Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak and Travel Insurance—Important Information and FAQ’s for Travel Agents and Partners

Last updated April 26, 2022

Travel Updates: Our plans provide coverage if your client, a family member, or a traveling companion becomes ill with COVID-19 and plan requirements are met.

See Coronavirus FAQs

We are closely monitoring the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and its potential impact on our travelers. This notice is intended to help you and your clients better understand their travel insurance plan coverages or potential purchases. While we will be updating this page regularly, we also encourage you to consult the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites for the most up-to-date information.

Message from Our CEO

To Our Customers:

First, I sincerely hope that this note finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy during this very difficult period.

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to rapidly evolve, Generali Global Assistance wants to make sure that we keep you informed and that all of our customers receive all assistance and benefits from us to which they may be entitled. Also, we want to inform you of steps we are taking to accommodate our customers who are understandably choosing to postpone their trips until more is known about the spread and impact of COVID-19.

Although our Global teams are experiencing unprecedented assistance and call volumes, we are 100% committed to fulfilling all of our contractual commitments and providing assistance and medical aid in this unprecedented time of need.

With one call, we can provide live help with almost any issue while traveling. Our plans provide many broad-ranging non-insurance services to assist you—from changing travel plans and pre-trip services, to the urgent coordination of emergency medical transportation and medical care to you, our customers and families in need.

We are also happy to assist and encourage you to work closely with your travel suppliers to ensure that you are receiving all benefits and accommodations to which you are entitled.

We remain focused on supporting you and fully understand why many travelers are choosing to postpone their trips until more is known about the spread and impact of COVID-19. Therefore, we are, as a special accommodation and in the interest of serving our customers in this crisis, allowing customers who were to depart on their trip between January 29, 2020 and March 31, 2022, to modify their plan coverage dates by applying for a voucher to be used for a policy covering a future booking.

Again, assisting our travelers with virtually any problem in their time of need is and always has been our number one mission and priority. We will continue to keep you informed of developments and options for travelers as this current crisis evolves.

Sincerely,

Chris Carnicelli

*All benefits are subject to plan purchase, claim documentation submitted and plan provisions.

See our Coronavirus/COVID-19 position statement for more coverage details

Frequently Asked Questions

Coronavirus & Travel Insurance

Can my client insure a trip purchased with a travel credit or voucher?

Yes. If your client received a voucher or credit from a travel company based on previous payment for a booking that is being transferred to a new trip, the new trip can be covered by one of our travel protection plans.

If my client tests positive for COVID-19 more than a week before they're supposed to go on their trip, can they be covered for Trip Cancellation?

Yes, coverage may be provided if they receive a positive test result from a testing facility or a positive test result from an at-home test that meets certain requirements and the diagnosis or sickness prevents your client from traveling. Your client must take their test while their Trip Cancellation coverage is in effect. Trip Cancellation coverage goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. the day after they purchase their plan.

If a travel companion tests positive for COVID-19 and can’t travel, will my client qualify for Trip Cancellation coverage?

Yes, for plans that include Trip Cancellation coverage, coverage may be provided if a travel companion or family member is diagnosed with COVID-19.

Does my client have to have symptoms and see a doctor to qualify for COVID-19 sickness coverage?

We will accept a positive test result from a testing facility or a positive test result from an at-home test that meets certain requirements. Your client does not need to have COVID-19 symptoms to qualify for coverage.

If someone in my client's travel party tests positive, but my client tests negative, can they qualify for coverage to isolate at their destination past their scheduled check-out date?

Yes, for plans that include Travel Delay, coverage may be provided up to the maximum benefit limit if your client's traveling companion is diagnosed with COVID-19 and your client has to pay for additional lodging at their destination.

My client’s trip has been postponed or canceled and they haven’t decided whether to rebook it or plan a different trip. What can my client do with their travel insurance plan?

If you client was scheduled to depart on their trip between January 29, 2020 and March 31, 2022, and they have not departed and will not travel or file a claim, they may be eligible for a travel insurance policy voucher to use at a later date. Your client can apply for a voucher now even if they have not yet scheduled a new trip. Visit generalitravel.com/voucher for details.

Voucher eligibility:

Original trip departure date is between January 29, 2020 - March 31, 2022
Your client must request a voucher by March 31, 2022
Travel has not already taken place
A claim has not already been filed against the policy
Your client waives their right to file a claim for loss arising out of their original trip date once a voucher is issued

What if my client is worried about traveling because of COVID-19?

For any plans that include Trip Cancellation coverage due to sickness, we are providing coverage if your client, a family member, or a traveling companion gets sick with COVID-19 and they have to cancel their trip, provided plan requirements are met. However, most travel insurance plans can’t cover cancellations due to shelter in place orders, travel restrictions, or a traveler’s fear of getting sick—including the fear of contracting COVID-19 while traveling.

If your client purchased optional Trip Cancellation for Any Reason Coverage (only offered on certain plans) and cancel their trip, they can receive reimbursement up to the amount in the schedule, provided they cancel at least 48 hours prior to their scheduled departure and other requirements are met.

If your client's trip was scheduled to depart between January 29, 2020 and March 31, 2022 and they have not departed and will not travel, they may be eligible for a travel insurance policy voucher. Visit generalitravel.com/voucher for details.

My client’s cruise line changed the ports of call for their upcoming trip. Can they receive coverage for the cost to change their flight or to cancel their trip?

While some of our plans can include coverage for cruise ship and flight cancellations due to mechanical breakdown, adverse weather or labor strike, plans do not offer coverage for changes to your client's travel itinerary due to Coronavirus—unless your client purchased optional Trip Cancellation for Any Reason Coverage (only offered on certain plans). If they purchased optional Trip Cancellation for Any Reason Coverage and cancel their Trip, your client can receive reimbursement up to the amount in the schedule, provided they cancel at least 48 hours prior to their scheduled departure and other requirements are met.

If my client's trip is delayed past the original return date, does their travel insurance coverage extend as well?

Yes. All travel insurance coverages will be extended if the entire trip is covered by the plan and the return is delayed by unavoidable circumstances beyond their control. If coverage is extended, coverage will end either on the date your client reaches their originally scheduled return destination or seven days after their scheduled return date, whichever comes first.

How can travel insurance help my clients traveling to an area with heightened risk?

If your client is traveling to a high-risk area and has a plan that includes Medical and Dental and Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverages, their travel insurance plan can help if they get sick during their trip and need to seek treatment or medical evacuation. In addition, our plans include access to worldwide Travel Support services, which are available 24/7 during your client's trip and certain plans include access to telemedicine services while traveling.

Trip Interruption and Travel Delay coverages can also help if your client gets sick while traveling, provided the plan your client purchased includes those coverages.

Should I offer travel insurance right now?

The short answer is yes. While Coronavirus coverage is limited due to the size of the outbreak and the length of time since it first became a known event, coverage for COVID-19 sickness is available. Our plans also include access to 24/7 Travel Support, which can help travelers leave home with more peace of mind.

Additionally, travelers who are rebooking for a later date are still facing risks that they would normally face when planning a trip. A travel insurance plan can be an essential safeguard for travelers who are making sizable vacation investments and would benefit from purchasing coverage for other events that could force them to cancel unexpectedly.

My clients are planning a domestic trip instead of an international one because of the outbreak. How can travel insurance help?

Travel insurance offers services that can help travelers while away from home. Many plans include access to telemedicine services if a traveler gets sick while traveling and needs a virtual doctor visit. All plans include access to 24/7 Travel Support services during their trip.

Plans that include coverage for sickness can also help protect your clients and their trip costs if they get sick with COVID-19. Eligible coverages can include Trip Cancellation before their trip, and Trip Interruption, Travel Delay, Medical and Dental coverage and Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage during their trip.

In addition, many of our travel insurance plans provide coverage for other common, domestic setbacks that your clients may encounter while traveling—such as travel delays due to adverse weather.

How does Generali Medical and Dental coverage work?

For any plans that include Medical and Dental coverage, coverage is available if an insured traveler gets sick with COVID-19. In addition, our plans include access to worldwide Travel Support services, which are available 24/7 during your client's trip and certain plans include access to telemedicine services while traveling.

Generali Medical and Dental coverage is “in excess,” of your clients’ primary and secondary health insurance and while it may seem counterintuitive, in excess coverage can offer better value for travelers. Travelers make use of their primary and secondary coverages first, with in excess coverage picking up what is left over. In some cases, what’s left over may be the traveler’s full medical bill, while in others it may be copays or deductibles. Essentially, in excess coverage provides an added layer of protection on top of their primary or secondary coverage, rather than taking its place. Generali Medical and Dental coverage is not subject to copays or deductibles of any kind.

My client has travel insurance and is diagnosed with Coronavirus, could they be covered for Trip Cancellation?

Coverage is available if your client is sick with COVID-19. Please see a sample Description of Coverage or Policy for full details.

My client has a fever and wasn’t allowed to board their flight/cruise. Can travel insurance help?

For those plans that include Trip Interruption coverage, travel insurance can help cover your client's pre-paid trip cost as well as additional transportation expenses if they get sick on their trip and can’t travel. Plans that include Medical and Dental and Emergency Assistance and Transportation can provide coverage if your client needs to seek medical treatment or evacuation during their trip.

Travel insurance also gives your client access to 24/7 Travel Support during their trip and certain plans include access to telemedicine services while traveling.

For their safety and for the safety of others, travelers who believe they may have contracted the virus should call our 24/7 Travel Support team who will coordinate local treatment on their behalf. Travelers should do what they can to remain isolated and our assistance team will make sure they reach the dedicated local health facility best equipped to treat the virus—in accordance with the respective national response plan.

Once they arrive at the proper facility, travelers should have the treating physician sign our dedicated physician statement advising that they weren’t able to travel. This statement should be included with their documents when submitting their claim

What if my client has to be Quarantined on their trip because the Coronavirus spreads?

Please note that based on policy definitions, a “shelter in place” order is not considered a mandatory “Quarantine” and is not a covered event under our plans.

If your client is diagnosed with Coronavirus or another sickness and is Quarantined they can be covered. Learn more

If your client is Quarantined, but not sick, coverage depends on when they bought their plan and when the loss occurred. Coverage is unavailable if the insurance plan was purchased on or after January 29, 2020. For insurance plans that exclude pandemics, coverage is unavailable for losses occurred on or after March 11, 2020, the date COVID-19 was formally declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Plan exclusions for a pandemic can vary according to your client's state of residence and the plan they purchased. For eligible plans that include coverage for mandatory Quarantine, coverage may be available. To review their coverage details, clients should see their Description of Coverage or Insurance Policy.

My clients are waiting to book their trips—how can travel insurance help protect late or last minute bookings?

Clients who are waiting to book can still benefit from buying travel protection when they do decide to make plans. While Trip Cancellation may be less of a concern for last minute trips, travel insurance can include a variety of coverages that help protect travelers during their trip in addition to beforehand—especially if their trip gets interrupted or delayed. Covered events can include flight delays because of adverse weather, mandatory evacuations or other events that can quickly derail a trip, particularly during the summer hurricane season. Please refer clients to their Description of Coverage/Policy for the list of coverages and covered events included in their plan.

Why is Trip Cancellation for Any Reason coverage temporarily unavailable?

CFAR has been suspended due to the ongoing uncertainty regarding the Coronavirus outbreak. The suspension is temporary and we will advise our partners as soon as the sale of the product resumes.

Testing and Vaccination Requirements

Will insurance cover my client's test costs?

Travel insurance will not cover the cost of COVID-19 tests before your client's trip. However, for plans that include Medical and Dental coverage, travel insurance may cover the cost of COVID-19 testing during their trip if they get sick and are required by a physician to take a COVID-19 test for diagnostic purposes.

What if vaccination for Coronavirus is a requirement to travel? How might travel insurance help in that case?

Most plans include “new vaccination requirements” as a covered reason for trip cancellation. If your client's destination country announces and publishes a new vaccination requirement after they buy travel insurance, and they are medically unable to receive the vaccination, they can be reimbursed for their insured trip cost. This applies when vaccination is a requirement to enter the country, but not in the case of new quarantine rules for unvaccinated travelers.

If your client is traveling with a child that is too young to receive the vaccination for COVID-19, pursuant to CDC guidelines, that would typically qualify as being medically unable to receive the vaccination.

My client tested positive with an at-home test. Do they qualify for COVID-19 sickness coverage?

To qualify for COVID-19 sickness coverage, your client's at-home test must meet certain requirements:

The test must be taken while Trip Cancellation coverage is in effect. Trip Cancellation coverage goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. the day after your client purchases their plan.
The test must be a viral test and have Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). You can view a list of approved nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) and a list of approved antigen tests.
The testing must include a telehealth video call during which someone authorized by the manufacturer supervises the testing procedure in real time.
The telehealth provider must issue a report confirming the patient’s identity, the name of the laboratory or healthcare entity, the type of test and the specimen collection date.

What if my client tests positive at their destination? Will insurance cover additional lodging?

If your client is diagnosed with Coronavirus or another sickness, they can be covered for certain additional unexpected expenses on their trip, such as lodging, provided the plan that your client purchased includes Travel Delay coverage.

If you have any additional questions, please contact your account manager directly.

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