As a travel insurance provider, Trawick International always recommends that travelers purchase a travel insurance plan to protect their investment in their trip. Yes, we sell insurance, but we don't want travelers to be left exposed and not covered if something unforeseen occurs while traveling. The Stuffed Suitcase website reported that travelers should plan on budgeting approximately $2,225 for one person, $3,400 for a couple, and $5,750 for a family of four for an international vacation. Of course, this will vary greatly depending on the destination and your hotel choices.
Let's think about this for a minute. A family of four has an average vacation cost of $5,750. Could you imagine if one of your family members got sick and couldn't go on the trip? You would lose nearly $6,000 if you were not insured. By having travel insurance, you would be able to recoup your money by submitting an insurance claim. Please note that you could purchase travel insurance for a fraction of the cost of the trip to make sure you are protected.
The effect of the COVID-19 virus
Unfortunately, the world we live in today is quite different from the world just two short years ago. In today's world, we have to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 the pandemic brought international travel to a complete halt. Countries all over the world closed their borders to international travelers to stop the spread of the virus. Luckily this year, with the release of the COVID-19 vaccination, many countries have allowed international travel to resume.
Travel regulations differ from country to country
As global travel continues to pick up. Each country has set up travel regulations for international travelers to follow. Some countries require proof of vaccination and others require a negative PCR test to enter. Many countries across the globe require travel insurance to visit. Over 40 countries have some form of travel insurance requirements to comply with before international travelers can enter their country. Today, with the spread of the delta variant and the potential spread of the lambda variant of the COVID-19 virus, we believe that more countries will require international travelers to have some form of insurance in the coming weeks.
The countries that require travel insurance
Work with a trusted partner
If you and your family are considering international travel in the upcoming months or even next year. Please reach out to us at Trawick International. We have several travel insurance plans that comply with the travel regulations of the above countries. We also offer industry-leading travel insurance plans that can protect when traveling to different countries where travel insurance is not required. Contact us today to get a quote or purchase a policy!
PLEASE NOTE: Guidelines may have changed since this was published. Before traveling, you should always check your destination's COVID-19 situation and travel requirements. Countries may have their own entry and exit requirements. Additionally, always check for travel advisories in the area to which you are traveling. Refer to https://www.cdc.gov/ and https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html for up-to-date information and guidelines.
Founded in 1998, Trawick International is a full-service travel insurance provider specializing in protecting travelers of all types worldwide. We offer various travel insurance plans designed specifically by types of coverage, including comprehensive travel protection insurance, international travel medical insurance, visitor’s insurance, and international student insurance. Our company's mission is to deliver superior travel and medical insurance products that offer the best 24/7 emergency assistance services available. Contact us at 888-301-9289 or info@trawickinternational.com.
By
Administrator at 11 Aug 2021
Costa Rica Changed Its Entry Requirements For Travelers
Did you know that Costa Rica is ranked as one of the most visited international destinations year over year in Central America? Costa Rica is an eco-tourist's dream vacation with its volcanoes, rainforests, cloud forests, huge waterfalls, and mighty rivers. Costa Rica is the perfect destination if you are an adventure tourist since it's known for rafting, windsurfing, diving, kayaking, and surfing. Before you book your trip, you must understand and comply with a few things before entering Costa Rica.
Understanding Costa Rica's travel regulations
We all remember back in October of 2020 when Costa Rica was one of the first countries to reopen to international travelers as long as they had travel insurance. Effective August 1, 2021, Costa Rica will no longer require international travelers who are vaccinated and show proof of vaccination to have travel insurance. International travelers who are not vaccinated will still need to have travel insurance to enter the country. For more details on the requirements for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers, visit our Costa Rica Traveler Regulations blog post.
Listen to what the experts suggest
Did you know that there are currently over 50 countries requiring travel insurance to enter and many more are planning on requiring it? Many in the travel industry feel that Costa Rica's decision is premature and travelers who have arrival dates after August 1, 2021, when the requirement will be dropped, should be wary that they may reinstitute the insurance regulations. Suppose you haven't made arrangements for insurance at the time of booking. In that case, you may miss out on the availability of certain features like Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR), waiver of Pre-Existing Conditions exclusions, and Bankruptcy or Default of a Travel Supplier if you wait. These benefits can be vital in certain situations.
Situations where you need travel insurance
As mentioned above, missing out on the CFAR benefit can be very costly. Here is why. The website Costa Rica Guide states the average cost per person to visit Costa Rica ranges from $850 to $1,450 per week. To be safe, let's say the average person costs $1,000 for a family of four to visit Costa Rica will cost them $4,000.
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If you had the CFAR benefit as part of your travel insurance plan, you would be able to receive up to 75% of your prepaid expenses to be reimbursed if you cancel more than two days prior to departure. For example, you check the weather and find out a large storm is rolling through and it will rain 100% of the time you're on vacation, so you decide to cancel your trip. Utilizing the CFAR benefit, you would cancel your trip.
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Or, three days before your scheduled trip to Costa Rica, you find out you had a death in the family. You can claim your lost travel cost and be reimbursed up to 100% of your trip cost for this covered reason under Trip Cancellation.
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Most health insurance companies health insurance plans in your home country do not work while traveling abroad. For example, if you are visiting Costa Rica and you decide that you want to take a tour of the rainforest with a guide for the day. During your outing, a snake bites you through your shoe while walking. You immediately feel sick and your guide determines a poisonous snake has bitten you. With your life hanging in the balance, a helicopter is brought in and medically evacuated to a hospital. Without a travel insurance plan that provides coverage for medical expenses, you would be responsible for paying out of pocket for all your medical costs that can be way over $100,000.
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If you are in Costa Rica with your family and your daughter catches COVID-19 and has to be quarantined for 14 days. Without travel insurance that provides a benefit to cover quarantine costs, you would be responsible for these extra expenses.
In all of these scenarios, travel insurance would be able to protect you and your family.
Enjoy your trip with travel insurance
These situations are not meant to scare you, but to inform you of what could happen when visiting Costa Rica. These are actual situations where Trawick International has helped customers utilize their travel insurance benefits. So even though travel insurance may not be required for all travelers any longer, insuring your trip is still strongly recommended whether you are vaccinated or not when visiting Costa Rica.
PLEASE NOTE: Guidelines may have changed since this was published. Before traveling, you should always check your destination's COVID-19 situation and travel requirements. Countries may have their own entry and exit requirements. Additionally, always check for travel advisories in the area to which you are traveling. Refer to https://www.cdc.gov/ and https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html for up-to-date information and guidelines.
Founded in 1998, Trawick International is a full-service travel insurance provider specializing in protecting travelers of all types worldwide. We offer various travel insurance plans designed specifically by types of coverage, including comprehensive travel protection insurance, international travel medical insurance, visitor’s insurance, and international student insurance. Our company's mission is to deliver superior travel and medical insurance products that offer the best 24/7 emergency assistance services available. Contact us at 888-301-9289 or info@trawickinternational.com.
By
Administrator at 3 Aug 2021
One of the most popular travel destinations globally has made a significant change to its travel requirements for international travelers. Costa Rica has announced that international travelers who can provide proof of vaccination for the COVID-19 virus no longer need to provide evidence of travel insurance to enter the Central American Country. International travelers that are not vaccinated will still need to provide proof of travel insurance that complies with Costa Rica’s travel regulations. Trawick International offers multiple plans that meet these requirements.
As reported by Visitcostarica.com, the following policies will go into effect for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers as of August 1, 2021:
VACCINATED TRAVELER REGULATIONS
As of August 1, 2021, all tourists who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and inoculated with Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, or Johnson & Johnson can enter the country without a travel insurance policy. The last dose of the vaccine must have been applied at least 14 days before arrival in Costa Rica.
Vaccinated tourists must attach the vaccination certificate to the Health Pass. As proof, vaccination certificates and vaccination cards that contain at least the following information will be accepted:
1. Name of the person who received the vaccine
2. Date of each dose
3. Pharmaceutical house
In the case of US travelers, the “COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card” will be accepted. Tourists who are not vaccinated, with incomplete vaccination, or vaccinated with a serum other than those admitted by the Costa Rican authorities must purchase mandatory travel insurance that covers lodging in case of quarantine and medical expenses due to COVID-19 disease, as detailed below.
International Policies Regarding the policy, you can choose any international travel insurance company that meets the following requirements:
1. Valid during the entire stay in Costa Rica (coverage dates)
2. $50,000 for medical expenses, including COVID-19 disease
3. $2,000 for lodging expenses in case of COVID-19 quarantine
Your travel insurance company must provide a certificate/letter in English or Spanish stating the following:
1. Name of the person(s) traveling
2. Validity of the effective policy during the Costa Rica visit (travel dates)
3. Guarantee of coverage for medical expenses in case of COVID 19 in Costa Rica, for at least $50,000
4. Minimum coverage of $2,000 for lodging expenses for quarantine or trip interruption for this same amount
This certificate must specify that the policy covers COVID-19 and must be uploaded to the health pass to be reviewed and approved by the Costa Rican authorities. Insurance cards are not accepted. It must be a document that allows the verification of the coverage mentioned.
UNVACCINATED TRAVELER REGULATIONS
• Fill out the electronic epidemiological health pass form before departure
• For international insurance policies, tourists must request a certification from their insurance company, issued in English or Spanish, verifying at least the following three conditions:
1) Effectiveness of the policy during the visit to Costa Rica
2) Coverage for Medical expenses in the event of becoming ill with the pandemic COVID-19 virus while in Costa Rica, for at least $50,000
3) Includes minimum coverage of $2,000 for potential quarantine lodging expenses issued as a result of the pandemic
Travel Insurance Certificate
Upon purchasing travel insurance from Trawick International, you will receive a visa letter as well as a certificate for you to present to the Republic of Costa Rica. The visa letter can be uploaded as required to fill out the required paperwork using this link for Costa Rica Health Pass: https://salud.go.cr
Insure Your Trip To Costa Rica
Trawick International believes you should purchase a travel insurance plan while visiting Costa Rica regardless if you are vaccinated or not. Check out our recent blog post on why travel insurance is important and gives additional reasons you should insure your trip to Costa Rica. Travel insurance is meant to protect your investment in your trip and also helps protect you while traveling.
PLEASE NOTE: Guidelines may have changed since this was published. Before traveling, you should always check your destination's COVID-19 situation and travel requirements. Countries may have their own entry and exit requirements. Additionally, always check for travel advisories in the area to which you are traveling. Refer to https://www.cdc.gov/ and https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html for up-to-date information and guidelines.
Founded in 1998, Trawick International is a full-service travel insurance provider specializing in protecting travelers of all types worldwide. We offer various travel insurance plans designed specifically by types of coverage, including comprehensive travel protection insurance, international travel medical insurance, visitor’s insurance, and international student insurance. Our company's mission is to deliver superior travel and medical insurance products that offer the best 24/7 emergency assistance services available. Contact us at 888-301-9289 or info@trawickinternational.com.
By
Administrator at 2 Aug 2021
