MNI Media
Friday, February 7, 2020
In response to an influx of calls from concerned travellers, MNI Media has received some information from travel insurance comparison site InsureMyTrip, where they have issued the following responses to questions asked, for publication:
Q. If I get sick with coronavirus and quarantined on a cruise ship, does travel insurance cover me?
A. Possibly. Travel insurance companies have different requirements for what is considered "quarantined", so it is important to read your policy or call to clarify coverage.
Q. If I'm not sick and quarantined on a cruise ship, does travel insurance cover me?
A. Possibly. See answer above.
Q. If my cruise line cancels a cruise due to the coronavirus, does travel insurance cover me?
A. InsureMyTrip recommends that a traveler try to work with the cruise line, airline or tour operator to see if any refund is being offered by them first. If the traveler has purchased a travel insurance plan with optional Cancel For Any Reason selected, they may be able to be refunded a portion (typically 50-75%) of their insured pre-paid non-refundable trip cost if the cruise line cancels the cruise prior to departure and they decide to cancel their entire trip. Cancel For Any Reason is a time sensitive benefit with some eligibility requirements, and you must be cancelling at least 2 days prior to departure.
Q. What if I'm afraid to go on an upcoming cruise due to coronavirus?
A. Travel insurance coverage is very limited, as typical travel insurance policies don't cover fear of travel. If the traveler has purchased a plan with optional Cancel For Any Reason selected, they may be able to be refunded a portion (typically 50-75%) of their insured pre-paid non-refundable trip cost if there is fear of traveling due to Coronavirus prior to departure. Cancel For Any Reason is a time sensitive travel insurance benefit with some eligibility requirements, and you must be cancelling at least 2 days prior to departure.
