Travel Insurance which covers COVID-19?

[Lynda2475]

Which company did you get the $20k through cheers Sam

I went with Go Insurance, noting that I have never used them before so cant comment on how easy it is to claim etc i.e Im not recommending them, but they seemed to have the best coverage for my upcoming trips based on expenses outlaid.

Choice publish a list of insurers who provide Covid coverage here: Does travel insurance cover COVID-19? | CHOICE. Suggest you read the PDS's for the highlighted ones below and get quotes to see what is best for you.

Only you can assess what your out of pocket might be based on where you are going, the class of flights and type of hotels you stay in - what booking are flexible/refundable and what your out of pocket might be if you need to stay somewhere 1-2 weeks longer to ISO.



Note: some of the above will only cover covid if you took the policy out more than 30 days before departure, some only cover bookings made after the insurance policy is taken out (including day of) not before, others dont care as long as it is before you depart.

 

[Jenht]

Has anyone done the work to determine a policy that covers Covid cancellation for a USA trip that also includes a cruise?
thanks

 

[Must...Fly!]

Has anyone done the work to determine a policy that covers Covid cancellation for a USA trip that also includes a cruise?
thanks

I think Medibank offer a cruise option. By default you won't be covered on a multi night cruise (but overnight seemed ok based on my reading). It was a few months ago though so anything could've changed

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Has anyone done the work to determine a policy that covers Covid cancellation for a USA trip that also includes a cruise?
thanks

I think Allianz covers it.... https://travel.allianz.com.au/pds

I bought their policy but not the optional cruise pack. There is a pandemic-box to say medical is covered for covid during a cruise, but the PDS is very long on this section. Might be worth checking out.

Their cover was quite reasonable for their normal policy (no cruising or winter sports etc). And pre-existing conditions were also one of the cheapest.

 

[levelnine]

Anyone found a good policy that covers a decent amount of COVID-19-related travel cancellation costs?

Most of the ones I've seen that cover COVID-19 travel cancellation costs are capped at quite low levels (eg $2,500 for Qantas, $5,000 for Cover-More, $1,500 for Allianz)?

Edit: I see above Lynda got $20,000 with Go Insurance. Any others?

 

[Scr77]

Anyone found a good policy that covers a decent amount of COVID-19-related travel cancellation costs?

Most of the ones I've seen that cover COVID-19 travel cancellation costs are capped at quite low levels (eg $2,500 for Qantas, $5,000 for Cover-More, $1,500 for Allianz)?

Edit: I see above Lynda got $20,000 with Go Insurance. Any others?

$5,000 for medibank. I would have thought most people are booking cancellable accommodation etc. and this section doesn’t need to be very high.

 

[cjd600]

Travelling to USA in a few weeks, on QF F Awards SYD-LAX-SYD, for a whistle-stop trip to Vegas (a milestone bday celebration rescheduled a couple of times now due to Covid).
Main concern is the pre-departure test for return to Syd, and a positive test entailing a stay extension in USA, and rebooked flights.
The extra hotel costs seem clear....but how are award flights treated with regard to re-booking the LAX-SYD?
e.g. Medibank rebooking flights in same class - would this cover F award bookings paid for with points?

 

[levelnine]

$5,000 for medibank. I would have thought most people are booking cancellable accommodation etc. and this section doesn’t need to be very high.

Looks like all the Zurich-based ones are the same: $5,000. It doesn't take much to rack up $5K+ in cancellation expenses with flexible booking policies coming to an end for many accommodation/flight providers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Travelling to USA in a few weeks, on QF F Awards SYD-LAX-SYD, for a whistle-stop trip to Vegas (a milestone bday celebration rescheduled a couple of times now due to Covid).
Main concern is the pre-departure test for return to Syd, and a positive test entailing a stay extension in USA, and rebooked flights.
The extra hotel costs seem clear....but how are award flights treated with regard to re-booking the LAX-SYD?
e.g. Medibank rebooking flights in same class - would this cover F award bookings paid for with points?

This will come down to your specific policy… check the PDS, quite a few policies will calculate the ‘lost’ points based on a comparable revenue airfare, calculating the cost at the going F rate. Most PDS have a section on FF points.

If they pay for an airfare home for you, that would more than likely be off-set or negate any refund of lost points.

 

[SYD]

I think Medibank offer a cruise option. By default you won't be covered on a multi night cruise (but overnight seemed ok based on my reading). It was a few months ago though so anything could've changed

Correct. I got SYD+1 to research the current options and we landed on Medibank for a multi-trip. We didn’t take out the cruise cover but I believe we can add it later.

Regarding cancellation cover, we’re about to go to the UK / Euro for 6 wks and just about everything booked is cancellable, refundable - even tix in the London West End! Fortunately the biggy cost of J flights are on points. As is a lot of accommodation. We did find a lot of AirBnBs doing non-fundable or upto 48 hrs. Pass…. Managed to find many refundable upto 1 or 2 days prior.

So current cancellation exposure is less than the excess.

 

[Scr77]

Travelling to USA in a few weeks, on QF F Awards SYD-LAX-SYD, for a whistle-stop trip to Vegas (a milestone bday celebration rescheduled a couple of times now due to Covid).
Main concern is the pre-departure test for return to Syd, and a positive test entailing a stay extension in USA, and rebooked flights.
The extra hotel costs seem clear....but how are award flights treated with regard to re-booking the LAX-SYD?
e.g. Medibank rebooking flights in same class - would this cover F award bookings paid for with points?

I’m using medibank and are on 2 one way tickets to USA in a few weeks. My reading is they will put a value on points lost based on comparable commercial ticket in same class. This should see you covered for a flight home IF you have a RETURN ticket. With a return ticket, you can‘t get a refund of points for the flight home.

However, in my instance (with 2 one way tickets), my flight home is cancellable with a refund of points. In this case I’m not out of pocket and don’t think medibank will cover my flight home. For this reason, I have 2 backup flights home in the days and week later. I have called to confirm this theory, but was told they’d consider it at the time.

 

[cjd600]

Thanks @MEL_Traveller and @Scr77

 

[Bindibuys]

I have had a Zurich Company yearly travel policy for about the last 5 years -covered both business and leisure travel for all Directors and travelling partners. (great for family holidays)
Now that I have bookings again..... I decided to check Covid cover on this policy..... only to discover yesterday, that the policy will not cover Covid for any leisure travel.
Well that was a waste of policy. Lucky it runs out 1 May.
Now have my insurance broker and me frantically trying to find new policy.
Medibank just quoted me $1644.00 for a year - just for myself and hubby. 28 day trip to USA next year did not help the price.

 

[Danger]

I’m using medibank and are on 2 one way tickets to USA in a few weeks. My reading is they will put a value on points lost based on comparable commercial ticket in same class. This should see you covered for a flight home IF you have a RETURN ticket. With a return ticket, you can‘t get a refund of points for the flight home.

However, in my instance (with 2 one way tickets), my flight home is cancellable with a refund of points. In this case I’m not out of pocket and don’t think medibank will cover my flight home. For this reason, I have 2 backup flights home in the days and week later. I have called to confirm this theory, but was told they’d consider it at the time.

I think the new cost of your return flight home would be covered by the "additional expenses" section, depending on how that section in your specific policy is worded.

I'd be interested in opinions in this regard. The ANZ credit card policy (Allianz) has the following:

Section 2.1, Cancellation

2.1.1 What we cover. If, during the period of cover available, your journey is cancelled, disrupted or rescheduled because of circumstances that were not expected or intended by you and are outside of your control (including if you or your travel companion are positively diagnosed as suffering a sickness recognised as an epidemic or pandemic, such as COVID-19, which reasonably prevents you from travelling), we will reimburse you: Unused travel and accommodation arrangements a] The non-refundable portion of unused travel and accommodation arrangements scheduled to be used during the period of cover available for your journey, that you have paid in advance of cancellation or disruption and cannot recover in any other way, limited to the maximum total limit specified in Part C - Benefit Limits - 2.1 Cancellation ...

Meanwhile, there's also this:

Section 3.1, Additional expenses

3.1.1
What we cover. Additional travel & accommodation expenses due to your incapacity a] If you cannot continue your journey because of an injury or sickness (including if you are positively diagnosed as suffering a sickness recognised as an epidemic or pandemic, such as COVID-19) that is covered by this insurance, which occurs during the period of cover available for your journey and needs immediate treatment from a medical adviser, we will reimburse your reasonable additional accommodation and travel expenses ...

My interpretation is that if you have to cancel a non-refundable flight because you're ill, that's covered under s. 2.1.1. If you then have to book a new flight to get you to where you were going to be (after recovering), that would be covered under s. 3.1.1.

What do people think? Is my interpretation on the money? If not, what are people relying on in a situation where you fall ill and have to make alternate travel arrangements?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think the new cost of your return flight home would be covered by the "additional expenses" section, depending on how that section in your specific policy is worded.

I'd be interested in opinions in this regard. The ANZ credit card policy (Allianz) has the following:



Meanwhile, there's also this:



My interpretation is that if you have to cancel a non-refundable flight because you're ill, that's covered under s. 2.1.1. If you then have to book a new flight to get you to where you were going to be (after recovering), that would be covered under s. 3.1.1.

What do people think? Is my interpretation on the money? If not, what are people relying on in a situation where you fall ill and have to make alternate travel arrangements?

Good to see ANZ insurance is back!

I’ll have to go and read the new policy, but what you say sounds right. I would suspect they will net off any amounts paid… your refund of a cancelled ticket would probably be used to pay for a new ticket, etc, and you’ll get the balance, if any.

I see the new covid cover for ANZ cc comes in from April 27. So my policy for my upcoming trip next week was not a waste

 

[Bindibuys]

I have had a Zurich Company yearly travel policy for about the last 5 years -covered both business and leisure travel for all Directors and travelling partners. (great for family holidays)
Now that I have bookings again..... I decided to check Covid cover on this policy..... only to discover yesterday, that the policy will not cover Covid for any leisure travel.
Well that was a waste of policy. Lucky it runs out 1 May.
Now have my insurance broker and me frantically trying to find new policy.
Medibank just quoted me $1644.00 for a year - just for myself and hubby. 28 day trip to USA next year did not help the price.

My insurance broker has now sent the NEW 2022 PDS and section 8 (re covid) has been totally removed.
Now to read the entire PDS to make sure it still covers all that I need.

 

[garybatz]

Apologies if this has already been answered, I tried searching but couldn't find anything.

My question is this - I keep seeing references to many countries requiring a minimum level of medical coverage. Like a lot of policies, the one I use includes unlimited medical coverage. Would that then meet the minimum coverage requirement, or would they want to see a specific dollar amount listed in the policy? Thanks

 

[Scr77]

Apologies if this has already been answered, I tried searching but couldn't find anything.

My question is this - I keep seeing references to many countries requiring a minimum level of medical coverage. Like a lot of policies, the one I use includes unlimited medical coverage. Would that then meet the minimum coverage requirement, or would they want to see a specific dollar amount listed in the policy? Thanks

Are you looking at a particular country? You need to then look at that countries official requirements and do your own research. Don’t rely on news sites, facebook etc. At the end of the day it’s your responsibility. I’m off to USA in three weeks and understand there’s a lot to take in.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Apologies if this has already been answered, I tried searching but couldn't find anything.

My question is this - I keep seeing references to many countries requiring a minimum level of medical coverage. Like a lot of policies, the one I use includes unlimited medical coverage. Would that then meet the minimum coverage requirement, or would they want to see a specific dollar amount listed in the policy? Thanks

That’s a good question. You’d hope by now countries that might require say a ‘minimum $50,000 medical insurance’ would be used to seeing and accepting the term ‘unlimited’. Haven’t come across any discussion on the matter anywhere.

 

[DC3]

… Like a lot of policies, the one I use includes unlimited medical coverage. Would that then meet the minimum coverage requirement, or would they want to see a specific dollar amount listed in the policy? Thanks

Unlimited. “Not limited or restricted in terms of number, quantity, or extent” according to a definition that I came across.