How Does the Claim Process Work?

April 8, 2020 - Meagan Palmer

After coming home from a vacation where something went wrong, we can empathize with how overwhelming the claims process might be. It’s not as scary as it sounds, especially when our team is here to help you open the claim. Not only that, but we will check on it weekly to ensure it is taken care of in a timely manner. Let’s get started!

Usually, most people wait to file their claim once they return home from their trip. If you feel so inclined to get a head start, by all means, go ahead! Let our team know what went wrong while on your trip and we can direct you to the appropriate information and claims department of the insurance company.

Most claims forms are submitted online with the insurance company you purchased your policy with, but some can still be sent in the mail. Usually all you need is your policy number to get started! You can take it at your own pace when filling out the form, but we encourage you to complete as soon as you can. After all, that means you’ll be closer to getting your claim processed.

Once the claim form itself is completed, all that’s left is to upload supporting documentation. This is an important step you cannot miss –if you do, you risk your claim being denied (yikes!). Not quite sure what to upload for the type of claim you’re filing for? Take a look below! We’ve covered most of the basics.

For Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption

If you have to cancel or interrupt your trip for a sickness or illness (one of the more common reasons for cancelling), you’ll need documentation from a doctor proving you are unfit to travel due to a newly developed medical condition. If the sickness or illness is related to a pre-existing condition and you purchased a policy that includes a Pre-Existing Condition Waiver, you might be in luck! However, you’ll still need what’s called an Attending Physician’s Statement, recommending you are not to travel. This document should be available to complete or download once you start filing your claim online. Even if your trip cancellation claim isn’t related to medical expenses, the claims department will need documentation such as:

• Reason of Cancellation or Interruption: It must be a covered reason as specified in your policy documents.
• Trip Itinerary: This includes any confirmation and reservation numbers for airfare, hotels, or tours, etc.
• Proof of Payment: Receipts showing you had paid for the amounts you claimed for.
• Other Party Credits: Any amounts or refunds you expect to receive from other suppliers.

For Medical Expense

If you received medical care while traveling, making sure you leave your destination with access to receipts, invoices, and treatment records is key. Some situations require you to contact the Emergency Assistance Provider before you receive care to be eligible for coverage –you can find this information in your policy documents or reach out to one of our helpful humans if you have questions. However, now that you’re safe and sound at home, here are the documents you might need to file a successful claim:

• Records of admission and discharge from the medical facility
• Diagnosis of condition and details of the treatment you received
• Any police records or statements if you were involved in an accident
• If your travel insurance is secondary medical coverage, your claim will most likely be processed through your major medical provider. In this case your EOBs from this provider should be submitted with your travel insurance claim.

For Baggage Loss & Delay

If your baggage experienced damage, was lost, or stolen, the insurance company will likely ask for this type of documentation:

• Trip Itinerary: This includes any booking and reservation numbers for airfare, hotels, or tours, etc.
• Purchase receipts of the baggage or item. If you don’t have the original receipt, sometimes finding a similar item and attaching a current listing for that product could suffice.
• Homeowner/Renter Insurance EOB: Again, your travel insurance policy might be secondary to these types of insurance companies.

If your baggage was delayed to your destination, you may have been without your essentials and purchased others to get you by until your bags showed up. For this, you might need this supporting documentation:

• Trip Itinerary: This includes any booking and reservation numbers for airfare, hotels, or tours, etc.
• Irregularity or Incident Report: This is filed with the airline directly and will show proof your baggage was delayed.
• Receipts: Any and all receipts of personal items you purchased to use in the meantime.

There are of course, other categories of coverage you could claim for as well as additional documents you might need to submit with your travel insurance claim. However, these are the most common and should help you start your claim on a good note. If you need help filing your claim, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly humans for expert advice.

Once your claim form and uploads are taken care of, you can sit back and relax. It’s time for the insurance company to analyze your case. Their claims department will reach out directly to you if they need any other information, but typically, it can take up to 30 days (and sometimes longer, depending on the situation) for the claim to be processed. And don’t worry, like we said, we’ll have our eye on it too!