Finance

Accounting

Foreign Travel Approval Process

All individuals (faculty, staff & students) who travel internationally on CSU business are required to obtain foreign travel insurance (FTIP) through our campus Risk Management Department that works with Alliant Insurance Services and the CSU Risk Management Authority (CSURMA).

All foreign travel must be preapproved by our campus President. Under certain circumstances, approval must also be secured from the CSU Chancellor's Office. For travel to locations under the State Department travel warning site and to other locations considered by CSU to be potentially high hazard locations, additional information and documents will be required from the traveler, as part of increasing traveler safety and securing insurance coverage. For all destinations, foreign travel insurance (FTIP) cannot be finalized or bound until all approvals are obtained, including in some rare cases, the Department of Justice or the US Treasury Department.

SPECIAL NOTE: It is the traveler's responsibility to notify Risk Management immediately of any travel plan changes. This includes changes to dates of travel, countries visited, or if travel plans are cancelled. Changes may cause coverage problems if we do not have advance notice from the traveler. Insurance costs will still be assessed if a cancellation is not conveyed timely.

Steps

  1. Traveler completes a RAT with a separate chartstring with estimated cost for foreign travel insurance (FTIP). Use account code 660010 on the RAT for foreign travel insurance.
  2. Department sends the RAT to the Academic Dean and VP/Provost for signature/approval.
  3. Once approved by the Dean and VP/Provost, Department or Division Analyst sends the RAT to the President's Office for signature/approval.
  4. Once approved by the President, a copy of the signed RAT needs to be sent via email to Risk Management with a request for foreign travel insurance (FTIP).
  5. Request travel insurance from Risk Management and obtain travel approval at least 30 days in advance for non-high hazard countries, 45 days in advance for high hazard countries and 60 days in advance for groups of 10 or more. Requests made on shorter notice are subject to disapproval or trip cancellation due to inability to secure the required insurance coverage prior to departure.
  6. Risk Management will contact and send a copy of the RAT to Alliant/CSURMA to request insurance be bound for the proposed travel. As needed, Risk Management will contact the traveler to request additional information and documents.
  7. Once Risk Management receives confirmation that the foreign travel insurance (FTIP) is bound, proof of foreign travel insurance coverage and travel assist ID card will be sent via email to the traveler, with a copy to the Division Analyst and any designated Department Contact. Traveler must carry the travel assist card with them at all times while traveling.
  8. After the travel is completed, on a quarterly basis, Risk Management will initiate a chargeback to the chartstring listed on the RAT for the cost of the foreign travel insurance.

rev 2/2016