Travel Insurance for Local Operators and Leaders

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1 Travel Insurance for Local Operators and Leaders About this document This document aims to help Exodus local operators and leaders understand the key issues surrounding travel insurance. Having a clear understanding of travel insurance is important for a number of reasons: Insurance can be a complicated issue and Exodus are often asked questions by operators and leaders The leader is a representative of Exodus and therefore needs to say and do the right things Not following the right procedures could lead to significant extra costs falling on the customer, Exodus or our local operators We suggest this document is read and referred to as required by leaders and key operational staff. Further information is available in the leader and operator manuals and copies of this document are available on both the leader and operator webpages. Contact Exodus on OQ@exodus.co.uk with any questions. Key Points for Leaders Leaders must gather all customers insurance details at the start of every trip. Customers should be asked to refer to their own policy documents to check any conditions or limits of cover. Customers without insurance should be helped to purchase insurance cover before the trip starts. If a customer is unable to provide proof of insurance cover or is unwilling to purchase cover, leaders or local managers should discuss appropriate action with Exodus. In the event of a medical emergency or hospitalisation, contact should be made ASAP with the 24-hour Emergency Assistance line. If the customer is unable to do this, this should be done by the local agent or tour leader on the customers behalf. 1 What is travel insurance? Travel insurance is a form of financial protection purchased when travelling overseas to cover a number of specified scenarios. Most travel insurance policies involve a number of different parties and a basic understanding of these may avoid confusion: An agent who sells the policy (e.g. Exodus) An insurer who underwrites the policy and who the customer has the contract with, or an insurance broker who may arrange the insurance policy and provides information on the policy terms as well as providing the regulatory license for Exodus to sell insurance An assistance company who must be contacted in the event of a medical emergency or death and who may make arrangements for medical treatment, who are able to issue a guarantee of funds to the medical facility in question and who can assist with repatriation A claims service who must be contacted if the insured person wants to make a non-medical claim (e.g. theft or loss) A medical screening helpline who must be contacted if the insured person wishes to declare and obtain additional cover for any defined pre-existing conditions (for which an additional fee may be charged) 2 What does travel insurance normally provide cover for? Risks normally included as standard: - 1 -

2 Cancellation of a trip prior to departure or having to cut short the trip and return home on medical grounds (curtailment) Receipted medical expenses necessarily incurred whilst travelling overseas (including hospital fees, medication and repatriation) Personal liability (i.e. if a customer is held legally liable in a court of law following an act of negligence resulting in death or injury to a third party) Personal accident (i.e. compensation as a result of a loss of limb, sight or death as a result of an unforeseen accident whilst overseas) Personal effects (i.e. accidental loss, theft or damage of belongings, with certain financial limits) Legal expenses (to seek compensation on behalf of the customer following an injury resulting from negligence of a third party) Outbound travel delay (a set amount in the event of a significant delay encountered in reaching the start of a trip) Risks rarely or never included as standard: Loss of enjoyment Missed days of a trip due to hospitalisation Travel home if a customer elects to curtail a trip without the agreement of the insurer Any medical expenses in relation to an undisclosed pre-existing condition (for either the insured customer or a close relative on whom their travel depends unless specifically agreed in writing) Tour cancellation or curtailment due to change in government travel advice Reimbursement or compensation as a result of a flight cancellation (for customers travelling on a package (flights plus tour), this is the responsibility of the tour operator) Anything else that is the responsibility of the tour operator under our booking conditions or ABTA guidelines There are many different travel insurance policies available. While the areas of cover may be similar, there will be differences in the financial limits of cover and more importantly, the exclusions, which may make certain claims invalid. It is the customer s responsibility to understand the details of the policy they have bought. 3 Insurance requirements for Exodus customers All Exodus customers must travel with a valid travel insurance policy as explained in the trip notes and as clearly mentioned in the booking conditions: Valid travel insurance is mandatory for all clients while on one of our tours. You are required to carry proof of insurance with you and produce it if requested by company employees or suppliers, as failure to do so may result in your being prevented from participating in certain activities. You are responsible for ensuring that you are in possession of a valid travel insurance policy for the entire duration of your trip in respect of medical expenses, medical emergency repatriation (including helicopter and air ambulance) and death. Exodus adds the following requirements that customers policies must provide cover for: Any activities (included or optional) in which customers intend to participate The maximum altitude reached on the trip The entire duration of the trip Cover for medical expenses and repatriation (no minimum amount is specified). Helicopter evacuation on medical grounds - for some destinations only (see below) For customers who arrive without a policy or who do not wish to purchase an appropriate policy, please see section

3 Helicopter medical evacuation cover This is stated as a requirement in the booking conditions, but it is not always necessary in practise, and local operators can choose to enforce this according to the situation in their country/region of operation. It is recommended that only where helicopter evacuation is available and is not generally provided as a free service, that local operators and leaders should ensure customers hold insurance that includes cover for helicopter evacuation. Insisting on such insurance should ensure that if a person s life is in danger and the leader orders a helicopter to take that person to safety, any cost related to the use of that helicopter does not fall on Exodus, our local operators or the customer. If a helicopter must be ordered prior to the Medical Assistance company offering a guarantee of payment, the tour leader must (as far as possible) ask the customer or partner to sign the Exodus Helicopter Evacuation Form. Normally information regarding cover for helicopter evacuation can be found in the medical expenses section of the customer s insurance policy. 4 Leaders requirements for gathering customers insurance details Immediately: When the group enters the leader s care, the leader should confirm that all customers have adequate travel insurance. This is often best done at the start of the transfer from the airport as any queries or questions can then be dealt with on arrival at the first hotel or following the main briefing. Main briefing: At the main briefing (must be held within 24 hours of arrival), the leader should get all customers to fill in an insurance form which must include the following details: Insurance Company Name and Country 24 Hour Medical Emergency Phone Number Policy Certificate Number Whether the policy includes helicopter medical evacuation A standard form is available in the leader manual and as a separate document on the Exodus Leader Webpages. The tour leader should ask the customers to check that their insurance cover fulfils our minimum requirements as shown in section 4. The tour leader must keep a copy of all customers insurance forms with them during the duration of the trip. It is recommended that copies are also handed (faxed, scanned or ed) to the local operators head office. 5 How to assist customers who arrive overseas without insurance If customers arrive on a trip without a valid travel insurance policy, they must purchase a policy that covers the entire remaining duration of the trip and any activities that are part of the trip. They do not have to purchase the Exodus policy, but they must provide proof to the tour leader that they have purchased a valid travel insurance policy by the end of the first day. If they want to purchase the Exodus travel insurance policy, the tour leader should assist them to do so in any of the following ways: If there is internet access, the customer can buy the policy online (preferred) - 3 -

4 The customer can phone the Exodus office to arrange payment (preferred) The leader can pass on the customer s full name, home postal address, address and credit card details to the local office to be forwarded on to Exodus Customers can only purchase an Exodus single trip policy when overseas (not an annual policy). To qualify to purchase an Exodus policy, customers must: Be resident in the EU (irrespective of nationality) Be aged 65 years or under (customers aged years can purchase a single trip policy, but NOT an annual policy) Declare any pre-existing medical conditions to the Medical Screening Helpline: A copy of the travel insurance certificate and the policy document will be ed to the customer by Exodus; if this is not possible, the leader should give (or at least show) a copy to the customer. If a customer still does not wish to purchase a suitable policy, contact should be made with local operator head office or Exodus to discuss an appropriate response before the trip gets fully underway. 6 The Exodus travel insurance policy a) An overview of the Exodus policy While customers can purchase any appropriate policy, Exodus offers travel insurance tailored to our own adventure and activity holiday requirements. It is arranged through specialist adventure travel insurance brokers Campbell Irvine Ltd. Key points of cover: Cover is provided for all activities (including optional activities) undertaken as part of any Exodus trip (mentioned in the trip notes) including trekking at any altitude (for D and E grade treks an additional 20% premium is charged) Medical expenses up to 5,000,000 Personal effects up to 2,000 (a maximum limit of 250 per item and money up to 500) Winter sports activities Curtailment should the customer have to return home early for an insured reason up to 5,000 Three types of insurance cover are available: 1. Individual single trip policies (European or Worldwide) for 8, 17, 24, 32 and 45 days 2. Family and single parent family single trip policies (European or Worldwide) for 8 and 17 days 3. Individual, couple and family annual multi-trip worldwide policies b) To purchase cover customers should use the following links: To buy on-line: Full summary of cover: c) The Exodus Policy and adventurous activities If customers go on an included or optional activity detailed in the Exodus trip notes, cover will be provided under the Exodus policy. However if customers independently book an adventurous activity not listed in the trip notes, cover may not be provided as exclusions apply to (amongst other things) activities in the air, extreme sports, high altitude climbing/trekking and winter sports. Customers should consult their policy booklet prior to independently booking adventurous activities

5 7 Contacting insurers and medical assistance companies If a customer has an accident or falls ill whilst overseas, they should contact their insurance company via their medical emergency assistance company (i.e. if the customer has the Exodus policy, they should call Specialty Assistance). If the customer is not able to make this call, the tour leader or someone from the local office should make this call on their behalf. Please only do this if the customer is incapacitated and, if possible, get the customer s consent. Ensure you get a claims number and the name of the person you spoke to at the assistance company. In the event of a medical emergency that requires hospitalisation, please contact Exodus as quickly as possible. If it is a serious emergency, you must contact Exodus by phone. In the event of a theft of personal belongings, the tour leader should recommend that the customer goes to the local police station to obtain a police report. If this is not possible, the customer should check with their insurance company whether a report from the leader will be accepted. In the event of a major incident a local operator may incur expenses such as telephone calls, travel to/from the hospital or additional staffing requirements. Please keep a log of these expenses so that larger amounts may be claimed from the insurer. In the event of a serious incident, Exodus will give you all the appropriate assistance to ensure that right procedures are followed with regards to dealing with insurers. Issued: September