Business Traveler, Dec/Jan 2021

1 4 b u s i n e s s t r a v e l e r u s a c o m D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1 S P E C I A L R E P O R T with coverage obtained simply by buying a passenger ticket Virgin Atlantic followed suit in August with its own COVID 19 global insurance policy with free coverage of 654000 per person for emergency medical and associated expenses The policy also extended to flights operated by joint carriers Delta and Air France KLM WestJets September announcement was similar increasing coverage limits to CA 200000 for COVID 19 medical and quarantine costs Such moves havent been limited to airlines As just one example Palladium Hotel Group has begun offering free coverage that includes not only medical expenses but also transfers or extended stays SORTING THINGS OUT With the various new options and given the complex nature of insurance policies travelers and their employers may find it a challenge to determine just what is and what is not included with any offering Of course reading the fine print of any policy is a must In addition Murchland advises consideration of annual plans This involves buying coverage once a year and then the traveler can take as many trips during the year as needed Its a convenient option for busy travelers and we modified our annual plan to include a COVID 19 benefit he says While any provider will furnish the relevant details an unbiased site can prove a boon for travelers comparing coverage That was the impetus behind InsureMyTrips new COVID 19 recommendation tool launched in September Prospective travelers can explore plans offering coverage for trip cancellation cancel for any reason trip interruption and quarantining as well as coverage included in comprehensive travel insurance plans such as emergency medical and financial default Regardless of whether options directly related to COVID 19 are available one step worth considering is making sure insurance purchases include CFAR That can provide timely flexibility in dealing with circumstances ranging from a spike in cases at a business destination to emerging concerns within a travelers family Typically a plan without CFAR will provide reimbursement for nonrefundable trip expenses if a trip is canceled for a covered reason For any situation that doesnt meet a specifically covered reason the cost will not be reimbursed To meet standard requirements travelers should be prepared to cancel a trip at least two days before a scheduled departure Its also important to buy CFAR as soon as possible after the initial trip deposit Generally its only available within a defined period such as 10 to 21 days of the purchase NO PLACE LIKE HOME Another feature meriting attention is medical evacuation when a traveler becomes ill with COVID 19 What is the ability and benefit offered to return a traveler to their home country for medical treatment McIndoe asks He says anyone who travels frequently especially internationally may want to explore a medical assistance program that will provide transportation back to the hospital of choice Some policies such as business travel accident BTA policies personal travel insurance and personal health insurance for domestic travel may feature limited coverage for medical evacuation But medical transport and travel security provider Medjet has taken things further in response to the pandemic In October the company announced it has added medical transport coverage for COVID 19 for the continental US Canada Mexico and the Caribbean Going forward the kind of attention now given to COVID 19 should not be forgotten says Mike Hallman Medjets CEO People need to have a solid plan for dealing with any health event while traveling he says Travelers and plan managers need to understand the limitations of their current BTAs travel insurances and health insurance coverages and make sure theres added protection in place to get someone transferred home John Thompson division president of international accident and health for global insurance provider Chubb predicts that insurance products will continue to adopt enhancements that allow organizations to better fulfill their duty of care for employees who are traveling for work This will allow corporations and employees to eventually recover and get back to the skies with peace of mind he says New benefits and coverages for the direct and indirect risks of COVID may include expanded insurance coverage addition of new benefits and removal of coverage exclusions Just as with the pandemic itself the future directions of such initiatives may be difficult to predict Its possible providers will pull back from options related to COVID 19 or similar challenges once the current pandemic is largely behind us But its also likely that travelers will continue to expect to have such choices available in the event another widespread health challenge emerges BT Pandemic related international requirements have prompted insurers to up their game