The Guide to Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can help you get your money back if you have to cancel a trip — but only if you cancel for certain reasons. If you want more flexibility, you may need “Cancel For Any Reason,” or CFAR, coverage.

Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance means exactly that: You can change your mind — regardless of why — and get a partial refund of what you paid without having to worry about meeting insurance coverage requirements.

What is Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance?

The main details to know about Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance are:

CFAR is supplemental coverage that offers partial reimbursement when you cancel a nonrefundable trip for any reason that isn’t covered by your travel insurance policy.

You cannot buy CFAR on its own; it’s an optional upgrade added when you buy primary travel insurance.

Not every trip insurer offers it, and not every plan is eligible for the add-on.

It is the only type of coverage that will offer reimbursement if you cancel a trip for any reason.

Can I really cancel for ANY reason? What does a CFAR policy cover?

Yes — for any reason, including fear of travel. When you buy CFAR coverage, you can cancel your trip for any reason without worrying that you’ll lose your entire prepaid, nonrefundable vacation deposit.

The reason doesn’t matter as long as you cancel within the allowable time frame (usually two days in advance) and you’ve insured the entire nonrefundable cost of your trip.

What doesn’t qualify for a claim?

Refundable expenses don’t qualify. For example, if you book a flight, cancel your trip and receive a refund or a travel voucher, you can’t claim it afterward. If you redeemed airline rewards and got the miles redeposited, that also doesn’t qualify for a reimbursement.

Additionally, if you accept a voucher or credit from a hotel or airline for a canceled trip, your claim may be ineligible for CFAR insurance reimbursement. However, if you’re provided with only a partial voucher/credit for the trip or have leftover unreimbursed expenses, you can claim the remaining amount.

Let’s say you received a voucher for a canceled flight to Amsterdam but your hotel reservation wasn’t refundable and you couldn’t use your prepaid ticket to the Van Gogh Museum. In that case, you can still claim the nonrefundable expenses, minus the flight.

CFAR has a few limitations:

It doesn’t offer full reimbursement.

Different policies have varying reimbursement percentages ranging from 50% to 75%.

A trip cannot be canceled at the last minute. You will need to cancel usually two days in advance to get reimbursed.

You are required to insure 100% of your nonrefundable trip costs; you can’t pick and choose which parts you want to insure.

You have a limited number of days (10 to 21 days depending on the policy) after buying a nonrefundable trip to add the CFAR option.

How does CFAR travel insurance compare with regular travel insurance?

Regular travel insurance restricts when you can get reimbursed for canceled travel. For example, you might get a full refund if you, a family member or a traveling companion gets sick before your trip and you have a doctor’s note to validate your claim. Other valid reasons under some trip insurance policies include circumstances like:

Bankruptcy of the carrier.

Travel insurance typically won’t help if you want to cancel because you’re afraid of getting sick. Many people found that out as the coronavirus was starting to spread in 2020. Buying CFAR coverage is usually the only way to get a partial refund of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip.

Also, travel insurance policies usually exclude pandemics from coverage. Once the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020, policies with pandemic exclusions wouldn’t cover illness or losses related to COVID-19.

Every policy is different, and you’ll need to review the fine print to see what is and isn’t covered.

Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance cost

Cancel For Any Reason coverage will likely add about 50% to your total travel insurance bill. According to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, a complete travel insurance policy will usually cost about 4% to 8% of the trip’s cost.

Based on these numbers, if you buy CFAR coverage along with travel insurance, your total out-of-pocket cost will be 6% to 12% of your trip.

A sample of CFAR coverage cost

To test these numbers, we searched for travel insurance policies that offer a CFAR upgrade on Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison site. In the chart below, we’ve included four providers that offer Cancel For Any Reason coverage. The figures are based on a nonrefundable $1,000 one-week trip to Mexico in April taken by a 30-year-old U.S. citizen.

We looked at offerings from Nationwide Cruise Choice, HTH Travel Insurance, AXA Assistance USA and Seven Corners.

For each of the policies listed, travel insurance was from 4% to 8% of the total trip cost. CFAR coverage increased the cost of travel insurance by roughly 40%-50%. The cost of travel insurance inclusive of CFAR represented 5% to 12% of the total trip cost.

As you can see, CFAR is a pricey upgrade. Though these numbers may not look excessive, they are based on a one-week $1,000 trip. If you want to protect a two-week $5,000 trip (or a bigger one), the cost of CFAR increases considerably.

Will CFAR give me a full refund of my trip?

No. Typically, CFAR coverage includes a 75% reimbursement of prepaid nonrefundable trip plans. That is the appeal of the pricey CFAR add-on.

Let’s consider the example above. CFAR coverage under those policies reimburses 75% of the total trip cost. If you buy travel insurance for this trip (without CFAR) and need to cancel for a noncovered reason, you will lose the $1,000 you paid.

However, if you buy the CFAR option and cancel your trip, you will be reimbursed $750 and lose $250. You’re essentially paying an extra $16-$40 to safeguard $750 of your trip, no matter the reason for your cancellation.

If you’re having second thoughts about a trip you’re planning and suspect you may need to cancel it, CFAR could provide peace of mind.

Most trip insurance providers limit the time during which you can buy CFAR coverage. We reviewed 16 travel insurance policies that offer CFAR as an optional upgrade and found that this add-on must be bought within 10 to 21 days of making your initial trip payment (depending on the company).

In the case of cruise-specific policies, you must buy CFAR coverage before the final payment date of your cruise. You cannot buy a CFAR supplement if your trip has begun.

If you buy travel insurance from a comparison site like Squaremouth, you can filter by policies that offer a CFAR upgrade. When choosing a policy, make sure to select the Cancel For Any Reason add-on (remember, it is optional).

Not every insurance company offers CFAR, so if you’re buying directly from a provider, check to see whether CFAR is available before you buy. Cancel For Any Reason coverage may not be available in every state, and policies may have changed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

If you’re interested in adding this type of coverage to your travel insurance policy, these providers are a good place to start your search.

AAA

Allianz Global Assistance provides AAA’s travel insurance policies. Some AAA travel insurance plans offer a Cancel For Any Reason add-on. You can’t buy such coverage online and must talk to an agent first.

Seven Corners

With Seven Corners, you must insure your trip within 20 days of the first deposit to be covered for 75% of the trip cost. The cancellation must not occur within two days of the scheduled departure. This benefit isn’t available in all states.

Tin Leg

Tin Leg provides the option to cancel for any reason on some of its policies and reimburses up to 75% of nonrefundable expenses for a covered trip. You must buy coverage within 14 days after paying a deposit, cover the full cost of all nonrefundable costs and cancel the trip no fewer than two days before departure.

Travel Guard by AIG

Travel Guard offers the CFAR option as an upgrade to select comprehensive plans. To qualify for a partial refund, you must buy the CFAR upgrade within 15 days of the initial trip deposit, cancel the trip more than 48 hours before departure and insure all prepaid, nonrefundable costs when buying the policy.

Trawick International

Cancel For Any Reason insurance is available as an add-on to the following protection plans by Trawick International: Safe Travels First Class and Safe Travels Voyager. You must buy the coverage within 14 to 21 days of making your first trip payment (depending on the plan) and cancel the trip no fewer than two days before departure.

Is Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance worth it?

If you have any inclination that you may cancel your trip — be it for personal, professional, health, family or other reasons — paying the upcharge for this optional add-on will be worth it.

Rather than being out all of your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses, you’ll lose 25%-50% of those costs.

As always, look closely at transit and lodging cancellation and refund policies because having CFAR coverage may not be necessary for your specific trip plans. If the airline will credit your account with the full value of the ticket, you might be comfortable forgoing getting that money back in your personal bank account (rather than tied up in your loyalty account). Similarly, some hotels offer generous refund policies for certain bookings, and vacation rentals vary in timelines for eligible refunds.

If you booked your trip with a credit card that offers travel insurance, paying out of pocket for CFAR coverage may not be a smart money move. Cross-check your card’s insurance benefits and coverage limits with the CFAR policy in question so you can make the right decision for you.Frequently asked questions

I found a great deal for a vacation, but I’m worried about the coronavirus. Should I get travel insurance and/or CFAR?

Trip cancellation provisions under travel insurance policies have a lot of exclusions. Wanting to cancel because you’re scared to catch the coronavirus isn’t an allowable reason under these policies. The only way to protect a nonrefundable trip is to buy CFAR coverage. If you do cancel, make sure you do so in the allowable time frame (two days for many providers).

My credit card offers trip cancellation coverage. Do I still need to get CFAR if I want to cancel a trip and get a refund?

Similar to the trip cancellation coverage provided by travel insurance policies, credit card trip cancellation coverage has a long list of exclusions. Acceptable reasons for trip cancellation coverage can include bankruptcy, terrorist attacks and extreme weather that prevents a trip from starting. Changes in plans are generally not covered. The only way to protect your nonrefundable trip is to buy travel insurance and get a CFAR optional upgrade.

I bought travel insurance but didn’t add on CFAR. Is it too late?

If it has been more than 10 to 21 days (based on the policy) since you made your initial trip payment, it’s probably too late to buy CFAR coverage. If you’re planning a cruise, CFAR must be bought before your final payment, in most cases.

Can I buy a CFAR insurance policy on its own?

No, you must add a Cancel For Any Reason insurance upgrade to an existing policy. Not all travel insurance policies offer the option to add the CFAR portion, so make sure you read the terms carefully before buying a plan. You can call the insurance provider if you can’t find the information online.

What is the difference between trip cancellation I bought from an insurance provider and the Cancel For Any Reason coverage?

Trip cancellation clauses cover a list of events, such as natural disaster, an airline strike, a hurricane or jury duty, which are typically spelled out in a policy. If a reason isn’t listed, it’s not covered. A CFAR policy, by definition, covers events not specified in the policy, such as border closures or fear of travel, meaning you can cancel without disclosing the reason for cancellation. A standard trip cancellation policy still applies because you buy the two benefit components together. This means that if you have to cancel for a covered reason, you might be eligible for 100% reimbursement instead of the partial refund that a CFAR plan provides.

What are considered nonrefundable expenses?

Because you have to claim 100% of your nonrefundable trip expenses on a CFAR policy, you should be able to identify them. Typically, these expenses are anything you’ve paid for and likely won’t be refunded if you cancel. Examples include: flights that can’t be refunded, a deposit for a Danube cruise, a monthlong Airbnb in Spain, airport transfers in Cancun, amusement park tickets bought for specific dates, a cooking class in Bali, you name it. If you can’t get a refund, it qualifies.

Cancel For Any Reason recapped

The coronavirus has had a significant impact on travel. Many people have had to cancel trips, and some are still hesitant to plan vacations. Though standard travel insurance can protect you when unforeseen circumstances affect you before or during your trip, the coverage comes with a lot of limitations and exclusions.

The best way to protect a nonrefundable trip is to buy a Cancel For Any Reason optional upgrade because it will allow you to cancel for any reason and still receive a sizable reimbursement.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:

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The 7 Best Places to Buy Halloween Decorations

Photo: istockphoto.com

Halloween is fast approaching this year. Whether you’re looking for a few new pieces to liven up your tabletop or mantle or are ready to jump in with both feet and place large inflatables or animatronics outside your home, knowing where to buy Halloween decorations is important. Fortunately, there are several online and in-store retailers that offer all the Halloween decorations you’ll need to bring the Halloween spirit to your home. Get shopping now to make sure your house is ready for the trick-or-treaters who will be arriving before you know it.1. The Home Depot

Price Range: $ to $$$$Return Policy: Most items purchased from The Home Depot are eligible for a return within 90 days of purchase with a receipt. Returns without a receipt will be issued store credit for the lowest advertised price of the product.Top Products: 12-foot Giant-Sized Skeleton—$299 and 6.5-foot Animated Disney Jack Skellington Animatronic—$199

The Home Depot is one of the top places to buy Halloween decorations. While one of the items they may be most well-known for is the giant 12-foot skeleton—complete with animated LCD eyes—the home improvement retailer also has a host of other decor items to offer. These include several oversized, animated outdoor options, such as a huge hovering witch and green dragon, inflatables, fog machines, spooky pathway lights, pumpkins, and more. Whether you’re looking for indoor decorations or want to make your yard the talk of the neighborhood, you’ll be off to a great start by shopping at The Home Depot.

Shop all Halloween Decorations at The Home Depot2. Lowe’s

Price Range: $ to $$$$Return Policy: Most new and unused products can be returned to Lowe’s for a full refund or exchange within 90 days of purchase. Store credit may be issued for returns without a receipt.Top Products: 6-foot Lighted Animatronic Guard Zombie—$209 and Lighted Witch Yard Stakes—$64.98

Known best for being one of the top home improvement retailers, Lowe’s also sells home decor items, including holiday decorations. From several larger-than-life inflatables and animatronics to yard stakes, wreathes, string lights, and more, Lowe’s has your Halloween decor needs covered. You can shop online and browse through the different Halloween collections, or visit one of the over 1,700 stores across the United States to see some of the products in-person.

Shop all Halloween Decorations at Lowe’s3. Michaels

Price Range: $ to $$$Return Policy: Michael’s accepts returns or exchanges within 60 days of the original purchase date with a receipt. Refunds will be issued to the original payment method. For returns without a receipt, customers will be provided store credit or an exchange for the lowest item price within the previous 90 days.Top Products: Witch LED Wall Decor—$34.99 and Jack-O-Lantern Candy Bowl—$49.99

In addition to being the largest arts and crafts retail chain in the country, Michaels is also a wonderful place to shop when you’re looking for seasonal decor. And, this Halloween is no different with the four new collections the national retailer has released. Visit the website or your nearest storefront location to shop from the Electric Halloween collection featuring family-friendly spooky—but not scary—jack-o-lanterns and other items with a fun glow-in-the-dark finish. If you’re looking for something more gothic, then you might want to take a look at the Wicked Garden collection. The Witches’ Lair collection is ideal for those looking to take things back to the days of the Salem Witch Trials and summon the spirits, while the Sweet and Spooky collection takes a lighter spin with pastel-colored skulls, pumpkins, and more.

Shop all Halloween Decorations at Michaels4. Joann

Price Range: $ to $$$$Return Policy: Orders with a receipt will be refunded to the original payment method (less the cost of shipping for online orders). Those looking to make a return without a receipt can either exchange the item or receive store credit in the amount of the lowest item price within the last 90 days.Top Products: 8-inch Animated Skeleton—$299.94 and 23.5-inch Standing Witch Hat—$41.99

Joann is ready to help you gear up for Halloween this year. The retailer—which operates more than 850 stores across the county—has been a popular destination for crafters and DIYers since 1943. Check out the Halloween Headquarters online or in a store near you to find everything from tabletop decor, outdoor inflatables, decorative pumpkins, floral arrangements and more. If you’re feeling crafty and want to DIY your own decorations, Joann also offers a wide selection of Halloween fabrics, ceramics for painting, and other craft kits.

Shop all Halloween Decorations at Joann5. Amazon

Price Range: $ to $$$Return Policy: Most products shipped from Amazon.com can be returned within 30 days. Products that were not sold by Amazon.com may have different return policies, so be sure to verify these before making a purchase.Top Products: Giant Spider and Web—$19.99 and Flameless Color-Changing Votive Candles—$14.99

You can find pretty much anything you need or want on Amazon, and Halloween decorations are no exception. The online retailer has a wide assortment of indoor and outdoor decorations and accessories that will help you bring your vision to life. From life-size spooky animatronics, inflatables, pathway lights, tabletop, and mantle decor, and so much more, you can add all of your favorites to your cart and, in most cases, have them delivered right to your door within a few days.

Shop all Halloween Decorations at Amazon6. Spirit Halloween

Photo: spirithalloween.com

Price Range: $ to $$$Return Policy: New and unused products that are in the original packaging can be returned within 14 days of purchase. During the Halloween season, online returns must be postmarked no later than October 22nd..Top Products: 4.5-foot Sitting Scarecrow Animatronic—$99.99 and 9-foot Light-Up Jack-O-Lantern Archway Inflatable—$149.99

Spirit Halloween is the largest Halloween retailer in the country. With more than 1,500 storefront locations, it is likely that there is one in your area where you can stop by and browse through all of the Halloween merchandise. The retailer also sells decorations, costumes, and various other Halloween accessories online through its website. Look through various Halloween decoration categories, such as animatronics, indoor decor, props, fog machines, collectibles, and more to find everything you need for a perfectly spooky holiday.

Shop all Halloween Decorations at Spirit Halloween7. Ikea

Price Range: $ to $$Return Policy: Ikea accepts returns of new and unopened products with a receipt within 365 days of purchase. Opened products with a receipt can be returned within 180 days.Top Products: Spider Tealight Holder—$2.99 and Ghost Pillar Candle—$3.99

Ikea is probably not the first place you’d think of when shopping for Halloween decorations. And, until this year, you’d have good reason to think that since they haven’t had a Halloween collection before. However, this year is different: Ikea has just launched its first set of Halloween decorations. The selection won’t rival what you’ll find from chains with a longer history of selling Halloween products, but you might just find a few pieces to add some flair to your mantle, end table, or sofa.

Shop all Halloween Decorations at IkeaHow We Chose the Best Places to Buy Halloween Decorations

Curating this list of the best places to buy Halloween decorations was no simple task. With so many retailers — with both online and storefront locations — narrowing down the list to the top choices featured above took some time. The retailers that made the cut all offer a wide assortment of decorations to match different styles and preferences. These companies also have products available at different price points, providing something for nearly any budget.

Another important consideration when pairing down the list of retailers was brand reputation. Each of the companies listed above has been in business for several years and has proven to be reliable and trustworthy. They all also offer a fair return policy to protect users against defective products or allow them to return items that don’t end up matching their vision.

03

Disbursement Policy

Financial aid awards are calculated based on the number of units per semester.

Disbursements begin:one week before the start of the semester, anddisburse twice a week through Census and continue weekly thereafter.

A change in enrollment or an increase in aid eligibility may cause an over-award.Receive Your Aid

To ensure you receive your financial aid, make sure to monitor activity in your Student Center:Clear all Financial Aid holds listed in the “Holds” section.Submit all “initiated” To Do List Items promptly.Understand unit requirements in relationship to your award amount.

Refunds

All enrollment costs and fees are deducted financial aid prior to calculating a refund.

Refunds are delivered after disbursement:eRefund: 2 – 3 business daysCheck: mailed to the student or parent’s permanent address

Sign up for eRefund Cancelling Aid

You have the right to cancel all or a portion of your loan(s):within 14 days of being notified funds have been applied to your student account, orwithin 14 days after the start of the semester, whichever is later.

Complete the Change in Aid Form to initiate the change.

Change in Aid FormPell and Cal Grants Unit Requirements

Aid distribution is based on full-time enrollment. The following guidelines demonstrate how funds are distributed based on a student’s enrolled units.Less than 6 units*: Adjusted amount Zero6 – 8.9 units: 50%9 – 11 units: 75%12 or more units: 100%

*Credential Students must be enrolled in six Pell-eligible credential units in order to receive the Pell Grant.State University Grant and Federal Direct Student Loans

Funds from loans are based on full-time enrollment. The following guidelines demonstrate how funds are distributed based on a student’s enrolled units.Undergraduate*: 6 unitsGraduate: 4 units

*If a student is enrolled in a single semester and it is their final semester (a graduating senior), their Direct Loans will be prorated based on the total units enrolled and remaining eligibility.Repeating a Course

Federal regulations require federal aid may only be awarded to an undergraduate, graduate or a professional student once for a previously passed course.

In addition, the following enrollment situations do not count as enrolled units and are not counted for a financial aid disbursement purposes:Wait-listedAuditContinuous Enrollment

Over Award

Prior to each disbursement, the system will verify the number of units you are currently enrolled in and disburse aid accordingly.

An over-award occurs when a student is disbursed aid in excess of their eligibility. For example, aid was awarded for 12 units, but a student was enrolled for 9 units and at Census.

Students are required to repay aid for which they are determined to be ineligible.