Travel insurance in the time of COVID

[ilikeanswers]

Found this interesting guide about buying COVID 19 travel insurance:

 

CHOICE travel insurance buying guide: COVID-19 edition

 

They have a good checklist for those looking at buying travel insurance.

[MicCanberra]

Some good points, 

I am worried about the situation where you are covered but then an outbreak happens in one of your destinations which changes the coverage.

[lissie]

Thank you for this  -I keep on being told  I'm a fearmonger when I point out that at this time travel insurance does not cover  most of  the world because all of it is level 4 alert (in NZ' equivalent to safe travel anyways). People don't want to know.  We can travel ie we can leave the country-  but we would be  uninsured 

[NSWP]

5 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Some good points, 

I am worried about the situation where you are covered but then an outbreak happens in one of your destinations which changes the coverage.

That is the danger...on a cruise with no covid insurance and you get covid whilst on board or whilst ashore, big trouble.  So many countries still in dire straits with Covid, high risk.

[MicCanberra]

My point was that you have insurance  which covers you for covid, are on your trip, and the situation changes in a destination country. Australia then changes to the level from 1 or 2 to 3 or 4, which may mean no cover anymore.

[NSWP]

24 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

My point was that you have insurance  which covers you for covid, are on your trip, and the situation changes in a destination country. Australia then changes to the level from 1 or 2 to 3 or 4, which may mean no cover anymore.

Very risky indeed.  

Edited October 8, 2021 by NSWP

[By The Bay]

Point Hacks has a interesting article on Travel Insurance. If you are are like me and interested in cruising, the news is not good. They state that: "Notably, no stand-alone policy will cover you for COVID-19 related claims in overseas countries with ‘Do Not Travel’ advisories (essentially all of them except New Zealand). It also won’t cover domestic travel costs as a result of state border closures and quarantine."

 

Medibank and Cover-More will not cover "Any claims caused by COVID-19 on multi-night cruises", and "Some benefits may not be covered if your trip includes a multi-night cruise."

 

I am hoping that, when cruising re-starts, insurance policies will become available. Full article here.

[adelaidefc]

Here I was thinking about booking an Celebrity NZ cruise this time next year, but very nervous about the existing insurance options. 

Covermore for example will cover cancellations you if you are diagnosed with Covid before the trip and can't travel, and specifically mention pre-booked cruises in their FAQ. But any medical care or expenses, trip extensions etc for a Covid diagnosis related to the cruise itself...not at all. 

 

That said, NZ/Aus have reciprocal healthcare arrangements, so your only uninsured risk would be getting Covid on the ship and deteriorating so quickly on the sea days you needed an air ambulance evac. Otherwise you'd likely be able to be offloaded at the next port in NZ, and be covered via reciprocal healthcare (though any accom/flights back to Aus would not be covered).  

 

Have I interpreted that incorrectly, or are there any other risks I'm not thinking of?

[Elorac123]

Who knows what is down the track.

Some clearer rules will need to be applied before I venture out beyond Qld.

Borders opening and shutting faster than Anastasias mouth

 Cheers Carole

[MMDown Under]

If the insurance industry doesn’t change its policies about insurance coverage for covid it will be the end of cruising as we know it.

Garden Clubs in Queensland were going to be forced to close when they couldn’t get insurance.  Fortunately they were able to

get insurance through Victoria.

 

 

[portcbob]

30 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

If the insurance industry doesn’t change its policies about insurance coverage for covid it will be the end of cruising as we know it.

Garden Clubs in Queensland were going to be forced to close when they couldn’t get insurance.  Fortunately they were able to

get insurance through Victoria.

 

 

Totally agree. When cruising starts unless insurance companies change their policies to include covid related illnesses, surely no one in their right mind would travel. The risk would be to great. If they don't have a covid coverage the whole travel industry will go down tge gurglar. It has to happen.

[MMDown Under]

For my last cruise I had booked a ferry trip from Cairns to TI return.  I was surprised to not be able to get insurance from my usual insurer (with no claims).  When I enquired why I was told it was because it was further than four months time.  ??  I wondered if they knew something the public didn’t know at the time.  So I decided not to do the cruise as I always have plan b or c land travel I could do in lieu!

[adelaidefc]

Looking at the overseas experience (and trawling through some OS policy documents), it looks like the insurance industry is definitely offering Covid cover for cruises. 

The general exclusions seem to be things like needing to be fully vaxxed, not travelling against health advice or Gov warnings, and cost of quarantine if required at home. 

But they do include things like cabin confinement due to Covid (or being a contact), plus medical expenses etc. 

 

I'm not sure of the pricing for those policies, but judging by the fact many thousands of people are back cruising every day already, they can't be too onerous beyond normal. 

[ilikeanswers]

2 hours ago, adelaidefc said:

Looking at the overseas experience (and trawling through some OS policy documents), it looks like the insurance industry is definitely offering Covid cover for cruises. 

The general exclusions seem to be things like needing to be fully vaxxed, not travelling against health advice or Gov warnings, and cost of quarantine if required at home. 

But they do include things like cabin confinement due to Covid (or being a contact), plus medical expenses etc. 

 

I'm not sure of the pricing for those policies, but judging by the fact many thousands of people are back cruising every day already, they can't be too onerous beyond normal. 

 

The thing though that the article mentioned that is worth noting is that if you are in country that changes it covid regulation mid trip you could find yourself uninsured. With so much in flux that is an issue. Plus while they might cover medical they won't cover things like extra accommodation even if it is enforced quarantine or any charges for changing your itinerary if it is due to Covid. I have read on some of the forums at the moment a lot of cruise lines are paying for these costs in order to convince people to get back cruising but everyone is pretty certain this is only temporary in which case you have to wonder if cruise lines withdraw this support will insurance fill the gap? 

[adelaidefc]

8 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

The thing though that the article mentioned that is worth noting is that if you are in country that changes it covid regulation mid trip you could find yourself uninsured....I have read on some of the forums at the moment a lot of cruise lines are paying for these costs in order to convince people to get back cruising but everyone is pretty certain this is only temporary in which case you have to wonder if cruise lines withdraw this support will insurance fill the gap? 

 

Hmm that's a good point. I'm really keen to book something if only for the psychological benefit of having something to look forward to. Perhaps safer to stick with a domestic cruise (our alternate to NZ is Qld coast). My 78yo Mum would be coming too, so staying closer to Aussie shores may not be the worst thing, but she does have her heart set on NZ 😞

[Russell21]

8 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

For my last cruise I had booked a ferry trip from Cairns to TI return.  I was surprised to not be able to get insurance from my usual insurer (with no claims).  When I enquired why I was told it was because it was further than four months time.  ??  I wondered if they knew something the public didn’t know at the time.  So I decided not to do the cruise as I always have plan b or c land travel I could do in lieu!

Most of the Insurance companies won't insure you more that 4 months prior to traveling once you turn 75.

[MMDown Under]

27 minutes ago, Russell21 said:

Most of the Insurance companies won't insure you more that 4 months prior to traveling once you turn 75.

Thanks.  That is interesting.  That is lazy underwriting if you have been a client for many years with no health related claims.  

[ilikeanswers]

Got an email from Ponant that they are now offering Covid repatriation insurance for $45 per person:

 

PONANT REPATRIATION COVID INSURANCE

 

If you book an Antarctic 2021/2022 cruise the insurance is included. 

[Cruisers47]

That’s very positive

 

Eileen

[Elorac123]

On 12/17/2021 at 12:40 PM, ilikeanswers said:

Got an email from Ponant that they are now offering Covid repatriation insurance for $45 per person:

 

PONANT REPATRIATION COVID INSURANCE

 

If you book an Antarctic 2021/2022 cruise the insurance is included. 

Think all the cruise lines are going to have to offer the same or nobody will want to risk it.

Cheers Carole

[By The Bay]

14 hours ago, Elorac123 said:

Think all the cruise lines are going to have to offer the same or nobody will want to risk it.

Cheers Carole

I was looking at travel insurance, and came across this from AIG.

Suspension of Travel Insurance Sales 

Due to the current advisory from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) banning travel to all destinations, we are temporarily suspending the sale of domestic and international travel insurance policies.

[NSWP]

28 minutes ago, By The Bay said:

I was looking at travel insurance, and came across this from AIG.

Suspension of Travel Insurance Sales 

Due to the current advisory from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) banning travel to all destinations, we are temporarily suspending the sale of domestic and international travel insurance policies.

That's a worry. Will the rest of the insurance companies follow? 

[lissie]

44 minutes ago, NSWP said:

That's a worry. Will the rest of the insurance companies follow? 

I  suspect  its temporary while they change their t&cs 

 

We have a quote for a substantial overseas trip mid-year - I just checked and the company is still selling via their website (we use a broker) . This is for NZ . They have a caveat of no Covid travel for any country which is affected by NZ government waring of "do not travel" - which is every country except the Cook Islands at the moment.  We expect that to change when our border starts to open end of Feb 

Edited December 26, 2021 by lissie

[Elorac123]

10 minutes ago, lissie said:

I  suspect  its temporary while they change their t&cs 

 

We have a quote for a substantial overseas trip mid-year - I just checked and the company is still selling via their website (we use a broker) . This is for NZ . They have a caveat of no Covid travel for any country which is affected by NZ government waring of "do not travel" - which is every country except the Cook Islands at the moment.  We expect that to change when our border starts to open end of Feb 

Still none of them offering cover for government border closures 

Cheers Carole

[lissie]

1 minute ago, Elorac123 said:

Still none of them offering cover for government border closures 

Cheers Carole

None of them ever will frankly - that's not an "insurable event" . Its also not new I don't think - its a bit like the general clause which no one ever read which precludes cover for war declared or not, pandemic etc .  I also can't get insurance for anything related to covid on  a cruise (even with cruise cover).