Travel Insurance
Introduction
This policy applies to all full-time and part-time permanent employees, the Board of Governors, members of the Alumni, as well as students and instructors while doing University approved business that involves travel.
This policy outlines the travel insurance provided by the University in the case of accident, trip or flight cancellation, luggage loss and delays.
Policy
Travel Accident Insurance and Out-of-Country Medical Insurance
The University carries a Travel Accident Insurance policy. Exclusions in this policy may result if travelling in areas of declared war.
Full time and part time permanent employees, members of the Board of Governors, University volunteers and University alumni while travelling on University business are covered from the time they leave their residence, or place of regular employment for the purpose of going on a trip, whichever last occurs, and continues until such time as they return to their residence or place of regular employment, whichever first occurs. This coverage is extended for out-of-scope employees in pay grades of 10 or higher on a 24 hour per day 365 days per year basis. To confirm whether an employee is on this list, contact the Financial Services Miscellaneous Disbursements Clerk at 306-585-4581.
Students and instructors, who travel in pursuit of academic requirements, or as representatives of the University, are covered while travelling outside of the city limits.
The premium costs for travel insurance are funded centrally and not distributed to Operating, Research or other accounts.
In addition to the University's coverage, business travel booked through the University's approved travel agent will automatically have Flight Accident insurance coverage.
Those who participate in the University's group life policy also have life insurance at the level chosen in that benefit.
Additional travel insurance coverage exists in certain circumstances when the Scotiabank Visa Corporate Travel Card is used.
The Extended Health Plan for eligible academic and administrative employees provides emergency out-of-country coverage for both business and personal travel. Some sessional instructors may also eligible for partial benefits under this coverage. Under Faculty Part-Time, the Human Resources’ URSource website lists the criteria to be met in order for sessionals to be eligible for this coverage. This coverage does not extend to members of CUPE, students, volunteers, or members of the alumni.
Additional travel and life insurance premiums a traveler may wish to purchase is at the discretion of the traveler and will not be reimbursed by the University.
Trip Cancellation Insurance
When air travel is booked, travel agents normally encourage travelers to buy trip cancellation insurance coverage. Trip cancellation insurance pays for the cost of the airline ticket in the event that the trip must be cancelled as a result of an insured peril.
Commercial trip cancellation insurance is not a reimbursable University expense and should not be purchased by the traveler for University travel. The University self-insures for trip cancellations. In the event that a University trip must be cancelled, contact the Financial Analyst, Budget/Treasury in Financial Services for the claim reimbursement procedure.
The internal self-insured University trip cancellation insurance only covers the same insured perils as commercial trip cancellation insurance. Trip cancellation insurance does not cover travel cancelled due to cancelled meetings, bad weather, political upheaval at destination, etc. No benefit shall be payable due to cancellation resulting from lack of attendance, lack of participation or insufficient financial support.
Cancellation of a trip prior to the scheduled departure or curtailment of a trip prior to the scheduled return or delayed return is insured if directly because of:
- Sickness, bodily injury or death of yourself or a member of immediate family or a travelling companion or a member of the travelling companion's immediate family;
- A disaster which renders your principal residence uninhabitable;
- Your being quarantined or hijacked;
- Your being called for jury duty or your being subpoenaed as a witness in a case being heard during the period of your trip;
- The death or hospitalization of your host at destination;
- Terrorism in a country originally ticketed which leads the Canadian Government to issue a general recommendation that Canadians should not travel within that country for a period that would include your scheduled trip; or
- Cancellation of a business meeting because of the sickness, injury or death of the person with whom the meeting had been arranged in advance.
Luggage Delay/Loss, Delayed Flight Departure or Denied Boarding, Missed Connection
In the event that luggage is lost, the first remedy to the traveler is to request reimbursement from the airline. Complete details of the airline policies are available on Supply Management Services website.
Under normal circumstances, University travel is expected to be charged to the traveler’s Corporate Travel Card, which automatically provides insurance coverage as explained in detail in the Corporate Travel Card policy.
If the travel is charged to the University’s procurement card or is arranged through Supply Management Services via the issuance of a purchase order, the University internally provides the same coverage as if the trip had been charged to the Corporate Travel Card. In the event of a claim, contact the Financial Analyst, Budget/Treasury in Financial Services for the claim reimbursement procedure.
Consequences for Noncompliance
If a travel authorization is not filed with Financial Services, for all travelers who are not out-of-scope employees pay grades 10 or higher, losses incurred may not be covered by University insurance and would be the responsibility of the traveler.
If the traveler chooses to pay for the University travel using any method other than the Scotiabank Visa Corporate Travel Card, the University procurement card, or University purchase order, the University does not provide any insurance coverage for lost/delayed luggage, delayed flight departure, denied boarding or missed connection.
Processes
To obtain travel accident insurance, notify Financial Services through the submission of an approved Travel Authorization Request Form providing the following information:
- names of individuals;
- reason for travel;
- number of travel days; and
- account number (FOAPAL) that the travel will be charged against.
As described above, out-of-scope employees in pay grades 10 or higher automatically have this coverage 24/7/365; therefore, this form is not required in order for their coverage to be in effect.