Travel Insurance and Travel Vouchers: What You and Your Clients Need to Know

This is especially important for cruises, because even a trip that seems identical to the one your clients had to cancel may not be exactly the same. Because of COVID-related restrictions, not all ports of call that were part of the previous cruise may be part of the new cruise.

Travelers will want to know the ports of calls and destination of the new cruise for their own edification, and because it’s important information to have when buying travel insurance (which is highly recommended for the new trip, just look what happened to the old trip).

Don’t let your client’s eagerness to travel again keep them from understanding all the important parameters of the cruise, tour, or trip they’re considering. Also note that travel will still be a fluid proposition for a while, and every facet of the cruise experience may be subject to change.

Similarly, your client’s travel dates may be subject to change or timing might be different from before because of changing travel conditions in countries on their itinerary or, in the case of a cruise, issues with getting the ship cleaned and ready for a new group of passengers.

As with a change in itinerary, tell us about any changes in travel dates, so we can modify your client’s travel insurance plan.

Even if your client is able to book the same trip that was cancelled, they may find that the price has changed. This could likely be due to a result of increased cleaning and staffing costs, changes in fuel prices, or other factors.

Travel insurance is priced in part based on the cost of the trip, so your client will need to provide the new amount when buying travel insurance (see below). However, it’s also important to know that even if your client received a voucher from a cruise or tour line as a result of cancelling a prior trip, they may have to pay the difference between the new trip cost and the amount of the voucher.

The events of the pandemic have really proven the value of travel insurance, whether it’s in paying emergency medical bills for an injury or illness that occurred while traveling, arranging for transportation home, or refunding prepaid travel expenses for a covered canceled or interrupted trip.

The good news is that travel insurance is easy to buy, whether your client bought their trip with cash or a voucher. When you calculate their trip cost, simply use the cash value of the travel voucher or any other prepaid trip costs, and the plan will cover your client so they can be reimbursed for those trip costs if they need to cancel the trip for a covered reason.

Submitting claims is fast and easy, and the assistance services that come with Generali plans can help a trip go more smoothly – even if the most daunting thing your client faces when traveling is getting a reservation for that hot new restaurant, Generali’s Concierge Services can even help with that.

Your client may have received a voucher from Generali for the travel insurance they bought for that trip they never got to take because of COVID. If that’s the case, your client can redeem their voucher and apply it to their new trip.

Obviously, your client doesn’t have to have a travel insurance voucher to buy coverage for a trip that they use travel credit to book, but if your client does have a travel insurance voucher, this is the perfect time to apply it.

Your clients remember the drill, but with new travel arrangements made and travel insurance squared away, they can get down to the fun stuff that comes with an upcoming trip – you know, things like:

• Preparing a packing list
• Shopping
• Making arrangements to visit friends
• Reading up on the destination

We’re feeling confident to get out and see the world once more. And, with travel arrangements made, vouchers redeemed, and travel insurance purchased, we hope your clients are too!