UPDATED: Dec 31st 2025
DISCLAIMERS:
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This information is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute insurance advice. We do not evaluate or recommend specific policies, and travelers should consult their insurer or a licensed insurance professional with questions about coverage details, exclusions, or adequacy.
Travelers should review their policy terms carefully and ensure that their insurance provider is aware of the destination(s) and activities planned during the trip. Any questions about coverage details, exclusions, or conditions should be directed to the insurance provider or a licensed insurance professional.
World Vegan Travel does not sell or provide travel insurance, and we do not offer insurance advice. Travelers are free to choose any insurance provider and policy that meets their personal needs.
Why do I need travel insurance when I travel with World Vegan Travel?
Travel insurance can be a confusing topic, and it’s one we’re often asked about by travelers joining a World Vegan Travel trip. This article is intended to provide general, educational information about travel insurance and common types of coverage travelers may wish to explore.
Participation in a World Vegan Travel trip requires that travelers have valid travel insurance in place, including coverage for medical expenses and emergency evacuation.
This is an operational requirement for participation in our trips, not a requirement to purchase insurance from any specific provider. Travelers may obtain insurance from any insurer of their choosing.However, you might also want to consider other types of insurance for travel as well. These are often sold as a package (including medical) and can include things like trip cancellation, trip interruption (aka trip delay), missed connections, lost or damaged belongings etc.
Insurance is complicated. How can I learn about it?
We made a podcast that explains travel insurance and why it’s important.
In this podcast, we also talk about CFAR insurance, which stands for “Cancel for Any Reason” insurance. CFAR insurance can be added to your travel insurance policy and will cover you if you need to cancel your trip for any reason. This is great for travelers who want extra protection and flexibility.
However, it’s important to note that CFAR insurance is only available in the United States to US residents and certain states do not allow it to be sold (WA & NY). You also need to purchase it within 2 weeks of your initial deposit. We recorded another podcast episode specifically about CFAR insurance, where we talked to Jeff from Faye Travel Insurance. He explains the principles of CFAR insurance and how it can help a certain group of travelers. Again, time is of the essence!
We really recommend you listen to both of these podcasts to become more knowledgeable about travel insurance. It is very empowering.
When should I buy travel insurance?
Many travelers choose to purchase travel insurance shortly after making a significant investment in their trip, as unexpected circumstances can arise between booking and departure This applies to both medical coverage and trip cancellation, as unexpected circumstances can arise between the time of payment and departure.
Allow me to illustrate this with a real-life example:
One of our travelers, who had booked a trip of a lifetime a couple of months before departure, contacted us three weeks before the departure date. She informed us that she had broken her foot the day before, rendering her unable to travel! I inquired if she had obtained trip cancellation insurance yet, which would have provided coverage for a broken foot with a doctor’s certificate and documentation from World Vegan Travel due the non refundable aspect of the trip. Unfortunately, she explained that she had been waiting until all the other components of her trip were confirmed (such as pre and post World Vegan Travel arrangements like extra hotels, excursions) before purchasing travel insurance.
She had planned to buy it the day after her ankle accidentally ended up breaking so by the time she purchased the insurance it would be a pre-existing condition and would not be covered. Consequently, she would have likely lost all non refundable parts of her trip, an amount close to $10,000 unless she could get someone to replace her – EDIT: UPDATE SHE DID FIND SOMEONE TO REPLACE HER. SHE WAS VERY LUCKY!
This example highlights how the timing of insurance purchase can affect how certain situations are treated under a policy. Travelers should review policy terms carefully and direct any questions about timing or coverage to their insurer or a licensed insurance professional.
Even if you haven’t finalised all your travel plans, you can often top up your trip cancellation coverage (Faye Travel Insurance will allow you to do this) as you go to cover things like – flights, extra nights in hotels before or after the trip, etc.
I already have medical / travel insurance with my credit card / job. Do I need to buy more?
You may well have travel insurance with your credit card but in all likelihood, the trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance might not cover the total cost of your trip (although in some cases you can ‘top up’ the coverage) AND you probably need to have PAID for the travel services WITH that credit card to have that Trip interruption or Trip Cancellation coverage.
Here in Canada, our Platinum Amex card gives us 15 days of medical and emergency evacuation (no purchase necessary – it’s a perk of the card) and only $1500 CAD for trip cancellation and interruption (assuming we purchased those hotel rooms, flights, excursions we are claiming for were purchased with this card). NOTE US based cards do not seem to have the same medical and emergency evacuation coverage.
We have heard that some people have emergency medical coverage while traveling overseas as a perk of their job package. That’s great, but this probably doesn’t include trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance that potentially would have you lose many thousands of dollars if you needed to cancel or your trip was interrupted.
How often do people cancel their World Vegan Travel trip?
This happens more often that you’d think. Here are some recent reasons our travelers canceled. Some of them had trip cancellation insurance or CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) insurance that would have paid out, some didn’t and they lost all their money for our trip.
- A broken foot 4 weeks before departure N, Italy ’23
- Health issues came up 1 month before departure South Africa ’22
- Weather issues and flight was cancelled 3 days before departure Botswana ’22
- Unwell companion animal 2 weeks before departure Rwanda ’19
- Fear of protests in France 3 days before departure Alsace ’19
- Needed to attend a wedding of a close family member 4 months before departure French Countryside ’23.
- Contracted COVID – 19 and was physically too sick to travel 2 days before departure French Countryside ’23
- Missed their flight connections as well as some other drama on the way – Thailand ’23 (although this might have been trip interruption as she already started her trip.
- Traveler’s mother entered hospice 3 weeks before her Paris & Alsace ’23.
- Traveler was hospitalized 4 days before the trip started – Paris & Alsace ’23.
- Two travelers did not get their visas in time – Paris and Dordogne ’25
- Traveler slipped and fell at their home – broke both wrists and needed surgery – Rwanda ’24
- Traveler had to cancel her trip to Botswana 11 months out due to family member getting very sick. Luckily, they had purchased their policy early on so was covered (Botswana ’25)
- Traveler had to cancel their trip to Botswana about one month before the trip. They had broken her foot 3 months before that, but as the break was quite severe she ended up needing surgery had would not be mobile enough by the time the trip was starting. As she had purchased her insurance early on in the early planning stages of her vacation, she was covered. Had she waited, then it would not have been covered as it was a pre existing condition. (Botswana ’25)
I would say that on 50% of our trips, at least one traveler cancels often quite last minute so there is a strong chance this could happen to you.
How often do people have their World Vegan Travel trip interrupted?
Trip interruption coverage is designed to safeguard you against unforeseen and uncontrollable situations. Some instances encompass severe injuries, illnesses, family emergencies in your hometown, quarantine, evacuation, or unplanned departures. It seems to be less common.
Here are some examples it has happened on our trips:
- A couple arrived late to our trip due to a delayed flight and they had to take a taxi to catch us up in Lake Garda which cost 400 euros – their trip interruption insurance took a while to pay out, but they did in the end. (Italy ’22)
- A member of a party of four contracted COVID on day 4 of of our Alsace trip and had to isolate in her room for the remainder of the trip. They did not have trip interruption insurance so was unable to make a claim for missed excursions. (France ’23)
- A member of the group contracted a blood infection in the bush of Botswana. She was medically evacuated and got treatment. of course the treatment and evacuation was covered by different parts of the policy, but she (and her traveling companion who accompanied her) was able to make a claim for the two missed days of the trip because she had trip interruption coverage. (Botswana ’25)
What if I have a pre-existing condition?
Just because you have a pre-existing condition, does not necessarily mean that it will not be covered in the case you will need to cancel the trip, or medical treatment if you become unwell during the trip due to a pre-existing condition. Some insurance providers, including Faye, may offer coverage related to pre-existing conditions under certain circumstances and subject to specific requirements. Travelers should confirm eligibility and terms directly with the insurance provider..
What about extreme activities – like hiking up Kilimanjaro?
Some travel insurance policies may exclude or limit coverage for activities considered higher risk, such as high-altitude hiking or certain adventure activities. Travelers should review their policy terms carefully and ensure their insurance provider is aware of the destination(s) and activities planned during the trip.
Any questions about coverage for specific activities, exclusions, or optional add-ons should be directed to the insurance provider or a licensed insurance professional.
What travel insurance company and policy do you recommend?
One travel insurance provider that many of our travelers use is Faye Travel Insurance. Different providers and policies offer different benefits, and travelers should compare and choose coverage that fits their personal needs and destinations.
How do you book With Faye – Walk through
The following information describes how some travelers choose to navigate CFAR coverage based on publicly available information from Faye. Travelers should confirm all details directly with the insurance provider. Please look at the video description box for any updates since the video was made.
What if I want to purchase a CFAR policy on a World Vegan Travel trip that has not yet been confirmed?
Sometimes, travelers might want to book a World Vegan Travel trip that hasn’t yet been confirmed yet because we need a minimum number of people to book the trip for it to run. But what if these travelers want CFAR insurance? If the trip is confirmed more than 14 days after your initial deposit, then you have missed the window to get CFAR insurance but if you did get the CFAR insurance on an expensive trip, and the trip is not yet confirmed, then you will have purchased the insurance for no reason.
We are thrilled to say that With Faye will cover you for CFAR insurance providing you meet these criteria.
With Faye will cover your for CFAR insurance as long as you purchase this add on within 14 days of World Vegan Travel confirming the trip. If you want confirmation of this opportunity, you can call Faye or email them [email protected]. Said in another way, For World Vegan Travel travelers, the trip confirmation date is the same as the initial trip deposit date. If the customer service rep is confused, please ask to speak to AJ Steele: aj.steeleATwithfaye.com who understands very well the World Vegan Travel deposit system etc. I can also pass along AJ’s phone details.
If you choose the CFAR add on and you are purchasing online, you will be promoted to enter the date you made the initial deposit (see screenshot below). Here you should enter the date that Seb confirmed the trip, NOT the date that you made the initial deposit. Your 14 days to get the CFAR add on starts the day that Seb confirms the trip. If you have any questions about this, you can contact AJ Steele who understands well our booking system.
IMPORTANT NOTE: When you are booking CFAR insurance you must insure for the total amount at one time. For example, you would insure for the total cost of the World Vegan Travel trip and any extras like non refundable flights, non refundable extra nights in the hotel, non refundable extra excursions you choose to do pre-trip etc. It is possible that you might not know the cost of these expenses are yet.
There are two options in this case.
1. Guess how much these expenses might be – this would be my preference. As long as I am insuring for the rough ballpark of the cost of the trip I feel good about by investment being protected. If I am a little over insured or underinsured then I feel good about that.
2. Take out extra policies as you purchase these items – less preferable as this would work out more expensive – but a good option.
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute insurance advice. World Vegan Travel does not evaluate, recommend, or advise on specific insurance policies. Travelers should consult their insurance provider or a licensed insurance professional with any questions about coverage.
