Travel Alert
The Office of Risk Services is working with the University's travel and risk insurance partners to monitor the situation in Japan on a daily basis. The situation is very fluid. Periodically, Risk Services will post an travel alert for Japan and update it as the situation dictates.
July 19, 2011
This is a travel alert (pdf) for travel to Japan as updated by the United States Department of State.
April 15, 2011
Given that the Department of State has lifted Voluntary Authorized Departure, allowing dependents of the U.S. government employees to return to Japan, travel restrictions to Japan have been lifted by the University and its insurance partners. Note that the Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens avoid travel within the 50-mile radius of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. U.S. citizens who are still within this radius should evacuate or shelter in place. We urge you to visit the Department of State Web site for more information.
As always, be sure to register your travel — unless you have booked your travel through Connexxus, in which case you will be automatically enrolled. This will ensure that the University and our travel partners can provide you with information and services important to your security, health and safety, both before and during your travels.
If you have any questions, please contact your local Risk Managers and/or here at the Office of the President.
April 1, 2011
The University of California is still urging campuses to suspend all non-essential travel to Japan by faculty, staff and/or students.
In practical terms, we do refer, and urge a review of, the U.S. Department of State Travel Warning of March 30th which states, in part, that "U.S. citizens should defer non-essential travel to the following regions: Tokyo (Tokyo Capital Region), Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture), and the prefectures of Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki, Iwate, Miyagi, Nagano, Niigata, Saitama, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Yamagata, and Yamanashi."
In addition, our travel insurance security provider has advised that non-essential travel to affected zones should be avoided.
The only insurance that may not provide coverage for travel to Japan is the UC Travel Insurance, which is only for business related travel (it does not cover personal travel, other than taking a "travel deviation" or "side trips" during a business trip).
So, all of your other insurance you have in place — life, disability, health, etc., — are still in place if you travel to Japan.
If you were to decide to travel today to Japan for work purposes you could do so, as long as it is essential travel on behalf of UC for official business, such as doing work with a governmental agency and/or you have your Chancellor's approval. You would be covered by workers' compensation while traveling to and working in Japan.
If you decided to travel there solely for personal reasons you would be covered by your health benefits, but some coverages by the travel insurance policy may not be applicable because of the State Department Warning.
We plan to review and update this alert on April 15, 2011.
If you have any questions, please contact or of Risk Services.
March 19, 2011
Dear Colleagues-
In light of the suspension of the University of California Education Abroad Programs (UCEAP in Japan, our current efforts to evacuate UC personnel from Japan, and US Department of State recommendations), the University of California is suspending all non-essential travel to Japan by Faculty, Staff, and students. Only those researchers who have been requested by either the United States or Japanese government, with official documentation, and approval of their Campus Chancellor will be permitted to travel to Japan.
In addition to the reasons stated above, the University has been informed by its travel insurance provider that insurance coverage has been suspended for travel to Japan. Those who are currently in Japan are being evacuated. Those insisting on staying are being required by the insurance carrier to sign waivers indicating that they understand that they are no longer covered under the University's Travel Insurance program and will not be provided evacuation assistance at a later date.
As conditions change, this policy will be reviewed and modified as necessary. If you have questions on this policy, please contact or . I have sent this note to the Chancellors, EVCs and Vice Chancellors of Administration — please forward this note to any other officials on your campus you feel should get this information.
Thank you,
Nathan Brostrom