Mondial Assistance

TRAVEL INSURANCE TERMS

Confused by some of the “insurance-ese” on your policy? Use this glossary to understand some of the common terms and phrases used on travel insurance documents.

General Insurance Policy Terms

Accommodation While Visiting Hospitalized Member
accommodations for a family member or companion to be by the bedside of a policy holder if the policy holder gets injured and is hospitalized for more than seven days; arrangements include hotel rooms, although meals and telephone charges are not included

Active Military Duty
serving in the United States Armed Forces on a full-time basis, not including the United States Armed Forces Reserves

Actual Cash Value
the amount an item is worth based on its market value, age and condition at time of loss

Adjudicate
the determination of a policy holder’s payment, or financial responsibility, after a claim is applied to the policy holder’s insurance benefits

Arbitration
a non-court procedure for resolving disputes using one or more neutral third parties

Baggage
luggage and personal possessions, whether owned, borrowed, or rented, that is taken by the policy holder on a trip

Baggage Delay
luggage that is delayed or misdirected by a common carrier for at least 24 hours

Baggage Loss / Damage
lost, stolen or damaged baggage

Beneficiary
a person eligible to receive benefits under an insurance policy

Change Fee
a penalty that an airline charges if a traveler changes their departure date

Claim
the demand for benefits as provided by the policy

Collision / Loss Damage
damage to, or theft of, a rental car

Common Carrier
an entity licensed to carry passengers for hire on land, water or air, excluding vehicle rental companies

Coverage Period
the time which travel insurance benefits are payable, beginning on the effective date and ending on the termination date

Covered Service
a service or supply specified for which benefits will be provided

Deductible
a specified dollar amount that the policy holder must pay before Access America will assume any liability for all, or part, of the remaining covered services

Effective Date
the day the insurance policy takes effect, which is at 12:01 a.m. on the date the scheduled trip begins; for trip cancellation coverage, the day after you purchase insurance

Emergency Medical / Dental Coverage
the services or supplies provided by a physician, dentist, hospital or other licensed provider that are medically and immediately necessary to treat a covered medical illness or injury that is considered harmful or life threatening

Emergency Medical Transportation
arrangement to medically transport a policy holder to an appropriate medical facility or to return home in order to receive care

Felonious Assault
an act of violence committed against a policy holder or a traveling companion which results in hospitalization

Financial Default
when a tour operator, airline or cruise line has a complete suspension of operations due to financial circumstances

Flight Insurance
coverage for loss of life, limb or eyesight within 365 days of a covered accident, which takes place on a certified passenger aircraft during a regularly scheduled trip or charter

Insurance
a binding contract to indemnify an insured party against specified loss

Medical Evacuation
when a policy holder is transported to the nearest appropriate medical facility as a result of Access America’s consulting physician, and the local attending physician’s determination, that adequate treatment is not available locally

Medically Necessary or Medical Necessity
the services or supplies provided by a hospital, physician or other licensed provider that are required to identify or treat an illness or injury that Access America determines is consistent with symptoms of your disease or injury, and appropriate with regard to standards of good medical practice

Military Obligations
when a policy holder or traveling companion serving in the U.S. Armed Forces are reassigned, or have their personal leave revoked, except because of war, the War Powers Act, base or unit mobilization, unit reassignment or disciplinary action

Missed Connection
when a traveler misses a connecting flight or cruise due to severe weather or travel accident

Normal Pregnancy
a pregnancy or childbirth that is free of complications or problems

Pre-Existing Condition
any injury occurring to a policy holder, a traveling companion, or family member prior to and including the effective date of an insurance policy; any illness occurring to a policy holder, a traveling companion or a family member during the specified time period prior to and including the effective date, for which a medical diagnosis or treatment by a physician has been sought or advised or for which symptoms exist which would cause a prudent person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment, or require taking prescribed drugs or medicine unless the illness remains controlled without any change in the required prescription. For the purposes of determining any pre-existing conditions: the effective date of insurance will be the trip cancellation insurance effective date if the policy includes trip cancellation; if that benefit is not included, it will be the trip departure date

Primary Insurance
when two or more coverages or policies apply to the same loss, the one that pays first, up to its limit of liability or the amount of the loss, whichever is less. See Secondary Insurance

Primary Residence
a person’s fixed, permanent and principal home for legal and tax purposes

Quarantine
a restraint upon the activities or communication of persons or the transport of goods that is put in place to prevent the spread of disease

Reasonable and Customary Charge
a charge in an amount consistently made by other vendors/providers for a given service in the same geographic area and which reflects the complexity of the service, taking into account availability of experienced personnel, and availability of services or parts

Repatriation of Remains
transport of a policy holder’s remains from the place of death to the place of residence or an appropriate receiving facility

Return Home of Minor Children/ Traveling Companion
arrangement to return an accompanying dependent child or travel companion to their place of residence if a traveler is to be hospitalized for more than seven days

Scheduled Departure Date
the date a policy holder has selected to begin travel as shown on their enrollment or application form and for which paid travel arrangements have been made

Secondary Insurance
coverage that applies only after limits of the primary insurance have been exhausted or denied. See Primary Insurance

Subrogation
the requirement of an insured person to assign any rights to recover damages to his insurer

Terrorism
the unsanctioned and illegal use of force by a group specified by the U.S. Department of State that caused destruction of property, injury or death by an individual group for the express or implied purpose of achieving a political, ethnic, or religious goal or result; does not include general civil protest, unrest, rioting, or an act of war

Transport to Bedside
arrangement to bring a friend or family member to the bedside of the hospitalized policy holder if the policy holder is to be hospitalized for more than seven days

Travel Accident
accidental loss of life, limb or eyesight while traveling by air

Travel Arrangements After Evacuation
arrangement for travel for the policy holder to resume his trip and/or return to his place of residence following a medical evacuation

Travel Companion
a person traveling with a policy holder who must be listed on the policy holder’s enrollment form and who shares the same accommodations as the policy holder

Travel Delay
when a departure is delayed for six or more hours; Access America provides reimbursement for meals and accommodations under certain policies

Traveling Family Member
a policy holder’s spouse and any unmarried children under the age of 23, including stepchildren or legally adopted children, or grandparents and grandchildren when traveling together without a parent; also, any unmarried child, regardless of age, who is incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of mental illness, developmental disability, mental retardation or physical handicap and became so incapable prior to age 23

Trip
a period of travel to a destination that is at least 100 miles from a primary place of residence; a trip is not intended to obtain healthcare or treatment of any kind

Trip Cancellation
provides reimbursement for non-refundable trip payments and deposits if a trip is canceled for illness, death or other specific unforeseen circumstances

Trip Cost
total non-refundable dollar value for all travelers

Trip Interruption
provides reimbursement for non-refundable trip payments and deposits if a trip is interrupted for illness, death or other unforeseen circumstances

Underwriter
an entity that selects risks for insurance and determines in what amount and on what terms the insurance company will accept the risk

Vehicle Return
coverage for the cost of transporting a policy holder’s personal automobile back home when an unexpected illness or injury prevents completion of their trip

Specialized Benefits and Mondial Assistance Terms
Concierge
pre and post-departure service that provides assistance with restaurant reservations, golf tee times, event ticketing, and more; also provides business services such as referrals and arrangements for equipment rental, translation and messaging

Family 411
toll free hotline that provides information on family-friendly venues, including zoos, aquariums, museums and theme parks

Kids Are Free
with select plans; travel insurance is provided, at no extra cost, to children who are under 18 years of age on the date of purchase of insurance and who are accompanied by their parent(s) or traveling with just their grandparent(s); travelers under the age of 18 who are not traveling with their parent(s) or grandparent(s) will be subject to the rates for travelers ages 18-30

24-hour Hotline
800-654-1908; toll free number which provides medical referrals and monitoring, legal assistance, emergency messaging, emergency cash transfers, arrangement of medical evacuations or repatriations, emergency translations, and pre-trip assistance.