Protect Your Program Payment

As you know, unexpected things can happen after enrolling in a program: sudden and unexpected medical issues arise; family members or traveling companions become ill; your home could be made uninhabitable by a natural disaster. If you need to cancel your program for these or other reasons covered under the terms of the policy, the Trip Cancellation benefit reimburses you not only for Road Scholar cancellation penalties but also any airline penalties, whether air travel is arranged by Road Scholar or booked independently.

Please note that the injury or illness must qualify as a covered event under the plan, and to be payable your cancellation claim will require examination and treatment at the time of cancellation by a medical professional, as well as documentation to support the medical evaluation and diagnosis. 

If you need to cancel your trip for any reason not covered by insurance, say, for example, a scheduling conflict, sick pet, or uncertainty given recent world events, you will receive a credit* good for future travel with Road Scholar for the full amount of the Road Scholar cancellation fee.

During a program, injury or illness—whether they happen to you, your traveling companion, or a member of your or your traveling companion’s immediate family, may cause you to miss a portion of your program, or return home earlier than expected. While we cannot issue refunds to participants for program days missed due to medical or other emergencies, Road Scholar’s optional Trip Protection Plan may help reimburse you for program days you miss due to injury or illness.

If you interrupt your program or return home early due to a covered injury or sickness, the optional plan includes trip interruption coverage, which reimburses you for the unused portion of the program, plus the cost of any additional airfare you may need to return home. Please note that the injury or illness must qualify as a covered event under the plan, and to be payable your interruption claim will require examination and treatment at the time of interruption by a medical professional, as well as documentation to support the medical evaluation and diagnosis. 

These days, with increasing frequency, air travel is impacted by weather or mechanical problems. The resulting delays could not only delay your arrival to the program but cause you to incur additional expenses while catching up to the program. If the reason for the delay qualifies as a covered reason under the terms of the plan, the Travel Delay benefit will reimburse you, up to the benefit limit of $2,000 ($400 per day), for missed program days plus additional expenses you may incur catching up to the program, including transportation, accommodation and meal expenses.

Please be aware that the Trip Delay benefit only applies if due to an airline or other common carrier's delay or cancellation forces you to be delayed 6 hours or more while en route to, during or returning from program due to a covered Travel Hazard. Please see the plan's description of coverage for Trip Delay benefit details. 

Another great plan benefit is that it covers the cost of your airfare, whether you purchase your airline tickets with Road Scholar or independently. Even though the Trip Protection Plan price is based on your Road Scholar program-only price (i.e. excluding the cost of airfare), the airfare your purchase, regardless of the cost, is protected too. So, if you need to cancel your enrollment for a covered reason, you will be reimbursed not only for the Road Scholar cancellation fee you were charged, but also for the cost of any airfare you may have purchased for the program.

Please see the plan's FAQ page for more information about airfare and the Trip Protection Plan.  

Unlike most travel insurance plans, if Road Scholar cancels your program prior to the start date, the cost of your Trip Protection Plan will be canceled and refunded automatically in full. This gives you peace of mind in knowing that if Road Scholar must cancel your program, your program investment as well as the cost of your trip protection plan will be refunded in full.

The Road Scholar Trip Protection Plan can be purchased when you enroll in a program, whether you call us or enroll via our website, as well as by calling us anytime after enrollment. 

The plan can also be purchased by going to your My Account page and clicking "Purchase Optional Trip Protection" from your Trip To-Do List.

Keep in mind that the plan can be purchased no later than 15 days prior to the published program start date.