Last Updated: Tuesday, January 8, 2024
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first U.S. case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Jan 21, 2020. Even now, over three years later, COVID-19 can complicate international travel. And while most nations around the world have ended their insurance and vaccination requirements, they can and do still change regularly.
Regular travel insurance (trip cancellation insurance) provides coverage for trip cancellation and trip interruption for a defined set of reasons. As the coronavirus outbreak has been a known and foreseen event for years now, you cannot expect regular travel insurance to cover the cancellation of a trip solely because you are now uneasy about traveling to an area due to COVID-19.
The best option would be to purchase Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) travel insurance. However, you must purchase it within 10 to 21 days of the initial trip deposit (duration varies based on insurance plan) and you must insure 100% of your trip cost. Such travel insurance is an additional feature with most plans, and can be purchased for an additional cost.
Both regular travel insurance and Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance may provide the coverage for the following:
- Emergency Medical Coverage: You get sick while on your trip and need to visit a doctor or get hospitalized.
- Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage: In case a local hospital cannot provide adequate healthcare and you need to be evacuated to the nearest medical facility that can, emergency medical evacuation can provide such transportation.
- Trip Interruption: If you get very sick and you need to return home early.
Coronavirus Travel Insurance FAQ
Can I buy travel insurance to cancel my trip in case I am afraid to travel if the coronavirus outbreak worsens?
Fear of traveling is a not a covered reason for trip cancellation coverage in regular travel insurance. Once again, the coronavirus outbreak has been a known and foreseen event for many years at this point, and is now considered by some countries to be an endemic disease, no different from influenza.
If you have an upcoming trip and are concerned about the coronavirus outbreak worsening in your destination, please purchase Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance. Please read the terms of the policy first.
What if the U.S. Department of State or CDC issues a traveling warning to a certain country? Will my travel insurance cover me if I need to cancel my trip?
In most regular travel insurance plans, a government warning is not a covered reason for trip cancellation coverage.
Please purchase Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance. Please read the terms of the policy first.
Will my travel insurance provide the trip cancellation benefit if I am quarantined due to the coronavirus outbreak?
You will get trip cancellation coverage only if the COVID insurance coverage specifically lists "Quarantine" as a covered reason.
It would be the best to purchase Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance. Please read the terms of the policy first.
Am I covered for medical treatment if I get infected with coronavirus while traveling?
Coronavirus sickness can be covered just like any other new sickness that occurs while on the trip with international travel insurance that covers COVID-19.
In case I miss my flight due to coronavirus screenings at the airport, will travel insurance cover it?
In most travel insurance policies, delays at the security checkpoints, including additional screenings, are not considered as a valid reason for trip delay or missed connection.
I am planning to travel to country XYZ in few months. Can I buy travel insurance if I need to cancel my trip in case it becomes worse there later?
COVID-19 has been a worldwide concern for many years now. Therefore, regular travel insurance will not cover trip cancellation in such situations.
Please purchase Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance. Please read the terms of the policy first.
Will the travel insurance evacuate me if I get sick with coronavirus on a cruise ship?
Travel insurance companies rarely arrange evacuation off a cruise ship, as that is done by the U.S. Coast Guard or similar government entities. Travel insurance will typically cover evacuation to the nearest medical facility where adequate care can be given, after you have already been first hospitalized at a location that cannot provide adequate care. In other words, it is mostly hospital-to-hospital transportation.
What if my cruise line cancels a cruise due to coronavirus? Will travel insurance cover trip cancellation?
Regular travel insurance will not provide coverage under such cases.
Please purchase Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance. Please read the terms of the policy first.
Will travel insurance cover me if I am denied boarding a cruise because of coronavirus concerns?
If the cruise line does a screening and you are denied boarding because you are sick, you may be covered for your unused trip expenses and the additional transportation expenses that you might incur to return home. When submitting a claim, you must submit the doctor's report that shows that you can’t travel due to your sickness.
However, if you are not allowed to board because you have not complied with the cruise line's coronavirus testing or vaccination requirements without a medical exemption, you will not be covered by regular travel insurance. These policies are at the discretion of the cruise line, or the country the ship is sailing from and/or to.
Please purchase Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance. Please read the terms of the policy first.
Will travel insurance cover me if I am quarantined due to coronavirus?
If you are in need of travel insurance that covers quarantine, there are certain travel insurance plans with quarantine coverage that are available.
You can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance. Please read the terms of the policy first.
I have a trip scheduled soon. However, one of the attractions I want to visit is now closed. As I don’t see any point in going there now, can I purchase travel insurance?
No. Trip cancellation coverage is not applicable if you need to cancel your trip due to loss of enjoyment such as tourist places being closed, rides not being available, not the best weather, or other similar reasons.
In any case, it would be too late to purchase regular travel insurance now.
If you recently booked your trip, please purchase Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance. Please read the terms of the policy first.
I have a trip scheduled soon and I purchased travel insurance. My airline already waived my flight cancellation fee. I don’t need travel insurance any longer as I am not traveling. Can I get the refund?
You can get a refund only if you are within the 10 to 15-day free look period, depending upon the specific plan.
What if I get sick due to coronavirus before my scheduled trip and I need to cancel my trip, will the travel insurance cover it?
Sickness is one of the usual reasons to get trip cancellation coverage in travel insurance and could be covered. Please read the terms of the policy first.
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