Concern Rises for Travelers With Trips Planned to Cuba, says Squaremouth

PR Newswire

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Feb. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Traveler concern is rising after the U.S. government announced a "full review of all U.S. policies towards Cuba". Customers of travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, say they are worried they'll have to cancel their trips to Cuba this year, despite American travel to the island increasing by 148% in 2016.

"Many travelers have been calling us with travel concerns due to U.S. relations with Cuba," said Squaremouth Customer Service Director Jessica Harvey. "In the event of a travel restriction, customers planning trips to Cuba will have limited cancellation options."

Limited Cancellation Coverage Available
Standard Trip Cancellation policies do not cover any government imposed travel restrictions. For travelers that are concerned about canceling an upcoming trip to Cuba because of potential policy changes, Squaremouth recommends purchasing a policy with the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade.

"If travel to Cuba is prohibited by the government, Cancel For Any Reason is the only benefit that can cover travelers to cancel their trips," Harvey said.

Unfortunately, travelers who already booked their trips may have missed their chance to purchase Cancel For Any Reason. This upgrade is time sensitive, and in order to be eligible, travelers must purchase their policy within 14-30 days of their first reservation or payment towards the trip.

Cancel For Any Reason is an optional upgrade that allows a traveler to cancel for a reason that is not otherwise covered, including travel restrictions. Canceling a trip under Cancel For Any Reason can reimburse up to 75% of prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses, but adding the benefit can increase a policy's premium by about 40%. It also requires travelers to insure their entire trip cost, and cancel their trip at least 2 days before they are scheduled to depart.