Everything You Need to Know to Offer Travel Insurance: A Checklist

This one-page travel protection checklist helps advisors navigate insurance consultations by outlining five key stages, from initial deposit to final, post-booking updates. If you're a travel advisor, use this guide to create streamlined approach for offering coverage, managing liability, and documenting client decisions, ensuring professional protection for both you and your clients. 

Travel Advisor Checklist: Insurance Consultation

1. The Initial Offer (At First Deposit)

• Mention Coverage Immediately: Offer insurance the moment the first non-refundable payment (air, cruise, or tour deposit) is discussed. Discussing insurance at the moment of the first payment is critical because many time-sensitive benefits, such as pre-existing condition waivers or “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) upgrades, often require purchase within a 14 to 21 day window of initial deposit.
• Lead with the Supplier: Offer the internal protection plan provided by the tour operator or cruise line first.
• The "14-Day Rule" Alert: Inform the client that purchasing within 14 to 21 days of the initial deposit is required for specific benefits like Pre-existing Condition Waivers.

2. Assessing Additional Needs

• Check Coverage Limits: If the trip cost exceeds the supplier's maximum (e.g., over $50,000), offer a third-party policy ] for the remaining balance. This ensures the client’s entire financial investment is protected, preventing them from being underinsured in the event of a total trip loss.
• Review Primary vs. Secondary: Explain if the plan pays out first or only after the client's personal health/auto insurance is exhausted. Clarifying this helps the client understand how much out-of-pocket effort and time will be required during the claims process, as primary coverage typically offers a much faster and simpler experience.
• Confirm Medical Evacuation: Ensure the policy includes high-limit medical evacuation, especially for international or remote travel. High limits are critical because the cost of an emergency private airlift from a remote location can easily reach six figures, potentially causing a devastating financial burden without proper coverage.

3. Managing the Sale & Liability

• Stay in Your Lane: Provide the policy brochure and the insurer's customer service number. Do not interpret "fine print" or promise a claim will be paid. This protects you from legal liability and Errors & Omissions (E&O) claims if a client’s future claim is denied based on your verbal misinterpretation.
• Quote the Full Value: Ensure the insurance quote matches the total non-refundable trip cost, including airfare and pre-booked excursions. Accurate quoting ensures the traveler is fully reimbursed for their actual losses and prevents the “under-insuring” that can void specific policy benefits.
• Collect the Premium: If the client accepts, process the insurance payment immediately to lock in the "early purchase" benefits. Many critical coverages, such as Pre-Existing Condition waiver and Cancel for Any Reason upgrades, are only available if the policy is purchased within a strict window of the initial trip deposit.

4. If the Client Declines

• Explain the Risk: Briefly mention that without insurance, they personally assume all financial loss for cancellations or medical emergencies. This ensures the client makes a fully informed decision by highlighting the specific financial vulnerabilities they are choosing to accept.
• The "Sign to Decline" Step: Send the Travel Insurance Waiver immediately. You should state: "To finalize your booking, I am required to have a signed waiver on file confirming you have declined the protection offered." This formalizes the refusal and serves as a vital liability shield for your business should the client later experience a loss and claim they weren't properly advised.

5. Post-Booking Maintenance

• Update as Costs Rise: As the client adds hotels or tours, update the policy and collect the additional premium to keep the coverage 100 percent accurate. This prevents the client from being underinsured, ensuring they can recover the full value of their trip if they have to cancel.
• Emergency Contact Info: Ensure the client has the 24/7 Assistance Hotline number and their Policy Number saved in their phone before departure, Having these details readily available saves critical time during a crisis, allowing the insurance provider to authorize immediate medical care or travel assistance.