Travel Insurance

Travel insurance typically refers to four types of coverage that you can buy individually or all together in what is often called comprehensive insurance.

• Trip Cancellation: covers cancellation of your trip before you start on your journey
• Trip Interruption: covers delays and interruptions once you have started on your journey (e.g. flight/weather delays; missed connections; and sometimes may cover things like lost baggage, car rentals, etc.)
• Medical Coverage: covers any issues regarding your health and sometimes the health of your travel partner/medical issues with family members
• Cancel for Any Reason Coverage: as the name implies allows you to cancel for more reasons than traditional cancellation coverage (e.g. your dog is sick, you are called to work, travel restrictions are in place and you can’t travel or don’t feel comfortable traveling)

In this environment with so many unknowns and for the greatest peace of mind, we highly recommend purchasing insurance known as Cancel For Any Reason Insurance (CFAR). CFAR policies vary by provider, but the general idea is that as the name implies is that you can cancel for any reason and receive a partial to full refund depending on the policy, specific circumstances, and date of your cancellation.

Things to know about Cancel for Any Reason Insurance (CFAR):

• CFAR has to be purchased shortly after paying for ANY portion of your travel/tour. The exact window for purchase varies from 72 hours to 20 days after payment has been made, depending on the provider.
• CFAR will cover 100% of your non-refundable expenses when canceling for reasons covered as part of typical cancellation insurance i.e. you or an immediate family member break a leg and can no longer travel. 
• When canceling for a reason that is not covered by standard cancellation insurance i.e using the Cancel for Any Reason clause- only a portion of your non-refundable expenses will be covered, often 75-80%. Examples of reasons for cancellation, in this case, could be canceled because of no longer having the desire to travel, or your dog is sick or any other reason not covered by standard cancellation insurance, etc. 
• CFAR policies have different amounts of coverage based on when you cancel your trip. The closer you get to your tour departure the amount of coverage/refund you would be eligible for changes. 
• CFAR policies are sold with coverage for cancellations but also usually include trip interruption and medical coverage which can be helpful once you have started your journey.

While travel insurance is not mandatory, we can’t recommend it enough. Having adequate coverage can really take the stress out of the unforeseen or the challenges of the ever-evolving travel landscape as a result of COVID. While helpful for everyone, we especially are encouraging guests from outside of Canada to purchase coverage that will cover you if travel restrictions etc. 

Travel insurance can help with costs arising from unforeseen circumstances that affect your travel like ash clouds from volcanoes grounding flights, travel advisories because of a safety risk for visitors, unexpected medical issues, etc. No one ever plans on breaking their leg, not being able to vacation because of a virus outbreak, or having their travel partner have to back out of the trip because of a family emergency.

The simple answer is: as soon as you pay for any portion of your trip and before you need it. When you place a deposit with Spirit of the West Adventures or purchase your flights the clock starts ticking in the eyes of insurance companies. Every plan has different requirements but in order to maximize coverage and be eligible for cancellation insurance, you typically need to purchase insurance between 72 hours – 21 days after you pay for any portion of your tour.

COVID-19 is now considered a known risk in the insurance world, so it is very important to check that your policy and provider are in fact covering COVID-19 related issues. Cancel for Any Reason insurance policies could be used in this case (as you can choose to no longer travel), but please check your policy!

More information about COVID-19 in Canada can be found on Canada’s government website.

Credit cards often have some level of interruption insurance, but this is usually a very limited amount and only the interruption-type of coverage, not trip cancellation, cancel for any reason, or medical coverage. Some cards offer more comprehensive coverage but read through the details and determine what your credit card insurance includes and if this only covers the primary cardholder or travel companions as well. Many also don’t cover COVID-19 related issues, read the fine print!

You will never be refused medical care in Canada regardless of if you can pay or not, but health care is not free for people who are not citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada. Emergency services like helicopter evacuations, hospitalization, and diagnostics can add up quickly.

There are many companies offering coverage, but we have compiled some suggestions in the “Recommendations for Cancel for Any Reason Insurance” section above. It is always up to you to ensure that you qualify and have an adequate and appropriate policy and coverage.