It is very important that BC residents continue to heed provincial and federal government recommendations to avoid non-essential international travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, every week hundreds of BC residents fly from YVR to international destinations. Some for business. Others to care for family matters. But until recently, doing so came with great financial risk.
If a traveler contracted and/or tested positive for the COVID-19 during a layover or at their destination, they would immediately need to be quarantined at an international facility until given medical clearance. Doing so comes at significant expense, especially if the period of quarantine exceeds their intended stay. Then of course there is the concern over requiring hospitalization and treatment should one become excessively ill from COVID-19. There is no shortage of news reports from around the world where travelers have required weeks of hospitalization, leaving them in financial ruin.
Initially travel medical insurance was not available to cover expenses associated with COVID-19, be it for treatment, lodging or flight rescheduling. BC residents opting to fly across the border or overseas gambled not just with their health but with their financial security to boot. The latter has now changed.
Understanding that some people will need to travel during this time, insurers have stepped in to offer COVID-19 travel insurance to BC residents.
Where BC Residents Can Get COVID-19 Travel Medical Insurance (Autumn-Winter 2020-21)
At Park Insurance, we have access to comprehensive travel insurance products for our clients. We have provided some details about these options below:
COVID-19 Travel Insurance Options
We have access to an international (including U.S. travel) policy which offers up to $1 million in coverage for COVID-19 related emergency medical treatment. It also covers necessary transportation, quarantine meals and accommodations, travel companion returns, and costs incurred if flights are interrupted.
Other aspects of the policy include the following:
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- No age limits
- Available for trip durations up to the applicable provincial health insurance coverage out-of-country day limit
- No medical questionnaire is required to purchase the plan
- Customers who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 must receive a negative test result before their departure from Canada to be eligible for coverage
- Customers must also have shown no signs or symptoms of COVID-19 in the 14 days prior to their date of departure from Canada
Contact Park Insurance for more information on this comprehensive policy.
Another policy option includes up to $500,000 of emergency medical coverage in addition to correlated quarantine expenses for policyholders who test positive for and are diagnosed with COVID-19 while traveling internationally, including the U.S. The extension must be purchased with an Emergency Medical Plan and includes the following:
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- Emergency medical treatment
- Ground, air or sea ambulance transport
- Return of traveling companion
- Return of dependent children
- Repatriation
- Quarantine expenses for accommodation, meals etc.
- Trip interruption benefit
Contact Park Insurance for more information on this travel insurance policy.
Want the Flexibility to Cancel your Trip for Any Reason?
Recent events have brought greater awareness to the need for Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption insurance, which provides coverage if you need to cancel your trip for a reason specified in your policy, such as an unexpected illness, job loss or travel advisory. Now however, a Cancel for ANY Reason option is also available as a coverage add-on to Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption insurance.
This will allow you to cancel for any reason and be reimbursed up to 50% of the pre-paid, non-refundable travel costs—as long as you cancel 10+ days before the departure date. For example, if you simply don’t like the weather forecast for your destination, you can cancel 10+ days prior to your departure and be reimbursed up to 50% of your pre-paid, non-refundable travel costs.
Contact Park Insurance to learn more about this optional add-on.
COVID-19 has created unparalleled uncertainty. Provincial and federal government travel restrictions can change from one day to the next, and insurers may also adjust their offerings at a moment’s notice. As a BC resident with travel on the horizon you will need to monitor updates on a weekly if not daily basis. We also encourage you to bookmark our website and stay tuned to our blog for insurance updates.