What to Know About Travel Insurance if you Have a Disability

Living with a disability doesn’t have to limit your adventures.  Airlines, hotels, and travel destinations around the world are now able to accommodate visitors of all physical abilities. It is wise, however, to prepare for trips knowing that travel complications may arise.

When you have a disability, finding a travel insurance plan that provides complete coverage for your specific needs can feel daunting. Below we discuss the types of travel insurance that will be most relevant to people with disabilities and offer tips for a safe and comfortable journey.

Types of Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can benefit all types of travelers but can be especially useful for people with disabilities. Consider the following types of travel insurance when traveling domestically and internationally to find a policy that meets your particular needs.

Emergency Medical Evacuation

Emergency medical evacuation insurance can compensate you for the cost of medical transportation and evacuation to the nearest adequate medical facility if your destination’s local hospital or clinic cannot provide adequate care. Medical evacuations can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, so having sufficient coverage can save you from a significant financial burden in the case of an emergency.

Emergency medical evacuation insurance policies can provide up to $1 million in coverage, but there are a variety of plans available to meet nearly any budget.

Baggage Insurance

If you are traveling with expensive medical devices or medications, it is good to know that travel insurance for lost baggage can technically cover these items. Unfortunately, as these types of policies typically have low dollar limits, they are unlikely to cover the entire replacement cost of the lost items.

Any medical device that costs in the thousands of dollars, like an electric wheelchair or prosthetic, should be listed on your home or renters insurance as scheduled personal property. This way, if something happens to your device while traveling, you may be able to recover the full value of the item.

Trip Interruption

Trip interruption coverage can provide you with reimbursement for pre-paid, non-refundable costs, such as hotel rooms and airfare, if you need to end your trip early for a covered reason. Expenses related to an early return home, such as last-minute flights, meals, hotel rooms, and essentials, may also be covered. Covered reasons for trip interruption typically include, but are not limited to, illness and injury, so always check your policy to make sure you understand the limits of coverage.

Trip Delay

Trip delay insurance can reimburse you for unexpected delays at the start of your trip, including delays due to severe weather and plane or ship mechanical issues. You can receive reimbursement for meals, hotels, and transportation fees up to the maximum limits of your policy. Know that a minimum number of hours must elapse before you can claim a benefit under your travel insurance policy for a trip delay, so it is advisable to understand how long the delay must continue before your insurance applies.

Trip Cancellation

Trip cancellation insurance is a comprehensive plan that can reimburse you for prepaid, non-refundable costs in the event you have to unexpectedly cancel your trip for a covered reason prior to the departure date.

Covered reasons for trip cancellation typically include:

• Death in the immediate family
• Injury or illness to you, a travel partner, or non-traveling relative
• Severe weather, such as a hurricane
• Terrorism
• Financial issues of the travel supplier
• Employment layoff
• Work reasons, such as revoked time off

To cancel for a reason not listed in your travel insurance policy, or any reason at all, you may consider purchasing supplemental Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage. CFAR coverage can reimburse you for up to 75% of your prepaid and non-refundable trip costs in the event that you cancel your trip, subject to eligibility requirements.

Travel Medical Insurance

Due to the high cost of health care and the fact that many U.S. health insurance policies do not offer coverage outside of a limited geographic area, travel medical insurance is one of the most widely purchased types of travel insurance. Travel medical insurance can be purchased as a stand-alone policy or as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan.

To be certain that unforeseen medical emergencies are covered under a travel medical insurance policy, persons with disabilities should seek a waiver for any pre-existing medical conditions. To receive a waiver for a pre-existing medical condition, the following minimum conditions must typically be met:

• Insure the entire cost of your trip, including transportation, transfers, hotels, etc.
• Be medically approved for travel when you purchase the policy.
• Some policies require a time sensitive period where you must purchase the policy within a set number of days from the date you first put any money towards your trip.

Certain conditions as vision and hearing impairments, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy are sometimes not considered pre-existing conditions and may not need a waiver to be covered. Despite this, all travelers with a disability should consider applying for a waiver to ensure complete coverage. As always, it is recommended that travelers read the terms and conditions of their policy, so they understand what is and isn’t covered.

What Does It Cost?

Travel insurance is calculated on a per-person basis. The cost of a travel insurance policy generally ranges from 4% to 12% of the total trip cost. Below is a chart that estimates the cost of travel insurance based on the age of the traveler. The true cost of buying travel insurance will vary based on the insurance purchased, the trip’s overall cost and duration, and the traveler’s age among other factors.

Age of Traveler

Percentage

0-17

4-5% of the total trip cost

18-59

6% of the total trip cost

60-70

7% of the total trip cost

71-75

11% of the total trip cost

75+

12% of the total trip cost

Tips for Traveling With a Disability

1.   Work with your doctor to organize medical documents

Before making travel reservations, take a trip to the doctor’s office. A check-up before you go can put your mind at ease and provide you with a second opinion on whether you are physically ready for your trip.

Once your provider agrees you are good to go, they can help you create medical documentation to provide to your travel insurance provider and carry with you in case of emergency.

2.   Create a travel medical kit

If you have specific medications or disability equipment, gather everything together well before the start of your trip. It may not be possible or practical to replace equipment or refill prescriptions at your destination. If you are going to rent or purchase equipment while traveling, reserve it ahead of time, so you don’t miss out on any experiences.

3.   Know your limitations

When embarking on a new adventure, it is exciting to try new activities. Be careful not to over-schedule yourself, especially if you are not used to being active.

It is also advisable to call your airline, hotel, and tour operator before making any purchases to ensure they can accommodate your disability in a manner that you deem to be acceptable.

4.   Book with a travel disability specialist

Choose a travel agency that has experience booking trips with your disability. For example, if you are legally blind, choose an agent to help you pick destinations and hotels that are safe and accessible so you can fully enjoy your vacation.

A specialized travel agent might have access to group tours that have local guides. Local guides know the area best and can provide a better experience by choosing routes and tourist destinations that are accessibility friendly.

5.   Look for discounts

If you like nature, you can take advantage of a free National Park Service Access Pass. The pass is free for U.S. citizens with permanent disabilities.

Popular tourist destinations like museums, zoos, and theme parks offer discounts or perks for people with disabilities. You can even get a significant discount (15%-50%) on Amtrak and Greyhound rides domestically and internationally.

6.   Speak up when you need help

You have researched and called in advance to make all of your arrangements. When you arrive at the airport, the hotel, or the excursion, you expect to receive the accessibility accommodation you were promised.

Unfortunately, even with pre-planning, the unexpected can happen. Politely explain your accessibility needs to customer service. Be your own advocate to ensure you are treated with equal access.

7.   Enroll with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

STEP is a free service that registers you with the U.S. embassy closest to your vacation destination. The U.S. embassy can warn you about a natural disaster or civil unrest in an emergency. Family and friends can also contact you through the STEP system in case of a personal emergency back home. Registering with STEP can give you extra confidence and may be of assistance in the event that dangerous conditions develop at your destination.

Now that you know more about travel insurance, you can browse plans to find coverage that best suits your particular needs. TravelInsurance.com allows you to compare plans and pricing from top insurers so that you can travel with peace of mind.

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