Coronavirus and Top Questions About Travel Insurance Answered
T
he spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused worldwide panic, especially for travelers with upcoming trips to infected areas.
Yonder Travel Insurance, a travel insurance comparison site based just outside of Minneapolis, has seen a sharp spike in calls surrounding concern about how the virus will affect their upcoming travel plans.
Here are the top three questions Yonder is being asked about the coronavirus and how travel insurance applies in situations like this.
Can I cancel my trip?
If you already have a travel insurance policy, there is limited trip cancellation coverage if you choose to cancel your trip due to an outbreak, or fear of an outbreak, of the coronavirus at your destination. Pandemics and epidemics are generally excluded from trip cancellation coverage. The virus was considered a foreseen event as early as January 21 and some major travel insurance providers have placed even more restrictions regarding coverage since that date.
The only type of coverage that is sure to provide some type of reimbursement to cancel would be a specific type of coverage called Cancel for Any Reason. This benefit allows you to cancel your trip for any reason at all and receive a 50-75% refund of your insured trip cost. To qualify for this benefit, the traveler must 1) purchase their policy within 14-21 days from the initial deposit or payment date, 2) insure all their non refundable trip expenses, and 3) cancel at least 48 hours prior to their departure date.
What if I get the coronavirus before or during my trip?
Most travel insurance policies would still provide coverage to cancel your trip due to a new medical condition that causes you to cancel your trip. You may also be covered to cancel or interrupt your trip if you are quarantined or subject to a mandatory evacuation issued by the government. Medical expenses or emergency medical evacuations would likely be covered if you were to contract a virus during your trip.
How do I know if it's safe to travel to my destination?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there shouldn't be any travel or trade restrictions at this time due to the coronavirus outbreak. They highly encourage travelers to research airline restrictions to certain destinations and take preventative measures while traveling for respiratory infections as the coronavirus is not an airborne virus and only contracted via contaminated droplets.
If you have yet to purchase travel insurance and are concerned about an upcoming trip, make sure to check with an expert first to ensure you're purchasing a policy that will provide the coverage you need.
The experts at Yonder Travel Insurance have poured over hundreds of policies from the best travel insurance providers in the US to provide the best travel insurance recommendation for how YOU travel. Run a quick quote and compare travel insurance policies for your next trip using our instant quote tool. Yonder donates meals to vulnerable children in need with each policy sold so you can travel well, and do well, when you go Yonder.
✔️ Coronavirus and Top Questions About Travel Insurance Answered
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