Travel insurance providers, just like the providers of all types of insurance (home, auto, life, etc.), want to limit their risk. In the case of travel insurance plans, they list alcohol as a general exclusion. The intention of this exclusion is to ensure that the travel insurance company won’t have to be responsible for losses that occur as a result of intoxication.
This makes sense when you think about it. Automobile insurance companies limit their risk for losses due to reckless driving by increasing the premiums, or even dropping coverage, for drivers with high numbers of moving traffic violations and speeding tickets.
Because the intake of alcohol can blur a person’s ability to make appropriate decisions, the travel insurance provider shouldn’t have to be responsible for reckless behavior. It’s important to remember that all travel insurance providers require documentation for a claim to be processed.
- If you are making a claim on the medical coverage portion of your travel insurance coverage, for example, Â and the presence of alcohol is noted in the medical documentation, your claim could be denied.
- If you’re making a claim on the car rental coverage portion of your travel insurance and a police report reveals a positive breathalyzer result, your claim could be denied.
How much can a traveler drink while on vacation? That’s a judgement call. Most travel insurance providers will look at the level of intoxication noted in the documentation provided to support the claim and make their decision based on the legal limits of the jurisdiction.
