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General
What is the Expedia Package Protection Plan? Why should I purchase the Package Protection Plan? What does the Package Protection Plan cover? Will my current home, renters, credit card, or health insurance policies cover my vacation? Is there help while I'm traveling? Who can I contact for more information? Enrollment When is payment for the plan due? How do I enroll in the Package Protection Plan? When does coverage go into effect and will it cover me for the entire length of my vacation? I am not a U.S. or Canadian resident; can I purchase the plan? Claims What happens if I need to cancel my vacation? What happens if my traveling companion cancels his/her vacation but I still want to travel? What happens if my flight is delayed or cancelled? How do I get reimbursement if my bags and/or personal items are damaged/stolen/lost while I am traveling? If I require medical care while on my vacation, are my medical bills covered? How do I file a claim? Definitions/Exclusions Who is considered an "Immediate Family" member under the plan? Are there exclusions? Is there a Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion? See Answers to these frequently asked questions below. What is the Expedia Package Protection Plan? Part I: Cancel for ANY Reason waiver provided by Expedia.com
Why should I purchase the Package Protection Plan? You've saved, you've waited, and now you're all set to go on the vacation of your life - an Expedia Vacation. Preparing for your vacation should include covering yourself against unfortunate occurrences that can interfere with even your best-laid plans. By purchasing the Package Protection Plan, you can be reimbursed for cancellation penalties, medical costs, baggage loss, and delays due to covered reasons, as well as gain access to a wide range of traveler's assistance services. Unexpected situations can happen to anyone, even immediate family members that are not traveling with you, and provide you with a reason you might need to cancel or interrupt your trip. Plus, even after departure, there is important coverage included such as reimbursement for expenses caused by trip delays and baggage delays. And of course, having coverage that pays for unexpected medical expenses, most notably pricey evacuation expenses, is critical. Did you know that the Package Protection Plan can reimburse covered expenses if:
What does the Package Protection Plan cover? The Package Protection Plan includes coverage before and during your trip for the following: Part I: Trip Cancellation Waiver provided by Expedia Expedia provides a Trip Cancellation Waiver that lets you cancel your trip for ANY REASON whatsoever. The Waiver allows passengers to cancel or change their vacation one time for ANY REASON not covered under Part II prior to the start of their trip and receive CASH back for all cancellation fees and penalties, except the cost of Published Air. If passengers have published air tickets, they can cancel their trip and receive a voucher equal to the published air ticket value. To learn more about covered cancellations, please read the information below. Part II: Covered reasons for Cancellation and post departure coverages provided by National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pa. and administrated by BerkelyCare Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption If you must cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason, the plan provides coverage for covered penalties and expenses up to the cost of your originally booked vacation package. Covered reasons include illness, injury or death to you, a traveling companion or an immediate family member. Additional covered reasons for cancellation include jury duty, the issuance of a subpoena for court or administrative hearing, having a home made uninhabitable by a natural disaster, hijacking, quarantine and being involved in a documented traffic accident en route to departure. Please refer to the Description of Coverage for full details. Trip Delay If you should miss the departure of your vacation due to Air Common Carrier caused delays or other reasons including a quarantine; hijacking; natural disaster; civil commotion or riot.; or delays caused by a traffic accident, en route to a departure, in which you or your Traveling Companion are involved, there is coverage to reimburse you up to $500 per person for costs such as accommodations, meals, and transportation expenses in order to catch up to the trip or to return home. Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation of Remains If an injury or illness requires emergency medical transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility, the plan includes coverage for up to $15,000 for covered transportation expenses. In the event of your death, the plan includes coverage for up to $15,000 toward the covered expenses associated with transporting your remains. Medical Protection If you become ill or injured while on your trip, the plan includes coverage to reimburse you to $10,000 in covered medical expenses. Medical coverage while traveling overseas is particularly important as Medicare and some HMO's may not cover medical expenses incurred outside the U.S. Note that medical coverage is excess to any other insurance you may have for these expenses. Baggage Protection If your baggage and/or personal effects should become lost, stolen or damaged during or while in transit to or from your trip, the plan includes coverage to reimburse you up to $1,000. The plan also includes baggage delay coverage, for up to $500 for the purchase of necessary items in the event your luggage is delayed by a common carrier for more than 24 hours during your trip. Note that baggage coverage is excess to any other insurance you may have for these expenses. 24-Hour Worldwide Emergency Assistance 24-hour emergency telephone assistance hotline provided by AIG Travel Assist to help with travel-related emergencies ranging from cash transfer, legal, dental, or medical referral, lost travel documents assistance as well as medical consultation and monitoring. Will my current home, renters, credit card, or health insurance policies cover me during my vacation? The Package Protection Plan has a wide range of travel benefits which credit card, homeowners, and renters insurance policies often do not offer. Other insurance policies may not offer coverage while you travel due to benefit limits, territory restrictions, and deductibles. Most people don't have any insurance coverage at all if they must cancel their trip, and even if they do, reimbursement for cancellations due to any reason is rare. However, you should review your own policies carefully to see what is covered. Homeowners and renters plans may offer coverage for lost possessions. However, these plans may not fully cover your loss fully due to high deductibles. The medical coverage included in the Package Protection Plan may be valuable for people whose health insurance policies do not pay for covered medical expenses incurred outside of the United States (e.g., Medicare, certain HMOs, etc.). Even if it your insurance does, you may not be covered for the full amount due to deductibles and co-insurance. Plus, many plans do not pay for evacuations, which can be very expensive. Of course, having your own medical coverage does not insure you against cancellation. Many credit cards have only limited coverage and assistance service, with only a few including coverage to reimburse in the event of a cancellation or an evacuation. Check your credit card documentation carefully. Is there help while I'm traveling? One of the valued benefits offered in The Package Protection Plan is the 24-Hour Emergency Assistance Service. AIG Assist is a leader in this field. With AIG Assist, you have around the clock access to the services of a highly trained, multi-lingual staff who can assist you with such emergencies as cash transfers, lost documents, medical or legal monitoring, or referrals. They are also equipped to respond to many unexpected circumstances, such as providing potentially costly air ambulance transportation in medical emergencies. If an emergency should arise during your trip, call AIG Assist immediately and give the details of your problem or medical emergency. Examples of situations where you may need to call AIG Travel Assist include:
Who can I contact for more information? You may contact BerkelyCare, the plan administrator, with any questions regarding the Package Protection Plan. Their CustomerCare representatives will be happy to assist you. Via email: expedia@berkely.com Via phone: 1-800-954-4968 or 516-342-2500
Via mail:
BerkelyCare P.O. Box 9022 300 Jericho Quadrangle Jericho, NY 11753
Office Hours:
8AM-10PM (EST), Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM (EST), Saturday This plan was designed and administered by BerkelyCare, a division of Affinity Insurance Services, Inc. in all states except: AIS Affinity Insurance Agency, Inc. in CA/MN/OK; and AIS Affinity Insurance Agency in NH and NY. Claims are administered by BerkelyCare, a division of Affinity Insurance Services, Inc. in all states except: Aon Direct Insurance Administrators in CA; AIS Affinity Insurance Agency, Inc., in OK; and AIS Affinity Insurance Agency in NH and NY. CA Insurance License # 0795465. When is payment for the plan due? Payment for the plan is due with your initial trip payment. How do I enroll in the Package Protection Plan? The option to enroll is presented to you in the Featured Activities and Services section online while booking your vacation package. If you would like to purchase the Package Protection Plan, simply select it and the cost of the plan is automatically included in the total amount due for your trip. Simply pay the amount indicated to purchase the plan. When does coverage go into effect and will it cover me for the entire length of my vacation? The Package Protection Plan is available only to U.S. and Canadian residents who book their travel arrangements with Expedia. I am not a U.S. or Canadian resident; can I purchase the plan? The Package Protection Plan is available only to U.S. and Canadian residents who book their travel arrangements with Expedia. What happens if I need to cancel my vacation? Please contact Expedia and BerkelyCare as soon as possible in the event of a claim, as the insurer will not reimburse you for any additional charges incurred due to a delay in notifying Expedia of your cancellation. BerkelyCare will then forward you the appropriate claim form in order to file a claim. What happens if my traveling companion cancels his/her vacation but I still want to travel? If a person booked to share accommodations with you cancels for a covered reason under the Package Protection Plan and you must pay a "change in occupancy" fee (or single supplement charge), the plan includes coverage for this expense. What happens if my flight is delayed or cancelled? If your flight is delayed for more than 3 hours or cancelled due to inclement weather, mechanical breakdown or an organized labor strike, you would be eligible for reimbursement under the Trip Delay benefit and may be reimbursed for the following up to a maximum of $500 per person: Other covered reasons coverage include: traffic accident en route to a departure in which you or your traveling companion is not directly involved; lost or stolen passports; travel documents; or money; quarantine; hijacking; natural disaster, civil commotion or riot. How do I get reimbursement if my bags and/or personal items are damaged/stolen/lost while I am traveling? First, obtain verification from the appropriate authority to whom you reported the loss (for example, airline, hotel, transportation official, police, etc.). The baggage coverage in the plan includes reimbursement for the cost of repair or replacement of the luggage and covered contents inside the luggage. Upon your return home, simply request a claim form by visiting www.travelclaim.com or calling BerkelyCare at 1-800-954-4734 If I require medical care while on my vacation, are my medical bills covered? Yes, for covered expenses. The insurer reimburses up to $5,000 for a covered accident and up to $5,000 for a covered illness that occurs during your trip. In order to be reimbursed, save any receipts and statements from the treating physician. Upon your return home, simply request a claim form by visiting www.travelclaim.com or calling BerkelyCare at 1-800-954-4734. You will be asked to forward copies of your medical bills, as well as any explanation of benefit forms you may receive from your regular health insurer in regard to this loss, as the medical coverage in this plan is excess to any other insurance you may have for these expenses. Please also note that should you require follow up care for your illness or injury once you return home, the plan includes continued medical coverage for up to 52 weeks from the onset of the illness or injury, or until you have exhausted the coverage limit. In the event of a medical emergency while traveling, the plan also includes emergency assistance services through AIG Travel Assist. Should your medical condition necessitate your medical evacuation to another facility or home, these arrangements are made by AIG Travel Assist. How do I file a claim? You may request a claim form online via www.travelclaim.com or alternatively, call BerkelyCare, the plan administrator, at 1-800-954-4734 from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM EST Mon-Fri or 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST Sat. Please note that you may want to have a copy of your Expedia invoice handy as there are some details that will be needed in order to initiate your claim. This information includes your travel dates, date of cancellation, booking number, and some brief information regarding your reason for cancellation, or other type of loss (i.e., trip delays, baggage loss or delay, medical claims, etc.). Important: If you are canceling your vacation, be sure to also contact Expedia to notify them of the cancellation, as well as to avoid additional expenses due to late reporting. For covered emergencies during your trip which require evacuation, interruption, or other travel-related emergencies, call AIG Assist at the telephone number provided with your travel documents and provide them with your plan number and emergency details. Who is considered an "Immediate Family" member under the plan? Our definition of "Immediate Family" is quite broad. It's not just the family members who reside with you. "Immediate Family" includes: spouses, domestic partners, parents, grandparents, siblings, siblings-in-law, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and business partners. See the Definitions section of the Description of Coverage for a full listing. Are there exclusions? Certain restrictions do apply. For example, the coverage in the plan does not provide duplicate payments if there are other sources of reimbursement available. Please see the Description of Coverage for a full list of exclusions. Is there a Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion? The Package Protection Plan does not have a pre-existing condition exclusion. |
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