Are travel insurance companies covering COVID-19?
If you are traveling overseas, you want your travel insurance policy to have COVID-19 coverage. Traveling in the middle of the pandemic is risky for your health and finances, and a travel insurance policy can be one of the essentials after you have booked an airline ticket for your upcoming travel.
Because the coronavirus disease is still considered a pandemic, majority of insurance companies are not covering COVID-19 because of the following primary reasons:
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- Potential losses are very high for insurance companies
- Increased exposure due to high number of cases worldwide
- Risk is already anticipated
Most travel insurance plans will cover you the usual - accident & disablement, travel delay, baggage loss or delay, personal liabilitiy. It can also have medical expense coverage but COVID-19 may not be covered.
More than travel and health insurance required by immigration for travelers exiting the Philippines, having an insurance policy that can cover you against medical expenses caused by coronavirus disease in case you acquire COVID-19 outside the country will give you peace of mind against huge potential expenses for COVID treatment.
So what can you do?
A few travel insurance providers will protect you from COVID-19 medical expenses in case you acquire the disease outside the Philippines.
Travel insurance providers that cover COVID-19
One of the first insurance companies to include COVID-19 coverage in the region during this pandemic is Starr Insurance Companies. Starr travel insurance provides travel health insurance with COVID-19 cover. Starr is also the parent company of Assist Card, a global travel insurance and assistance company.
How much is travel insurance in Philippines?
For 1 week travel within Asia, travel insurance for outbound travelers should start around Php 800. This already covers COVID-19 medical expenses.
If you need travel insurance for your USA trip, the cost for one month coverage is approximately Php 2,300 per person. This includes the COVID-19 medical expense cover add-on.
The longer your travel and the higher the coverage, the price increases.
If you want a quote for a specific trip, you may inquire through Facebook or through our contact form, and we will send your options via e-mail.
Travel Insurance cover outside your home country
If diagnosed COVID-19 positive while traveling outside the Philippines, medical expense is covered by this travel insurance program.
On the other hand, if you are diagnosed positive upon arrival, your travel insurance policy will NO longer cover you. Your health insurance, including Philhealth plus an HMO plan can cover COVID-19 treatment when you are already in the Philippines.
How to get travel insurance with COVID coverage
To see your Starr TraveLead and Assist Card travel insurance with COVID-19 medical expense coverage options, kindly provide the traveler's:
- Age
- Destination
- Travel dates (or duration of travel)
You may send it via message here.
You may also send us a message through Facebook.
COVID-19 travel insurance provisions
In addition to the standard benefits of Starr and Assist Card, the items below are enhancements that only Starr and Assist Card provide:
Starr and Assist Card's travel medical insurance coverage for COVID-19 cases
The policy will cover medical expense in connection with or in any way involving or arising from any infectious disease, whether asymptomatic or not, sever acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease (COVID-19), including any variation thereof, or Pandemic or epidemic as declared as such by the World Health Organization or any government authority. COVID-19 coverage limit may vary upon approval of underwriting.
Other conditions of Starr TraveLead and Assist Card travel insurance with COVID-19 cover
- Insured person diagnosed with COVID-19 after arrival back to the Philippines is NOT covered
- Evidence of hospitalization for medical treatment of COVID-19 is must be presented for claims reimbursement evaluation.
Exclusions
Any loss resulting from the following are NOT COVERED:
- Flight cancellations due to COVID19 restrictions or government imposed regulations
- Re-booking charges for cancelling flights due to COVID-19 infection at the planned destination are not covered
- Denial of entry upon arrival within itinerary whether pre-departure from origin point, in-transit at connection points, or at final destination.
- Change of travel decision due to fear of COVID-19 infection during pre-departure, at connecting points, or at final destination.
Benefits of having insurance with COVID coverage
When the dreaded event comes that you turn out positive of COVID-19, your travel insurance policy will cover medical expenses for your treatment of the coronavirus disease. Depending on the effect of COVID-19 to your body, if your symptomps are severe and you are needed to be brought to a medical facility, treatment can potientially cost you hundreds of thousands of Pesos. If you are hospitalized in a developed country like in the US or UK, where medical costs are a lot more expensive than here in the Philippines, it may even cost you millions of pesos.
Advantage of policy purchased within the country
While Starr and Assist Card have regional offices all around the globe, they also operate offices in Makati City. When the unfortunate strikes while you're away, you know the insurer has presence at your home country.
Unless you are planning to leave the Philippines for good, a travel insurance plan for the localized market is always a great option. There's no language barrier too!
Apply and receive the policy through e-mail.
Receive travel insurance policy safely
When you purchase either Starr or Assist Card travel insurance, you will receive the following documents through e-mail:
Travel insurance policy + COVID-19 medical cover rider
Do you have questions? Need travel insurance with COVID-19 cover?
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The coverages indicated in this page are for informational purposes. Coverages and benefits are subject to conditions, warranties and exclusions which are indicated in the insurance policy wordings. Please contact us if you have questions.
