Exclusive tour insurance products are a unique selling feature consumers value

Customers want to travel but are hesitant to schedule a trip during a global pandemic. That’s where travel insurance can make it easier for them to book a tour or charter.

USI Travel Insurance has several travel insurance products developed specifically for United Motorcoach Association members.

Comprehensive travel protection plans for individuals and groups that provide emergency medical expense and emergency medical evacuation benefits give operators an advantage when it comes to closing the deal with a prospective customer.

In a risk-averse world, consumers are more interested than ever in protecting their investments — and that includes travel insurance plans, says Sharon Broo of USI Travel Insurance.

Broo discussed several travel insurance product options during a UMA Town Hall on Aug. 27.

Individual, group plans

The first products discussed, are comprehensive travel protection plans for individual travelers.
With the travel protection plans, operators can earn 30% commission on the sale of each policy. The coverage includes baggage and personal effects, emergency medical expense and emergency medical evacuation coverage. Price is based on age and the cost of the trip.

Through a different product, there is an optional upgrade that includes Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage, Broo explained.

“During the pandemic, UMA members have been signing up with us specifically for the comprehensive Travel Protection Plan as well as the Cancel For Any Reason product as they want to protect the client’s investment for their tours,” she said. “This gives you an opportunity to set yourself apart in your proposals to schools, churches and associations.”

‘Cancel For Any Reason’ (CFAR)

She added that the Travel Protection Plan, with the optional “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) benefit upgrade, gives consumers the most flexibility.

Sharon Broo

“As the tour departure nears, if a client does not feel comfortable traveling, is fearful of COVID, the destination they are going to or a vaccine hasn’t come out yet, they can cancel their trip for any reason,” she said.

The CFAR plan allows clients to cancel their trip for any reason, outside of the basic comprehensive travel plan benefits. To be eligible for this optional coverage you must purchase the plan within 21 days of your initial trip deposit, insure 100% of all non-refundable trip costs. If you increase your trip costs later, you must then adjust your plan accordingly within 21 days of making those additional arrangements in order to maintain your CFAR coverage.

To file a claim under the CFAR benefit you must cancel your trip with the travel organizer at least two days
prior to the scheduled departure date. Claim payments can reimburse you up to 75% of your
total loss, Broo explained.

The second program is a Group Emergency Medical Evacuation Travel Plan. The cost starts at $1.43 per person per day per person and is an embedded benefit within the group trip for your travelers.

The group travel insurance does not include trip cancellation or interruption coverage. But it does pay for emergency medical care and emergency medical evacuation if travelers become ill or injured on the trip and needs to be transported to a facility that can afford adequate medical treatment.

‘A great product’

Paige Balsinger, Tour Department Manager with All Around Charters and Tours, Nokomis, Florida, credits USI Travel Insurance for not only generating revenue for the company but contributing to customer satisfaction.

“It is really a great product. We offer USI Travel Insurance in every single conversation I have with our overnight adventures,” said Balsinger, who joined the UMA Town Hall session to talk about her experience. “We’ve been through some really rough claims, and USI has always been a great advocate for us and our guests to work towards the best possible outcome.”

“When the guest calls you a week before the trip and says, ‘I’m sick, I don’t want to go on the trip,’ and you do not want them on your trip or bus if they might be sick it makes that conversation a lot easier if they have the Travel Protection Plan, and it’s very, very affordable,” Balsinger said. “So this is really helpful for people to be able to make a Trip Cancellation claim for their non-refundable, pre-paid trip expenses.” Balsinger said.

She added, “This is really going to be a big help for this year. We’ve been very fortunate to work with USI
and their Travel Insurance plans for a while now.”

Link embedded on website

Balsinger says she directs customers to the USI Travel Insurance link embedded on the All Around Charters and Tours website, where they can review the policy and ask USI’s customer service questions. The client can purchase the plan via the website or by calling USI’s customer service team.

This article contains highlights of plan benefits. Broo recommends “every traveler should read their policy carefully as all plans are subject to exclusions (including pre-existing conditions) and limitations. If there is any conflict or discrepancy between articles, such as this, and the policy or for any points not covered in this document, the terms and conditions of the policy shall govern.”

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