Navigating Travel Insurance: Your Guide to "Cancel for Any Reason" Coverage 

What is Cancel For Any Reason? (CFAR)

Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) is an optional, add-on benefit that allows you to cancel your trip for any reason, with reimbursement. CFAR is there for when you need to cancel your trip more than 48 hours ahead of time: it can give up to 75% back of your prepaid trip arrangements.  
CFAR is available as an upgrade on most of our plans.  

CFAR is a great option for many travelers because it offers flexibility and a safety net in case you realize you can’t make your trip. When you purchase CFAR coverage, you can cancel the trip without losing your entire prepaid, nonrefundable vacation expenses. 

Optional Benefit to Platinum package holders only

Coverage Details: 

The coverage for the Cancel for Any Reason add-on begins on the effective date of your insurance policy. Remember, you can't purchase coverage after your trip (scheduled departure date) has started.

What Is Covered With CFAR? 

Cancel for Any Reason Insurance offers partial reimbursement for non-refundable, prepaid expenses, such as airfare, hotel reservations, or tour bookings. 

• Prepaid Expenses 
• Forfeited Expenses 
• Non-refundable Expenses or Deposits 

CFAR provides you with a partial refund for these expenses, usually 50-75% reimbursement if you file within the approved timeframe. CFAR allows you to cancel for any reason for a partial refund, but be sure your trip meets the eligibility requirements and that you file your claim with enough advanced notice. 

Note: Cancel for Any Reason Coverage may not apply to every state.  AXA  will help determine whether your state of residency qualifies for  Cancel for Any Reason coverage by filling out a quote online or by phone.  

Other Travel Insurance Benefits: Trip Cancellation, Emergency Evacuation, Baggage Loss, Trip Interruption, Medical Travel Benefit, Trip Delay 

How Is It Different From “Trip Cancellation” Insurance? 

Trip cancellation is a standard add-on on most travel insurance plans, and provides a full refund for prepaid costs (airfare, lodging, etc.) if you need to cancel for specific, unforeseen reasons. Trip cancellation insurance has stipulations about what is an accepted reason for canceling.  

Trip cancellation usually offers 100% reimbursement for costs, but only for covered cancellation reasons.  

CFAR may reimburse you for 50-75% of your prepaid costs, but you may cancel for any reason as long as it’s within a certain time period before your departure (usually 72 to 48 hours before, but check your plan specifically). 
 

How Is It Different From Regular Travel Insurance? 

Travel insurance helps cover some of your money back if you decide to cancel your trip – but only for certain reasons (see your policy’s list of requirements for those specifics). CFAR coverage, instead, allows you to cancel your trip for any reason. CFAR offers a little more flexibility than the traditional travel coverage.  
 

What Can You Expect? 

Expect to pay about another 3% of your total trip cost to get this coverage added on. Typical CFAR covers up to about 75% of non-refundable expenses, like airfare, hotel reservations, and guided trip deposits. It’s important to know that CFAR is not a 100% money-back program, but a partial refund. 

You’ll need to notify your insurance provider and all involved parties (hotel, airline, etc.) within a specific timeframe in order to qualify for reimbursement; check with your plan specifically, but most CFAR requires a 48–72-hour window of notice. 

Canceling Your Trip: What is Covered?  

Imagine you are gearing up for a getaway, and circumstances lead you to cancel for a reason not usually covered by a travel insurance policy. This is where optional Cancel for Any Reason coverage comes in. CFAR is like having a backup plan for those unforeseen situations. If you have met certain conditions, you can receive up to 75% of your prepaid, non-refundable payments or deposits you made for your trip.   

You can use CFAR to cover prepaid, non-refundable costs that are not already included as a “covered reason” under your travel insurance. CFAR has some eligibility requirements, so check with your plan or with one of our Travel Agent Specialists to confirm you are eligible.  

If all conditions are met, you can receive up to 75% of your costs for things like: 

• COVID-19: You don’t feel comfortable traveling with recent or suspected COVID-19 exposure or quarantine 
• Your passport didn’t arrive on time 
• You have safety concerns about your destination (political unrest or forecasted severe weather) 
• Personal obligations: family health or work obligations came up 
• Your travel partner can no longer make it 
• Travel guidelines for your destination changed, and it’s no longer safe to travel there 
• You started a new job and no longer have the availability  
• You changed your mind, and no longer want to go! 

These are not inclusive coverage points, but gives you an idea for things that pop up last-minute why you may need to opt-in to CFAR. 

What’s Not Covered? 

CFAR is an opt-in purchase on top of your travel insurance. Each insurance policy has its own stipulations, so be sure you check the fine print of your plan before proceeding. Other restrictions usually apply, such as: 

Time limit to purchase: There is a purchase window, and you cannot purchase CFAR the day you need to use it. This needs to be purchased in advance. Typically, travel insurance needs to be purchased 10-21 days before your trip, and you need to have made an initial payment to be eligible for CFAR. 

• Time limit to redeem: Most policies require a notification window of 72-48 hours before your trip to redeem.  
• Coverage amount: CFAR is not a 100% reimbursement program. In addition, our policies require travelers to insure 100% of your prepaid, non-refundable expenses in order to qualify for CFAR. 
• Refund amount:  CFAR reimbursement depends on the plan, but ranges from 50%-75% reimbursement. 

Things To Know Before You Use:  

There are a few stipulations for how to use CFAR. Here’s what you need to be aware of: 

1. Premium Payment Timing: You must pay your insurance premium within 14 days of your initial deposit date  
2. Ensuring Upfront Costs: Ensure to include all the costs of your trip that have cancellation penalties or restrictions. Remember to cover any additional arrangements made within fourteen days before your trip, especially if they are not through your travel agent.  
3. Timely Cancellation: If you decide to cancel your entire trip, you cannot cancel the day of.   

 You must cancel two or more days before your scheduled departure date.  

What does it cost? 

CFAR is an optional add-on to our existing travel insurance plans. You can expect to pay about an additional 3% of your total trip cost to add on CFAR coverage. 

How do I get it? 

CFAR coverage is an easy add-on to an existing travel insurance plan. To learn more about our plans, click here: Compare Travel Plans. File for a free quote today for an estimate, or contact one of our travel agents by phone at: 855-327-1441 for help today! 

Is Cancel For Any Reason coverage worth it? 

We say yes, it is worth it! But we also recognize that whether it really is worth the cost is up to you. This optional benefit would be worth the value if you have any inclinations that you may cancel your trip – whether for personal, professional, health, family, or other reasons. If you feel that something may come up, something in your personal or work life is a little in the air, or your destination experiences unpredictable weather, then CFAR insurance may be a good option for you. 

Still Have Questions?  

See our list of travel insurance plans for more details, or contact us by phone at: 855-327-1441 for more information today!  

How to get a Travel Protection Quote

Receive a free quote within minutes
Or call us at 855-327-1441 to speak with our licensed Travel Insurance Advisors.
Monday-Saturday, 8 AM-7 PM Central Time

Disclaimer: It is important to note that the specifics of CFAR will depend on the date of purchase and state of residency. Customers are advised to carefully review the terms and conditions of their policy and to act AXA Partners with any questions or concerns they may have.