Will UC’s Travel Insurance Program cover lost costs and penalties?

You may be able to recoup some of your costs for international trip cancellations.

If the airline or travel provider refused to issue a refund or a travel credit or charges a penalty for changes for travel to international destinations, travelers should submit their claim through the UC Travel Insurance Program.

You can submit a claim for airfare, hotel, cancellation fees, or conference registration for up to $2,000 for international trips (domestic trips are not covered). Once a claim is submitted, a determination will be made by the UC Insurance Carrier, Chubb, regarding what is covered. Please note that it is the insurance company and not UC Berkeley that determines if a claim is accepted or not.

Download and complete the claim form that is available on the UCOP Travel Risk and Insurance page:

  • The Policyholder is the University of California
  • Group Policy Number:
    • Faculty/Staff - ADD N04223810
    • Student - ADD N04223822
    • Education Abroad Program (EAP) - ADD N04834823
      • The program name is the title of the event for which you were traveling (ex. Study Abroad 2020 or International Research Conference, etc.)
      • The group leader is the name of the person running the program (if applicable)
  • Submit your completed form to Chubb:
    • Fax: (302) 476-7857
    • Email: diane.basa@chubb.com
    • Mail: Chubb USA PO Box 5124 Scranton, PA 18505-0556
  • As part of your claim, please provide the following:
    • Proof of enrollment in travel coverage/registration of their trips
    • Proof from the airlines that the tickets were non-refundable
    • Provide the Itinerary and the cost of the tickets
    • Proof from the hotels that accommodations were nonrefundable, cancellations fees, or could be cancelled with no penalties
    • Documentation that you requested a refund and/or travel credit and denial from the service provider
    • Whether you were traveling to one of the countries included in the CDC Travel Health Notice Warning Level 3, or a detailed explanation of how the business activity was actually impacted or resulted in an effective cancellation as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19)
      • For example, you were traveling for a symposium to a currently unaffected region, and the organizer cancels the event because the key speakers from affected regions were unable to attend.