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Sandals and Beaches have added a free travel insurance plan and a new cancellation protection plan.
The Travel Protection Plan — Insurance Is On Us, powered by Trip Mate, will be purchased on behalf of guests and will be part of their travel reservation, as will the Cancellation Protection Benefit.
“Travelers making vacation plans to the Caribbean can feel confident, thanks to these two new added perks to our Book With Confidence program,” said Adam Stewart, deputy chairman of Sandals Resorts.
The insurance plan offers expanded medical benefits to travelers booked through Dec. 31 for stays through May 31 and carries no minimum or maximum age limit for eligibility and access to assistance.
The plan covers any medical expenses in the Caribbean incurred as part of treatment for illness, including Covid-19, condition and/or accident, including medical expenses for a sickness or injury during the resort stay.
The exclusion for pre-existing conditions is waived as long as the traveler was not disabled from traveling at the time the plan was purchased.
Also covered under the plan is transportation by ambulance to and from a hospital (maximum benefit of $100,000 per person), reimbursement for additional accommodations, meals and local transportation if a guest’s travel plans are delayed due to quarantine (maximum benefit $200 per person, per day, up to $2,800).
In case of the need for medical evacuation, the plan covers transfer to the nearest hospital that is equipped to handle a sickness or injury that is acute or life-threatening. If evacuation is approved by the program’s medical advisor, transportation will be covered for the return home (maximum benefit of $100,000 per person).
The Cancellation Protection Benefit, valid through Dec. 31, allows guests to cancel their vacation at least 31 days before arrival and receive a full refund on the land portion with zero penalties.
Guests canceling 30 to 15 days prior to arrival will receive a combination of 50% refund and 50% travel certificate for future travel to any Sandals or Beaches resort within 12 months.
Those who cancel within 14 days and up to the day of arrival receive a travel certificate valid for 12 months from the original travel date.
Source: travelweekly.com
Beware of Beaches/Sandals unethical practices and deceptive advertising! I booked with them in January to go to Turks and Caicos July 23. When Covid happened I called frequently to check on the status and was assured over and over that the resort would be open. They promised they would open July22. I called 32 days out to be sure and was assured all was ok. I called 16 days out and was assured all ok. They lied to me to keep me from cancelling and then 10 days out they texted me to call then informed me THEY had decided not to open the resort and I would have to pick a new date or different Beaches resort. I told them I didn’t want to change dates or resorts so asked for a refund. They told me because it was within 15 days that the cancellation occurred my reservation was now non refundable. Even though it was THEY who caused the cancellation. I’ve spent hours on the phone and can’t get anyone to address this in good faith. Buyer beware this company is a scam and terrible at customer service!!!We’ve been on the phone with Sandals three times to get a refund. To say we are angry is an understatement. We booked in January 2020 for an April vacation, and purchased the insurance. We called back in March to cancel due to COVID-19 (we tested positive). We were talked into rescheduling to November- the kicker? We had to upgrade and pay extra because our current package room was unavailable! We called again in August to try to cancel again because the resorts were closed and It’s still not safe to travel. We called twice more to cancel, and were told that since we rescheduled in March instead of cancelling, due to their policies, we can only get $1200 of our $6000. So we rescheduled again for next year. They should have given us a refund. We would have gladly rebooked when it was safe to travel again. COVID-19 ruins plans, Sandals makes you pay for it. #DontBookWithSandals