I really do suggest that people who sign up for these non-refundable travel plans, should strongly consider Travel Insurance.
Travel Insurance (I suggest going to
www.Squaremouth.com to look at multiple possible policies) will often reimburse you for lost fees and payments, IF you cancel for
Covered Reasons.
They ONLY might reimburse you for NON-Refundable expenses.
Covered reasons (DO check your own contract) typically include cancellation due to:
1. Hurricanes or other severe major storms in the area of your vacation
2. Car accident on the way to the airport
3. Death in your family, or in the family of someone in your travel party. Family is usually defined as: Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Children, Grandparents, Grandchildren. Step children. Step grand children.etc. Only 1st and 2nd degree relatives.
4. Serious Injury or Health problem in your family (that occurs AFTER you buy the insurance), or in the family of someone in your travel party. You will need proof from a doctor for this. Some policies
will also cover recurrence of pre-existing conditions, if those conditions have not required treatment for at least 6 months.
5. Military Deployment for Natural Disaster (Coverage for War is variable. There is usually NO coverage for being transferred by the military or for being denied leave.)
6. Fire, flood, severe storm damage or or other disaster that leaves your home unfit for habitation.
7. Involuntary loss of your job, if you worked full time and if you have been employed for over 2 1/2 years with that company.
8. Your job requiring you to relocate more than 250 miles from your current home (this is variable, depending on the insurance, and might or might not cover military moving you more than 250 miles away. DO check on that).
9. Bankruptcy of your company, if you are the owner or a partner.
10. Death of your owning partner, if you are an owner or partner.
That is about it. You can also, with SOME insurances, get a policy that allows you to cancel for
any reason, but typically such policies are expensive and cost 1/4th to 1/2 of what you are otherwise spending.
Most travel insurance is relatively cheap. How long you travel or where you travel is not usually as important as the ages of the travelers. Older people in your insurance party will increase the cost, but we usually just get a policy for all of us together. Most of the time, the insurance will cost around 10% of your non-refundable expenses. When you get it, and they ask for your expenses, ONLY tell them about your Non-refundable expenses, since that is all they cover. THEY DO NOT USUALLY REIMBURSE FOR THINGS THAT ARE FREE OR DISCOUNTED, such as traveling on Sky Miles, or, as a DVC owner, reserving a unit with your own DVC points.
One advantage of Travel Insurance is that it WILL provide health insurance coverage (primary or secondary, depending on the policy) in case someone becomes injured, to the point that they require treatment, or severely ill while on the trip.