Travel Insurance which covers COVID-19?

[Airlinedealschris]

" start your trip in Australia and have a return ticket that will get you back to Australia"

Watch out with AMEX cover as hidden in the depths of the PDS hides a fact that Chubb will only cover a return air ticket & declined my request for 1 way J class tickets to Europe on those grounds. Totally useless if you are cruising home, just another way to avoid a payout. Insurance companies are much of a muchness and as the old Arabic saying goes, they take your money with the right hand & give with the left.
Frankly, I never rely on such coverage & always purchase separately.

The T&C for Amex Explorer cc travel insurance says:
International Return Trips
You are going on an International Return Trip and You pay the full amount of Your outbound ticket for a Scheduled Flight or Scheduled Cruise leaving Australia on Your:
i. American Express Card Account;
ii. corresponding American Express Membership Rewards points or frequent flyer points (where applicable); and/or
iii. Travel Benefit.
You hold an eligible American Express Card Account which is current (meaning it is not cancelled or suspended).
You are 79 years of age or younger when You make Your Qualifying Travel Purchase.

My read of this is while it is a requirement to have a paid for ticket that returns you to Australia before departing as long as the outbound ticket was purchased on the Amex card or with Amex points or with FF points converted from Amex points you have valid coverage Under the terms of the policy. For completeness if the cruise to return to Australia is paid for by Amex before departing Australia in my view you would be bulletproof.
Opinion only

 

[Petcollect]

Because NIB is too short to search and google was unhelpful - has anyone had a bad experience with NIB - I'm sure I read it somewhere and it may have been here

I recently made a claim with Qantas Insurance which is underwritten by NIB. It was for a Covid isolation while we were away in Cairns in May. With extra accommodation and flight changes we were looking at around $2K. It took 3 months to get the claim settled after 2 x extensions of time and settlement only happened the same day I lodged a complaint with them and also mentioned I was about to start a letter and social media complaint campaign. Strange coincidence! I got the feeling they just paid it without much checking after that as they paid for a couple of things I was expecting them to knock back. I was very meticulous in providing document evidence for everything though.

 

[jbman]

I did a search through the thread and couldn’t find anything firm.

Currently who is covering travel with award point bookings?

 

[Airlinedealschris]

I did a search through the thread and couldn’t find anything firm.

Currently who is covering travel with award point bookings?

I am currently traveling on award point bookings. I use both 1) ANZ Travel Adventures VISA card. Must spend A$500 before departing Australia eg prepaid accommodation. Provides coverage. And 2) Citibank Premier card. Must use 15K of Citi Reward points transferred to airline frequent flyer points to get overseas award ticket or purchase overseas ticket on Citibank credit card account.

 

[Mr H]

I did a search through the thread and couldn’t find anything firm.

Currently who is covering travel with award point bookings?

ANZ credit card insurance covers travel on award bookings provided at least $200 of trip related costs has been charged to the card before travel (worth checking in case hotels only get charged after the departure date). They are happy for the oubound and return flights to be on separate bookings, provided they both exist.

 

[encryptededdy]

Currently who is covering travel with award point bookings?

If bookings with Qantas Points and holding an American Express Qantas Ultimate card, you're covered.

PDS: https://www.americanexpress.com/content/dam/amex/en-au/company/forms/pds_ultimatecard.pdf

Relevant section (page 3)


My Westpac Black card also covers me as long as I spend at least $500 on prepaid travel expenses on the card.

 

[Masonic Phantom]

Multi Night cruise????not insured …..What is that?…not many cruises of 1 night

 

[encryptededdy]

Multi Night cruise????not insured …..What is that?…not many cruises of 1 night

I think that's just there to clarify that an overnight ferry would be covered.

 

[Mr H]

Multi Night cruise????not insured …..What is that?…not many cruises of 1 night

One night cruises in Halong Bay. I’m sure similar things exist elsewhere.

 

[Lynda2475]

I think that's just there to clarify that an overnight ferry would be covered.

Yes many overnight ferries all over.

 

[SYD]

Despite being part of yet another data breach, we’re looking at renewing the annual multi-trip with Medibank since it has trips up to 60 days. QF caps at 45 days.

I’ve not been following this thread closely for a few months but any other recommendations? Needs to include USA and potentially cruises.

 

[Masonic Phantom]

Yes many overnight ferries all over.

Ok but what about cruises beyond overnight, where is the coverage there…. that’s my question!!?

 

[SYD]

Ok but what about cruises beyond overnight, where is the coverage there…. that’s my question!!?

The Medibank insurance appears to cover multi night cruises now (it didn’t when we took it out in March this year).

 

[asterix]

Insure and Go covers multi night cruises if you select their cruise policies.

 

[Mr H]

I can see no cruise exclusion in the ANZ credit card insurance.

 

[Masonic Phantom]

I can see no cruise exclusion in the ANZ credit card insurance.

It’s just the wording of no multi cruise I found strange

 

[Mr H]

It’s just the wording of no multi cruise I found strange

I can't see anything about that in the ANZ credit card insurance PDS.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I got a policy through Allianz for my Australian domestic cruise. 2 pax, two nights, $130.This was the standard policy plus cruise pack. Didn’t want to take the risk of a positive covid test and losing our money (while Cunard says you’ll potentially get a cruise credit if you can’t travel, prices are sky-high for next year and we couldn’t have travelled in the same cabin on the fare we originally paid).

I guess this was insurance in the true sense… bought the policy and not even a hint of covid!!

 

[straitman]

There is a requirement for anyone is heading to Fiji to have Covid Cover Travel Insurance. FijiCare Insurance Limited offers such cover however I caution anyone who is thinking of using it.

We have been waiting for a refund from them for just over 19 weeks now. On the 17th September they responded with:
"Greetings,
Please be advised that our refund process policy is usually 30 working days.
Should you require more information regarding your insurance policy, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thanks."
Are chasing this up yet again today I got the following in an email:
"Please be advised that your refund will processed at the earliest."

I am not confident what would occur if there was ever a need to claim from them.

 

[Lynda2475]

There is a requirement for anyone is heading to Fiji to have Covid Cover Travel Insurance. FijiCare Insurance Limited offers such cover however I caution anyone who is thinking of using it.

Better to take out a policy with an Australian based insurer with covid coverage.

Noting that when I entered Fiji no one asked to see proof of insurance with covid coverage even though I had it.