DFAT Warning [Do NOT Travel overseas]

[prozac]

Starting off with 2 very important assumptions: 1. your insurer is an Australian insurer subject to the Insurance Contracts Act, and 2. what they are trying to do is cancel your policy after it has started, not refusing to renew your policy at its agreed end date;

Then, assuming that both of the above is correct in your individual case, I suggest that you inform your insurer that you have done nothing to breach section 60 of the Insurance Contracts Act, that their purported cancellation is invalid under section 63 of the Insurance Contracts Act and that should you need to make a claim which they then refuse, you will be immediately reporting them to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.

Having said that, I think you should try and get back to Australia anyway, not just because your travel insurer is trying to play silly buggers.

The insurer I arranged for my daughter, Columbus Direct, has told me verbally she is still covered for medical, theft etc, but excluding excluding covid-19, saying this is because she had already commenced her travel prior to the warning. This is despite the T&C saying if you choose to stay in an area that is at risk you are not covered. I wish I had it in writing.

 

[Pushka]

The insurer I arranged for my daughter, Columbus Direct, has told me verbally she is still covered for medical, theft etc, but excluding excluding covid-19, saying this is because she had already commenced her travel prior to the warning. This is despite the T&C saying if you choose to stay in an area that is at risk you are not covered. I wish I had it in writing.

Can you get confirmation via FB or messenger? Then you can take a screenshot as 'evidence'.

 

[Anna]

This is their policy. I'm going to be slamming them a little over the next few weeks with non refundable cancellation costs.

UPDATE: Global Coronavirus Outbreak - InsureandGo Australia

Issued 3:45pm AEDT, 2nd February 2020. Updated 5:00pm AEDT, 4th February 2020.

www.insureandgo.com.au

If this is what people are complaining about - Please note that while the level 4 alert is in place for the whole world, your Policy will now not cover you if your claim results from any overseas travel, including if you decide to remain overseas - that is not the insurer attempting to say the policy is void (as it would still be valid domestically) and nor is it an attempt to cancel the policy. It sounds to me like a not particularly well-worded attempt to rely on an exclusion clause in the policy.

 

[Pushka]

If this is what people are complaining about - Please note that while the level 4 alert is in place for the whole world, your Policy will now not cover you if your claim results from any overseas travel, including if you decide to remain overseas - that is not the insurer attempting to say the policy is void (as it would still be valid domestically) and nor is it an attempt to cancel the policy. It sounds to me like a not particularly well-worded attempt to rely on an exclusion clause in the policy.

I think that's the problematic clause Anna. Can you unravel the legal speak? Is Mattg covered as long as he escapes as soon as the 14 period is over?

 

[prozac]

Anna, this is the latest from the Columbus Direct site whom we selected for my daughters travel. www.columbusdirect.com.au/content/alert-global-coronavirus-outbreak/

I have to say I do not fully understand it, if she wishes to claim for something unrelated to Covid-19

 

[Anna]

I think that's the problematic clause Anna. Can you unravel the legal speak? Is Mattg covered as long as he escapes as soon as the 14 period is over?

All I can say is his insurer is not allowed to tell him his policy is 'void' due to the DFAT alert as per one of his posts (subject to the 2 assumptions I gave above). Nobody has posted the actual exclusion clause in the policy, only a marketing alert from the insurer which is ambiguous.

Post automatically merged: Mar 21, 2020

Anna, this is the latest from the Columbus Direct site whom we selected for my daughters travel. www.columbusdirect.com.au/content/alert-global-coronavirus-outbreak/

I have to say I do not fully understand it, if she wishes to claim for something unrelated to Covid-19

It depends. On when she got the policy, where she is, and what her actual policy says, not just what a marketing alert from the insurer says.

 

[opusman]

If your bag is stolen while you're overseas that's nothing to do with coronavirus.
If you slip over and break your leg while you're overseas that's nothing to do with coronavirus.
Hard to see how they can justify excluding any claims due to overseas travel.

 

[Anna]

And if you happen to slip over and break a leg overseas, are the medical expenses you'll claim for due to overseas travel or due to slipping over?

 

[drron]

And what if you slipped over running from someone coughing.

 

[Anna]

And what if what you want to claim for is repatriation expenses in J with a carer because you need more space for your leg and you can't look after yourself properly on the journey? Is that a claim due to overseas travel?

 

[prozac]

And what if you slipped over running from someone coughing.

A bunch of people with kids blocking my walk on the beach yesterday. Yeah I know, it's the beach why not just walk around them. I started coughing and they moved. Mrs Prozac told me to stop it.

 

[drron]

A bunch of people with kids blocking my walk on the beach yesterday. Yeah I know, it's the beach why not just walk around them. I started coughing and they moved. Mrs Prozac told me to stop it.

Works well doesn't it?

 

[Archphoto]

Anna, this is the latest from the Columbus Direct site whom we selected for my daughters travel. www.columbusdirect.com.au/content/alert-global-coronavirus-outbreak/

I have to say I do not fully understand it, if she wishes to claim for something unrelated to Covid-19

Looks like they're attempting to use the Level 4 Travel Restriction, however, it does say (my highlight in RED:

"There is no cover under any section of a policy if you remain in a region or country for which the DFAT advisory rose to Level 4 (Do Not Travel) while you were there, if you were able to leave but instead opted to remain."

I have friends who are working in coughet right now, and their insurer originally stated (on Monday 16/3) they would be covered for "emergency accommodation" which included Covid-19 lockdown. When I advised their PA to check this again on Wednesday, after the announcement that our borders would be closed to all foreign nationals, the insurer declared that they would not be covered, as Covid-19 is not "terrorism or a natural disaster". They have ultimately been forced to return to AU, not because of the TH government or our border closures, but instead, due to SQ cancelling flights; they got the last 3 seats for their flight back to ADL on Sunday 22/3.

In essence: it appears that if you have to stay due to local country laws, they will cover you, but if you choose to stay under the current Level 4 alert (and aren't in lockdown), you're on your own. Doesn't help if you're involved in a car accident on the way to your flight which lands you with a medical bill, after all, you're attempting to leave and get hurt/lose luggage/or are delayed, it's not through any fault of your own.

Of course, they could use the fact that on 31st January 2020, the WHO deemed this event an international health emergency, as yet another way to wriggle out of payments. Overseas prior to this announcement, the policy may cover you, but who knows - I'd be contacting them to clarify such a scenario as described above.

Good luck!

 

[prozac]

Looks like they're attempting to use the Level 4 Travel Restriction, however, it does say (my highlight in RED:

"There is no cover under any section of a policy if you remain in a region or country for which the DFAT advisory rose to Level 4 (Do Not Travel) while you were there, if you were able to leave but instead opted to remain."

I have friends who are working in coughet right now, and their insurer originally stated (on Monday 16/3) they would be covered for "emergency accommodation" which included Covid-19 lockdown. When I advised their PA to check this again on Wednesday, after the announcement that our borders would be closed to all foreign nationals, the insurer declared that they would not be covered, as Covid-19 is not "terrorism or a natural disaster". They have ultimately been forced to return to AU, not because of the TH government or our border closures, but instead, due to SQ cancelling flights; they got the last 3 seats for their flight back to ADL on Sunday 22/3.

In essence: it appears that if you have to stay due to local country laws, they will cover you, but if you choose to stay under the current Level 4 alert (and aren't in lockdown), you're on your own. Doesn't help if you're involved in a car accident on the way to your flight which lands you with a medical bill, after all, you're attempting to leave and get hurt/lose luggage/or are delayed, it's not through any fault of your own.

Of course, they could use the fact that on 31st January 2020, the WHO deemed this event an international health emergency, as yet another way to wriggle out of payments. Overseas prior to this announcement, the policy may cover you, but who knows - I'd be contacting them to clarify such a scenario as described above.

Good luck!

Per an earlier post I phoned Columbus and was told my daughter would be covered in every other regard if she stayed. Right now she cannot leave as she has flu like symptoms, runny nose, cough, feeling run down. The Dutch testing hotline has told her she is not permitted to travel but they will not test her so don't come in, stay self isolated.
I called the Aussie embassy who said they cannot intervene and ask another country to do something like test her. The Dutch embassy says she is not permitted to leave without a "clearance paper". In any event if she fronts up at Schiphol she will be denied boarding because of her state of health.

I don't want her to travel and pass on anything or bring it back to Australia should she have it, nor do I want her to catch something by traveling home in an immune depleted state.

She has another 9 days or so before she has 14 days under her belt. Who knows what might change by then.

As all refusal to test and embassy advice is verbal I guess that is hard to prove to the TI company.

 

[Flashback]

Per an earlier post I phoned Columbus and was told my daughter would be covered in every other regard if she stayed. Right now she cannot leave as she has flu like symptoms, runny nose, cough, feeling run down. The Dutch testing hotline has told her she is not permitted to travel but they will not test her so don't come in, stay self isolated.
I called the Aussie embassy who said they cannot intervene and ask another country to do something like test her. The Dutch embassy says she is not permitted to leave without a "clearance paper". In any event if she fronts up at Schiphol she will be denied boarding because of her state of health.

I don't want her to travel and pass on anything or bring it back to Australia should she have it, nor do I want her to catch something by traveling home in an immune depleted state.

She has another 9 days or so before she has 14 days under her belt. Who knows what might change by then.

As all refusal to test and embassy advice is verbal I guess that is hard to prove to the TI company.

As I'm not too far from there, if there's anything I can do to help her please let me know.

 

[prozac]

As I'm not too far from there, if there's anything I can do to help her please let me know.

That is so kind of you to offer Flashback. I think she will be fine.

My main concern is if she will have insurance cover say for that broken leg scenario if the borders close and she has no choice but to stay. Otherwise I am not particularly concerned as NL is not as high risk as some other countries, and right now we don't even know how Australia will fare with the infection rate rising.
I'd feel happier if I knew she had cover that is unrelated to Covid-19.

At this stage of the developing illness spread I have concerns about traveling back if you do not have to.

 

[Flashback]

That is so kind of you to offer Flashback. I think she will be fine.

My main concern is if she will have insurance cover say for that broken leg scenario if the borders close and she has no choice but to stay. Otherwise I am not particularly concerned as NL is not as high risk as some other countries, and right now we don't even know how Australia will fare with the infection rate rising.
I'd feel happier if I knew she had cover that is unrelated to Covid-19.

At this stage of the developing illness spread I have concerns about traveling back if you do not have to.

If it helps, NL does have an agreement with AU; so any medical issues should be unilaterally covered by that.

NL was my first cancelled trip, was supposed to be there for my birthday in 2 weeks but instead shall sit at home!

 

[Archphoto]

Per an earlier post I phoned Columbus and was told my daughter would be covered in every other regard if she stayed. Right now she cannot leave as she has flu like symptoms, runny nose, cough, feeling run down. The Dutch testing hotline has told her she is not permitted to travel but they will not test her so don't come in, stay self isolated.
I called the Aussie embassy who said they cannot intervene and ask another country to do something like test her. The Dutch embassy says she is not permitted to leave without a "clearance paper". In any event if she fronts up at Schiphol she will be denied boarding because of her state of health.

I don't want her to travel and pass on anything or bring it back to Australia should she have it, nor do I want her to catch something by traveling home in an immune depleted state.

She has another 9 days or so before she has 14 days under her belt. Who knows what might change by then.

As all refusal to test and embassy advice is verbal I guess that is hard to prove to the TI company.

Seems the insurer is agreeing that as she isn't permitted to leave, she will be covered. Not being able to be tested is most definitely very worrisome, I hope that it is nothing more serious than a nasty cold and that they'll be testing her if she experiences a rise in her temperature.

Best wishes for her speedy recovery.

 

[prozac]

If it helps, NL does have an agreement with AU; so any medical issues should be unilaterally covered by that.

NL was my first cancelled trip, was supposed to be there for my birthday in 2 weeks but instead shall sit at home!

Form A-111 for reciprocal medical but you are in the public system for specialists etc.

You are not there now?

 

[Flashback]

Form A-111 for reciprocal medical but you are in the public system for specialists etc.

You are not there now?

I like in the UK, but if someone really needed help I would quite literally get on my bike and go to help them

I was meant to be there in 2 weeks for my birthday, but that's obviously been canned.