Why get Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage?
Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage helps protect your travel investment by reimbursing certain eligible expenses when a covered event requires you to cancel, change, interrupt or extend your trip. It can help reduce the financial impact of unexpected events before or during your travels.
4 important benefits
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You have to cancel your trip before departure
An illness, accident or family emergency prevents you from leaving. -
You have to change your travel arrangements
An unforeseen situation disrupts your original plans.
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You have to end your trip early
An unexpected event requires you to return home sooner than planned. -
You have to stay longer than expected
A situation beyond your control prevents you from returning home as scheduled.
Eligibility
You are eligible to purchase Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage if you:
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Reside in Canada
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Have coverage under your province’s public health insurance plan (OHIP) for the entire duration of your trip*
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Are more than 30 days old on your departure date
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Purchase your contract before your departure
Additional conditions may apply depending on the product selected.
* If you are a visitor to Canada, or if you are not covered by a provincial health insurance plan, please visit the Visitors to Canada page.
How it works
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1 – Select your coverage
Pick the level of coverage that fits your situation best: Trip Interruption, or Trip Cancellation and Interruption, with or without the Option: Cancel for Any Reason. -
2 – Report the event
Dealing with an illness that is preventing you from travelling? A storm pushing back your return? Get in touch with Blue Cross® Travel Assistance within 48 hours of the covered event that forces you to cancel or change your trip. We’ll walk you through the next steps and tell you which documents you’ll need to hold onto. -
3 – Submit your claim
Collect your supporting documents (receipts, proof of payment, etc.), then file your claim through your Customer Space. Eligible expenses will be reimbursed to you.
Option: Cancel for Any Reason
The Option: Cancel for Any Reason can only be purchased with Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage. It must be purchased by whichever of the following dates is later:
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5 days after you make a partial or full payment for your trip, or
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The date your travel provider begins applying cancellation penalties
Three levels of coverage
Trip Interruption
Trip Cancellation and Interruption
Option: Cancel for Any Reason
Conditions
Depending on the coverage selected, the following expenses may be reimbursed:
If you choose Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage:
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If you cancel before departure: non-refundable insured travel expenses and additional costs resulting from changes in occupancy rates.
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If you change, interrupt or extend your trip: the unused portion of your insured travel expenses, additional transportation costs, subsistence allowance, the cost of returning your personal or rental vehicle and costs related to the repatriation or return of remains in the event of death, or the cremation or burial at the destination.
If you choose Trip Interruption coverage:
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If you change, interrupt or extend your trip: additional transportation costs, a subsistence allowance, the cost of returning your personal or rental vehicle, and costs related to the repatriation or return of remains in the event of death or cremation or burial at the destination.
If you choose the Option: Cancel for Any Reason:
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If you cancel before departure for a reason not covered under Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage: partial reimbursement of your prepaid, non-refundable insured travel expenses, provided you cancel at least 24 hours before your scheduled departure date.
Covered risks
Covered risks include medical situations such as illnesses or injuries, various issues involving your principal residence or accommodations at your destination, transportation disruptions, pregnancy complications and several other unforeseen events that may affect your travel plans. Refer to the travel insurance policy for a complete list of risks covered under Trip Cancellation and Interruption and Trip Interruption coverage.
Expenses arising from the following events or circumstances are not covered:
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Known, foreseeable or ignored circumstances
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Trip undertaken for medical purposes
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Pandemic
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Injury related to a high-risk sport or activity
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Use of alcohol, drugs or other intoxicating substances
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Pre-existing medical conditions
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Travel provider default
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Act of war or civil unrest
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Suicide and intentional injury
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Participation in a criminal or illegal act
The policy contains additional limitations and exclusions. Refer to the insurance policy for full details.
Combine our coverage
From major emergencies to everyday travel mishaps, we've got you covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage may reimburse you for certain insured travel expenses if a covered event forces you to cancel, change, interrupt or extend your trip.
Trip cancellation applies before departure when a covered event prevents you from taking your trip.
Trip interruption applies after departure when a covered event forces you to change your plans, return home early or return later than scheduled.
Yes, provided you purchase the Option: Cancel for Any Reason together with your Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage.
This option lets you cancel for a reason not otherwise covered, as long as you do so at least 24 hours before your scheduled departure. It’s not available with Trip Interruption coverage on its own.
See the travel insurance policy for complete details.
Under Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage, you may be reimbursed for your prepaid, non-refundable insured travel expenses, up to the insured amount you selected at purchase, as long as the cancellation results from an unforeseen event that’s a covered risk.
With the Option: Cancel for Any Reason, you may be entitled to partial reimbursement of up to 75% of your prepaid, non-refundable insured travel expenses, even for a reason not covered under Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage. The reimbursement percentage depends on your age and is capped at $4,500 per insured traveller.
See the travel insurance policy for complete details.
This option must be purchased alongside Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage, no later than the later of these two dates: 5 days after your first partial or full trip payment or the date your travel provider starts imposing cancellation penalties.
In other words, if your trip is still fully refundable once the 5-day window has passed, you can still purchase the option up until cancellation penalties kick in.
See the travel insurance policy for complete details.
You choose how much in travel expenses to insure for each person.
To work out this amount, add up all the non-refundable travel expenses you’ve paid and divide by the number of travellers covered under the contract.
This can include airfare or other transportation costs, accommodations, a cruise, an all-inclusive package or certain activities and excursions.
Leave out anything refundable under the provider’s terms and conditions or anything paid with reward points or miles.
For example, you book a hotel room that’s refundable up until 30 days before arrival. Because it will become non-refundable before you leave, it’s worth including in your insured amount.
Travel expenses may include certain costs paid or incurred for your trip, such as transportation, accommodations, an all-inclusive trip and certain activities or excursions. Eligible expenses vary depending on the coverage selected and the terms of the policy.
Depending on your circumstances and the coverage purchased, non-refundable airline tickets or additional transportation costs may be eligible for reimbursement.
Yes. The coverage may apply to a trip you received as a gift, provided the insured traveller can submit the required supporting documents when filing a claim.
To be reimbursed for eligible expenses, you’ll need to file a travel insurance claim:
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Log in to your Customer Space.
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Select "My Claims".
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Click "New Claim".
Your claim and supporting documents can be submitted online.
“I Missed My Chance to Visit Belgium”: Powen-Alexandre’s Story
In the final year of his bachelor's degree, Powen-Alexandre had the opportunity to spend a semester studying in Belgium. A few weeks before he was due to leave, events in Europe led to an official government travel advisory recommending that travellers avoid Belgium. On the advice of his university's student life services, he had purchased Blue Cross travel insurance, including Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage. When he called Blue Cross, an advisor explained that he could be eligible for reimbursement of his travel expenses. It was a big disappointment after a year of planning, but he decided to cancel his trip. Since then, Powen-Alexandre always purchases travel insurance before he travels, because you never know what might happen.
