Does Trip Cancellation coverage exist for Canadians for covid-related reasons?

[Shadow9612]

I always purchase out of country medical and trip cancellation insurance.  I have 2 cruises booked in a suite with Celebrity in 2024, so non-refundable portion after final payment is significant.

 

What happens if we contract covid immediately prior to departure and can't travel?

 

Manulife insurance will not cover covid as an eligible reason for trip cancellation (since covid is a known and not unforeseen). 

 

Does any insurance company still offer covid-related reasons for cancellation prior to departure?

 

Is my only option to purchase the Celebrity Cruise Protection to have the cancel for any reason clause (50% of non-refundable portion will be paid out)? -- even still, this is only if you cancel 14 days out I think?

 

Any insight/assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

[mom says]

I'd check again with Manulife. I'm pretty sure they cover both cancellation and interruption, provided you are fully vaccinated.

[LHT28]

You may want to call Manulife  & clarify their policies

https://www.manulife.ca/personal/insurance/our-products/travel-insurance/travelling-canadians.html

[CDNPolar]

I too will differ with you on this... We use Manulife, Blue Cross, and other Canadian insurance, and Covid is a covered cancel and interruption reason.

 

You may still be thinking of during the beginning of the pandemic when insurance did not know what direction to go with this...

 

Flu is known, and you could come down with a bad case prior to cruising and have a doctor's recommendation not to travel, and you would be covered...  so Covid being a known thing now should not preempt coverage.

[Shadow9612]

18 hours ago, mom says said:

I'd check again with Manulife. I'm pretty sure they cover both cancellation and interruption, provided you are fully vaccinated.

 

17 hours ago, LHT28 said:

You may want to call Manulife  & clarify their policies

https://www.manulife.ca/personal/insurance/our-products/travel-insurance/travelling-canadians.html

 

8 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

I too will differ with you on this... We use Manulife, Blue Cross, and other Canadian insurance, and Covid is a covered cancel and interruption reason.

 

You may still be thinking of during the beginning of the pandemic when insurance did not know what direction to go with this...

 

Flu is known, and you could come down with a bad case prior to cruising and have a doctor's recommendation not to travel, and you would be covered...  so Covid being a known thing now should not preempt coverage.

 

Thank you all for your comments.

 

I contacted Manulife before posting on CC (both directly through CoverMe and through Costco).  They both told me covid is not an eligible cancellation reason (however it is covered through emergency medical while on the trip).  

 

A few weeks ago (I can't remember the date), I am pretty sure Manulife did tell me it was covered - so this could be new, or the agents yesterday were in error ?  

 

I will call again in a few days and see 🙂

 

 

[Shadow9612]

Additional Info:

 

CAA travel insurance apparently does still consider covid an eligible reason for trip cancellation.

 

What I find frustrating, is the agent tells me this, and then also says "but it isn't listed explicitly in the policy documentation"  🤯

[CDNPolar]

48 minutes ago, Shadow9612 said:

Additional Info:

 

CAA travel insurance apparently does still consider covid an eligible reason for trip cancellation.

 

What I find frustrating, is the agent tells me this, and then also says "but it isn't listed explicitly in the policy documentation"  🤯

YES, I have had that same response from a few insurance companies.  “We cover it but it is not explicitly explained in the policy”.  
 

You can NOT take that to the bank. 

[SRch]

We tried to get insurance for our cruise through Celebrity and they would not cover us because we are Canadian. Also we booked a cruise through an online cruise agency and when I tried to book their $85 US insurance it directed me to a much more expensive option so I called the travel agency and was told that that company no longer covered Canadians.