WARWICK, RI, April 28, 2009—The Department of State today issued an alert recommending that American citizens avoid all nonessential travel to Mexico at this time due to a recent outbreak of Swine Flu. While the details of this global health concern continue to evolve, InsureMyTrip.com is reminding travelers of the benefits of investing in travel insurance.
“Right now, we are monitoring the Swine Flu situation in real time and its impact on travelers and travel insurance,” explains Jim Grace, President and CEO of InsureMyTrip.com, the leading travel insurance comparison website. “There is coverage for Swine Flu on travel insurance policies and InsureMyTrip.com is the absolute best resource for this information. We urge both current customers and future customers to monitor our blog www.insuremytrip.com/blog/ on this issue or to contact our Customer Care team with specific questions.” InsureMyTrip’s Customer Care team of expert licensed representatives is available by phone at 800-487-4722 and online at www.insuremytrip.com seven days a week, Monday through Friday 7 AM to Midnight, Saturday 9 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 11 AM to 6 PM ET.
Featuring more than 100 plans from all the leading U.S. travel insurance companies, InsureMyTrip has prepared a summary of company information explaining each company’s initial response to the Swine Flu outbreak. “Things are happening quickly,” notes Grace. “Travelers should be aware that as the situation changes, details and descriptions of actual policies may also be adjusted.”
Access America
As of Friday, April 24th, 2009, the Swine Flu outbreak was considered a known event due to its widespread media attention. Any Mondial Assistance or Access America policies sold on or after April 24th will not provide coverage for any claims related directly or indirectly to the outbreak of the flu in Mexico, or any other area, as this is considered a known event. All other coverage in our products remain in place.
Additionally, our products may exclude coverage under the General Exclusions for claims arising directly or indirectly from epidemics or pandemics.
American Express
Trip cancellations, trip interruptions or medical evacuations and expenses due to the covered person’s contraction of the Swine Flu may be covered (one particular exception would be the policy’s pre-existing condition clause). However, there will generally not be coverage for cancellation or interruptions due to the outbreak unless the covered person is inflicted with the virus. Note trip cancellation or interruption exclusions, including any prohibition by or regulation of the government, or an event which happens prior to the Coverage Effective Date.
CSA
CSA policies offer coverage if a covered individual, their traveling companions or their family members need to cancel or interrupt their trip due to a covered sickness, injury or death. Covered individuals may have coverage for illnesses arising from this event as described in their Certificate of Insurance or Insurance Policy.
Global Alert!
The plan covers trip cancellation and trip interruption (and travel delay in case of the travelers own Sickness) due to a specified person contracting Swine Flu, which has occurred during the coverage period. However, there is no coverage for the possibility of a Sickness which may or may not occur at some future time. Cancellation, interruption or delay of a trip due to concerns about swine flu is not covered, either as a Sickness or as a Covered Event.
Note that the plan excludes loss due to epidemic or pandemic. At this point, the situation is neither an epidemic nor a pandemic, but be aware of this exclusion as the situation could change.
If the insured purchased Cancel For Any Reason Benefit, he/she will be covered if all of the requirements are met.
International Medical Group
Individuals purchasing plans have coverage for claims resulting from Swine Flu. However, an individual who decides to cancel a trip because he or she is afraid of contracting Swine Flu would not be an eligible expense. Even though this is a known event there is still coverage regardless of when the plan was purchased.
MH Ross
There is coverage for an insured to cancel/interrupt their trip if they (or their family members/traveling companion) become ill with Swine Flu or if they are quarantined due to Swine Flu. In either case, the policy must have been purchased prior to contracting or being quarantined for the flu, and the appropriate medical documentation would need to be submitted to support the sickness and/or quarantine. There is no coverage under Trip Cancellation or Interruption to cancel or interrupt a trip due to fear of contracting Swine Flu.
Medical expenses incurred if an insured requires medical treatment for Swine Flu while on a covered trip are covered.
RBC Travel Protection
The Swine Flu outbreak is not a covered event unless the insured or insured’s family member actually gets sick. Coverage is afforded as long as the illness was not pre-existing.
If the insured changes his/her destination or travel period, we will also change the travel dates on the original policy if so desired. The dollar amount insured may also need to be adjusted to match the new travel period. If the insured decides to cancel his/her trip altogether, we will offer a full refund of their policy including the processing fee. However, fear of traveling is not a covered risk for claim purposes.
Seven Corners
Covered individuals diagnosed with Swine Flu by a treating physician are covered for trip cancellation, interruption and medical (standard coverage terms and exclusions apply). However, cancellation due to fear of getting Swine Flu is not covered unless the insured has Cancel For Any Reason optional coverage.
Travel Guard
The insured is covered if he/she contracts Swine Flu and needs to cancel or interrupt the trip due to the illness. The insured would also be covered if he/she incurs medical expenses on a trip due to contracting Swine Flu and purchased their insurance prior to becoming infected with the flu.
Travel Guard would only cover trip cancellation due to fear of contracting Swine Flu (including a planned trip to Mexico) if the insured purchased the Cancel For Any Reason optional coverage.
Travel Insured International
Trip cancellation / interruption is covered for specific events listed in the Description of Coverage for our plans. Swine flu is not one of those events and it is not a reason supported by Trip Cancellation / Trip Interruption coverage, unless the insured purchased the optional Cancel For Any Reason benefit.
Emergency sickness medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation for all necessary medical events, including those resulting from an insured traveler’s contraction of Swine Flu, would be covered.
If an insured is subjected to an imposed quarantine as the result of Swine Flu, trip delay benefits will apply as normally specified in each plan’s Description of Coverage.
TravelSafe
The plan covers trip cancellation and trip interruption (and travel delay in case of the travelers own Sickness) due to a specified person contracting Swine Flu, which has occurred during the coverage period. However, there is no coverage for the possibility of a Sickness which may or may not occur at some future time. Cancellation, interruption or delay of a trip due to concerns about swine flu is not covered, either as a Sickness or as a Covered Event.
Note that the plan excludes loss due to epidemic or pandemic. At this point, the situation is neither an epidemic nor a pandemic, but be aware of this exclusion as the situation could change.
If the insured purchased Cancel For Any Reason Benefit, he/she will be covered if all of the requirements are met.
TruTravel Insurance
Swine Flu is treated as any other illness. You cannot cancel or interrupt for fear of Swine Flu. You can however cancel or interrupt if you become ill with Swine Flu. Coverage is afforded as long as the illness was not pre-existing.
“Travel insurance is key to protecting all of your travels,” says Grace, “and it’s important to do your homework to fully understand the available options. If you’re considering a travel insurance purchase and unsure of which plan will best meet your needs or if you’ve already purchased insurance and want to confirm your coverage, our Customer Care team can help.”
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About InsureMyTrip.com
Established in 2000, InsureMyTrip.com is the leading, consumer-oriented online travel insurance aggregator worldwide. Featuring insurance comparisons from the top industry providers, InsureMyTrip.com is a unique, one-stop resource designed to meet consumers’ comprehensive travel insurance needs all in a secure environment. InsureMyTrip.com also specializes in providing integrated technology solutions for the travel insurance industry, with over 2,000 private-labeled and co-branded travel-related websites around the globe. InsureMyTrip.com is headquartered in Warwick, RI with additional offices and data centers in Connecticut and Oregon.
