This information is specific to travel impacted as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19). As the situation remains very fluid, please check back here regularly for updates. For regular reimbursement information, please visit the reimbursement section of the travel website.
Before booking any business travel, please first be sure to review the current campus travel restrictions.
If your business travel has been canceled as a result of the coronavirus, the first step, regardless of how the travel was purchased, is to request reimbursement directly from the airline or vendor you booked your airfare, hotel, or conference registration with.
If they will not provide a refund, please be sure to keep documentation of the travel provider’s refusal because that may be necessary when seeking reimbursement. Depending on how you booked your travel, there are several reimbursement options available.
Please contact the Travel and Entertainment team with questions at travel@berkeley.edu.
Emergency Assistance
- For business travelers who are currently traveling and are in need of emergency assistance, please consult the emergency assistance page of the UC Berkeley Travel site.
Domestic Travel
| Purchase Method | Use of credits | Traveler Reimbursement |
|---|---|---|
| I used Direct Bill ID to bill my airfare to the university. |
Since your airfare was billed directly to the university, a travel credit will automatically be issued upon cancellation of the reservation in the name of the original traveler. In most cases, a credit can be used for travel within 12 months. You don’t need to do anything further except make sure you use the credit. If you need instructions on how to use a credit through Connexxus, you can find a recorded webinar from the UCOP Central Travel Office by logging into Connexxus and going to their video tutorial library. There, you will find the video titled "HANDLING AIRLINE CREDITS" (You can fast forward to the 18:20 mark of the video, where they begin discussing how to actually use a credit to book another ticket.) |
N/A |
| I booked my trip with Connexxus but I did not use Direct Bill ID. | If the travel provider does not issue a refund, all cancelled travel booked through Connexxus will otherwise result in a travel credit, even for non-refundable fares. If you do not have any other travel needs within the next 12 months in which the credit can be used, you can request reimbursement by submitting a reimbursement request using the Travel Reimbursement System. | Review the steps to request a reimbursement. |
| I booked my trip without using Connexxus. |
If the travel provider does issue a credit but you do not have any other travel needs within the next 12 months in which the credit can be used, you can request reimbursement by submitting a reimbursement request using the Travel Reimbursement System. |
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If the travel provider refuses to issue a credit for travel to a domestic destination, it is not covered by the UC Travel Insurance Program, and so you can request reimbursement by submitting a reimbursement request using the Travel Reimbursement System. |
Domestic Travel Cancelation fees
If you have any cancellation fees related to domestic travel, submit your cancellation fees as part of your reimbursement request.
International Travel
| Purchase Method | Use of credits | Traveler Reimbursement |
|---|---|---|
| I used Direct Bill ID to bill my airfare to the university. |
Since your airfare was billed directly to the university, a travel credit will automatically be issued upon cancellation of the reservation in the name of the original traveler. In most cases, a credit can be used for travel within 12 months. You don’t need to do anything further except make sure you use the credit. If you need instructions on how to use a credit through Connexxus, you can find a recorded webinar from the UCOP Central Travel Office by logging into Connexxus and going to their video tutorial library. There, you will find the video titled "HANDLING AIRLINE CREDITS" (You can fast forward to the 18:20 mark of the video, where they begin discussing how to actually use a credit to book another ticket.) |
N/A |
| I booked my trip with Connexxus but I did not use Direct Bill ID. |
Since your airfare was booked through Connexxus, a travel credit will automatically be issued upon cancellation of the reservation in the name of the original traveler. If you do not have any other travel needs within the next 12 months in which the credit can be used, you may submit a claim for reimbursement up to $2,000 through the UC Travel Insurance Program. We are finding that the UC Travel Insurance provider, Chubb, may not pay out on claims in which a travel credit was issued, until the traveler can provide evidence that the travel credit has expired unused. Please follow the instructions to submit an insurance claim and, if Chubb does deny the claim, you may then submit a reimbursement request through the Travel Reimbursement System, providing evidence that Chubb denied the insurance claim. |
Review the steps to submit a claim form. |
| I booked my trip without using Connexxus. |
If the travel provider refuses to issue a credit, you may submit a claim for reimbursement up to $2,000 through the UC Travel Insurance Program. |
International Travel Cancellation fees
If you have any cancellation fees related to travel to an international destination, and if the travel was purchased through Connexxus or you registered for insurance, submit the cancellation fee as part of your insurance claim. If you didn't book through Connexxus and you didn't register for insurance to an international destination, submit your cancellation fees as part of your reimbursement request.
Instructions
Instructions on submitting a reimbursement request through the Travel Reimbursement System
To submit a reimbursement request, follow the instructions below, using the Travel Reimbursement System
- As part of your claim, please attach along with all required receipts a statement (on university letterhead or via email) from the employee/traveler, stating the following:
- The travel provider will only issue a credit not cash as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
- If subsequently the credit is used prior to expiration, it will be used for UC Business and the traveler will not seek additional reimbursement, or if used for personal travel, they will reimburse UC Berkeley.
- Approval from cognizant Dean or VC required on the statement. (This could be a signature, docusign, or approval via email). Deans or VC should submit their own reimbursement requests to EVCP office for approval.
Instructions on submitting a claim form through the UC Travel Insurance Program
To submit an insurance claim through the UC Travel Insurance program for travel to international destinations, follow the instructions below:
- You may submit a claim (for up to $2,000) through the UC Travel Insurance Program.
- The claim form is available on the UCOP website.
- You can submit a claim for airfare, hotel, cancellation fees, or conference registration for up to $2,000. Once a claim is submitted, a determination will be made by the UC Insurance Carrier, Chubb, regarding what is covered. (If the amount you need to be reimbursed for is above $2,000, please see the section below on reimbursements above $2,000).
- As part of your claim, please provide the following:
- Documentation that you requested a refund and/or travel credit, and the response from the service provider.
- Whether you were traveling to one of the CDC Warning - Level 3 - Travel Notice countries 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 canceled the event because the key speakers from affected regions were unable to attend.
- If expenses exceed $2,000:
- You may submit a reimbursement request for anything that exceeded $2,000 using the Travel Reimbursement System.
- As part of your claim, please attach along with all required receipts a copy of the insurance claim with all relevant supporting documentation.
- Approval from cognizant Dean or VC is required on the statement. (This could be a signature, docusign, or approval via email). Deans or VC should submit their own reimbursement requests to the EVCP office for approval.
- You may submit a reimbursement request for anything that exceeded $2,000 using the Travel Reimbursement System.
To submit the claim form
- To submit a claim, fill out the claim form on the UCOP website.
- When you booked your travel with Connexxus or when you signed up for travel insurance, you should have received an email which links to an insurance card. Below is an example of the Travel Insurance Card:
- When you are completing the claim form, you’ll need to provide the policy number listed on your travel insurance card - which is listed under “University of California” on the top.
NOTE: The policy number and group ID for students is different that that of faculty/staff. Please be sure to use the correct policy number and group ID.
- The policy holder is the traveler.
- The program name is the Title of the event you were traveling for (ex. Study Abroad 2020 or International Research Conference, etc.).
- The group leader is the name of the person running the program, or if you were traveling alone, it is your name.
- The date the incident occured can be N/A.
- Below is a an example of a completed form:
