Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 is now generally treated the same as any other illness. Testing for COVID-19 is no longer required even if someone has symptoms, unless a country we are visiting has this requirement. Participating in group activities carries a risk of exposure to any number of communicable diseases, including COVID-19. UC Retirees Travel strongly recommends that travelers receive vaccines for COVID, the flu, pneumonia, and RSV, as well as all boosters for which you are eligible.

The answer depends on several factors, including the destination, the cost/refundability of the trip, your health, the international coverage provided by your health insurance, your risk aversion, and whether you pay with a credit card that offers travel insurance.

Travel insurance covers three components—your expenses, your well-being, and your belongings:

• Expenses: Insurance reimburses for non-refundable costs in case of trip cancellation, delay, or interruption, typically for covered reasons. Cancel-for-any reason policies are more expensive.
• Well-being: Medical coverage usually is not necessary if you are traveling within the U.S. When traveling internationally, all UC health plans cover emergency care and urgent care, but health plans may not provide comprehensive coverage overseas. Medical coverage is especially important if traveling to remote destinations where care may be limited, and the cost of medical evacuation could be $100,000-$200,000.
• Belongings: Airlines are legally required to reimburse you for lost luggage, but it can be difficult to get reimbursement and travel insurance usually has a higher limit.

Travelers have the option of purchasing travel insurance through a tour or cruise provider (usually the easiest option and the one that provides the most comprehensive coverage) or from another insurance provider. Some providers offer annual policies, which can be very cost effective for travelers who take multiple trips per year.

UC retirees also have the option of purchasing personal travel insurance through the UC Office of the President (UCOP). For travelers who do not need cancellation and belonging insurance, such as those who have adequate coverage by using a credit card to pay for the trip, the UC policies offer an option for medical coverage only at a very reasonable cost. See details at https://www.ucop.edu/risk-services-travel/personal.html. Please note that the UC Personal Travel Insurance policy renews each year on September 1. If the contract for the next renewal has not yet been signed by UC and the insurer, the enrollment portal will not allow you to enroll for coverage for travel after August 31st. You will need to wait to enroll until the enrollment portal has been authorized to enroll travelers past the renewal date. If you receive an error message during enrollment indicating you cannot enroll past August 31 and you would like to be notified once the renewal contract has been signed, you can write to UCtravelinsurance@ucop.edu to request this.

Travel insurance varies in terms of coverage, limits (plans with higher limits cost more), and exclusions, so it is important to read the policy details. Be sure to ask about coverage for pre-existing conditions. Policies typically do not cover such things as negligence and fear of flying or travel, and supplementary coverage may be necessary for risky activities such as mountain climbing, scuba diving, or skydiving.

The value of travel insurance really comes down to your risk aversion and what you can afford to lose. Before making your decision, do your homework, ask questions, and decide how much peace of mind is worth to you.

UC health plan coverage when traveling:

• All UC medical plans cover emergency care and urgent care anywhere in the world. Check your deductible amount, as deductibles for some plans can be quite high.
• CORE and UC Care medical plans provide comprehensive worldwide coverage.
• UC Medicare Choice, UC Medicare PPO, UC High Option provide up to 6 months of comprehensive worldwide coverage (it’s only 6 months because Medicare won’t pay).
• No UC medical plans provide coverage for medical evacuation back to the U.S., only to the nearest emergency room.
• No UC medical plans provide repatriation of remains.

Plan-specific travel information:

• Only the Anthem Blue Cross plans (CORE, UC Care, UC Health Savings Plan, UC Medicare PPO, UC High Option) offer a network of preferred providers outside the U.S.—some of whom can bill U.S. insurance. For more information, refer to the Anthem travel brochure: https://www.uchealthplans.com/document/55
• UC Medicare Choice (UnitedHealthcare) travel brochure: https://retiree.uhc.com/content/dam/retiree/pdf/uc/2025/2025-UC-Medicare-Choice-Travel-Booklet.pdf
• UC Blue & Gold HMO (Health Net) travel guide: https://uc.healthnetcalifornia.com/members/travel-guide.html
• When in the U.S., Kaiser contracts with certain urgent care centers where they do not have service areas; for more detail: https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/get-care/traveling

Additional information:

• Most travel insurance provides secondary coverage, requiring you to submit claims to your primary insurance company first.
• Cost of treatment in another country may be so low that it is not worth the effort to submit a claim.
• When in a country that does not speak English, try to get the most detailed receipts that you can—and try to get them translated into English. If you cannot get them translated, it can help to speed up reimbursement to translate receipts into English yourself.
• When in the U.S.A., people in PPOs should use in-network urgent care centers (for emergencies, dial 911 or go to the nearest ER).
  • Insurance companies generally consider emergencies to be life-threatening, limb-threating, organ system-threatening, or involve extreme pain.
  • Urgent matters are those that will become emergencies if not addressed quickly.
• ER alternatives:
  • Telephone/nurse advice line/video visits through your health plan will generally cost less.
  • Urgent care centers cost less than emergency rooms.

• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service that allows U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to receive information about your destination country and allow the embassy to reach you in case of emergency. Learn more at https://step.state.gov/step/.
• Global Entry is a federal Trusted Traveler program, designed for low-risk travelers, that requires an extensive background check, an interview, and a $100 fee for a five-year period. Global entry can significantly reduce the time needed to reenter the U.S. through customs. Learn more at www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry.
• Mobile Passport Control (MPC) ) is a free, secure app that can be installed on a smart phone or other device and allows users to complete customs declaration documents in the app after arriving at the entry point. Instead of vetting passengers like Global Entry, MPC expedites the document formalities. Learn more and check for participating airports at www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/mobile-passport-control.