Make sure to understand how travel insurance policies work and what is required for successful claims. Read the policy terms and conditions CAREFULLY. For most policies there is no special COVID coverage. COVID is covered like all other sickness or illness in the policy. Last year members of my family went on several trips, two internationally, I we purchased travel insurance so I did a lot of research.
The thing to understand is that travel insurance does not cover "fear" of getting sick. Testing positive for COVID is not the same as being sick and unable to travel. Generally, for a successful claim, a person has to be sick AND a physician and/or government authority has to state that the person is unfit to travel or has to undergo mandatory medical quarantine.
So if someone tests positive and just cancels their trip - no claim. If the government "recommends" not traveling because of COVID infection at the destination and the person cancels - no claim.
So if a person tests COVID positive at any point that would affect their trip, they have to go the extra step and obtain a note from a physician and/or government that states not just that they tested positive. It must state they are medically unfit for travel and/or required to go into medical quarantine. Obtaining the proper paperwork is the key to successful claims.
For example, on one trip the foreign government shut down a city airport because of COVID and airlines had to reroute all flights. We submitted the email from the airline of those facts and insurance reimbursed the additional cost.
The exception to the above is "cancel for any reason" and "interrupt for any reason" coverage. They don't literally reimburse for any and all reasons, but it's more coverage than sickness and illness.
Subscribe I need to know which Trip Cancellation plans will allow me to cancel if I cannot travel due to a last-minute positive COVID test. If you have a positive COVID test result just before you leave on your trip, […]
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