If your church or ministry plans a mission trip, you will realise that the costs of flights, accommodation, food and activities can quickly add up. At this stage, it can be tempting to opt out of travel insurance or pick something that covers the bare minimum. However, it’s crucial to understand that this can put your whole mission trip at risk if anything were to go wrong.
Events like medical emergencies, natural disasters, and civil unrest could derail all those months of planning and fundraising. For instance, a team member could fall ill and require emergency medical treatment, or sudden protests could disrupt your mission activities. These are just a few examples of the many unforeseen events that could occur during a mission trip.
The Cost of Not Insuring Your Mission Trip
When we consider the substantial costs of airline tickets, accommodation, and ground transport, which groups diligently plan and fundraise for, it’s surprising that travel insurance is often the last or even forgotten piece of the puzzle. The potential risks of not insuring your mission trip can be significant. However, when compared to the overall cost of a mission trip, the cost of purchasing Corporate Travel Insurance is a small additional expense that can provide significant peace of mind, knowing that you are prepared for any unforeseen events.
It’s crucial to have Corporate Travel Insurance in place from the moment tickets are booked. This policy immediately provides cover against loss of deposits or cancellations that may occur before the trip departs. For instance, if a team member falls ill and is deemed unfit to travel, and airline tickets or accommodation costs are non-refundable, the Corporate Travel Policy can cover these costs. This immediate benefit of the policy can save you from potential financial loss, providing a safety net for your mission trip.
Once on the trip, team members can be protected in the event of a medical emergency, lost baggage, stolen passports, or a hire car being damaged. Medical costs, in particular, can be significant. Here is a real-life example from one of our clients:
One missionary organisation faced a $180,000 air ambulance bill to evacuate and treat a team leader who suffered a heart attack in the field. The medical and medical evacuation expenses component of their Corporate Travel policy covered the costs.
Even at top facilities in major cities, many hospitals require upfront payment or proof of insurance before admitting or treating patients. Missing that step could quickly make your mission a nightmare.
On another occasion, a church group in Bangkok had all their money, personal belongings and travel documents stolen. Again, their Corporate Travel policy reimbursed stolen cash, assisted in the cost of re-issuing passports and travel documents and covered the cost of replacing luggage and personal effects.
The Importance of a Group Mission Trip Insurance Plan
When it comes to insuring your mission team, we recommend purchasing a policy to cover all members of your travelling party. Trusting individual members to take individual travel insurance can be problematic. If an emergency arises, this fragmented approach may leave your group with inconsistent coverage levels and complicated claims processes by dealing with multiple insurers.
Instead, opt for a comprehensive group corporate travel plan that covers all team members, staff, volunteers or delegates under one unified policy. This streamlined approach ensures everyone has consistent protection tailored for mission trip needs. It also simplifies the entire insurance process, from purchasing the policy to lodging claims.
When you purchase a Corporate Travel insurance policy through ACS Financial, you’ll be guided through the process by our experienced consultants. If you need to make a claim, our team will assist you every step of the way, making the process as smooth and hassle-free as possible. This lets you focus on your mission trip rather than insurance.
Key Policy Features
Corporate Travel insurance policies are designed to provide comprehensive coverage for various risks and emergencies. Here are some of the key covers included:
Subject to certain policy limitations, Corporate Travel policies are designed to provide travellers with benefits including:
- Loss of Deposits and Cancellation Expenses
Unexpected situations, such as a team member’s injury or illness or the unexpected death of a relative, that prevent one of your team members from travelling can result in costs that may not be refundable by your airline or accommodation. Loss of Deposits and Cancellation Expenses can reimburse pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs that may be incurred due to unforeseeable circumstances entirely outside of the team’s control. - Medical and Medical Evacuation Expenses
If one of your team members is injured or unwell, the policy can cover medical or evacuation expenses to the nearest qualified medical facility. It may also cover the cost of returning the insured to their home country if necessary. - Additional and/or Forfeited Expenses
This benefit can provide cover for unbudgeted additional travel or accommodation expenses that may be due to the illness or injury of one of your team members or essential expenses incurred due to adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, civil commotion, or strikes. - Baggage Loss
This benefit can reimburse costs for replacing luggage, clothing, toiletries, medications, and other essential items if lost or stolen. Some policies can even provide emergency cash advances to ensure your team has immediate access to funds to pay for necessities. - Baggage Delay
Sometimes, your luggage doesn’t make it to your destination for whatever reason. When baggage is misplaced or delayed by your airline, cover can be provided to purchase essential items to tide you over. - Political Risk, Natural Disaster and Personal Safety Evacuation Expenses
This benefit can cover transportation to safety or assist in removing the team from a situation where their personal safety or security is at risk in the event of an earthquake, extreme weather conditions or perhaps civil unrest. - 24/7 Travel Assistance
Top travel insurers provide 24/7 emergency assistance for issues like missing baggage, lost travel documents, rebooking flights and more through their provider networks. This can prove invaluable when your mission encounters hurdles in remote locations. If you need to lodge a claim, our team will guide you through the process and provide the necessary support, making the process as smooth and hassle-free as possible.
The above list is just a small example of the cover that can be provided by a Corporate Travel policy. Always read the Product Disclosure Statements provided by the insurer in conjunction with the Schedule of Benefits to understand the full scope of coverage and what limits may apply to certain types of claims. If you are unclear about any aspect of the policy, talk to your broker or insurance provider.
How Much Does Mission Trip Travel Insurance Cost?
It is probably not as expensive as you think. Costs for mission travel insurance can vary based on factors like:
- Number of travellers
- Mission trip destination(s)
- Age of insured travellers
- Trip duration
- Coverage limits and benefits selected
Here at ACS Financial, we specialise in sourcing customised group mission trip travel plans that can fit various budgets. One of our experienced consultants can discuss this over a short phone call.
Don’t let an unforeseen medical crisis, natural disaster or travel emergency derail your vital mission work.
Call us at 1800 952 373 to discuss how we can help protect your mission team.
For over 30 years, ACS Financial has focused on providing insurance solutions for churches, charities, and not-for-profit organisations that undertake mission trips worldwide. We can provide access to highly customised plans tailored to provide the precise coverage your mission trip requires.