Travel Insurance which covers COVID-19?

[I love to travel]

700000 won't buy much hospital expenses in some countries

Just received a hard copy letter today from Latitude Financial (issuer of my 28 degrees credit card which I think was recommended years ago on AFF as having good FX rates for a cc). Seems they are offering insurance for "covered medical expenses up to $700k inclusive of COVID related medical expenses. Haven't looked at the actual policy re: flight changes due to COVID but I thought this was interesting. Unfortunately, I've already booked a big trip with another CC....

Edit - doesn't look too bad - wish I had been able to use this card to book my upcoming

 

[robbo135]

700000 won't buy much hospital expenses in some countries

Will probably just cover a doctor's consultation, a night's stay in hospital and a week's worth of painkillers in the US...

Definitely go for a policy with unlimited medical coverage.

 

[serfty]

Just received a hard copy letter today from Latitude Financial (issuer of my 28 degrees credit card which I think was recommended years ago on AFF as having good FX rates for a cc). Seems they are offering insurance for "covered medical expenses up to $700k inclusive of COVID related medical expenses. Haven't looked at the actual policy re: flight changes due to COVID but I thought this was interesting. Unfortunately, I've already booked a big trip with another CC....

Edit - doesn't look too bad - wish I had been able to use this card to book my upcoming trip. https://latitudefs.zendesk.com/hc/en-au/articles/4411109979793

You need to spend AUD1K on flights by March 31st and the cover lasts for 12 months from the date of the first qualifying transaction

More here:

https://www.28degreescard.com.au/insurance

 

[anchew]

If anyone is interested, I just stumbled across an app called Freely (www.gofreely.com.au), which is part of Cover-More. Just purchased insurance through it for my upcoming trip and it's quite easy to use. The best thing for me about it is that you can just buy the essential, which covers COVID, without all the other add ons, which is exactly what I was looking for. It ended up being cheaper than Cover-More.

 

[MARTINE]

If anyone is interested, I just stumbled across an app called Freely (www.gofreely.com.au), which is part of Cover-More. Just purchased insurance through it for my upcoming trip and it's quite easy to use. The best thing for me about it is that you can just buy the essential, which covers COVID, without all the other add ons, which is exactly what I was looking for. It ended up being cheaper than Cover-More.

Interesting thanks. Just had a wander - I like the clear info with this and upfront warnings about what is not ‘Covid covered‘ events. The latter are the killer really - you’re well and about to board but suddenly have to quarantine where you’re going or some other onerous requirement that scuttles your plans . If you cancel due to this no coverage. I’m going to keep checking in w this. Having cancelled Italy May - have tentatively rebooked for later in year. We’re also starting w single country trips (transits of course can trip us up)….. in any case a month is a year in a pandemic and I fondly look forward to revisiting this post (hopefully laughing w relief)

 

[Pushka]

Insureandgo are now issuing insurance. I usually insure with them and have had to claim for Covid back in March 2020 for a trip we were due to depart the day our international, borders closed. We had also taken out disaster cover in the policy. It was like extracting teeth but they did pay it out.

 

[astronic126]

So if SmartTravellers changes its recommendation to 'do not travel' while you've already departed Australia, does that mean you won't be covered as soon as the recommendation changes?

 

[PineappleSkip]

Welcome to AFF, @astronic126 . It will depend on your policy and what the PDS says. Recommendation changes aren’t very common. For example South Africa was ‘reconsider your need’ before and after omicron. I have seen policies which require you to depart ASAP after the DNT advice is issued.

cheers skip

 

[Port Power]

So if SmartTravellers changes its recommendation to 'do not travel' while you've already departed Australia, does that mean you won't be covered as soon as the recommendation changes?

Welcome to AFF. Cover usually commences when you start your trip, as in board the aeroplane. Any subsequent notifications by SmartTraveller should not impact your trip. You left before that advice was issued.

 

[astronic126]

Welcome to AFF, @astronic126 . It will depend on your policy and what the PDS says. Recmmendation changes aren’t very common. For example South Africa was ‘reconsider your need’ before and after omicron.

cheers skip

Thank you, that's assuring to hear. Booked my flights from MEL-SYD-HNL for 28 Dec before Omicron and had everything planned. Now with all the craziness happening everywhere, I'm very confused and lost as to what to do - but this forum has been of great help.

 

[Mattg]

So if SmartTravellers changes its recommendation to 'do not travel' while you've already departed Australia, does that mean you won't be covered as soon as the recommendation changes?

See post #150 in this thread

Travel Insurance which covers COVID-19?

I just spoke to AmEx re: the Chubb policy that attaches when you purchase a flight with your AMEX. The rider available on the American Express cc website is the official rider and document - one that can be relied on. I'm satisfied that it provides me with the COVID coverage I need for my...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Many policies do in fact become void if you are in a country when the advice level changes to "do not travel", which is exactly what happened to me in March 2020. But not all - Medibank for example will still cover you if the advice was not "do not travel" when you arrived at the destination.

I personally think the chances of Australia declaring the US/Hawaii as "do not travel" in the near future are very low. I think you'll be OK.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

See post #150 in this thread

Travel Insurance which covers COVID-19?

I just spoke to AmEx re: the Chubb policy that attaches when you purchase a flight with your AMEX. The rider available on the American Express cc website is the official rider and document - one that can be relied on. I'm satisfied that it provides me with the COVID coverage I need for my...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Many policies do in fact become void if you are in a country when the advice level changes to "do not travel", which is exactly what happened to me in March 2020. But not all - Medibank for example will still cover you if the advice was not "do not travel" when you arrived at the destination.

I personally think the chances of Australia declaring the US/Hawaii as "do not travel" in the near future are very low. I think you'll be OK.

Agree.

If a country changes status while you are on your trip the best advice would be to contact the insurance company, if you can.

If you are already in a country that changes status your insurance might not be voided, but you could be expected to take extra precautions to prevent becoming ill. If a country further down your itinerary becomes 'do not travel' your insurance company might prefer to pay you any cancellation and trip interruption costs to route you via somewhere else than having you continue to that country.

 

[Mattg]

If a country changes status while you are on your trip the best advice would be to contact the insurance company, if you can.

I did this (called them) while overseas in March 2020 when every country became "do not travel" overnight. The insurance company told me that I would no longer be covered for anything and my policy had effectively become void. They wouldn't even pay to get me home, since I now happened to be in a country with a "do not travel" warning.

Not every policy will be the same though, and I doubt every country will be made "do not travel" overnight again.

 

[Danger]

I did this (called them) while overseas in March 2020 when every country became "do not travel" overnight. The insurance company told me that I would no longer be covered for anything and my policy had effectively become void. They wouldn't even pay to get me home, since I now happened to be in a country with a "do not travel" warning.

Not every policy will be the same though, and I doubt every country will be made "do not travel" overnight again.

I find it extraordinary that this can happen and if it happened to me I'd be making a lot of noise about it. The DFAT travel advice is do not travel to a specific country, not from or within. If you're already in that country, you haven't breached any government warning.

 

[MARTINE]

I find it extraordinary that this can happen and if it happened to me I'd be making a lot of noise about it. The DFAT travel advice is do not travel to a specific country, not from or within. If you're already in that country, you haven't breached any government warning.

Exactly
its no different from the Covid refunds I received from my insurer last year. Trips booked and fully paid BEFORE that date in March 2020 were honoured as this was before the DO NOT TRAVEL. This equally applied to those stuck overseas when green became red. Sadly my insurer has ceased to cover pandemics

 

[Carrots]

Generally speaking, if a DNT occurs to a country once travel to that country has begun/already happened, then the policy wording is likely to require you to leave that country (which could also mean return home). Obviously it does depend on the specific wording, but as a rule of thumb I would expect to see that in the main stream insurer wordings. But like everything, the devil is in the detail, and that is what can determine the cheap and good.

Interesting couple of changes just before Christmas, some of the corporate policy wordings have increased coverage for Covid quite drastically to include additional expenses and loss of deposits (the most likely claim occurrences). Previously we'd mostly seen medical expenses only and commentary had been changes unlikely to occur until mid 2022 (more so based around reinsurance programs).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I find it extraordinary that this can happen and if it happened to me I'd be making a lot of noise about it. The DFAT travel advice is do not travel to a specific country, not from or within. If you're already in that country, you haven't breached any government warning.

I think there are several factors at play... can you safely leave? Do you need to modify or curtail your itinerary? If DFAT issued a DNT for covid, should you even be leaving your hotel? The ANZ policy didn't exclude pandemics for example, but did exclude cover if you put yourself in harm's way, including being notified of that harm in the media.

 

[Nathant123]

I’ve got a trip to the Middle East coming up in the next couple of weeks and I’ve been sussing out insurance options. I’m flying with Etihad on rewards business tickets and noticed they include 30days of covid cover for hotel quarantine costs and also $500k hospitalisation. It sounds quite good to me given it’s free but I’m wondering if it’s worth having a local policy as a backup. I’ve been recommended Medibank but honestly don’t know if there are better policies out there. None of the countries I’m going to have a ‘do not travel’ on them and all fares booked on points with accomodation to be paid in person so no real concern regarding cancellation costs. I’m reading through this thread but wondering in general who are the better companies in this industry and if it’s safe to purely rely on Etihad’s offering. Also one of the countries I’m travelling to, Oman, requires proof of insurance so not even sure how to prove Etihad insurance.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Etihad offer is good. However I would be getting a separate policy also, with unlimited medical for covid cover in hospital (or at least in the millions) unless purely travelling to countries with reciprocal Medicare arrangements

 

[justinbrett]

I looked at the Qantas AMEX coverage and not really happy with the coverage if you get covid and have to extend your trip. Only covered for 10 days and capped at $150/night.

I ended up with my go to policy Worldcare which is capped at $250/night but no maximum duration (total coverage is capped at 50K). Flying Qantas, worst case is probably going to be 21 days extension, and I’ll be in Hawaii where $150 won’t get you a decent hotel.

I might do a RAT before I leave the mainland and stay there if I test positive as accomodation is a lot cheaper.