Why Trust MoneySmart?While COVID-19 may be a thing of the past, the risk of contracting the virus while traveling still exists. If you contract COVID-19 and need hospitalization, does your travel insurance cover you? MoneySmart compares COVID-19 travel insurance plans to help you understand the protections offered by various COVID-19 travel insurance plans in different scenarios!
TL;DR? Let AI help you summarize the key points!
Key Takeaways
Most travel insurance plans currently treat COVID-19 as a common illness. If the insured person is diagnosed with the disease during their trip, the associated medical expenses will generally be covered.
If you need to cancel your trip due to COVID-19 infection, the insurance company will also compensate for related travel losses, including prepaid, non-refundable transportation and accommodation expenses.
Buy travel insurance ASAP! Losses resulting from trip cancellation due to a COVID-19 diagnosis are only covered after the policy is purchased. Losses related to COVID-19 infection before purchase are generally not covered.
If you seek medical treatment overseas for COVID-19 or other common illness, you can generally get compensation as long as you keep all medical documents and receipts properly.
Some insurance companies may require the insured to receive initial treatment overseas before covering follow-up treatment expenses within 90 days after returning to Hong Kong, depending on policy details.
Does travel insurance cover COVID 19?
While coronavirus (COVID-19) still exists, there are generally no specific restrictive measures (such as mandatory quarantines) around the world. Instead, it is considered a common illness. Most travel insurance plans have adjusted their coverage to include COVID-19 as a common illness. This means, like any other sudden illness, if the insured person is diagnosed with COVID-19 while traveling and requires treatment, the related medical expenses (including follow-up expenses for three months after returning to Hong Kong) are covered, subject to policy. The insurance company will reimburse actual eligible medical expenses (maximum benefit varies depending on the individual policy).
MoneySmart Tips: |
What is the "Coronavirus Supplementary Benefit"? Do I need to purchase it separately to be covered? While some travel insurance policies still offer "COVID-19 riders" online, most of these were introduced during the pandemic. At the time, COVID-19 was considered a global pandemic, making it a common exclusion in travel insurance policies. Since then, more and more insurance companies have introduced "add-on COVID-19 coverage," allowing policyholders to purchase these add-ons as needed. Without the coverage, any travel expenses incurred due to COVID infection will not be covered. However, as the epidemic has subsided, most travel insurance plans now consider COVID-19 a common illness or include COVID-19 coverage in existing policies. Policyholders do not need to purchase the "COVID-19 add-on" to receive compensation for related losses and eligible expenses. |
What coverage does travel insurance provide in the event of a COVID-19 diagnosis?
1. Medical expenses
As with other sudden illnesses, if the insured person is diagnosed with COVID-19 and requires treatment, eligible overseas medical expenses incurred will be reimbursed. Furthermore, if the insured person needs to return to Hong Kong for follow-up treatment, travel insurance generally covers follow-up expenses for three months after returning to Hong Kong.
If you did not develop symptoms while traveling overseas but were confirmed to have contracted COVID overseas after returning to Hong Kong, in this case, even if you did not receive treatment overseas, the insurance company will generally reimburse the related eligible medical expenses.
2. Trip cancellation
If the insured person needs to cancel their trip due to being diagnosed with COVID-19 after purchasing travel insurance, the related travel expenses will also be covered. This includes some paid and non-refundable transportation and accommodation deposits and fees.
3. Trip curtailment or interruption
If you (or a traveling companion/family member) contracts COVID-19 while traveling and need to end your trip early, you will be covered under the "Trip Curtailment/Interruption" policy, including any non-refundable travel and accommodation deposits and fees. Furthermore, if you need to return to Hong Kong early due to COVID-19, you will also be covered for any additional travel and accommodation expenses incurred.
Worried about medical expenses after being diagnosed with COVID-19? Compare COVID travel insurance coverage
Travel Insurance Plan | Overseas medical insurance | Trip Cancellation Protection | Personal belongings protection | Premium (Asia, 6-day trip) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Allianz Travel - Silver Plan (Single Trip) | HK$1,500,000 | HK$20,000 | HK$15,000 | HK$119.40 (40% off via MoneySmart) |
STARR Companies TraveLead Extra Plan | HK$1,000,000 | HK$25,000 | HK$10,000 | HK$121.55 (35% off via MoneySmart) |
AXA SmartTraveller Plus Premier Plan | HK$500,000 | HK$25,000 | HK$8,000 | HK$166.40 (35% off via MoneySmart) |
FWD | MyTravel Insurance - Premium | HK$1,000,000 | HK$25,000 | HK$10,000 | HK$170.80 (30% off via MoneySmart) |
Avo Worldwide Restful Travel Protection - Lite Plan (Area 2) | HK$500,000 | HK$30,000 | HK$7,500 | HK$134.40 (30% off via MoneySmart) |
MSIG iTravel Plus (Single Trip) Plan B | HK$500,000 | HK$25,000 | HK$15,000 | HK$177.10 (45% off via MoneySmart) |
Worried about contracting COVID-19? Remember to buy travel insurance now!
When should you buy travel insurance? You should buy travel insurance as soon as you book your flight ! Since travel insurance takes effect immediately upon purchase, the sooner you buy travel insurance, the sooner you'll be covered.
If you or your travel companions contract COVID-19 before your trip and need to cancel your trip, you won't be able to claim the cancellation compensation provided by your COVID-19 policy unless you have travel insurance. Not only will your trip be ruined, but you'll also lose money on your already paid airfare and hotel expenses. Therefore, it's best to purchase travel insurance as soon as you've booked your flights.
Add protection to your trip now
Start comparing travel insurance plans with COVID-19 protection and get yours now at a discounted price!
