Travelex frequently asked questions

Do you have more questions about travel insurance plans, benefits, and upgrades? No problem! Travelex is here to help.

FAQs

Will travel insurance cover my pre-existing medical conditions?

Travelex travel insurance can provide coverage for your pre-existing medical conditions as long as the Pre-existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver is in effect. In order to receive a Pre-existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver, you must purchase the Travel Select plan within 15 days of your initial trip payment or the Travel America plan within 3 days of your final trip payment. This means if you pay for a trip to Hawaii on January 1, you will have up until the January 16 to receive a Pre-existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver through the Travel Select plan or up to January 4 with Travel America (if January 1 was when you made your final trip payment).

Be sure to read the wording in your policy document concerning Pre-Existing Medical Condition Exclusions, when the waiver can and cannot be used, and the additional stipulations that apply.

If I’m visiting multiple countries, what should I put as my destination?

Normally, your final destination is the state or country where you will be traveling to. For example, if you’re planning a long weekend in Miami, your destination would be ‘Florida’. However, if you plan to visit multiple states or countries on your next trip, you should list your destination as the location you will be spending the most time in. For instance, if you plan a European trip where you will visit France for three days, Germany for four days, and Italy for one week, you would list ‘Italy’ as your destination.

What is primary coverage?

Primary coverage refers to the order in which a travel insurance claim can be filed with your travel insurance provider. Primary plans pay out from the first dollar owed, allowing claims to be filed directly with the travel insurance provider, eliminating the involvement of a traveler’s health insurance company. The biggest benefit of having primary coverage is the speed of reimbursement. With primary coverage, you typically receive reimbursement on eligible losses first, before any other collectible policy.

The Travelex plans that include primary coverage with no deductibles are Travel Select, Travel Basic, Travel Med, and Flight Insurance.

What is secondary coverage?

If you have medical expenses while traveling, secondary coverage means you will need to file a claim with your existing insurance provider and then file a claim with your travel insurance provider for reimbursement. The Travel America plan offers secondary coverage. This can be a great supplemental medical expense option to help cover out-of-pocket co-pays and deductible expenses not covered by your primary medical plan.

Can I cancel my travel insurance policy?

Travelex understands you may wish to change your mind after purchasing a travel insurance policy. If you are not completely satisfied with your policy within the 15 days free look period of purchasing it and you have not yet departed or filed a claim, Travelex will refund your policy cost.

Why should I buy travel insurance?

Trips don’t always go according to plan. And if something unexpected should happen while you’re traveling, travel insurance can provide a much-needed safety net. For instance, in the event your flight is cancelled or delayed, you experience a medical emergency, or your baggage is lost during transit, travel insurance can help. Additionally, travel insurance can offer reimbursement for certain incurred travel costs as well as provide 24/7 travel assistance and emergency medical help if needed.

Want to learn more? Check out everything you need to know about Travelex’s comprehensive travel insurance plans and benefits.

When should I buy travel insurance?

It's a good idea to purchase a travel insurance plan as soon as you’ve made the first payment for your trip. The earlier you purchase, the sooner you have coverage to help protect you and your trip. Additionally, depending on when you purchase your travel insurance policy, you might be eligible for additional benefits.

For example, you may be eligible for the Pre-Existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver if you purchase a Travel Select plan within 15 days of your initial trip payment, insure the full pre-paid non-refundable trip cost, and are medically able to travel at the time of purchase or purchase a Travel America plan within three days of your final trip payment and are medically able to travel at the time of purchase.

Purchasing travel insurance ahead of time provides even more benefits. If you, a family member or a traveling companion, were to become seriously ill or injured prior to your departure date, having an insurance policy in place for weeks — if not months  in advance could enable you to cancel your trip without losing all of your money spent. Similarly, if inclement weather were to cause your residence to be uninhabitable or if your company is deemed unsuitable for business. By purchasing a travel insurance policy, prior to the storm being confirmed (named), you could be eligible to receive financial reimbursement, in the event you needed to cancel or interrupt your trip.

Effective April 3rd, 2023, the following plans may be purchased up to 11:59 p.m. on the day before their departure regardless of the initial trip deposit date.

  • Travel Basic
  • Travel Select

 

Effective April 3rd, 2023, Travel America must be purchased at least 10 days prior to the departure date on an existing reservation, or at the time of booking a new reservation if within 10 days of departure.

Where in the world can travel insurance protect me?

With Travelex travel insurance, you can go anywhere in the world* and be protected. As long as your trip is overnight and the destination is at least 100 miles from your primary residence, Travelex’s plans can cover you for both domestic and international trips.

From domestic getaways to international trips, Travelex travel insurance can provide travel coverage wherever and whenever you need it.

*Travelex travel insurance does not provide coverage for Ukraine, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Belarus, and Russian Federation.

Will my personal items be covered?

Yes. Your personal effects, passports, travel documents, sports equipment, and visa can be protected in the event they are lost, damaged or stolen during your trip.

Learn more about how Travelex can provide comprehensive travel insurance protection for your personal items including your baggage.

How much does travel insurance cost?

The cost of travel insurance is dependent on a number of details that are unique to you, including the overall price of your trip, the length of your trip, your state of residence, your age, pre-departure duration, and which plan you ultimately choose.

The cost of a travel insurance policy is also dictated by how you customize your plan. When you purchase a Travelex travel insurance plan, you have the option to include additional upgrades such as Additional Medical Coverage, Car Rental Collision, Adventure Sports, and more. These individual upgrades are only available on certain plans, and their price is independent of the cost of your plan.

Travelex’s Travel Select plan offers kids-included pricing which provides families an opportunity to save. Children 17 and under are covered at no additional cost as long as they are traveling with a covered adult and the trip cost is less than the adult trip cost.

Do I need travel insurance if my credit card already provides it?

While numerous credit cards offer travel insurance, the plans offered can have lower benefit limits and often include special conditions required to activate the coverage. Comprehensive travel insurance from a specialized provider can provide greater coverage across a number of important benefits, allowing you to feel more in control and give you extra peace of mind while traveling.

If I have health insurance, do I also need a travel insurance plan?

Many health insurance providers and policies in the US have limitations on what bills they will and won’t cover overseas. Because of this, it’s likely your domestic health insurance won’t pay for an evacuation from an international location back to the US, and you may be stuck overseas until you’re well enough to travel commercially.

How does travel insurance work?

Purchasing travel insurance helps ensure you’re covered in case something goes wrong, which allows you to travel with extra peace of mind.

To protect yourself, your belongings and your trip with Travelex travel insurance, you’ll first need to get a quote online. Once you’ve completed the quote process and purchased your travel insurance, certain coverage benefits will start immediately such as your trip cancellation benefit, while the start date of others will vary depending on what you’ve added to your policy (e.g. the Car Rental Collision upgrade).

Before you take off on your next adventure, be sure to read your plan's policy wording for full details regarding what is and is not covered.

If anything goes wrong during your trip contact the 24/7 emergency assistance team for help.

If you lose your luggage or need to make a claim, consider the speedy “pic and one-click” claims app to help make the process easy. The Travelex Insurance Services app is available on the App Store as well as on Google Play.

 

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact the Travelex Customer Service team either online or by phone or email:

  •    - Phone: 1-800-228-9792 (8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST, Monday - Friday)
  •    - Email: [email protected]
How much travel insurance do I need?

When it comes to travel insurance, you should choose the plan that best suits your needs and desired level of coverage. For more budget-conscious customers, the Travel Basic or Travel America plans may meet your needs, while international travelers looking for additional coverage may prefer Travel Select. Be sure to read through the benefits and maximum levels of coverage for all plans before ultimately making a travel insurance purchase.

Travel Select as well as Travel Basic plans also provide optional upgrades. While both plans allow travelers to add the Car Rental Collision and Flight Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) upgrades, the Cancel For Any Reason, Additional Medical Coverage, and Adventure Sports upgrades are only available on the Travel Select plan.

Is there anything travel insurance does not cover?

Unfortunately, travel insurance can’t cover absolutely everything that may go wrong on your trip. For example, Travelex travel insurance won’t cover events that were reasonably foreseeable, and you will always need to take steps to reduce risk on your journey. Policies will also not cover claims arising as a result of intoxication or being under the influence of drugs. Because of this, it’s important to check the exclusions in your policy document before departing on your trip.

Does travel insurance cover terrorism?

Unfortunately, terrorist incidents can and do occur. Thankfully, Travelex’s Travel Select plan can provide coverage in the event a terrorist incident occurs at your trip’s destination. Travelex’s trip cancellation benefit provides coverage if there is a terrorist incident in a city listed on your itinerary within 30 days of your scheduled arrival and you have an active Travel Select policy. Please check your policy documents for definitions on what is classified as a “terrorist incident”.

The Travel Basic plan does not provide protection in the event of a terrorist incident.

Where can I buy travel insurance?

You can purchase Travelex travel insurance online at any time of day or night - whatever suits you best. Simply get a quote by sharing the details of your trip, and then you can purchase a Travelex policy online.

What if I have questions about buying a travel insurance policy?

You can contact Travelex’s Customer Service team who are happy to assist you in understanding the plan details of each of Travelex’s travel insurance plans.

You can reach Travelex’s Customer Service department on 1-800-228-9792, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST.

What if I need to make changes to my travel insurance policy?

If you need to change anything on your policy, you can either initiate a policy change online or call Travelex’s friendly Customer Service department on 1-800-228-9792, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST.

Will I receive documentation of my policy to carry with me?

Of course. You will receive a Confirmation of Coverage and applicable plan policy wording via email. The Confirmation of Coverage will include policy information such as your confirmation number, policy effective date, benefit levels and important contact information. The policy wording will provide plan details including benefits, conditions, limitations and exclusions.

You should take both documents with you while you travel in case of an emergency.

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