Overview
Before we jump in - a few disclaimers
We’ve worked very closely with travel industry lawyers to develop these tools, but the information we give should not be seen as legal advice. Always consult with your legal counsel for specific questions.
As you use Tern to share insurance quotes and get credit card authorization, please remember that you are responsible for knowing travel insurance rules and regulations. Selling travel insurance is regulated differently based on where you and your clients are located. You are responsible for understanding these regulations and presenting insurance options to your clients in a compliant way.
How Tern approaches travel insurance
Tern makes it easy to share insurance quotes with customers, and allows them to select an option to authorize or opt out entirely. We save their selections for your record keeping, and collect their credit card information in a PCI compliant way.
Based on legal recommendations provided while we were building this out, we do not include things like a "custom insurance description" you write yourself on purpose. You should not be providing specific policy details or answering questions on what is or is not covered. Always link directly to the insurance supplier, and direct your clients to ask them (not you) any questions they may have.
Before you dive in below, we highly recommend reviewing our article on Credit Card Authorization. In this article we will highlight specific workflows related to insurance, and skip over other important information related to getting payments authorized.
If you know what you're looking for and want to jump ahead, click on the relevant links below:
Preparing your account for travel insurance authorization
Setting up travel insurance
Client experience: selecting insurance & authorizing payment
Records & receipts
Preparing your account for travel insurance authorization
In order to collect credit card authorization for travel insurance, you'll need to ensure your account is ready from a security and compliance standpoint. Please follow the instructions outlined in our article on Credit Card Authorization.
Setting up travel insurance
1. First, choose a trip that you'd like to add Insurance options to and click the 'Insurance' tab
2. You will see two options set up by default - 'declining to insure trip', and 'opting to buy insurance elsewhere'
These options will show up to your clients when they make their insurance selection, so you can track an 'opt out' for your records.
3. If you'd like to present options to your client for selection / authorization, click 'Add Insurance Option'
3. Next, fill out policy information
Add the insurance name and supplier, and upload or link to the supplier policy.
It is strongly recommended that you include the quote number & date from the supplier.
Add the price of the policy. Make sure it is the exact amount you will make the credit card payment for.
4. Add as many options as you'd like to present to your client. When you are ready, toggle 'ready for client review' at the top of the page
Note: as with other changes you make, you'll need to re-publish the trip for your client to see these new insurance options you added.
Client experience: selecting insurance & authorizing payment
1. Once your insurance options are published, you client will see the Insurance is ready for review at the top right side of their trip
2. They will click the Insurance to review, and will see the options you provided, along with the ability to opt out
If they opt out and there aren't any other pending credit card authorizations to make, they are all set! If there are other authorizations, they can make them on the next screen.
3. If they do decide to authorize a specific quote, they will be prompted to authorize payment for it on the next page
If there are other pending credit card authorizations, they can make them at this time as well. Learn more about what this looks like in our article on Credit Card Authorization.
Once they submit, they are all set.
Records & receipts
1. Once a client has authorized an insurance option, you will both receive an email confirmation
2. Attached to the email is a PDF receipt
3. You will see the insurance option as authorized in the product, along with credit card details
It will remain authorized for 30 days before it expires. Note: if you change any required fields after authorization (supplier, policy, or price), we will reset authorization status immediately.
4. You will also see any authorizations logged under 'trip activity'
