Optional Trip Protection Insurance
Do you need trip protection insurance?
The Pam Hendrix Center for Education Abroad is providing this information to you as a convenience to make the most informed decision. We do not endorse nor require any additional travel insurance protection or product.
Should you be interested, trip protection insurance is available through Clemson University’s international health insurance provider, CISI (Cultural Insurance Services International). You can read more about the insurance options and request a quote with Travel Insured International, the administrator of this program for CISI.
Worldwide Trip Protector
Worldwide Trip Protector is the basic trip protection insurance. This plan provides trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits for specific covered reasons such as sickness, injury, strike, inclement weather or if a Travel Alert Warning for level 4 or higher is issued for cities on your itinerary after your policy goes into effect and within 30 days of your schedule departure date, among other covered reasons.
Key points to know:
- You can view covered reasons on the insurance quote page by clicking the details button.
- Trip cancellation is up to 100 percent of the full trip cost and trip interruption is up to 150 percent of the trip cost.
- This plan also provides a set reimbursement amount for change fees, itinerary changes, or missed connections due to a covered reason.
Cancel for Any Reason Insurance
CFAR is a policy that protects your purchase before you depart for your program and can be put into effect for any reason. This is an optional add-on that can be added at the bottom of the quote page.
Key points to know:
- You can cancel your trip and the policy can provide up to 75 percent of your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs (program costs and other costs such as airfare). Non-refundable costs can be determined by referring to your program’s and airline's cancellation and refund policy.
- You must enroll in the plan within 21 days of the initial payment for your program and your trip cost should be for the amount paid up to that point. For the purposes of insurance:
- If you have confirmed program dates the initial payment could be an application fee, deposit, flight, or program fee, etc., whichever is the first payment made.
- If you do not have confirmed program dates the initial payment would be any payment made after dates are confirmed.
- After you have enrolled in the plan, anytime that you add costs for travel arrangements that you would like insured, such as airfare or the program fee, you will need to notify the insurance company within 21 days of that payment and add that dollar amount to your total insured cost.
- To put the policy into effect, you must cancel at least 48 hours before your program start date.
Example: You are planning to study abroad, and your program has a refund policy that states that between 0-15 days before departure you will have $5,000 of non-refundable expenses. You can purchase CFAR insurance to protect you up to 75 percent of that non-refundable expense. If you decide to cancel your trip during this window of time (but at least 48 hours prior to departure), you will receive $3,750. The cost of this insurance is approximately 10 percent* of the insured amount. In the example above the cost to you is approximately $500. You can insure any part of your non-refundable expenses including airfare.
*Exact amounts are calculated at the time of purchase but can range from between 8-12 percent of the amount you insure. The amounts can vary based upon the destination, costs you are insuring, dates of your program and your home location.
Interrupt for Any Reason Insurance
IFAR is a policy that protects you if you must interrupt your trip for any reason 72 hours or more after your actual departure date. This is an optional add-on that can be added at the bottom of the quote page.
Key points to know:
- The policy will provide up to the lesser of 75 percent of the coverage you purchased or the Maximum Benefit Amount if you must interrupt your trip, 72 hours or more after your program start date.
- This may cover unused, non-refundable land or water travel arrangements (such as airfare or airport transfers).
Example: You are already abroad on your program, and you decide that you want to come home after about one month into the semester. You have paid all your program and airline expenses, and that total is $15,000 and all non-refundable. You purchased CFAR/IFAR insurance for this amount and thus are protected up to 75% of this expense, or $11,250. The cost of this insurance is approximately 10 percent* of the insured amount. In the example above that would cost you approximately $1,500.
* Exact amounts are calculated at the time of purchase but can range from between 8-12% of the amount you insure. The amounts can vary based upon the destination, costs you are insuring, dates of your program and your home location.
Enrollment Information
- Go to the Travel Insured International website.
- Click on “Get a Quote.”
- Enter in the following information only: Where are you Going, What is your Residence (home or school), When are you Traveling, Date of Birth and Trip Cost.
- You will be provided with a quote and then options.
- When you click “Purchase” you will then include more personal information and can confirm your insured trip cost amount and any additional plan options.
- IMPORTANT: If you are including CFAR coverage, your initial payment towards travel costs must have taken place no more than 21 days prior to purchasing this plan. See the CFAR section above for an explanation of what qualifies as initial payment. In addition, your insured Trip Cost should only be for the dollar amount that you have actually paid at this time and wish to insure. When you subsequently make additional financial commitments, you must notify the insurance company within 21 days of making that commitment and add that dollar amount to your total insured cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I have to purchase additional trip protection insurance to study abroad?
No, it is not a requirement. We want to make you aware of it so that you can make an informed financial decision. Please make sure you refer to, and understand, the cancellation and refund policies for your program.
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Do I automatically qualify for this insurance?
If you are traveling from the U.S. to another country or between U.S. states, you are a resident of any state besides New York*, or you go to school in any state besides New York*, you will qualify for CFAR or IFAR insurance.
*The State of New York does not allow insurance companies to offer CFAR/IFAR insurance. However, if you are a resident of New York, you can use your South Carolina address to apply for the insurance.
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Do I need to ensure the entire amount of my program cost?
No, you can insure any amount that you want. You would want to insure any amount that is non-refundable.