The novel coronavirus, named COVID-19, has infected more than 5.1 million individuals globally, and killed more than 330,000 people. Governments and people around the world are taking extreme measures to control the spread of the virus. You may have questions about coronavirus and what it means for your travel plans and insurance.
On March 19, the U.S. Department of State issued a level-4 health advisory, urging U.S. citizens and residents to avoid all international travel due to COVID-19. It also advised that if you live in the United States and are currently out of the country, you should return home immediately, adding that "if you choose to travel internationally... you may be forced to remain outside of the United States for an indefinite timeframe."
So what happens to your travel plans now? Should you cancel your trips planned for the future? Can Travel Insurance help? What can you do to keep you and your loved ones safe if you are traveling internationally? Below you can find links to our articles specifically on the COVID-19 strain as well as answers to some of the most important and pressing questions about travel insurance for coronavirus.
Can Travel Insurance Help?
Travel Insurance can be divided up into two major categories—trip insurance and travel medical insurance. These types of plans may offer different levels of coverage, or no coverage at all for coronavirus, depending on a number of factors including when you purchased the plan. Here is a quick list of what may and may not be covered, depending on your situation.
| Travel Medical Insurance for Coronavirus |
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| Trip Insurance for Coronavirus |
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Will Insurance Providers Cover Coronavirus?
At VisitorsCoverage, we strive to bring you the best travel insurance coverage. As a result, we work with a number of different insurance providers, each of which has different rules and policies when it comes to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Below you can find links to pages that explain the policies of our four largest providers of trip and travel insurance plans.
If you have an existing plan, please take a look and determine who is the underlying provider. Then, click the name of your provider below to learn more about how their policy will work to provide you with coronavirus coverage.
If you are considering purchasing a new plan, take a look at all four of these providers so that you understand what the corresponding plans will offer you should you need medical or travel assistance during the coronavirus pandemic.
Which Countries are Affected?
On March 27, 2020, the CDC issued a global level-3 travel warning, urging people to avoid any nonessential international travel due to the COVID-19 strain of Coronavirus.
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- China (including Hong Kong, Macau and Inner Mongolia)
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Iran
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- South Korea (Republic of Korea)
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- Vatican City
What Should I Buy to Protect my Travel?
If you are buying a new plan, we recommend adding the optional "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage to protect yourself and your travel investment. This way, if you decide to cancel your trip, regardless of the reason, you will be able to recoup some of the non-refundable costs such as flight and hotel reservations. If you have "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage and you cancel your trip within the limits of your contract, you will be covered. If you are planning on taking a trip in the near future, this kind of plan is prudent in case you need to cancel your trip.
If you are looking for a new travel medical plan that will cover expenses associated with coronavirus, we have compiled a list of plan options for you. So long as the specifics above are met, these plans may provide you with coverage for COVID-19-related expenses.
Helpful Resources
Official Resources
Get the latest information from official organization and departments.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 
World Health Organization (WHO) 
Whitehouse Coronavirus Website 
U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories Disclaimer : Articles and content published are from CDC Newsfeed and is dispayed for informational purposes only. We make no representations of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, or reliability with respect to all information used in the articles.
FAQ
| Coronavirus and Travel Insurance | |
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| Are my travel plans affected? | If you are planning on traveling in the coming months, your plans may be changed or canceled if the virus is deemed too dangerous or out of control. There are currently no flights directly from the U.S. to China. Some airlines are offering to reschedule flights free of charge to avoid unnecessary trips to affected areas. Depending on your destination and country of origin, you may want to reconsider or reschedule non-essential trips. As of March 13, 2020, there are more than 132,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the world with patients in more than 100 countries and the global death toll has exceeded 4,900 coronavirus patients. The CDC has issued travel warnings for China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea, meaning that there is wide-spread community transmission in these countries. Nonessential travel to these areas is discouraged at this time. On January 27, Mongolia officially closed its border with China and suspended university classes to prevent the spread of the disease despite no confirmed cases in the country. Japan announced that all schools will be closing until April 2020 in an effort to stop the spread of the disease. |
| Should I avoid travel? | Many countries are discouraging travel at this time. If you decide to travel, be sure to take necessary precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones from the virus. It is inadvisable to travel to or from any country where there is an active travel warning from the CDC . |
| Does my travel insurance cover coronavirus? | Coverage depends on when you purchase a policy, the plan you choose and your home and destination countries. If you had already purchased travel insurance before the outbreak and before your home or destination country was declared unsafe for travel, your travel insurance policy may cover coronavirus. A trip insurance plan will not include coronavirus as a covered reason to cancel your trip unless you purchased cancel for any reason coverage and if your purchase meets the criteria of the cancel for any reason benefit. Consider speaking to a qualified travel insurance consultant to discuss your travel situation and get individualized guidance. |
| If I cancel my trip because of coronavirus, will it be covered? | If you have Cancel for Any Reason coverage and you cancel your trip within the limits of your contract, you will be covered. If you are planning on taking a trip in the near future, this kind of plan is prudent in case you need to cancel your trip. If you are canceling a pre-planned trip, you can contact your insurance provider and inquire whether they will cover this instance or not. |
| Coronavirus Coverage for Visitors to the U.S. | |
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| My parents plan to visit the USA soon, will your insurance cover them for Coronavirus-related medical situations? | The United States is not on the official travel ban list due to the coronavirus epidemic. The visitors insurance plans offered on our website for coverage in the USA should cover the COVID-19 coronavirus like any other new medical condition. Please Note: As of March 3rd, 2020, PIU (Petersen International Underwriters) plans will not cover for Coronavirus-related expenses. |
| I already have a visitor insurance policy for the USA, does it cover coronavirus-related conditions? | For existing policyholders with a visitors insurance plan for coverage in the United States, coronavirus-related conditions may be covered. As of March 9, 2020, no travel bans or restrictions have been issued for the United States. If you contract coronavirus after your policy begins, your visitors insurance policy may cover for treatment and services like any other new medical condition. |
| What is your insurance coverage for coronavirus-related expenses? | The following answers are applicable as of March 2nd. For Visitors to the USA:
For visitors to other countries:
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| I am a visitor to the USA, but I do not have a visitor insurance policy and I want to get treatment for coronavirus. If I buy the policy now, will it be covered? | Visitors insurance will not cover any illness or condition that existed prior to the purchase of the insurance, this includes coronavirus. If you do not have the virus but want to purchase a visitors insurance plan as a precaution in case you are exposed, then the insurance plan may cover you. |
Still Have Questions?
If you still have questions or want anything clarified further, please reach out to our customer service team. We know this can be a stressful time to be thinking about travel, but our team is here to help make the experience a little better.
