Has anyone been impacted by the Coronavirus? Will travel insurance cover the costs if we wanted to cancel? Especially if the flights are with points.

[juddles]

......

Reading more into their FAQ the below wording makes me thing they will still cover medical expenses as long as i am not in China. Is this how you guys read it too? Correct me if i am wrong.
......

" If you travel to a country affected by the Coronavirus (China) and contract the virus, there is no cover for overseas medical expenses. "

 

[Bell21]

do a word search in the PDS for 'epidemic' you'll find the following:

• natural disaster means any event or force of nature that has catastrophic consequences, such as avalanche, earthquake, flood, bush fire, hurricane, tornado, cyclone, tsunami and volcanic eruption, but not epidemics or pandemics.

This applies in conjunction with the section for 'additional travel and accommodation expenses', which covers natural disasters (but would exclude epidemics and pandemics).

So you might be covered for medical expenses (tick), or perhaps cancelled flights or hotels (which would be refunded by the airline/hotel anyway) due to an epidemic, but if you were stuck mid holiday because you airline cancelled your onward flight... the cost of accommodation etc and alternative arrangements would not be covered if due to an epidemic.

It's certainly an interesting topic - I'm (currently!) flying to Europe in mid-April and I rang Chubb Insurance (as I have an AMEX Plat card) to check what I would be covered for, since I ticketed my SQ flights just after the Known Event of the coronavirus. After waiting on hold (not unexpectedly at present) for 75 mins, I found out, as expected, that I wouldn't be covered for any cancellation costs, which I'm fine with, as I always book flights on points (small cancellation costs) and book hotels with flexible cancellation terms. However, they did explain that the timing of booking the trip is not relevant in the context of the Known Event, as at least for AMEX Plat travel cover, pandemics and epidemics are not EXCLUDED for medical expenses. My main risk, therefore, as indicated above, appears to be if I got stuck mid-holiday with cancelled flights etc.

 

[Bell21]

Admittedly stupid on our part - but we have a trip to Japan this weekend for 2 weeks. Normally we book though amex plat and use their travel insurance but got these flights on points. Didn't really think about it until now and currently have no medical travel insurance for Japan. Not worried about flight cancellations as can cover the cost of rebooking but a little wary of not having medical insurance. Are any Australian providers covering coronavirus issues anyway?

This is probably too late a reply to be helpful, but if you booked the flights on points and paid the taxes on the AMEX plat card, as I understand it, you are likely to be covered by the card's travel insurance - if you read my reply above, you'll see that at least on the info I was provided (which I still need to double-check in the PDS), it appears that medical expenses related to the coronavirus may be covered under this insurance YMMV!

 

[Ktan89]

Reading more into their FAQ the below wording makes me thing they will still cover medical expenses as long as i am not in China. Is this how you guys read it too? Correct me if i am wrong.

All FAQs and comparing of travel insurance - Travel Insuranz

Travel Insuranz has pulled together all the questions we are normally asked about travel insurance on our FAQs. If you have anything else, ask us online now.

www.travelinsuranz.com.au

More update to my previous post. I asked them about covering medical expenses and they came back with the below.
anyone used travel insuranz before, will you recommend?

Thank you for getting in touch in respect to how the Travel Insuranz policy may respond to the Coronavirus outbreak. This global pandemic that originated out of China has now spread to other countries and created a large amount of uncertainty for travellers.

Currently, the Australian Government has issued a travel advisory, recommending that you 'Do Not Travel' to China (effective the 2nd February 2020) and Iran (effective 29 February 2020). These are the only countries with a specific Level 4 warning in place in respect to the Coronavirus, with the number of other countries having had their travel warnings raised, but not to the same level. Provided there is no Australian government 'Do Not Travel' warning current for your travel destination at the later of the date you purchase your policy or book your ticket, then if subsequently the Australian government puts in place a 'Do Not Travel' warning for your place of travel, then under Section 1 cover may be available.


Section 1 – Cancellation Fees, Lost Deposits and Curtailment

You are covered up to the amount shown in the Schedule of Cover in the event your trip is necessarily and unavoidably cancelled prior to departure or curtailed before completion because of any of the following events first occurring during the period of insurance: …



h. a Government regulation following an epidemic or natural disaster that stops you from travelling.



i. a Level 4 warning (“do not travel”) issued by the Australian government on the www.smarttraveller.gov.au website advising against travel to or through a country which forms a major part of your itinerary or prevention of access by the Government of the country in question.

Such advice against travel must be issued after you booked your trip or purchased your policy from us, whichever is the latter and still be in place 14 days prior to your scheduled travel to the country in question for this section to respond.


Section 2 – Overseas Medical Expenses

We will cover you up to the amount shown in the Schedule of Cover for necessary and reasonable costs incurred as a result of your bodily injury, illness or death during your trip in respect of:-

a. emergency medical, surgical and hospital treatment and transportation….

b. additional travel and accommodation expenses (to a level comparable with your pre-booked travel and accommodation) to enable you to return home if you are unable to continue your trip as originally planned and where your return home is certified by a doctor to be strictly necessary on medical grounds..


If you incur medical expenses with associated additional expenses as a result of contracting coronavirus, there may be cover up to the benefit limit. When assessing claims our administrators will consider the Australian Government warnings in place at the time you purchased your policy and where you chose to travel.

General note:
No two claims are the same and accordingly, claims are assessed on a case-by-case basis. The guidance provided herein is of a general nature. Claims are assessed on their individual merits and are subject to the terms and conditions of the policy wording.

Please remember that before submitting a claim travellers should:

Contact their airlines to confirm that their flights have been cancelled and discuss potential alternative arrangements.

Contact their travel agents or their airlines and/or accommodation providers to see what costs they will meet or amendment concessions or refunds they are prepared to provide.



All current alerts can be accessed on the Australian Smart Traveller website which you can access by clicking here.

We trust this answers your query.

Kind regards,
The Travel Insuranz Team

 

[Scr77]

More update to my previous post. I asked them about covering medical expenses and they came back with the below.
anyone used travel insuranz before, will you recommend?

How did you go Ktan89? Did you proceed?

The ANZ Black included insurance seems to cover medial costs. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[whole-lotta-moxie]

So some good news...Lifemiles have refunded all my points and did not charge a cancellation fee. I was due to fly ICN - PEK - MEL in early May. Every time I contacted Lifemiles via email that i wanted to cancel my flights due to the Corona virus they informed me that i would be charged a cancellation fee per ticket. I asked for it to be escalated and this morning all the points were back in my account with no fee. This took a number of weeks but we now have our points. I was a little concerned as I knew i could not rely on travel insurance to cover this.

 

[Oubline]

More update to my previous post. I asked them about covering medical expenses and they came back with the below.
anyone used travel insuranz before, will you recommend?

They have just changed their policy for coronoavirus today. All FAQs and comparing of travel insurance - Travel Insuranz

It looks like it will only cover medical expenses and not cancellation etc now.

 

[Pushka]

They have just changed their policy for coronoavirus today. All FAQs and comparing of travel insurance - Travel Insuranz

It looks like it will only cover medical expenses and not cancellation etc now.

That's quite a specific one because for policies purchased prior to 23 January it only mentions Covid claims in relation to China.

 

[stm1sydney]

Many thanks to the above posters. I have just purchased the Insuranz policy, reasonably priced, and their FAQ (7 Mar) on COVID is clear to me. If you are not travelling to one of the Smarttraveller heightened risk countries, then you are still covered for medical, but not for other expenses eg travel delay, due to COVID. Good enough for me because medical is the only potentially bankrupting risk.

 

[sanne]

Many thanks to the above posters. I have just purchased the Insuranz policy, reasonably priced, and their FAQ (7 Mar) on COVID is clear to me. If you are not travelling to one of the Smarttraveller heightened risk countries, then you are still covered for medical, but not for other expenses eg travel delay, due to COVID. Good enough for me because medical is the only potentially bankrupting risk.

Unfortunately only covers under 70. This is a good policy, shame we can’t use it. Does anyone know of any others that will cover medical?

 

[Janet M]

Just cancelled a Qantas reward flight Hong kong to Brisbane due to cruise no longer sailing there. Qantas as usual still strict on penalties applied no wriggle room from them.

Did you lose 6000 QF FF points and receive your taxes back?

 

[Ktan89]

How did you go Ktan89? Did you proceed?

Yes, I got the policy straight away. Got it for the medical and it also comes with cancellation and interruption cover which is a bonus.

Post automatically merged: Mar 7, 2020

Many thanks to the above posters. I have just purchased the Insuranz policy, reasonably priced, and their FAQ (7 Mar) on COVID is clear to me. If you are not travelling to one of the Smarttraveller heightened risk countries, then you are still covered for medical, but not for other expenses eg travel delay, due to COVID. Good enough for me because medical is the only potentially bankrupting risk.

No problems. Where are you traveling to?

 

[Oubline]

Does anyone know a reason you can't have more than one insurance policy at once? For example, taking out a new policy to cover gaps in the existing policy I have?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Does anyone know a reason you can't have more than one insurance policy at once? For example, taking out a new policy to cover gaps in the existing policy I have?

There's no reason.

 

[deejo77]

Does anyone know a reason you can't have more than one insurance policy at once? For example, taking out a new policy to cover gaps in the existing policy I have?

while it's possible to have multiple policies, it's not possible to receive a pay out from two policies for the same loss. Australian insurance law stipulates that if you hold two insurance policies with identical coverage, both insurers can share the cost of covering the claim, but are not required to pay out 100% of that claim.

short version - you are the meat in the sandwich - good luck as both will try and make the other pay - while you wait

 

[Oubline]

while it's possible to have multiple policies, it's not possible to receive a pay out from two policies for the same loss. Australian insurance law stipulates that if you hold two insurance policies with identical coverage, both insurers can share the cost of covering the claim, but are not required to pay out 100% of that claim.

short version - you are the meat in the sandwich - good luck as both will try and make the other pay - while you wait

Thank you! That does sound like it could potentially be annoying. Nonetheless, I have just taken out a Travelinsuranz policy, solely to have coverage for medical expenses if we become sick due to coronavirus while overseas. Even medical expenses associated with coronavirus were excluded by my current CBA credit card policy that I had been relying on, and so there is peace of mind in knowing that collectively the two policies will have me covered (except for travel cancellation/delay from coronoavirus which seems to be uninsurable at this point).

 

[serfty]

Does anyone know a reason you can't have more than one insurance policy at once? For example, taking out a new policy to cover gaps in the existing policy I have?

short version - you are the meat in the sandwich - good luck as both will try and make the other pay - while you wait

Shortish version. Don't let one know about the other and don't claim for the same specific event twice.

 

[Arlindo]

Am I right to assume that if already part way through a (long) OWA trip, and I wanted to voluntarily cut it short (amid general concerns relating to potential medical costs from a policy excluding pandemics), that insurance won't be able to help out there at all in terms of redeeming a portion of the QFF points used towards the booking?

I imagine Qantas isn't going to come to the party either given there are no show rules, right?

 

[opusman]

It's not at all uncommon to have multiple policies. Almost everyone who pays for their flights by credit card and also purchases a separate policy will have two policies covering their trip.

 

[I love to travel]

Am I right to assume that if already part way through a (long) OWA trip, and I wanted to voluntarily cut it short (amid general concerns relating to potential medical costs from a policy excluding pandemics), that insurance won't be able to help out there at all in terms of redeeming a portion of the QFF points used towards the booking?

I imagine Qantas isn't going to come to the party either given there are no show rules, right?

If you are half way through you need to ring Qantas.