Atlas Travel Medical Insurance ????

[Hlitner]

A couple of days ago I stumbled on a post (on another site) about an insurance policy called Atlas Medical Insurance.  They are owned by Tokio Marine HCC which has acquired multiple insurance companies in recent years including AVEMCO (an insurer very familiar to private pilots).  This company, which is legit and based in the USA, is apparently selling travel medical policies (single trip or annual) that specifically INCLUDE coverage for COVID-19!   I have done some due diligence on this company and have not found anything that I would consider a major negative.  However. the online info is somewhat limited and wondering if anyone has experience with this company??????

 

Hank

[iamtrustworthy]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

A couple of days ago I stumbled on a post (on another site) about an insurance policy called Atlas Medical Insurance.  They are owned by Tokio Marine HCC which has acquired multiple insurance companies in recent years including AVEMCO (an insurer very familiar to private pilots).  This company, which is legit and based in the USA, is apparently selling travel medical policies (single trip or annual) that specifically INCLUDE coverage for COVID-19!   I have done some due diligence on this company and have not found anything that I would consider a major negative.  However. the online info is somewhat limited and wondering if anyone has experience with this company??????

 

Hank

Hi Hank,

 

I've worked with Atlas Tokio Marine HCC for years and they have some good medical policies. In my spare time, LOL, I'm still digesting their new plans that cover the Coronavirus.

 

I'll let you know what I figure out.

 

Stev Dasseos

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, iamtrustworthy said:

Hi Hank,

 

I've worked with Atlas Tokio Marine HCC for years and they have some good medical policies. In my spare time, LOL, I'm still digesting their new plans that cover the Coronavirus.

 

I'll let you know what I figure out.

 

Stev Dasseos

Thanks, I will be watching.  

 

Hank

[39august]

Me too!

[iamtrustworthy]

Hello,

 

For all Atlas Series plans, for policies purchased on or after July 15th, COVID-19 will be treated as any other eligible illness. The epidemic/pandemic exclusion has been updated, including an exception for COVID-19, allowing for COVID-19 to be covered as any other eligible illness.

 

Here's the new wording from the General Exclusions:

 

44. Any illness or injury incurred as a result of epidemics, pandemics, public health emergencies, natural disasters, or other disease outbreak conditions that may affect a person’s health when, prior to your
effective date, any of the following were issued:
a. The United States Centers for Disease Control & Prevention had issued a Warning/Alert Level 3 or higher for a location or destination, including common carriers; or
b. The United States Centers for Disease Control & Prevention had issued a Global or Worldwide Warning/Alert Level 3 or higher.
This exclusion is applicable when 1) any of the above were in effect within 6 months immediately prior to your effective date or 2) within 10 days following the date the alert/warning is issued you have failed to depart the country or location. This exclusion does not apply to charges resulting from COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2.

 

Steve Dasseos

 

 

[klfrodo]

3 hours ago, iamtrustworthy said:

Hello,

 

For all Atlas Series plans, for policies purchased on or after July 15th, COVID-19 will be treated as any other eligible illness. The epidemic/pandemic exclusion has been updated, including an exception for COVID-19, allowing for COVID-19 to be covered as any other eligible illness.

 

Here's the new wording from the General Exclusions:

 

44. Any illness or injury incurred as a result of epidemics, pandemics, public health emergencies, natural disasters, or other disease outbreak conditions that may affect a person’s health when, prior to your
effective date, any of the following were issued:
a. The United States Centers for Disease Control & Prevention had issued a Warning/Alert Level 3 or higher for a location or destination, including common carriers; or
b. The United States Centers for Disease Control & Prevention had issued a Global or Worldwide Warning/Alert Level 3 or higher.
This exclusion is applicable when 1) any of the above were in effect within 6 months immediately prior to your effective date or 2) within 10 days following the date the alert/warning is issued you have failed to depart the country or location. This exclusion does not apply to charges resulting from COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2.

 

Steve Dasseos

 

 

You ARE the man! Thanks for the update.

Go Seahawks! 😇

[Hlitner]

Thanks Steve.  You confirmed my own quick research.  I do find the Atlas language interesting because it almost seems like they are trying to carve out a niche as the provider of COVID 19 coverage.  I have never seen anything quite like this language and I remain somewhat puzzled.  We may be giving you a call later in the Fall when we get closer to our annual sojourn to Mexico.

 

Hank

[ipeeinthepool]

I did a quick quote on Atlas and GeoBlue Trekker.  Atlas seems to limit coverage for someone over 65 to $100k and the rates are similar to GeoBlue Trekker for a 3 week trip.  I think I'll stick with GeoBlue and get a little higher coverage.

[wrk2cruise]

Thanks for providing the info on Atlas.  I'm sure I'll be consulting with Steve before getting the next annual policy.

[Hlitner]

12 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

I did a quick quote on Atlas and GeoBlue Trekker.  Atlas seems to limit coverage for someone over 65 to $100k and the rates are similar to GeoBlue Trekker for a 3 week trip.  I think I'll stick with GeoBlue and get a little higher coverage.

I am a big fan of Geoblue (and we have previously posted our support of this company) and we have carried their annual Trekker Policy for many years.  In fact, we had a major medical emergency while in Asia and Geoblue came through with full reimbursement for all our medical costs (in Japan and on Princess) as well as our medical evacuation costs from Japan back to the USA.  That being said, the current Geoblue Trekker language "excludes" coverage related to any pandemic.  Unless Geoblue changes their coverage we find this exclusion non acceptable.  In our case, to spend more then 6 months out of the country (on multiple trips) without coverage related to COVID-19 is just insane.   DW and I have made the personal decision to purchase a policy with COVID coverage even if the cost is substantially more then policies without COVID coverage.   Here is the specific language from the Geoblue Multi-Trip Trekker Policy"

 

Note: For existing and/or prospective members, injuries and Illnesses resulting from Terrorism and pandemics are covered as any other Injury or Illness provided all of the following conditions are met: 1. The Covered Person had no direct or indirect involvement in the Terrorist Activity; 2. The Covered Person has not unreasonably failed or refused to depart a country or location or is traveling to a country or location following the date a warning to leave or avoid travel to that country or location is issued by the United States government. *Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not covered and are excluded under the plan. Medical Expenses associated with asymptomatic testing or expenses for quarantining (confinement outside of a hospital setting) are not covered under this Plan."

 

The current language in the Geoblue single trip Voyager Plan does seem to "include" Covid coverage although I would certainly want to check the actual language the day I would purchase such a policy.  Let the buyer beware.  Insurance companies can (and do) change policy language at any time so folks need to be aware of the coverages at the time they actually purchase the policy.  I just reviewed the cost of the single trip plan for one of our upcoming trips (70 days out of the country) and it is priced competitively with Atlas.  I will definitely review both policies before our next trip and do a side by side comparison.  My suspicion is that Geoblue excluded COVID from their annual policy to keep the policy cost down.  Also keep in mind that Geoblue is licensed to be sold in most (not all States) and would likely need to seek approval from all the State Insurance Departments for major changes in the language of their policies. 

 

As to the coverage amounts, since DW and I are both over 70 our Geoblue coverage is also reduced to $100,000.  To be very honest, I know nothing about Atlas (which is why I had asked Steve Dasseos to comment on their policy) but a few weeks ago when we were looking at all kinds of policies, Atlas came to our attention because they had one of the very few insurance policies that covered medical issues related to COVID-19.   I want to be very clear that we are not specifically recommending that anyone get an Atlas policy, but just tossing out the info to inform folks that there does seem to be an option for COVID coverage.

 

I am no expert on medical insurance, but did spend over 35 years in the medical insurance (government) industry.  My personal philosophy is to seek a medical policy that is "all risk" or as close to "all risk" as can be obtained for a reasonable cost.  As folks start to resume travel/cruising it will be tempting to ignore the COVID coverage issue in order to resume traveling.  A lot of folks get "fixed in their ways" be it with a single cruise line or a single kind of trip policy.  "COVID has changed everything" when it comes to International travel/cruising and folks are well advised to carefully assess their own risk in this COVID world.  But make no mistake about it that "COVID" remains a "Pandemic" (by definition) which means that insurance policies that exclude "pandemics" would likely refuse to pay anything related to COVID.  If a traveler gets COVID during a trip and it would develop into a serious case requiring hospitalization, the costs of that illness could easily surpass $50,000.  Also consider that even if a case is not serious, having COVID may involve sheltering in place for several weeks until one is fit to travel.

 

Hank

[ipeeinthepool]

Hank,

 

Thanks for all of the information.  Let's please keep this discussion going as we learn more.  I'm just glad that there are options for medical coverage at a reasonable price.   I'm not sure you're correct on the GeoBlue coverage limits for people over 70.  I see that limit specified for the Trekker plans but not for the Voyager plans.  The single trip Voyager plans may provide the opportunity for more than $100 k medical coverage if you desire.

 

Thanks,

 

Al

[iamtrustworthy]

Geo Blue changed their Trekker (multi-trip) and Voyager (single trip) wording on Sept 15th. Here they are so you may see the differences:

 

Trekker

Note: For existing and/or prospective members, injuries and Illnesses resulting from Terrorism and pandemics are covered as any other Injury or Illness provided all of the following conditions are met:

 

1) The Covered Person had no direct or indirect involvement in the Terrorist Activity;
2) The Covered Person has not unreasonably failed or refused to depart a country or location or is traveling to a country or location following the date a warning to leave or avoid travel to that country or location is issued by the United States government.

 

*Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not covered and are excluded under the plan. Medical Expenses associated with asymptomatic testing or expenses for quarantining (confinement outside of a hospital setting) are not covered under this Plan.

Voyager

Note: For existing and/or prospective members, injuries and Illnesses resulting from Terrorism and pandemics are covered as any other Injury or Illness provided all of the following conditions are met:

 

1) The Covered Person had no direct or indirect involvement in the Terrorist Activity;
2) The Covered Person has not unreasonably failed or refused to depart a country or location or is traveling to a country or location following the date a warning to leave or avoid travel to that country or location is issued by the United States government.

 

*Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not subject to the above exception and are covered as any other Injury or Illness. Medical Expenses associated with asymptomatic testing or expenses for quarantining (confinement outside of a hospital setting) are not covered under this Plan.

 

The Trekker excludes Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), but the Voyager does not.

 

Steve Dasseos

Edited September 19, 2020 by iamtrustworthy
typo

[Hlitner]

Steve, Really glad to see you continuing to post here :).  We also had noticed the GeoBlue language which I think makes their annual Trekker Plan (beloved in my household) nearly useless.   It will be interesting to see if GeoBlue offers (in the future) some kind of modified annual plan that would include COVID and other pandemics.  Of course the premiums of such a policy would need to be significantly higher and all of us would need to do the usual risk/benefit analysis,

 

I am really happy that we now have at least two options (Atlas and Geoblue Voyager).  It is also going to be fascinating to see how, in the future,  the various Trip Insurance policies (including the one's sold by the cruise lines) handle COVID.  I sure would not recommend that any of my friends consider taking a cruise or other international trip without having decent medical coverage that includes COVID.

 

Hank