Not all trip insurance plans handle Covid-related problems better than others. The best Covid-19 travel insurance plans usually cover at least $100,000 in hospital costs and $500,000 in emergency flight costs. The best pandemic travel insurance plans also come with a “cancel for any reason” increase and cover trip cancellation, delays, and interruptions pretty well.
How to Travel During a Pandemic
A lot of trip insurance plans cover medical costs well, but not all of them handle problems linked to Covid. If that is important to you, make sure that the package you’re getting includes trip medical insurance that will cover you if you get Covid. We looked at only plans that covered at least $50,000 per person for medical costs in order to find the best Covid-19 travel insurance.
Travel bans and quarantine requirements that come up out of the blue can also ruin your trip, but most travel insurance won’t cover these issues. If you buy “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) travel insurance, you will get some money back no matter why you have to cancel.
What you need to do to get pandemic travel insurance
If you test positive for Covid and need to cancel your trip or are told by your doctor to stay home, most travel insurance plans will cover the cost of your trip being cut short. In other words, if you test positive for Covid and your trip has to be delayed or cut short, you can get your non-refundable, pre-paid trip costs back.
Most travel insurance companies treat COVID-19 the same way they treat any other illness, but not all of them do. Pandemics and epidemics can be “foreseeable events” once they are declared by federal or foreign health agencies. This means that travel insurance benefits may not always apply. That’s why it’s so important to check your strategy for any possible exceptions.
Does travel insurance cover being in quarantine?
There are types of travel insurance that can help pay for unexpected costs if you need to stay in quarantine in another country. But to get any help from most of these plans, you have to test positive for Covid-19 and your trip insurance has to cover costs linked to Covid.
A representative for Squaremouth, a company that compares travel insurance, says, “Travel insurance policies that cover travelers if they contract Covid-19 can also extend their coverage past the original return date, usually for up to seven days.”
Insurance for Travel Delays
If you have caught the virus and need to stay in a quarantine, travel delay insurance can pay for your travel and food costs. This coverage can last for an extra seven days if you have to stay past your return date because of a good test.
Stopping the Trip Insurance for Travel
If you have to stay in quarantine because of a positive Covid test, trip interruption travel insurance will pay for the parts of your trip you missed. Based on the policy, Benna says it can cover 100% to 200% of your non-refundable trip costs that you already paid for.
For example, Trawick International’s Safe Travels Voyager Plan will pay for your costs if you have to stay in quarantine because of a positive Covid test, whether you’re in the United States or another country. According to Bailey Foster, a spokeswoman for Trawick International, these plans may also pay for your medical bills and emergency medical transport costs if you get sick or hurt while on your trip.
Any Reason for Interruption” Insurance for Travel
Standard trip delay insurance can pay for parts of your trip that you miss if your plan covers Covid. This is useful if you’re worried about having to stay in quarantine while on your trip because of a positive Covid test. You can make a claim for trip interruption benefits if you paid ahead of time for non-refundable hotel stays, tours, or entertainment but can’t go because you have the virus and need to stay in quarantine.
