Travel Insurance

TravelSafe Insurance is available to residents of the United States and Canada. The company offers two types of insurance plans - Basic and Classic. Cancel for Any Reason coverage can be added to the Classic Plans only. 

The Ties Program suggests you consider travel insurance as a way of protecting the financial investment you are making in your trip whether you use TravelSafe or an option of your choosing.

TWO ISSUES REGARDING INSURANCE THAT REQUIRE YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

Generally, you must purchase your insurance within 21 days (ruling varies by state) of making your first payment (excluding your registration fee) if you have an interest in either of the following:

a) Pre-existing illness waiver (some exceptions apply)
b) Coverage allowing you to “cancel for any reason.”

This coverage IS MORE EXPENSIVE, but it REFUNDS A MAJORITY OF YOUR TOUR COST. It is ideal for those who need to cancel for unforeseen reasons like work/school schedule conflicts or a change of mind about traveling, including COVID-19.

Click here for more information on COVID-19 coverage. This document is also on TravelSafe's website provided by their underwriter, Crum & Forster / United States Fire Insurance Company.

Insurance premiums are based on ALL PREPAID AND NONREFUNDABLE TRIP COSTS MADE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE when Cancel for Any Reason coverage is included.

VISIT TRAVELSAFE INSURANCE

Here is how Ties families typically purchase insurance, in segments, as costs become known:

  • Your Registration Fee is not considered your first payment. Because many families register months ahead of the first billing statement/invoice, these families would not qualify for many insurance options like cancel for any reason or pre-existing conditions. If the registration fee was the first payment, the 21 day clock to purchase insurance would have begun with the registration payment, and force a family to purchase insurance well in advance of the first billing statement.
  •  Your first payment will be EITHER your first land payment or your international flights. Sometimes if you are working on them all at the same time, you can purchase travel insurance for the cost of both, eliminating the step of needing to add to your insurance plan later on.
  • But you might also make your first land payment and not yet know the cost of your flights. If that is the case, insure your full land payment, then once you purchase your flights, contact TravelSafe and have the flight costs added.
  • Either way, it is important to remember to purchase your insurance within 21 days of payment if you would like the added benefits of Cancel for Any Reason and waiver of pre-existing conditions.
  • Typically, not long before we travel, costs for searching for and reconnection to important people, and other things particular to your family become known to us. We will be advising you of those costs as they become known. Those costs will also need to be added to your complete insurance package.
You are encouraged to contact TravelSafe Insurance directly to:

Ask questions about coverage.

Obtain a quote if you are not comfortable doing so online.

Review the Certificate of Insurance for your state for Basic or Classic plans and Cancel for Any coverage.

Purchase insurance if you are not comfortable doing so online.

VISIT TRAVELSAFE INSURANCE

When asking for a quote, please have this information available:

  • The name of the organization with which you are traveling: The Ties Program.
  • Departure date and return date.
  • Age and Date of Birth of each participant.
  • Per person: Anticipated pre-paid, nonrefundable touring cost and airfare cost.
  • State where each participant lives.
  • Full legal names and credit card information to be used if you elect to purchase insurance.

Remember, if you purchase the travel insurance outside of the required deadline of 21 days from your first trip payment (see above), you MAY NOT purchase the “CANCEL FOR ANY REASON” option, and the pre-existing illness waiver will not apply.

If these two above issues are not of concern to you, you can purchase travel insurance anytime up to 11:59 p.m. EST the day before your departure, as long as you buy your insurance PRIOR to your reason for cancellation. That is, you cannot experience a health issue, for example, and then buy the insurance.