Finding the Best Options and Getting Your Documentation
Questions we get asked quite often are: "Do I need insurance to go to Spain?" or "How much insurance do I need to go to Thailand?" or "Do you sell the insurance required to go to the Philippines?" or "Will I get the right documentation to show I have the required insurance?" and so forth. The answer is YES! However, it can be tricky to find the policy that is right for your destination.
The Quarantine Benefit
In very few cases, you have few, specific options available. Some countries require that a policy have a "quarantine" benefit. This benefit pays for food and lodging while you are in quarantine or isolation but not in a hospital. This benefit is not common in policies, particularly if they require a certain amount of coverage.
Costa Rica, for example, requires people not vaccinated against COVID to have at least $2000 in quarantine coverage. This can be found in several, specific plans
(Safe Travels Outbound, Safe Travels Voyager or Safe Travels Explorer, IMG Travel SE and Travel LX for US residents or Safe Travels International for non-US residents).However, a plan like Atlas International and Visitor Secure has coverage for quarantine if you purchase a policy of at least 30 days, but only up to $500 total. Some countries, like Argentina, British Virgin Islands and Fiji, do not put an amount on the requirement for quarantine coverage, so those policies (as well as the others) may work for travel there depending on your length of stay.
We should note that the "quarantine" benefit is usually called a trip delay benefit which can be used in the case of quarantine or flight rescheduling which cause a delay in your travel.
Know more »Emergency Medical Evacuation (important for remote islands and cruises)
One country of note, Turks and Caicos specifies that insurance must cover COVID and emergency medical evacuation. In that case, we recommend the Safe Travels Outbound Plan (or Safe Travels International for non-US residents) since it has quarantine benefit and a high coverage for emergency medical evacuation to meet their requirements.
If there is no requirement to have a quarantine benefit, then there are many options available. You can search Covid19 travel insurance. Note that US residents can consider insuring the value of their trip OR simply insuring themselves if they go on their trip. Non-US residents cannot purchase trip cancellation plans from US companies, but can get travel insurance for their trip which covers any illness/accident including COVID as required by many countries.
Policy Maximum
When determining what amount you should choose as a maximum for your plan, you should consider if there are any requirements and where you are headed. For example, the countries of Turkey and United Arab Emirates require policies with at least $100,000 maximum. Thailand recently reduced their requirement to $50,000 (it was previously $100,000).
Many countries require less than that ($30,000 for Philippines and Chile, $10,000 for Tibet). Many other countries don't have specific requirements for a maximum, so you can choose what you like. Places like Egypt, Uruguay, Ecuador (specifically for travel to the Galápagos Islands) have no specific minimum requirement.
After Pandemic Travel
The insurance requirements we have mentioned so far have started during the pandemic and require the plans to cover COVID like any other illness. It is important to check with your airline or the government website to determine the requirements for travel to a country as these change over time. However, some countries (as in Europe) have required insurance as part of the Schengen visa requirements ($50,000 maximum with a $0 deductible) which affects travelers from many nationalities.
You can browse Europe travel insurance options While US citizens are not required to get insurance for short visits to Europe, they have the same insurance requirements if they apply for a Long Term Stay Visa (for greater than 90 days) for the Schengen countries.
What documentation do I need to show I have the insurance required for travel?
Any of the plans you choose from our sites (above) will give you a VISA LETTER which is a one page document that summarizes the coverage of the plan and specifically states that it covers COVID. You should print this out and/or have it available on your phone. Often, the airline will ask you for this information before you are allowed on the plane.
The other important document to carry with you is the ID card. While this card, in itself, is not proof of insurance, it does have your policy number, phone numbers and information you can use should you have a medical situation while on your trip. We recommend you print this out and carry it on your person while traveling.
Conclusion
So, while travel has become a little more complicated after the COVID pandemic, we are trying to make getting your insurance for your trip as painless as possible. There are usually many options and the prices often surprise customers. If you need more specific guidance, feel free to call our licensed agents that will be glad to help you today!
As ever, we wish you safe and happy travels!
