Trip Interruption Insurance Coverage

Key Takeaways

• Trip Interruption Insurance can reimburse you for unused non-refundable trip costs if your trip is cut short.
• This benefit can also reimburse you for additional expenses, such as alternate travel arrangements, like new flights home or alternate lodgings.
• Trip interruption insurance is mostly available on comprehensive travel insurance policies, but some medical-only policies may offer limited coverage.
• Trip Interruption can protect thousands of dollars in unused trip expenses and relieve your worries about having to cut your trip short.
• We recommend comparing insurance policies from multiple providers before deciding which plan to go for, as coverage inclusions vary from company to company.
  

What Is Trip Interruption Insurance?​

Trip Interruption coverage is a travel insurance benefit that covers you in case you need to start your trip late or end your trip early for a covered reason. It can reimburse your unused, prepaid, non-refundable trip costs, including airfare, hotel reservations, cruise bookings, excursions, rental cars, and event tickets. It may also reimburse additional charges for return travel, like flights, hotels, and taxi fares.

Trip Interruption is a post-departure benefit, which means it doesn’t apply until you start your trip. It’s designed to protect your trip investment in case an unforeseen event cuts your trip short. The list of covered reasons varies by policy, but often includes illness, injury, and death.

This coverage is included in most comprehensive travel insurance plans. However, not all travel insurance policies include interruption coverage. Exclusions, eligibility requirements, and coverage limits can also differ by policy.

Trip Interruption vs. Trip Cancellation Insurance

Trip Interruption and Trip Cancellation are two benefits found in comprehensive travel insurance plans that are designed to protect your prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses. However, they differ in a few key areas. Trip Interruption is a post-departure benefit that only applies to your remaining trip. Trip Cancellation, on the other hand, is a pre-departure benefit that can reimburse all your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs in case you need to cancel. While Trip Interruption applies from your departure to your return, Trip Cancellation ends once you depart for your trip.

Both benefits cover unexpected events like illness, injury, death and severe weather. However, you may find in some policies that the list of covered reasons varies between the two benefits.

Trip Interruption vs. Trip Delay Insurance

Trip Delay insurance is another comprehensive travel benefit like Trip Interruption that reimburses you for travel disruptions. However, while Trip Interruption reimburses all your non-refundable costs in case you need to cut your trip short, Trip Delay only reimburses you for incidental costs. It offers a small sum to cover things like food, lodging, and transportation in case your flight, cruise, or other common carrier is significantly delayed.

What Does Trip Interruption Insurance Cover?​

Trip Interruption typically covers at least 100% of your unused, prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses in case you need to cut your trip short for a covered reason. Some plans cover 125-200% of your trip costs in order to reimburse return travel costs, such as a new flight home or relevant change fees.

Commonly covered reasons to interrupt a trip include:

• Unexpected illness, injury, or death of you, your travel companion, or a non-traveling immediate family member
• Inclement weather or other documented severe weather events that lead to significant delays and canceled flights, including hurricane warnings and evacuations
• A natural disaster that was not known at the time of purchasing your policy renders your accommodations uninhabitable
• Financial default or bankruptcy of an airline, cruise line, or other common carrierthat temporarily or permanently ceases operations
• A terrorist incident occurring at or near your destination
• Documented theft of your passport, visa, or other important travel documents before or during your trip
• Jury duty, subpoenas, and other legal obligations
• Strikes, such as airline or railroad strikes, that result in a complete cessation of travel services over a certain time period.
• Call to duty for active military members or call to emergency service for first defenders
• Involuntary layoff of you or your traveling companion during your trip

A full list of covered reasons and eligibility requirements can be found within a policy’s Certificate of Insurance. You can also call your provider’s 24-Hour Emergency Assistance service hotline to confirm which scenarios are covered.

How Does Trip Interruption Insurance Work?

Trip Interruption coverage protects your trip expenses while you’re traveling. This insurance coverage typically begins after your scheduled departure date. Like many other travel insurance benefits, Trip Interruption works on a reimbursement basis.

If a covered event forces you to end your trip early, you will file a claim directly with your travel insurance company for the unused portion of your trip.

Within your travel insurance claim, you will include any relevant documentation. For example, you may be required to provide original receipts, a copy of your travel itinerary, booking confirmations, a note from a physician, credit card statements, and other files that may support your reason for interrupting your trip.

What Does Trip Interruption Insurance Not Cover​?

Trip interruption insurance won’t cover foreseen events. That means, if a potential disruption like a storm or travel strike was known at the time you purchased your policy, it will likely be excluded. Your policy will also have a specific list of exclusions.

Exclusions vary by policy, but often include:

• Traveling against the advice of a physician and pre-existing conditions, unless your policy contains a pre-existing condition waiver, and you purchased your policy within the qualifying window for the waiver (usually 14-21 days)
• Criminal acts by you, your traveling companion, or a family member
• Cosmetic surgery and other non-emergency or elective medical procedures
• Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• High-risk sports or activities, like sky-diving or scuba diving, unless your plan has adventure coverage that includes them
• Pregnancy and childbirth outside of unforeseen pregnancy complications
• Wars and civil unrest

>> Learn more: When is a storm considered a foreseen event by travel insurance?

How Much Does Trip Interruption Insurance Cost​?

A comprehensive travel insurance policy with Trip Interruption Insurance costs around $431 on average for an average trip of 14 days according to our internal sales data from the past 12 months. That’s around $31 per day.

However, premiums vary based on multiple factors, such as your total trip cost, age, trip length, and the amount of travel insurance coverage the policy offers.

Age has a large impact on the cost of Trip Interruption insurance, with policies ranging from 4% for people under 21 to 13% for travelers 85 and older. For example, if you’re insuring a trip with $6,000 of prepaid, non-refundable trip costs, you can expect to pay around $240 – $780 for travel insurance.

>> Learn how to calculate your trip cost

When to Buy Trip Interruption Insurance

In general, the sooner you purchase your policy the lower the chance of an event occurring that could be excluded from your policy. For this reason, you should buy Trip Interruption insurance within 14 to 21 days of making the initial deposit on your trip. Additionally, buying within this window allows you to qualify for time-sensitive benefits like Interruption for Any Reason, Cancel For Any Reason, and financial default coverage.

What is the Best Trip Interruption Insurance?​

The best Trip Interruption insurance for your trip depends on how much coverage you need, and the scenarios you need covered, since plans vary on coverage limits and covered reasons. Here are some of the top plans for Trip Interruption insurance on Squaremouth:

Travel Insured International FlexiPAX

FlexiPAX is a great value for trips that cost $25,000 per person or less. It’s a flexible plan that you can customize to your needs, including CFAR and IFAR coverage. It’s a good choice for hurricane-prone destinations and interruptions due to winter weather.

• Trip interruption: 150% of trip cost, up to $37,500 per person
• Trip cancellation: 100% of trip cost, up to $25,000 per person
• Medical coverage: $100,000 Primary
• Medical evacuation: $500,000
• CFAR coverage: 75% (optional)
• IFAR coverage: 75% (optional)

Tin Leg Gold

Tin Leg Gold offers a higher limit on trip interruption coverage, covering trips that cost $30,000 per person or less. It’s a good choice if you’re worried about adverse weather blocking your transit to your land or sea arrangements or you want terrorism coverage.

• Trip interruption: 150% of trip cost, up to $45,000/person
• Trip cancellation: 100% of trip cost, up to $30,000/person
• Medical coverage: $500,000 Primary
• Medical evacuation: $500,000
• CFAR coverage: 75% (optional)
• IFAR coverage: N/A

IMG iTravelInsured Travel LX

This luxury travel insurance plan offers the most comprehensive trip interruption coverage. It covers the widest range of interruption reasons with the highest limit per person of any of our plans and automatically includes IFAR coverage.

• Trip interruption: 150% of trip cost, up to $225,000/person
• Trip cancellation: 100% of trip cost, up to $150,000 per person
• Medical coverage: $500,000 Primary
• Medical evacuation: $1,000,000
• CFAR coverage: 75%
• IFAR coverage: 75%

What to Look for When Buying Trip Interruption Insurance

1. Covered Reasons. Read the policy’s plan certificate very carefully to make sure that the list of covered reasons includes all your potential concerns about your upcoming trip. For instance, if you’re planning a trip to the Caribbean near hurricane season, you should ensure that the policy covers interruptions for hurricanes.
2. Coverage Limits. Look at the per person limit on a plan’s trip interruption benefit to make sure it adequately covers your trip cost. Our travel insurance quote form will automatically filter out plans that don’t offer enough coverage.
3. Pre-Existing Condition Waivers. If you have a pre-existing condition, look for a plan with a Pre-Existing Condition Waiver. You’ll need to purchase coverage early (within 14-21 days) to qualify for this benefit.
4. Primary vs. Secondary Coverage. If there’s a high chance of an illness or injury occurring on your trip , look for primary rather than secondary travel insurance coverage. A policy with primary coverage will process your claim without requiring you to submit through other policies first, ensuring a faster turnaround.
5. Other Benefits (especially medical insurance). Make sure your policy has all the other coverages that you need for your trip. Medical travel insurance is especially important if you’re traveling overseas, since your health insurance likely won’t cover medical expenses outside the U.S. Look for policies with at least $50,000 per person in Emergency Medical and $100,000 per person in Medical Evacuation coverage.

Is Trip Interruption Insurance Worth It?

Yes, Trip Interruption insurance can be a very smart investment if you’re planning an expensive trip abroad and are concerned about protecting your travel expenses. Most policies that include this benefit also protect against unexpected travel delays, medical expenses, emergency medical evacuations, baggage loss, and more.

For a relatively small fee of around $31 per day, Trip Interruption insurance can protect thousands of dollars in trip costs in the event your trip takes a sudden turn for the worse.

>> Read: The True Cost of Canceling a Trip Without Travel Insurance

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FAQs: Trip Interruption Insurance

What is Interruption for Any Reason Coverage?

Interruption for Any Reason is an optional add-on that is available through some comprehensive travel insurance plans. This policy upgrade can offer partial reimbursement of your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you choose to end your trip early for a reason not covered by your plan’s Trip Interruption benefit.

For example, if you choose to end your trip early to attend a friend’s birthday party back home, you may be reimbursed for a portion of your unused travel expenses, like hotel bookings, tours, and rental car fees.

This benefit is similar to Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR). Like CFAR coverage, adding this benefit to your policy will likely increase the overall cost of your travel insurance policy.

What is “Trip Interruption Return Air Only”?

Trip Interruption Return Air Only is a less common type of Trip Interruption coverage included in some travel insurance policies. This benefit is solely intended to cover only a policyholder’s travel expenses back home should they need to end their trip early. Unlike standard Trip Interruption coverage, Trip Interruption Return Air Only provides no coverage for unused trip costs.

How Do I File a Trip Interruption Claim?

To be reimbursed for a trip interruption, you must file a claim directly with your travel insurance company. This process is generally straightforward, but it may differ slightly from one provider to the next.

Typically, filing a trip interruption claim involves the following steps:

1. Contact Your Insurance Provider: Report your trip interruption as soon as possible. Confirm that your situation is covered and get details regarding next steps.
2. Gather Documentation: Provide proof of why your trip was interrupted, such as medical records, weather alerts, or airline notices, along with receipts for any additional expenses.
3. Complete A Claims Form: Fill out an interruption-specific claim form through your provider’s website or app.
4. Submit Your Claim: Submit your claim and any supporting documents. Check for updates and closely monitor your claim status, as the provider may request additional information.
5. Appeal (If Necessary): If your claim is denied, you can appeal by submitting additional evidence that supports the interruption and your incurred costs.

Does Trip Interruption Insurance Cover Weather​?

Yes, Trip Interruption insurance often covers severe weather, including blizzards and hurricanes, as long as the policy was purchased before the storm or hurricane was forecast. The details of the coverage will vary significantly between policies, so be sure to read your plan certificate closely.

Does Trip Interruption Insurance Cover COVID-19?

Yes, Trip Interruption Insurance generally covers interruptions due to illness, including COVID-19. To qualify, it must be diagnosed after you purchased coverage, and you must have a doctor’s recommendation to cut your trip short.

Does Trip Interruption Insurance Cover Hotels?​

Yes, hotels are generally covered under Trip Interruption insurance, as long as they are prepaid and non-refundable. A plan may also cover additional hotel nights if you become stranded or you need to stop overnight on your return from an interrupted trip.

Does Credit Card Travel Insurance Cover Trip Interruptions?

Some credit cards, like the Chase Sapphire cards and the American Express Platinum Card offer limited Trip Interruption insurance, typically up to $20,000 in coverage per trip. As a result, this coverage is only adequate for lower-cost trips.

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Please be aware that coverage and eligibility requirements for this benefit differ by policy.

Looking for a policy with Trip Interruption coverage?

Enter your trip information on our custom quote form. Once you receive your results, select the Trip Interruption filter to find the best policy for your trip with the coverage that you need.