policy compliance  

Whether compliance is a big or small issue in your company, it takes a little bit of investigating to figure out why it’s an issue at all. 

Maybe your policy meets the needs of only a few of your team members. Maybe it’s too difficult to navigate your policy. Or maybe, your policy is written in legalese and makes your travelers vision blur before they go rogue and book how they want. 

It could be that your travelers prefer a bit of freedom in booking and would rather do it on their own. Or, maybe they have specific needs that aren’t being met by the options provided. 

Whatever their reasons, it’s your job to figure out why they aren’t following and what you can do to build better compliance. 

Here are a few tips to improve travel policy compliance: 

• Make your policy easy to navigate, understand, and find 
• Use an online booking tool (OBT) for travelers who prefer to self-book 
• Allow a bit of flexibility so travelers feel they have some autonomy 
•  Include a category for last-minute bookings so it doesn’t mess up your data 
• Understand your traveler needs and build an inclusive policy 

Read the full guide:

You've researched, gathered the necessary resources, and communicated your travel and expense (T&E) policy to your employees. But now, you're not so sure they're actually following it.  

Read the full guide:  How to Improve Corporate Travel Policy Compliance

When to review and update your travel policy 

If the last time you reviewed or upgraded your travel policy was more than a year ago, it’s outdated and needs a refresher. If your company is small and has low turnover, you could probably get away with making small tweaks and optimizations. 

But if you have a larger company with multiple departments and higher turnover, you probably need to do an overhaul and review it more regularly. We’re not saying you have to change it every time someone is hired or leaves the company, but making sure it’s relevant to the people who are there and are traveling matters! 

Corporate Traveler conducted a survey in 2022, which showed that 48% of respondents didn’t know if their company had resources for specific traveler profiles, while 41% said their company didn’t provide resources for specific traveler profiles. This really goes to show that there’s room for improvement in how policies are built to support their people and their businesses. 

A people-first travel program and policy have become necessary as the world grows and begins to understand neurodiversity, disabilities, and cultural differences. When we learn about our team members’ diverse needs, we can better understand how to support them when they venture abroad for our businesses. 

GUIDE: Download the How to design a people-first travel program guide 

We recommend policy reviews every 3-6 months, but at the minimum, once per year. 

Final thoughts 

Business travel is so unpredictable, as we’ve seen in recent years. There will always be circumstances you can’t avoid as a company, but making sure that you have the necessary checks and balances in place can help to make things just a little easier. If you have groups traveling, VIPS, or people heading to high-risk destinations, it’s important that your policy is relevant. 

Don’t forget that travel policies shouldn’t be written and forgotten about – these are living documents that must be regularly updated to make sure they best protect your people. 

Remember these best practices when writing your travel policy: 

• Keep it simple and make it pop with visuals, bullet points, and bold headings. 
• Answer any and every question possible – think of all the eventualities 
• Always put your people first 
• Implement a quick and simple approval process 
• Automate as much as you can 
• Use technology that’s supports your policy 
• Be flexible with due reason 
• Be clear about what’s not allowed 
• Update your travel policy at least once a year 
• Keep it somewhere easy to find  

And finally, it doesn’t hurt to have a couple of different formats. Consider a visual version and an extended version so the message is delivered best depending on the person reading. For some, it might be easier to digest one over the other. 

Looking for a policy review? We’d be happy to work with you. 

Let’s chat .

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Benefits of Having a Corporate Travel Policy

Key elements of a corporate travel policy, creating a corporate travel policy, best practices for implementing a corporate travel policy, ensuring compliance with a corporate travel policy, sample corporate travel policy, what is a corporate travel policy, and why is it important, what should be included in a corporate travel policy, how can organizations create an effective corporate travel policy, the bottom line.

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How to Set a Corporate Travel Policy: Key Elements, Best Practices, and Compliance

A corporate travel policy is a set of guidelines and best practices that govern employee travel. Organizations that have corporate travel policies use them to ensure that all employees follow the proper protocols when booking business-related travel and logging expenses.

While travel policies are often standard for large corporations, smaller businesses can also benefit from instituting them.

Key Takeaways

• A corporate travel policy is essential for organizations to manage travel expenses, ensure compliance, and streamline processes.
• Key elements of a corporate travel policy include travel booking procedures, expense reimbursement guidelines, travel safety measures, and approval processes.
• Best practices for implementing a corporate travel policy include effective communication, employee training, and regular policy review and updates.

Having a corporate travel policy can yield a range of benefits, both for business owners and their employees.

From the perspective of business owners, a corporate travel policy can allow you to:

• Monitor employee travel expenses to ensure accuracy and detect possible instances of fraud
• Establish guidelines for which hotels, airlines, and other travel organizations that employees may book through
• Ensure that employees understand which travel expenses may be submitted for reimbursement
• Organize expense data accurately and quickly
• Remain compliant with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax rules and regulations regarding business travel
• Minimize waste and streamline your accounting systems

On the employee side, having a standard corporate travel policy in place can help employees avoid a scenario where they may be waiting weeks or months to be reimbursed for expenses they’ve paid out of pocket because the company can’t verify what they spent.

Employers should take care to understand which business travel expenses are deductible and which ones are not under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) .

There’s no one-size-fits-all corporate travel policy template or blueprint that businesses can follow. That’s an advantage, however, as it allows you to create a travel policy that fits your business’s needs.

Generally speaking, a corporate travel policy should cover rules and guidelines for the following:

• Airline, hotel, and rental car reservations
• Other transportation expenses , such as rail travel or ride-sharing
• Employee spending, as it pertains to meals, entertainment, phone calls, and other necessary expenses
• Parking fees and toll passes
• Acceptance of gifts when meeting with clients, or expensing of gifts presented to clients
• Medical care and travel insurance
• Currency exchange fees and international banking
• Employee submissions of receipts for reimbursement
• Review, approval, and payment of submitted expenses
• Personal safety of employees
• Security of business equipment or documents

When in doubt, it’s better for a corporate travel policy to cover more ground rather than less. Making your organization’s travel policy as comprehensive as possible can help to avoid confusion with regard to which expenses are acceptable and when employees can expect to be reimbursed.

Creating a corporate travel policy is a multistep process. Breaking each step down can make it easier to manage and create a policy that’s tailored to your business’s needs.

Identify Your Objectives

First, consider what you need a corporate travel policy to do for you. Are you primarily interested in minimizing costs or preventing abuse? Do you want to ensure that employees are booking with approved organizations and taking steps to remain safe while they’re traveling? Considering your top three objectives can offer a good starting point for developing your corporate travel policy.

You can use those insights to draft a purpose statement outlining the policy’s intentions. This doesn’t need to be lengthy, but it should convey what the policy is designed to do.

Get Your Team Involved

A corporate travel policy is only as good as its ability to meet the needs of those who are expected to adhere to it. Asking some questions about your team and your business’s travel activities can help you pin down what your policy should cover.

For example, ask yourself the following:

• Do any employees require special accommodations for travel related to a health condition or disability?
• Are there any destinations that the business travels to regularly?
• Are there any preferred hotels, airlines, or rental car companies that the business likes to use?
• Is there a preferred process for booking trips or answering questions?
• Who will be responsible for approving bookings, answering employee questions, approving expenses, and submitting them for payment?
• How will employees pay for expenses they book?
• If employees are using corporate credit cards , what rules are they expected to follow?
• How will they submit those expenses for reimbursement, and what information will they need to provide?

Polling your employees can further inform your decision making. For example, an employee who travels frequently may know which hotels are better than others or which airlines offer the best rates. Your employees may appreciate being given a chance to share their insights and opinions on what the company’s travel policy should look like.

If you’re considering corporate credit cards for employees, look for one that allows you to set individual spending controls for each card.

Draft the Policy, and Review It Carefully

Once you’ve collected all the feedback you think you’ll need, you can get to work on fleshing out your corporate travel policy. Again, you want to be thorough in detailing the policies and procedures that you expect employees to follow.

After you’ve written out the first draft, go through your policy a second time. Is there anything that could be explained more clearly? Any areas that may cause confusion for employees? Anything you’ve left out entirely?

You may need to review your travel policy several times to make sure you’re covering all of the most important bases. Once you have the language down, you can review it one final time to check for spelling and grammar errors.

Share the Policy with Your Staff

The final step after creating a corporate travel policy is conveying it to everyone in the company who’s affected by it. If employees don’t know what’s in the policy, it’ll be very difficult for them to adhere to it.

Remember that you’ll need to repeat this step anytime you make changes to the policy. If you add something new or take something away, it’s your duty to convey that to your employees so they’re aware of the changes.

Once you’ve created a corporate travel policy, you’ll need to implement it. These tips can help with introducing your company’s travel policy and enforcing it.

• Ensure that employees know who they can direct questions to regarding business travel bookings, expense reporting, and reimbursement.
• Set a specific time frame for submitting expenses for reimbursement and processing payments to employees.
• Consider scheduling an employee meeting or workshop to walk through the details of the travel policy and answer any questions that might arise.
• Ensure that all new hires get a copy of the travel policy.
• Regularly review and update your travel policy if necessary.
• Conduct monthly reviews or audits of travel expenditures to check for errors and potentially detect fraud or abuse.

It’s also important to specify what consequences, if any, employees may face if they’re found to be noncompliant with the policy. That may include having travel privileges restricted or, in a worst-case scenario, dismissal if evidence of fraud is found.

Ensuring compliance with your company’s corporate travel policy is important from a cost perspective, as you don’t want to blow your travel budget. There are different tactics you can use to maintain compliance across all stakeholders .

• Update your policy regularly to reflect the company’s latest practices and guidelines.
• Simplify the policy if necessary to avoid confusion.
• Clearly communicate compliance expectations, as well as the consequences of noncompliance, to all employees.
• Ensure that the policy is detailed thoroughly during the onboarding process for new hires.
• Conduct regular reviews and audits of travel expenses to look for any signs of noncompliance.
• Consider using a business travel management tool or software to keep track of bookings and expense reporting.

You may also place safeguards on travel bookings to prevent employees from straying outside the boundaries of the policy. For example, if you use a corporate travel agency, you might direct the agency to automatically reject any attempted bookings that don’t involve a preferred travel partner.

Corporate travel policies are common across a variety of industries, from finance to retail to the government. Examples of organizations that maintain corporate travel policies include:

• JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Columbia University
• U.S. Department of the Interior

All of these sample policies have similar characteristics, in that they outline the purpose of the policy, specify the rules that apply to booking accommodations, and offer detailed instructions to employees on how to submit expense reports for reimbursement. It may take some time to work out your travel policy, but reviewing examples like these can give you an idea of what to add.

If writing a detailed corporate travel policy yourself seems daunting, you may consider outsourcing this task to a consultant who’s experienced in compliance.

A corporate travel policy establishes the guidelines for booking travel expenses and submitting them for reimbursement. Travel policies can also extend to things like personal safety and security of business equipment or documents. Having a corporate travel policy is important for minimizing fraud and abuse, while ensuring more accurate record-keeping.

At a minimum, a corporate travel policy should outline approved practices for booking airfare, hotels, rental cars, and other necessary travel expenses. It should also detail the process for submitting expenses for reimbursement, including how expenses are approved and when employees can expect to be paid.

The first step in creating an effective corporate travel policy is understanding what your business needs. Forecasting your budget for business travel and setting proper limits on which expenses are acceptable are the next steps. Organizations must also ensure that all employees are aware of the corporate travel policy and understand how to adhere to it.

A corporate travel policy may be a necessity if your employees take regular business trips to meet with clients or prospective clients, attend professional conferences or seminars, or participate in career training. If you don’t yet have a policy in place, you may want to set that as a priority for your business. Having a clear policy to follow leaves little room for misunderstandings and mismanagement of travel privileges.

Internal Revenue Service. “ Understanding Business Travel Deductions .”

JPMorgan Chase & Co. “ JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Supplier Travel and Expense Policy .”

Best Buy Partner Portal. “ Vendor Travel and Expense Reimbursement Policy .”

Columbia University, University Policies. “ Travel Expense Policy .”

U.S. Department of the Interior. “ Travel .”

Starbucks. “ Non-Partner Travel and Business Expense Standard—U.S. and Canada .”

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Travel Expense Policy

It is the policy of [Company Name] to reimburse staff for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred during approved work-related travel.

Employees seeking reimbursement should incur the lowest reasonable travel expenses and exercise care to avoid impropriety or the appearance of impropriety. Reimbursement is allowed only when reimbursement has not been, and will not be, received from other sources. If a circumstance arises that is not specifically covered in this travel policy, then the most conservative course of action should be taken.

Business travel policies are aligned with company reimbursement rules. All business-related travel paid with [Company Name] funds must comply with company expenditure policies.

Authorization and responsibility

Staff travel must be authorized. Travelers should verify that planned travel is eligible for reimbursement before making travel arrangements. Within 30 days of completion of a trip, the traveler must submit a travel reimbursement form and supporting documentation to obtain reimbursement of expenses.

An individual may not approve his or her own travel or reimbursement. The travel reimbursement form must be signed by the executive director or the director of finance (for travel over $[amount]) or by the business manager (for travel under $[amount]).

Travel and reimbursement for members of the management team must be approved by the executive director or the director of finance and will be reviewed annually by the internal auditor.

Designated approval authorities are required to review expenditures and withhold reimbursement if there is reason to believe that the expenditures are inappropriate or extravagant.

Personal funds

Travelers should review reimbursement guidelines before spending personal funds for business travel to determine if such expenses are reimbursable. See Section II: Travel Expenses/Procedures for details. [Company Name] reserves the right to deny reimbursement of travel-related expenses for failure to comply with policies and procedures.

Travelers who use personal funds to facilitate travel arrangements will not be reimbursed until after the trip occurs and proper documentation is submitted.

Vacation in conjunction with business travel

In cases in which vacation time is added to a business trip, any cost variance in airfare, car rental or lodging must be clearly identified on the travel request form. [Company Name] will not prepay any personal expenses with the intention of being "repaid" at a later time, nor will any personal expenses be reimbursed.

Occasionally it may be necessary for travelers to request exceptions to this travel policy. Requests for exceptions to the policy must be made in writing and approved by the executive director or by the director of finance. Exceptions related to the director's or the director of finance's expenses must be submitted to the opposite person or to the treasurer of the board of trustees for approval. In most instances, the expected turnaround time for review and approval is five business days.

Travel Expenses/Procedures

General information Authorized business travel for staff that includes prepayments must be pre-approved.

Reimbursement of parking, mileage, gasoline in lieu of mileage and ferry or bus passes do not require requests if they are under $[amount]. Requests for reimbursement of expenses over $[amount] are to be submitted on a travel reimbursement form.

Permissible prepaid travel expenses Before the travel, [Company Name] may issue prepayments for airfare, rail transportation, rental vehicles, conference registration fees and cash advances. Applicable policies and methods of payments for these prepayments follow.

Airfare. Travelers are expected to obtain the lowest available airfare that reasonably meets business travel needs. Airfare may be prepaid by the business office.

Travelers are encouraged to book flights at least [amount of time] in advance to avoid premium airfare pricing.

Coach class or economy tickets must be purchased for domestic or international flights with flight time totaling less than five consecutive hours excluding layovers.

A less-than-first-class ticket (i.e., business class) may be purchased at [Company Name]'s discretion for domestic or international flights with flight time exceeding five consecutive hours excluding layovers.

Airfare may be purchased with a credit card or check through the business office with a request for payment form.

Rail transportation. [Company Name] will prepay rail transportation provided that the cost does not exceed the cost of the least expensive airfare.

Rental vehicles. [Company Name] will pay for approved use of a rental vehicle. See the section on reimbursements below in this section.

Conference registration fees. Conference registration fees can be prepaid with a credit card or check through the business office with a request for payment form. Business-related banquets or meals that are considered part of the conference can be paid with the registration fees; however, such meals must be deducted from the traveler's per diem allowance.

Travel advances. Cash advances are authorized for specific situations that might cause undue financial hardship for business travelers. These situations are limited to staff traveling on behalf of [Company Name]. A maximum of 80 percent of the total estimated cost can be advanced.

Expenses associated with the travel must be reconciled and substantiated within two weeks of the return date. The traveler must repay [Company Name] for any advances in excess of the approved reimbursable expenses. The department initiating the travel is responsible for notifying the business office to deposit any excess funds into the appropriate departmental account.

Travel advances are processed by submitting a completed request for payment form and travel request form to the business office. Reimbursement for any remaining expenses is processed on a travel reimbursement form approved by the designated approval authority.

Reimbursements Requests for reimbursements of travel-related expenses are submitted on a travel reimbursement form. This form must be accompanied by supporting documentation. If the requested reimbursement exceeds 20 percent of the total pre-trip estimate, the travel reimbursement form must be signed by the executive director or the director of finance.

These forms must be submitted to the business office within two weeks after the trip is completed. Travel reimbursement forms not submitted within this time frame require exception approval from the executive director or from the director of finance.

Reimbursement of travel expenses is based on documentation of reasonable and actual expenses supported by the original, itemized receipts where required. Reimbursements that may be paid by [Company Name] are shown below.

Airfare. If the airfare was not prepaid by the business office, an original itemized airline receipt, an e-ticket receipt/statement or an Internet receipt/statement is required. The receipt must show the method of payment and indicate that payment was made.

Rail transportation. If rail transportation was not prepaid by the business office, an original itemized receipt, original e-ticket receipt/statement or Internet receipt/statement is required. The receipt must show the method of payment and indicate that payment was made.

Automobile (personally owned—domestic travel). A valid driver's license issued within the United States and personal automobile insurance are required for expenses to be reimbursed. Drivers should be aware of the extent of coverage (if any) provided by his or her automobile insurance company for travel that is business or not personal in nature.

Reimbursement for use of a personal automobile is based on the [Company Name] mileage rate.

A staff travel reimbursement form is required for reimbursement of all vehicle-related expenses, including gasoline, wear and tear, and personal auto insurance. As of [date], the rate is [$] per mile. Travelers may opt to request reimbursement for actual gasoline expenses in lieu of the [Company Name] mileage rate. In these instances original, itemized receipts are required.

Automobile (rental—domestic travel). Reimbursement for a commercial rental vehicle as a primary mode of transportation is authorized only if the rental vehicle is more economical than any other type of public transportation, or if the destination is not otherwise accessible. Vehicle rental at a destination city is reimbursable. Original receipts are required.

[Company Name] authorizes reimbursement for the most economic vehicle available. In certain circumstances larger vehicles may be rented, with supervisory approval. The rental agreement must clearly show the date and the points of departure/arrival, as well as the total cost. Drivers must adhere to the rental requirements, and restrictions must be followed. Original receipts are required.

When vehicle rentals are necessary, [Company Name] encourages travelers to purchase collision damage waiver (CDW) and loss damage waiver (LDW) coverage. [Company Name] will reimburse the cost of CDW and LDW coverage; all other insurance reimbursements will be denied.

Drivers should be aware of the extent of coverage (if any) provided by his or her automobile insurance company for travel that is business or not personal in nature.

Parking fees, tolls and other incidental costs associated with the vehicle use are not covered by the rental agreement.

Travelers are strongly encouraged to fill the gas tank before returning the vehicle to the rental agency to avoid service fees and more expensive fuel rates.

Conference registration fees. If the conference fee was not prepaid, [Company Name] will reimburse these fees, including business-related banquets or meals that are part of the conference registration. Original receipts to support the payment are required. If the conference does not provide a receipt, then a cancelled check, credit card slip/statement or documentation that the amount was paid is required for reimbursement.

A prorated amount for the meals provided must be deducted from the traveler's per diem. See Meals (per diem) for more detail. Entertainment activities such as golf outings and sightseeing tours will not be reimbursed.

Registration fees paid directly by an individual will not be reimbursed until the conference is completed.

Lodging (commercial). The cost of overnight lodging (room rate and tax only) will be reimbursed to the traveler if the authorized travel is 45 miles or more from the traveler's home or primary worksite.

Exceptions to this restriction may be approved in writing by the executive director or by the director of finance.

[Company Name] will reimburse lodging expenses at reasonable, single occupancy or standard business room rates. When the hotel or motel is the conference or convention site, reimbursement will be limited to the conference rate.

Only single room rates are authorized for payment or reimbursement unless the second party is representing the agency in an authorized capacity. If the lodging receipt shows more than a single occupancy, the single room rate must be noted. If reimbursement for more than the single room rate is requested, the name of the second person must be included.

Meals (per diem). Per diem allowances are reimbursable for in-state overnight travel that is 45 miles or more from the traveler's home or primary worksite.

Per diem allowances are applicable for all out-of-state travel that is 45 miles or more from the traveler's home or primary worksite.

[Company Name] per diem rates are based on the U.S. General Services Administration Guidelines, which vary by city location. In addition to meals these rates include incidental expenses such as laundry, dry cleaning and service tips (e.g., housekeeping or porter tips). Incidental expenses, unless specifically cited in this policy, will not be reimbursed.

Per diem reimbursements are based on departure and return times over the entire 24-hour day and are prorated accordingly.

If a free meal is served on the plane, included in a conference registration fee, built in to the standard, single hotel room rate or replaced by a legitimate business meal, the per diem allowance for that meal may not be claimed.

Receipts are not required for per diem allowances. Per diem allowances are reimbursed after the trip is completed.

Business meals. Travelers are required to follow [Company Name] expenditure policies when requesting reimbursement for business meals. Original itemized receipts are required.

Business expenses. Business expenses, including faxes, photocopies, Internet charges, data ports and business telephone calls incurred while on travel status, can be reimbursed. Original itemized receipts are required.

Parking. Original receipts are required for parking fees (including airport parking) totaling $[amount] or more. The lodging bill can be used as a receipt when charges are included as part of the overnight stay.

Telephone calls. The costs of personal telephone calls are the responsibility of the individual.

Tolls. Original receipts are required for tolls totaling $[amount] or more.

Miscellaneous transportation. Original receipts are required for taxi, bus, subway, metro, ferry and other modes of transportation if costs are $[amount] or more for each occurrence.

Visa, passport fees and immunizations. If these items are required for international travel, their reimbursement is left to the discretion of your supervisor. If approved by the designated authority, original itemized receipts are required.

Nonreimbursable Travel Expenses The following items that may be associated with business travel will not be reimbursed by [Company Name]:

• Airline club memberships.
• Airline upgrades.
• Business class for domestic flights or first class for all flights.
• Child care, babysitting, house-sitting, or pet-sitting/kennel charges.
• Commuting between home and the primary work location.
• Costs incurred by traveler's failure to cancel travel or hotel reservations in a timely fashion.
• Evening or formal wear expenses.
• Haircuts and personal grooming.
• Laundry and dry cleaning.
• Passports, vaccinations and visas when not required as a specific and necessary condition of the travel assignment.
• Personal entertainment expenses, including in-flight movies, headsets, health club facilities, hotel pay-per-view movies, in-theater movies, social activities and related incidental costs.
• Travel accident insurance premiums or purchase of additional travel insurance.
• Other expenses not directly related to the business travel.

Travel for Non-Employees Additional costs for travel, lodging, meal or other travel expenses for spouses or other family members will not be reimbursed unless the individual has a bona fide company purpose for engaging in the travel or attending the event. Such travel is generally limited to senior management and should occur infrequently.

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Planning a vacation here’s your 2024 summer travel insurance guide.

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The joy of a summer vacation. But do you have protection for your trip?

Planning a vacation this summer? Yeah, you and just about everyone else.

More than 9 out of 10 Americans say they'll travel more this year, according to a recent Nationwide Travel Insurance survey . Most of those trips will happen in June, July and August.

Not just that, but 40 percent of the respondents say they'll spend more this year than last year. So how do you protect your vacation investment?

Travel insurance is the standard answer, but what kind of insurance — and how do you find it? That's the question many Americans are wrestling with as they make their travel plans.

Protecting your vacation is a serious concern this summer, experts say.

“Travelers are beefing up their trip protection with security advisory and extraction protection," notes Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies .

It's not just that they're spending more. It's that there's more to lose. The ongoing war in Ukraine, the Hamas attacks on Israel, and other violent conflicts have made travel insurance a key part of trip planning.

This summer may break travel records, experts say.

Best Travel Insurance Companies

Best covid travel insurance plans, it's going to be a busy summer for travel.

Overall policy sales for the 2024 summer travel season are up this year, but there's a spike in sales for policies in August, which is typically the busiest time of the summer. "Sales are up more than 25% over last year," says Stan Sandberg, co-founder of travel insurance site TravelInsurance.com .

Western Europe continues to be the most popular summer destination for Americans, with some notable hotspots. Travel insurance sales for Greece are up over 60% this year compared with 2023, followed by Norway and Portugal, which are up 57% and 52%, respectively, according to Sandberg.

Everyone's travel insurance needs are different, according to the pros.

What should you insure when you travel this summer?

Laura Heidt, the insurance desk manager for Brownell Travel in Birmingham, Ala., says there are some things every travel insurance policy should cover this summer.

"I always recommend people insure for the unexpected, such as flight delays, missed connections and medical coverage while out of the country," she says. "If you are willing to forgo the cancellation and delay coverages, which are typically the most expensive parts of a policy, you should still, absolutely, cover yourself with at least the medical component."

Heidt says she's seen a 10% boost in travel insurance sales for this summer compared with the same time last year, and many people are opting for the pricier "cancel for any reason" policies, which allow you to cancel your trip and receive a partial refund of your prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses.

Travel insurance companies are seeing a similar trend.

"A majority of travelers choose a comprehensive travel insurance plan which includes coverage for trip cancellation, emergency medical, lost or delayed baggage and delay," explains Tim Dodge, vice president of marketing at Arch RoamRight .

He says this year, travelers are purchasing travel insurance on average within 11 days of their trip deposit to receive the additional benefit of the waiver exclusion for pre-existing conditions.

If you're traveling with kids, you'll need extra travel insurance protection.

Get a policy that's tailored to your needs

Travel insurance comes in all shapes and sizes. So you'll want to try a few on for size before you buy. You can actually do that, since most policies have a "free look" period that makes them fully refundable for the first week or two (depending on the policy).

"It's important to consider your specific travel plans and any potential disruptions in order to protect your investment," says Robert Gallagher, president of the US Travel Insurance Association (USTIA).

He says traditional plans offer coverage for unexpected cancellations, interruptions, delays, emergency medical expenses and lost or delayed baggage. For international travel, USTIA advises opting for a plan with emergency medical and medical evacuation coverage.

It also depends on who you're traveling with. For example, if you're traveling with your children, you'll want to consider a family-friendly priced travel insurance plan. But your destination also matters, says Carol Mueller, vice president at Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP).

"For young families, I typically recommend the ExactCare plan due to its pricing of two children at no additional cost for every one adult on the policy," she says. "However, for families venturing abroad, I’d suggest considering a plan like BHTP's LuxuryCare, which is designed to meet the distinctive needs of a high-investment vacation.”

You have choices when it comes to family coverage. For example, Allianz’s OneTrip Prime plan also includes coverage for kids 17 and younger when traveling with a parent or grandparent.

Medical evacuations can be expensive.

Look beyond travel insurance for extra protection

Mike Hallman, CEO of the air medical transport and travel security program Medjet , says MedjetHorizon memberships are selling briskly. They offer 24/7 security and crisis response, as well as transportation to a hospital at home if you're injured. Travelers are skittish even if they aren't going bungee-jumping.

"With geopolitical tensions still growing — all the riots in France, Italy, Ecuador and other tourist destinations over the last year — and crime causing the threat level to be raised for the Bahamas and Jamaica, it’s no wonder," he adds.

He makes a good point. Travel insurance can cover many of the events you're likely to encounter, such as a missed connection, lost luggage or a medical emergency. But it's also important to know what isn't covered — and to make plans accordingly.

Beware of travel insurance "overconfidence"

The summer travel season is still a few months away, but insurance experts are worried. Yes, they've seen a general uptick in insurance sales, but some travelers remain unprotected.

"We've started to see early signs that travelers are exercising less caution and are slightly less likely to sign up for travel insurance," says Joe Cronin, CEO of International Citizens Insurance .

By comparison, travelers purchased plenty of medical insurance in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic. Cronin believes travelers were terrified of getting stuck with COVID-19 in a foreign country without insurance.

"To those who are thinking about traveling internationally without travel insurance, my recommendation is to spend a few minutes looking deeper before deciding," he adds.

Some types of insurance, such as a standalone medical policy, cost just a few dollars a day. A medical evacuation membership is also affordable. And even full-featured travel insurance policies can be cost-effective when you consider the benefits.

"Don’t put your summer travel memories, or your investment, at risk by forgoing the right vacation coverage," says Daniel Durazo, director of communications at Allianz Partners USA . "With international travel peaking during the summer season, an unprotected trip can leave travelers on the hook for costs resulting from an unexpected trip delay or medical emergency abroad."

Bottom line: Seriously consider travel insurance to protect your trip — and don't be overconfident. You never know what might happen this summer.

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Let's face it, no one really enjoys reading through insurance policies. However, it's always important to be aware of what's covered (and what's not). So, we've compiled a list of our sample policies below! Take a look and see if the coverage meets your needs!

Please note: The documents below are only sample policy documents and they may vary from actual policy language due to state regulations. Please refer to your policy document emailed to you after purchase for your specific coverage and exclusions.

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How to File a Travel Insurance Claim

W hen it comes to travel, there are generally two types of people: people who cannot travel as it is too expensive and those who budget $4,000 per year for vacations, according to Forbes. Travel is costly, so people often purchase travel insurance to safeguard their financial investment from unforeseen events like illnesses, luggage delays, personal emergencies, and more.

When policyholders pay honest money for an insurance policy to offer protection, they want to be able to reap the benefits of the travel insurance claim. If your travel insurance company has denied payment, our tips on how to properly file a travel insurance claim may be helpful.

Why Buy Travelers Insurance?

Travel is generally less stressful with vacation insurance — it is packaged as a wise investment that can protect you against financial losses due to unexpected events. For instance, the U.S. State Department highly recommends international travel trip insurance as Medicare and Medicaid often do not cover overseas medical costs.

The travel insurance premium is relatively small compared to the non-refundable trip costs you could lose in a bad situation. It is particularly worth it if your trip involves non-refundable costs, international travel, or travel to a remote area with limited healthcare facilities or regions prone to natural disasters.

Some of the primary reasons people buy trip insurance are to help offset:

• Emergency medical services and treatment
• Cancellations due to a sudden illness or serious health condition
• Emergency evacuation
• Loss of a friend or family member
• Compromised destinations
• Delayed or lost luggage
• Trip interruption or cancellation

What Is Not Covered By Travel Insurance?

The best insurance policies cover basic and common travel risks and bundle different coverage types related to trip cancellation, medical issues, luggage or trip delays, and more. Travel insurance is not meant to cover all foreseeable events, and every policy will address exclusions differently. Examples of potential limitations are:

• Tropical storms, hurricanes, and other dangerous weather conditions
• Certain medical issues
• Acts of war
• High-risk behavior involving drugs, unlawful acts, or riots
• Government-imposed restrictions

Travel insurance claims submitted without proper documentation or cancellation for reasons not covered by your travel policy are surefire ways to prevent coverage and reimbursement. This is why it is helpful to understand travel insurance coverage properly and take appropriate actions before assuming foul play.

Can You Cancel Travel Insurance and Get a Refund?

Most travel insurance carriers allow refunds, depending on when a policy is canceled and if there is a money-back guarantee. Most insurers ask that the policy be revoked during the review period outlined in the contract terms to qualify for a complete travel insurance refund. If the review period has passed, then policyholders might be eligible for a partial refund or not qualify for one at all.

What To Do if a Travel Insurance Claim Is Denied

If your travel insurance claim submitted for medical reasons, delays, cancellations, or any other reason was denied by your insurer, then remember that you have options. Both denials and rejections may happen for valid as well as unethical reasons. An insurance claim denial is not the end of the road; you can dig deeper to figure out whether you can still be reimbursed under your insurance.

Travel insurance claims are routinely denied when policyholders make common mistakes in their claim forms, or they mistakenly assume their policy covers their specific situation. Good faith denials happen when policyholders do not fill out their travel insurance claim form correctly, do not submit the right documents, or do not include info like contact details for follow-up questions.

In some cases, travel insurance companies may wrongly deny claims and stall the claims process. For instance, they might fail to investigate the claim or conduct proper due diligence. In such scenarios, it is advisable that policyholders adjust and resubmit their insurance claim, appeal the denial, or pursue legal action if insurers continue to illegally hold their payout.

How To Appeal a Travel Insurance Claim: 4 Steps

The travel insurance claim appeal process allows policyholders to ask the insurer to reconsider its decision. When appealing their travel insurance claim, policyholders must:

• Carefully Review the Denial Letter: Review the specific reasons for the denial to determine your next steps. Cross-check the reasons stated with your policy documents, additional emails, and other papers.
• Review Your Policy: Review the terms of your travel insurance policy and pay attention to disclaimers, damage limits, filing time limits, and submission requirements.
• Reach Out for Assistance: After carefully reviewing your policy, if you find the denial letter and policy terms do not line up, contact an insurance legal expert with experience in handling travel insurance claims for help.
• Gather Documentation and Keep Careful Records: Maintain communication records with your insurer, copies of denial letters, and other documentation regarding your claim.

How To Write a Travel Insurance Claim Letter

Sometimes, travelers have to file a trip insurance claim when their vacation does not go according to the plan. A travel insurance claim letter is a formal piece of communication between you and your insurance agency. Its purpose is to ask for reimbursement for covered damages or losses under the travel insurance policy. Therefore, it is important to craft a professional and detailed claim letter to increase your chances of a favorable resolution.

A claim letter should include the following information:

• Introduce Yourself. Include all relevant information of the person appealing (such as the policy number and contact information).
• Address the Denial. Summarize the date you received the letter and why the denial was made. Do not leave out any important details.
• Point Out the Error. Explain why you do not agree with the claims denial, based on your policy and pertinent information.
• Attach Extra Documents. Include all other documents supporting your trip insurance claim, such as photos, additional correspondence, transcripts of phone calls, etc.

How Long Does It Take To Get Reimbursed From Insurance?

Travel insurance companies generally process most claims within a few weeks. Sometimes, the insurance claims process office might have follow-up questions, thereby increasing the time you can expect to hear back. However, if you feel that your insurance claim is taking months to resolve without a proper reason, you should speak to an experienced insurance dispute lawyer. While every situation is different, policyholders should always keep careful and consistent notes as it will help them take informed legal action if necessary.

Travel Insurance Claims Advice on Documentation

You must be thorough with your documentation to enhance your chance of successful recovery. When you file a trip claim, your insurer will more likely refund travel insurance when you include the following information in your claim submission:

• Lost Luggage: Make a list of what was lost, along with the details and cost of each lost item.
• Job Loss: Request that your previous employer send you a notarized letter on company letterhead in the case of a trip cancellation due to job loss.
• Medical Emergency: Include detailed medical records in your claim if a health emergency kept you from traveling.
• Canceled/Delayed Flight: If you could not attend your trip because the flight was canceled or delayed, provide proof such as an email that relays the reasons (mechanical issues, weather, etc.).
• Receipts for Delayed Flights: You might want to keep receipts for necessary expenses incurred due to delays, like hotel stays, transportation costs, meals, and personal necessities.
• Police Reports: These reports can help substantiate claims made for stolen items or car troubles.
• Other Reports: You may include tickets for unused flights or excursions in your insurance claim.

Has a Formal Complaint Been Filed Against the Travel Supplier?

Formal complaints against travel suppliers are helpful in legal cases dealing with similar situations. The Van Rossem v. Penney Travel Service (April 15, 1985) case exemplifies travel insurance gone wrong.

In this case, a newlywed couple arranged a honeymoon trip with travel agent Penney Travel. The agent used a wholesaler, Lotus Tours, to book the reservation without the couple's knowledge. Lotus Tours abruptly went bankrupt before booking the client's reservation with SANDLES, which remained unpaid. When the case came before the court, the judge noted that "an agent who makes the contract in his own name for an undisclosed principal is liable as a principal." Here, the defendant had failed to disclose the identity of Lotus Tours, and so, it was responsible as the principal. The couple had paid $2,059 in advance. The judge awarded them reimbursement of $1,312, plus costs and disbursements.

In another lawsuit, Touhey v. Trans National Travel , a travel agent did not check to see if the hotel a client had booked was duly constructed. The plaintiff-client was awarded $25,000 in special damages because of the mistake.

What Are Bad Faith Insurance Practices?

Bad faith insurance refers to unethical insurance practices used by an insurer to delay, deny, or lowball policyholders. Examples of bad faith insurance practices include:

• Misrepresenting contract language to prevent a payout
• Failing to disclose policy limitations and exclusions to policyholders
• Making unreasonable demands, like excessive paperwork requests to prove a covered loss

Sometimes, only a seasoned insurance dispute lawyer who regularly deals with contract breaches and bad faith claims can identify honest errors from serious red flags and help a policyholder get paid their due.

How to File a Travel Insurance Claim: A Summary

Travelers usually plan their vacations down to the last detail. Travel insurance is a buffer for unplanned curveballs that can derail even the most meticulous plans, such as medical emergencies or misplaced luggage.

Insurance companies are explicit about what travel mishaps or unexpected events they will or will not cover, which is why it is crucial to understand policy limitations and how to properly file a travel insurance claim.

As a final snapshot, the key steps to filing a travel insurance claim include:

• Reviewing policy terms and exclusions.
• Gathering necessary documentation based on submission requirements.
• Submitting your claim according to the insurer's timing and filing guidelines.
• Filing an appeal if an insurance claim is wrongly denied.
• Consulting an experienced insurance dispute lawyer to assist with an intentionally stalled, denied, or undervalued claim.

Travel insurance claims can become challenging, depending on the situation and response from your insurer. When small bumps in the road become permanent roadblocks, it is helpful to know that qualified travel insurance claims attorneys are available to help frustrated policyholders recover their losses.