Covid Testing Upon Arrival and Possible Outcomes

[Bgwest]

Hi Steve, looking for a bit of clarification here. I bought a policy from iTI through you for a trip to St. Lucia in February. 

St. Lucia is one of the many destinations that require a negative covid test 7 days prior to arrival. If we get tested and get a positive result, you've counseled us NOT to cancel based on the test but to go see a local doc and get a note telling us to quarantine at home for medical reasons and to submit that to the insurance company. I think I'm clear on that part. 

 

What I'm curious about is getting to St. Lucia and, say, having a fever and being required to submit to another test while at the airport that comes back positive. Then what? and what is covered under our iTI policy?

 

We would surely go to a destination doc for evaluation/treatment. We would be quarantined and not able to return home. Would trip interruption coverage be available to us? How about evacuation coverage? 

 

It seems a bit clearer to me if one of us should be hospitalized while in St. Lucia. I'm thinking the iTI policy would cover medical care while there, yes?  What about evacuation from the St. Lucia hospital? We'd certainly rather be treated in the US in the event of a serious case. In addition to the iTI policy, we have a Medjet policy. 

 

Dialing it back a bit, let's assume our case is very mild and doesn't require hospitalization but just lying low at the hotel. Do we have any coverage that iTI provides in this circumstance? What if after our 10 day stay we are still not cleared to travel (American Airlines) back home? Is any coverage provided to cover the additional time we'd be required to remain in St. Lucia before being given clearance to return home?

 

I hate to throw what seems to be an endless stream of "what ifs" at you. We are just trying to anticipate what might happen before we face any of this. 

 

Thanks, my friend, 

Bill

 

 

 

 

[iamtrustworthy]

On 12/14/2020 at 1:50 AM, Bgwest said:

Hi Steve, looking for a bit of clarification here. I bought a policy from iTI through you for a trip to St. Lucia in February. 

St. Lucia is one of the many destinations that require a negative covid test 7 days prior to arrival. If we get tested and get a positive result, you've counseled us NOT to cancel based on the test but to go see a local doc and get a note telling us to quarantine at home for medical reasons and to submit that to the insurance company. I think I'm clear on that part. 

 

What I'm curious about is getting to St. Lucia and, say, having a fever and being required to submit to another test while at the airport that comes back positive. Then what? and what is covered under our iTI policy?

 

We would surely go to a destination doc for evaluation/treatment. We would be quarantined and not able to return home. Would trip interruption coverage be available to us? How about evacuation coverage? 

 

It seems a bit clearer to me if one of us should be hospitalized while in St. Lucia. I'm thinking the iTI policy would cover medical care while there, yes?  What about evacuation from the St. Lucia hospital? We'd certainly rather be treated in the US in the event of a serious case. In addition to the iTI policy, we have a Medjet policy. 

 

Dialing it back a bit, let's assume our case is very mild and doesn't require hospitalization but just lying low at the hotel. Do we have any coverage that iTI provides in this circumstance? What if after our 10 day stay we are still not cleared to travel (American Airlines) back home? Is any coverage provided to cover the additional time we'd be required to remain in St. Lucia before being given clearance to return home?

 

I hate to throw what seems to be an endless stream of "what ifs" at you. We are just trying to anticipate what might happen before we face any of this. 

 

Thanks, my friend, 

Bill

Hi Bill,

 

I'm sorry about the delay answering you. Yesterday was "one of those days.

 

> If we get tested and get a positive result, you've counseled us NOT to cancel based on the test but to go see a local doc and get a note telling us to quarantine at home for medical reasons and to submit that to the insurance company. I think I'm clear on that part.

 

You don't need the doctor to tell you that a quarantine is needeed, though that likely will happen. You simply need the doctor to tell you that you have to cancel.

 

> What I'm curious about is getting to St. Lucia and, say, having a fever and being required to submit to another test while at the airport that comes back positive. Then what? and what is covered under our iTI policy?

 

If you get the positive test, you do need to see a local doctor because all trip cancellation plans require this. The cost of the visit and subsequent treatment is covered.

 

> We would surely go to a destination doc for evaluation/treatment. We would be quarantined and not able to return home. Would trip interruption coverage be available to us? How about evacuation coverage? 

 

Trip interruption is covered to pay for the unused prepaid non-refundable trip costs and the cost of one-way airfare home. Medical evacuation back home is covered if it's required.

 

> Dialing it back a bit, let's assume our case is very mild and doesn't require hospitalization but just lying low at the hotel. Do we have any coverage that iTI provides in this circumstance?

 

What financial loss would you incur?

 

> What if after our 10 day stay we are still not cleared to travel (American Airlines) back home? Is any coverage provided to cover the additional time we'd be required to remain in St. Lucia before being given clearance to return home?

 

Specific to your iTI SE plan, the Extension of Coverage says: All coverages under this Policy will be extended if Your entire Trip is covered by this Policy and Your return is delayed due to unavoidable circumstances beyond Your control. This extension of coverage will end on the earlier of the date You reach Your originally scheduled return destination or ten (10) days after the Scheduled Return Date.

 

Other companies have different lengths of time.

 

Steve Dasseos

 

[Bgwest]

Dialing it back a bit, let's assume our case is very mild and doesn't require hospitalization but just lying low at the hotel. Do we have any coverage that iTI provides in this circumstance?

 

What financial loss would you incur?

 

If either of us is diagnosed with covid or anything else that keeps us quarantined in our room for some portion of the 10 days we've booked, we would clearly be sacrificing a significant portion of what we've paid for at the resort. I don't know of any way to quantify this nor how to answer the question of what financial loss we might incur. Any ideas on how we would approach such a scenario should it occur?

 

> What if after our 10 day stay we are still not cleared to travel (American Airlines) back home? Is any coverage provided to cover the additional time we'd be required to remain in St. Lucia before being given clearance to return home?

 

Specific to your iTI SE plan, the Extension of Coverage says: All coverages under this Policy will be extended if Your entire Trip is covered by this Policy and Your return is delayed due to unavoidable circumstances beyond Your control. This extension of coverage will end on the earlier of the date You reach Your originally scheduled return destination or ten (10) days after the Scheduled Return Date.

 

If we one or both of are hospitalized, does this mean that we would be refunded the pre-paid and unused part of the money we've paid the resort starting the time we are hospitalized?

 

What if one of us is hospitalized and the other remains at the resort. Would we be refunded the unused portion of moneys paid to the resort for the person who is hospitalized and the other of us just remains at the resort?

 

Say we are simply quarantined to the room and not hospitalized. It sounds like iTI SE will give us a maximum 10 day "grace period" for our stay. Would the hotel be paid directly by iTI SE to cover costs of the additional days beyond what we've paid for? Would we be able to stay in the room category we've booked and paid for?

 

Bill

[iamtrustworthy]

On 12/15/2020 at 5:23 PM, Bgwest said:

Dialing it back a bit, let's assume our case is very mild and doesn't require hospitalization but just lying low at the hotel. Do we have any coverage that iTI provides in this circumstance?

 

What financial loss would you incur?

 

If either of us is diagnosed with covid or anything else that keeps us quarantined in our room for some portion of the 10 days we've booked, we would clearly be sacrificing a significant portion of what we've paid for at the resort. I don't know of any way to quantify this nor how to answer the question of what financial loss we might incur. Any ideas on how we would approach such a scenario should it occur?

 

> What if after our 10 day stay we are still not cleared to travel (American Airlines) back home? Is any coverage provided to cover the additional time we'd be required to remain in St. Lucia before being given clearance to return home?

 

Specific to your iTI SE plan, the Extension of Coverage says: All coverages under this Policy will be extended if Your entire Trip is covered by this Policy and Your return is delayed due to unavoidable circumstances beyond Your control. This extension of coverage will end on the earlier of the date You reach Your originally scheduled return destination or ten (10) days after the Scheduled Return Date.

 

If we one or both of are hospitalized, does this mean that we would be refunded the pre-paid and unused part of the money we've paid the resort starting the time we are hospitalized?

 

What if one of us is hospitalized and the other remains at the resort. Would we be refunded the unused portion of moneys paid to the resort for the person who is hospitalized and the other of us just remains at the resort?

 

Say we are simply quarantined to the room and not hospitalized. It sounds like iTI SE will give us a maximum 10 day "grace period" for our stay. Would the hotel be paid directly by iTI SE to cover costs of the additional days beyond what we've paid for? Would we be able to stay in the room category we've booked and paid for?

 

Bill

Hi Bill,

 

> What financial loss would you incur?
If either of us is diagnosed with covid or anything else that keeps us quarantined in our room for some portion of the 10 days we've booked, we would clearly be sacrificing a significant portion of what we've paid for at the resort. I don't know of any way to quantify this nor how to answer the question of what financial loss we might incur. Any ideas on how we would approach such a scenario should it occur?

 

If you had prepaid and non-refundable travel arrangements that you missed because you were quarantined in your room, you would be reimburdersed for these. If not and you were unable to enjoy the activities at the resort because of the quarantine, there is no payable claim.

 

This would be similar to going to Cancun and having it rain the whole time. You won’t have much fun, but unless the bad weather prevents you from getting there or forces you to return home early, you won’t have a valid claim.

 

> What if after our 10 day stay we are still not cleared to travel (American Airlines) back home? Is any coverage provided to cover the additional time we'd be required to remain in St. Lucia before being given clearance to return home?

Specific to your iTI SE plan, the Extension of Coverage says: All coverages under this Policy will be extended if Your entire Trip is covered by this Policy and Your return is delayed due to unavoidable circumstances beyond Your control. This extension of coverage will end on the earlier of the date You reach Your originally scheduled return destination or ten (10) days after the Scheduled Return Date.

If we one or both of are hospitalized, does this mean that we would be refunded the pre-paid and unused part of the money we've paid the resort starting the time we are hospitalized?

> What if one of us is hospitalized and the other remains at the resort. Would we be refunded the unused portion of moneys paid to the resort for the person who is hospitalized and the other of us just remains at the resort?

 

Yes, the one person who is hospitalized would be reimbursed for their share of the prepaid lodging costs.

Say we are simply quarantined to the room and not hospitalized. It sounds like iTI SE will give us a maximum 10 day "grace period" for our stay. Would the hotel be paid directly by iTI SE to cover costs of the additional days beyond what we've paid for? Would we be able to stay in the room category we've booked and paid for?

 

This is covered under a combination of Trip Interruption and Travel Delay. You would pay up front for the room. Your policy specifically says this: (the limits are per person)

 

"Travel Delay
Benefits will be paid up to $125 per day for: 1) reasonable accommodation, meal, telephone call, and local transportation expenses incurred by You, up to the Maximum Benefit Amount shown in the Declarations Page, if You are delayed for 12 hours or more while enroute to or from, or during Your Trip, due to:
d) quarantine"

 

I hope this makes better sense,

 

Steve

 

[Bgwest]

Makes perfect sense. This is why I, and many others, look upon you as the unquestioned expert in all things Travel Insurance related.

 

You are the best, my friend, and I thank you for always being there for us. 

 

Bill

[Bgwest]

A follow-up, please to a portion of what you've already answered:.

 

Say we are simply quarantined to the room and not hospitalized. It sounds like iTI SE will give us a maximum 10 day "grace period" for our stay. Would the hotel be paid directly by iTI SE to cover costs of the additional days beyond what we've paid for? Would we be able to stay in the room category we've booked and paid for?

 

This is covered under a combination of Trip Interruption and Travel Delay. You would pay up front for the room. Your policy specifically says this: (the limits are per person)

 

"Travel Delay
Benefits will be paid up to $125 per day for: 1) reasonable accommodation, meal, telephone call, and local transportation expenses incurred by You, up to the Maximum Benefit Amount shown in the Declarations Page, if You are delayed for 12 hours or more while enroute to or from, or during Your Trip, due to:
d) quarantine"

 

 

Using the same circumstances, what are the limits of the Travel Insured WTP policies we've purchased?

 

Thank you, Sir!

Bill

[iamtrustworthy]

On 1/24/2021 at 4:25 PM, Bgwest said:

A follow-up, please to a portion of what you've already answered:.

 

Say we are simply quarantined to the room and not hospitalized. It sounds like iTI SE will give us a maximum 10 day "grace period" for our stay. Would the hotel be paid directly by iTI SE to cover costs of the additional days beyond what we've paid for? Would we be able to stay in the room category we've booked and paid for?

 

This is covered under a combination of Trip Interruption and Travel Delay. You would pay up front for the room. Your policy specifically says this: (the limits are per person)

 

"Travel Delay
Benefits will be paid up to $125 per day for: 1) reasonable accommodation, meal, telephone call, and local transportation expenses incurred by You, up to the Maximum Benefit Amount shown in the Declarations Page, if You are delayed for 12 hours or more while enroute to or from, or during Your Trip, due to:
d) quarantine"

 

 

Using the same circumstances, what are the limits of the Travel Insured WTP policies we've purchased?

 

Thank you, Sir!

Bill

Hi Bill,

 

I'm sorry about the delay answering you. Between the recent wave of cruise cancellations and others planning 2022 & 2023 trips, it was a crazy week.

 

I didn't even have time to make any money in GameStop's or AMC's stock.

 

The limits are per person and not per policy.

 

The Travel Insured WTP policy will extend for up to 7 days past your return date. Its Tip Delay coverage is $1,000 after 6 hours at a maximum of $200 per day.

 

Steve