progol

As I wrote in my comments on the Coronavirus virus thread that ibobi started, most travel insurance does not cover cancellation due to the coronavirus. Generally speaking, only "cancel for any reason" insurance will - but that is more expensive and, on average, will refund about 75% of money spent.

From "Insure My Trip":
Travel Insurance & the Coronavirus: What is Covered?

kja

Thanks for the heads-up, progol!

gail

Is there a clause in any similar to terrorist activity - like if WHO or CDC recommends no travel to area?

Macross

Interesting. I have yet to buy trip insurance for the upcoming May trip. I'd better get on it. Jim bought all tickets with CSR so not sure about their policy.

progol

<<Is there a clause in any similar to terrorist activity - like if WHO or CDC recommends no travel to area?>>

Terrorist activity appears to be covered in general travel insurance, but "epidemics" are not.

I will find out later today if there is a change with my CC insurance since the state advisory for all China has been increased to Level 4. I did get a refund with a modest cancellation fee from Cathay Pacific, so I'm not upset if there isn't any additional refunds. But now that the gov't is saying we can't go, I wonder if there is a change.

mrwunrfl

I don't understand why the insurance company would change its policy, esp. considering that (I think you said) they don't cover epidemcs.

What does matter is the Cathay Pacific policy which, if I read it correctly, now allows full reunds:
https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...and-china.html

Maybe you can get that cancel fee back.

progol

mrwunrfl, i didn’t say anything about insurance policies changing. I just reported what I read in the policies about what was covered. Typically, epidemics are not covered. I didn’t see any reference to CDC alerts and whether or not this affects coverage.

As of now, Cathay Pacific will refund 100% for travel to China mainland through the end of March. We were flying into HK on March 28 and then going to the mainland on April 3. We got most of our money back with a modest cancellation fee. I can live with this.

kja

FYI: As most of you know, travel insurance depends on lots of things, including where one is going, for how long, with what prepaid expenses, and with what (if any) pre-existing medical conditions. So take this following information as just one bit of information to consider if looking into the issue!

I've been exploring options for trip insurance to cover a trip to Laos & Cambodia (click on my name to see my planning thread and scroll down to near the end for the latest iteration of my plan), so I spent some time with an InsureMyTrip agent this evening. For my conditions, she indicated that Nationwide and HHC Atlas were the only companies that include coverage should CDC declare a health emergency. That is consistent with the research I've conducted so far -- but note that I haven't conducted a comprehensive search, and again, what companies provide what services may vary with your plans. Just as one example, it seems that Nationwide won't work for me because I'll be away just a few too many days. And the agent declined to say that other policies would NOT cover trip cancellation if CDC declares an emergency -- she was only speaking to the actual terms of the policies that would otherwise be available to me.

Just thought I'd post this information in case it proves useful to anyone.

Bottom line as I see it: Ask relevant questions! If you are seeking insurance for an upcoming trip, make sure you know what you think you want or need and talk to someone at insuremytrip or squaremouth for more information, followed (of course) by discussions with the insurance companies about the policies you are considering.

And as I've often said, make sure you at least consider whether you need emergency medical coverage and/or medical evacuation coverage (and if so, for either, at what level) and/or whether you need coverage for repatriation of remains.

If any of you have further input about what coverage issues I might want to consider, please chime in! I expect to book my flights and lock in my insurance within the next couple of days.

Thanks again, progol, for staring this thread.

Marija

Received this yesterday:

Please be aware that due to restrictions resulting from the Coronavirus, we regret that MedjetAssist and MedjetHorizon services must be suspended in the following countries:

• China
• Hong Kong
• Taiwan
• Macau

kja

@ Marija: Interesting! Thanks.

progol

kja, thanks for the thank you! And you’ve found out some interesting info about coverage limits, too.

Marija, thanks for the info. What an unbelievable situation.

kja

Oops -- should have been HCC upthread, or more exactly, Atlas Insurance through Tokio Marine HCC Medical Insurance.

progol

kja, just for understanding, would this policy refund expenses if you canceled a trip prior to departure if there is a CDC warning in place for an epidemic or pandemic? I’m curious (though I hope we all never have to face this situation again!).

kja

I can't believe I would be covered if a CDC warning been issued PRIOR to purchase of the insurance or any of the things for which one is seeking insurance, but my understanding is that the policies I mentioned (and the one I purchased!) will reimburse me for all of the valid expenses I included in the policy if CDC issues a warning for the country(s) I plan to visit after I purchased the insurance and before the trip starts. And if the CDC warning is issued while I'm traveling, I would be covered under its travel interruption clause. But policies change, and terms differ with various things that are beyond my comprehension, so you should always check before leaping!

And yes, lets hope that NONE of us have to face similar problems in the future. IMO, you've come up with a nice alternative.

progol

Thanks for your comments about the insurance, kja. Of course, I hope no one would buy any tickets after a strict CDC warning was issued! But it’s good to know that there are insurance options for situations such as exist now. But I would’ve never known to ask about this problem when I first started planning!

Thank you, too, for the thoughts about my alternative plan - I agree, it should be very nice!

RubyTwins

From Allianz https://www.allianztravelinsurance.c...oronavirus.htm

RaymondLuxuryYacht

Squaremouth (travel insurance comparison site, for those like me who've never heard of them) has stood up a travel insurance-related "Coronavirus Outbreak Information Center":

https://www.squaremouth.com/current-...irus-outbreak/

mrwunrfl

I don't buy trip insurance. I have once or twice, but it is not worth it to me. My reasons might be different than others. I don't take cruises and I don't take extended stays at resorts, and I don't book tours. I understand that those travel options might require large non-refundable advance payments.

Medical insurance and medevac insurance do interest me. Medical insurance is the lesser interest for me now because I am able to (probably) pay the cost of medical care overseas and I have insurance (for now) that will reimburse me for a large enough part of the cost. Medevac is more interesting because that can get crazy expensive.

My travel plans generally involve booking an airline ticket and lodging. I self-insure for that. I am more concerned about an emergency arising in the months before the trip than about an emergency occurring during the trip.

If I have to change/cancel an airline ticket before the trip starts then I might have to pay a fee of $500. Over 30+ years of travel it would have cost much more than that for insurance.

After I start the trip then I understand that (probably) my return trip would be worthless if I had to change or cancel. So, I have to consider the cost of a last minute ticket.

I realize that it is low season and there is probably even less demand for air travel because of epidemic and pandemic threat, but still:

It is about 4AM in Tokyo. I can buy a one-way ticket to LAX on a nonstop flight for $817 in economy class. Departure time is a bit over 12 hours from now. A connecting flight is less than $700.

A same day ticket from Beijing is $501, From Bangkok it is under $700. I could fly home from Vienna tomorrow for $662 with 2 stops (LIS,JFK) and around $1000 for 1-stop.

mrwunrfl

I usually book refundable rates for lodging. Mostly I chose rates that can be cancelled up to 4 days or fewer in advance. I might lose the cost of the first night, maybe for the whole stay, but by that point I am pretty certain that I am going. I did have to cancel a 5-night stay at the last minute but it was on points and I got them all back.

I mostly don't book non-refundable rates because I am apt to change my plans - change hotels, cities, countries. I have a trip in 5 weeks and I still have the option of skipping Vienna or Budapest or both and going somewhere else.

But, a flexible rate instead of an advance purchase rate is a kind of insurance. I pay $20 more per night for the flexibility of cancelling in case of emergency (and for my love of keeping my options open).

If it wasn't for that then I would be better off getting non-refundable rates and sticking with the original plan. I don't see the point of insuring that over the long term. Over dozens or hundreds of stays in some number of years or decades the loss of non-refundable rates for a trip could be less than insuring all of them.

OTOH, I realize that as I get older my chances of having a medical or physical reason for cancelling a trip are greater than they were 20 years ago.

YMMV, of course, but that is my thinking.

AJPeabody

I wonder if any form of travel insurance would cover the cost of being healthy but trapped for 14 (or more) days in a quarantined hotel, ship, or town.