Travel Insurance covering Covid

[MMDown Under]

Good news -  I was speaking to a salesperson at a Travel Insurance Company and she said cover will be available to cover Covid shortly (? a couple of weeks).

 

Bad news -  It will only cover passengers to age 75!

 

 

[mr walker]

I just took a quick look at TI. Our most recent (not so recent now though) TI was thru Medibank. Form the website:

 

"Our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits can provide cover for your overseas medical costs if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical practitioner while travelling. This cover includes costs resulting from overseas medical treatment and ambulance transportation you require when suffering from COVID-19.

However, we can’t pay for any medical costs resulting from COVID-19 if you’re travelling to a country that is subject to “Do not travel” advice from Smartraveller at the time you enter the country or part of the country, or if your claim is related to you having travelled on a multi-night cruise."

 

The bolding is mine. So the conditions (not even fine-print) need close scrutiny.

[OzKiwiJJ]

That may change once cruising recommences here but it's not good news for anyone planning on cruising overseas.

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, mr walker said:

I just took a quick look at TI. Our most recent (not so recent now though) TI was thru Medibank. Form the website:

"Our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits can provide cover for your overseas medical costs if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical practitioner while travelling. This cover includes costs resulting from overseas medical treatment and ambulance transportation you require when suffering from COVID-19.

However, we can’t pay for any medical costs resulting from COVID-19 if you’re travelling to a country that is subject to “Do not travel” advice from Smartraveller at the time you enter the country or part of the country, or if your claim is related to you having travelled on a multi-night cruise."

The bolding is mine. So the conditions (not even fine-print) need close scrutiny.

I phoned Medibank first as I am a Medibank member.  What a frustrating experience.  I wanted "remote area evacuation" coverage - no idea!  

[Beagle5]

NIB will cover you for Covid including on cruises.

I rang them to double check.

very expensive if you are older though.

 

[Port Power]

I bought an annual domestic policy through HBF with cruise cover for the South Pacific. That was needed in case of remote evacuation while on a domestic cruise. The evacuation part was the main reason, so I wasn’t looking at Covid related items. Not necessary.  Once evacuated by helicopter, I would end up in an Australian hospital.

[MMDown Under]

5 hours ago, Port Power said:

I bought an annual domestic policy through HBF with cruise cover for the South Pacific. That was needed in case of remote evacuation while on a domestic cruise. The evacuation part was the main reason, so I wasn’t looking at Covid related items. Not necessary.  Once evacuated by helicopter, I would end up in an Australian hospital.

Check fine print as this policy may not cover you if you are transferred from ship to port hospital due to Covid.  (HAL covered these costs for passenger with covid recently transferred to Fort Lauderdale hotel for the quarantine period.)

[Elorac123]

15 hours ago, Beagle5 said:

NIB will cover you for Covid including on cruises.

I rang them to double check.

very expensive if you are older though.

 

Thanks for the info but I’m a bit puzzled at the quotes I got

7 days Australian waters $711

14 days New Zealand   $678 

Cheers Carole

 

[Elorac123]

Solved the puzzle,,the $678  NZ was for land trip it’s $859 for cruise

cheers Carole

[MMDown Under]

18 hours ago, Elorac123 said:

Thanks for the info but I’m a bit puzzled at the quotes I got

7 days Australian waters $711

14 days New Zealand   $678 

Cheers Carole

18 hours ago, Elorac123 said:

 

 

$711 for 7 days in Australian waters seems very expensive.  Is that per person?

[MMDown Under]

$711 for 7 days in Australian waters seems very expensive. Is that per person?

[Elorac123]

Two of us both 78,,yes never had to buy insurance in the past always relied on our Amex. But they don’t cover Covid at the moment

9 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

$711 for 7 days in Australian waters seems very expensive. Is that per person?

Cheers Carole

[Aus Traveller]

I checked on the T&C of the 'free' Visa card travel insurance. It looks like they cover COVID-related claims. Here is an extract from the website:

 

Whilst there is no General Exclusion for pandemic or epidemic mentioned in the Premium Cards – Insurances, Insurance Policy Information booklet or the ANZ Business Black Travel Insurance, Policy Information booklet, ANZ Eligible Cardholders should be aware that other exclusions have the potential to apply.

 

One exclusion is travel to an area that the Aust government has on a 'Do Not Travel' list. It is worth checking out.

 

I noticed that Comm Bank  insurance doesn't cover COVID.

Edited February 10, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[Port Power]

On 2/9/2022 at 6:02 AM, MMDown Under said:

Check fine print as this policy may not cover you if you are transferred from ship to port hospital due to Covid.  (HAL covered these costs for passenger with covid recently transferred to Fort Lauderdale hotel for the quarantine period.)

With a PCR within 72 -90 hours prior, and a RAT on boarding, COVID is not really a concern.  Only broken legs!  We are talking a small, Australian expedition ship here. I am confident COVID would be identified prior to boarding.  Once on the ship, it is a closed community.

[Russell21]

Sis inlaw has just had a feeler quote from can't name here, 1st to 15th Oct, 1pers 71, 1pers 76, South Pacific Cruise with Covid cover, warning to read the fine print and exclusions, no prior cover asked for or given, $1,100.00. 

Under normal circumstances with several previous for both of us, this would cost $480.00 from a different insurer that we use, before I turned 75 it was around $300.

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, Russell21 said:

Sis inlaw has just had a feeler quote from can't name here, 1st to 15th Oct, 1pers 71, 1pers 76, South Pacific Cruise with Covid cover, warning to read the fine print and exclusions, no prior cover asked for or given, $1,100.00. 

Under normal circumstances with several previous for both of us, this would cost $480.00 from a different insurer that we use, before I turned 75 it was around $300.

With people aged 71 and 76, I suggest they look at the Visa card travel insurance - unless the people involved have serious health issues that would exclude them. With my ANZ visa card, I only have to spend $250 of the travel cost on the card to be eligible for free travel insurance. There is an excess of $200 but I don't care about that. I want the insurance to cover major costs. There is a small annual fee for our card. We have saved countless thousands of dollars by relying on the CC insurance over the last few decades. We have only had to claim once (theft in Europe in 1999) and it was paid out without any problems.

Edited March 2, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[GOTTODOIT]

I suggest Southern Cross Travel Insurance.  They cover for Covid, trip disruption, hospitalisation, medical etc as well as the normal loss of luggage etc.

When I was looking for covid cover, SCTI was the only insurance company offering Covid cover.

The recommended NCL insurance company, Covermore, I rang and they don't cover for Covid.

The cover for 2 adults for 4 back to back cruises was approx $500.

 

[GOTTODOIT]

Further to my above post -

We previously travelled with the insurance on our Credit Card but felt that I needed cover for Covid and the credit card insurance company does not cover Covid related expenses.

[Aus Traveller]

15 minutes ago, GOTTODOIT said:

Further to my above post -

We previously travelled with the insurance on our Credit Card but felt that I needed cover for Covid and the credit card insurance company does not cover Covid related expenses.

My CC insurance does cover Covid related expenses.

[GOTTODOIT]

10 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

My CC insurance does cover Covid related expenses.

 

Thank you for the heads up.  I will ring my credit card insurance company and make an inquiry.

 

[Sailaway John]

On 2/8/2022 at 12:43 PM, MMDown Under said:

Good news -  I was speaking to a salesperson at a Travel Insurance Company and she said cover will be available to cover Covid shortly (? a couple of weeks).

 

Bad news -  It will only cover passengers to age 75!

 

 

That sure is DISCRIMINATION.

 

[NSWP]

19 hours ago, Sailaway John said:

That sure is DISCRIMINATION.

 

In other words after 75 one has to retire from cruising. Sad that.

[NSWP]

NSW covid numbers going up, 13,000 today.  Bring back the masks and some restrictions in social venues.

[dillpickle48]

People having to go to evacuation centres would not be helping things.

[OzKiwiJJ]

42 minutes ago, NSWP said:

NSW covid numbers going up, 13,000 today.  Bring back the masks and some restrictions in social venues.

When we went grocery shopping last Friday I noticed a lot more people weren't wearing masks yet the daily number of cases in our LGA has been averaging around 60. A lot of those not wearing masks were seniors. I think the NSW government has inadvertently signalled that the risk is over when, in fact, Covid is still circulating freely in the community. 

 

We're still wearing masks while shopping and have upgraded our masks to P2s and KR94s instead of cloth or surgical masks. I also managed to get a supply of ear loop adjusters which gives me a better fit. Rolf find the masks fit OK without them. The P2 masks are the most comfortable. I bought them online from an Australian company, PPETech.