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COVID-19 and your Group Trip Cancellation insurance

November 1, 2021

For business owners, plan administrators, and sponsors

 

As we look ahead to the lifting of COVID-19 travel restrictions, it is important to understand the coverage implications. Please share this message with your plan members if you have trip cancellation insurance under your group plan.

As we look ahead to the lifting of COVID-19 travel restrictions, it is important for you to fully understand your coverage if you plan to travel. (It’s always recommended you refer to your specific plan details.)

The Trip Cancellation Benefit under your group insurance policy covers losses from sudden and unexpected circumstances. The COVID-19 pandemic is now well known. It’s no longer considered sudden or unexpected.

COVID-19 is deemed a known event for Group Trip Cancellation benefits.

This means, Trip Cancellation claims will not be paid in the following scenario:

  • The COVID-19 travel advisory1 is lifted, and
  • you purchase a trip (including trips re-booked using travel credits), but
  • the government issues another COVID-19 travel advisory1 for your destination (after the date you purchased your trip and before your departure date).

Other reasons for cancellation

Regardless of when your trip was purchased, you will be eligible under your Group Trip Cancellation benefit if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 (or for any other covered reasons/events) before your departure date and you need to cancel your trip as a result.

This note does not affect your group policy’s Emergency Out-of-province/Out-of-Canada or Emergency Travel Assistance. For more details about those benefits, refer to your specific plan details.

1 Government of Canada COVID-19 travel advisory advising against ‘non-essential travel’ (Level 3) or ‘all travel’ (Level 4) and which affects your itinerary.

Travel insurance does not cover everything. All claims will be reviewed on an individual basis, and will remain subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy. For complete terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions, please refer to the policy.