With so much uncertainty around travel insurance, Allianz Assistance has reviewed its travel insurance portfolio to include cover for COVID 19 cover and other epidemical situations. From 21st July 2020, any single trip, backpacker and annual multi-trip policy purchased directly from Allianz Assistance includes pandemic-related cancellation cover for insured events, as well as medical assistance abroad.
All existing customers yet to travel will be issued with a new policy document and automatically upgraded to the new cover at no additional cost.
Rachel Temperton, Head of Travel and Tourism at Allianz Assistance UK commented: “The COVID-19 global crisis has demonstrated the devastating impact a pandemic can have. Travellers and the travel industry – including insurers – faced a wide range of unexpected situations that never had to be dealt with before. Plans were interrupted or cancelled and medical emergencies abroad were complicated by many new and challenging hurdles. It is vital that in the new world we find ourselves in, we offer a comprehensive insurance product that enables people not only to travel abroad again but to travel with confidence.
“Our new offering not only covers pandemic-related medical expenses whilst abroad but cancellation too, keeping our customers protected before and during travel. We always recommend that people purchasing travel insurance read their policy documents carefully during the industry-standard 14-day cancellation period, to make sure they have appropriate cover in place and if in doubt, speak to their insurer.”
Allianz Assistance single trip, backpacker and annual multi-trip policies now include cover for a wider range of claims relating to global pandemics and epidemics**:
New additional cover highlights
If a policyholder contracts a disease – including COVID-19 – whilst abroad, they will be covered for additional expenses if they need medical treatment or to return home early as a result of their condition.
If a policyholder contracts a disease or is required to quarantine abroad following direct exposure and needs to extend their policy. They will also be covered for additional accommodation and transport costs needed, until its safe for them to return home.
Cancellation cover will apply if a trip is cancelled because the policyholder or their travel companion either has symptoms, is diagnosed with a disease, or is in quarantine (including being told to self-isolate). They don’t necessarily need to take a test, but they will need to provide a Doctor’s certificate confirming their diagnosis or suspected diagnosis, or evidence that they’ve been instructed to quarantine (self-isolate) via the government’s ‘track and trace’ system or NHS 111.
Cancellation cover will apply if a policyholder is denied boarding on their pre-booked public transport because they or their travel companion are showing signs of any contagious illness, even if its classified as a pandemic or epidemic, leaving them unable to travel.
Cancellation cover also applies if a close relative such as a parent, child, sibling or grandparent falls seriously ill and the policyholder or their travel companion need to remain at home as a result. Again, they would need to provide a Doctor’s certificate to support the claim.
Temperton continued: “We regularly review and enhance our travel insurance policies to make sure we provide holidaymakers with the highest quality protection. The new level of cover we are now providing does inevitably come at a slightly higher premium, but this is far outweighed by the greater protection and peace of mind it provides to our customers.
“A survey we conducted during lockdown confirmed that as many as 69% of consumers wanted to book a holiday post-lockdown, once the FCO confirms it is safe to resume foreign travel. With travel restrictions now lifting across Europe, we can offer the much-needed reassurance people are looking for to get their travel plans back on track.”
**This is only if the policyholder has not travelled to a country against the advice of the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO)
For more information about the new level of cover, visit http://www.allianz-assistance.co.uk/travel-insurance/Covid-19-travel-insurance.html
