Travel Insurance & Cancellation
One of the things I've learned after leading expeditions for many years is that life has a way of changing even the best-laid plans. Illness, family emergencies, work obligations, weather, airline delays, and other unexpected events can affect anyone.
Because expedition costs are committed months (and sometimes years) in advance, all deposits and expedition payments are non-refundable, except where specifically stated in your expedition agreement.
If you are unable to participate, your reservation may generally be transferred to a previously unbooked replacement participant that you identify, subject to the expedition operator's requirements, availability, and any applicable deadlines or transfer fees.
Why I Strongly Encourage Travel Insurance
The single best way to protect your investment is with travel insurance.
Many policies provide valuable benefits such as Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical, Emergency Medical Evacuation, baggage protection, and travel delay coverage. Depending on the insurer and the policy you select, you may also have the option to purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage or, where available, Interruption For Any Reason (IFAR/ITAR) coverage.
Many insurance policies also offer additional benefits if they are purchased soon after your initial trip payment, including eligibility for CFAR coverage and waiver of certain pre-existing medical condition exclusions. Because these deadlines and benefits vary by insurer and policy, I encourage you to review your options as early as possible.
Every policy is different. Coverage, exclusions, reimbursement percentages, eligibility requirements, and claim procedures vary by company, policy, and state. It is your responsibility to select the coverage that best fits your needs and to review the policy carefully before purchasing it. If you have questions about a policy, please contact the insurance company or a licensed insurance professional before making your decision.
Choosing an Insurance Provider
For your convenience, I provide links to insurance resources that may help you compare available policies. These links are offered simply as a starting point—they are not an endorsement of any particular insurance company or policy. You are welcome to purchase coverage from any licensed insurance provider you choose.
Any insurance you purchase is a contract directly between you and the insurance company or licensed insurance professional, not with Next Generation Services.
Your Travel Expenses
Participants are responsible for making their own travel decisions and for the costs associated with those plans, including airfare, hotels, meals, ground transportation, passport or visa expenses, and other incidental travel costs.
Travel insurance is intended to help protect you against these expenses should unexpected events interfere with your plans. Except where specifically stated in your expedition agreement, Next Generation Services cannot reimburse personal travel expenses resulting from cancellations, itinerary changes, supplier default, weather, force majeure, or other events beyond our control.
Some expeditions or vessel operators may also require proof of travel insurance as a condition of participation. If so, participants are responsible for obtaining coverage that satisfies those requirements.
If you have any questions about our cancellation policy before making your travel arrangements, please don't hesitate to ask. I'd much rather answer your questions beforehand than have you surprised later.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered insurance, legal, financial, or tax advice. Next Generation Services does not guarantee the financial condition, claims handling, performance, or suitability of any insurance company or policy. Please consult the insurance provider or a licensed insurance professional regarding the terms and conditions of any policy you are considering.
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We often commit to a trip with excitement and
the best of intent, and then life gets in the way. Circumstances change. Our refund policy is
that all deposits and other payments are non-refundable, but may be transferred to another previously un-booked person (i.e., new reserva-tion) identified by the cancelling party. This can
be challenging, especially if you are forced to
cancel at the last minute. We HIGHLY suggest
trip-cancellation insurance, and, in fact, some of our vendors require it of our customers as part of the booking process. We do not require that you use any given travel-insurance provider. Feel free
to select the vendor of your choice. However, we also recommend CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) policies, as they offer the greatest flexibility.
If you are looking for a travel-insurance vendor,
the top button above will give you one option. The bottom button will take you to a travel-insurance agent, who can provide multiple options. Again, you are not required to use them. Please let us know if you have any questions.
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