International Medical Group travel insurance for Covid19

IMG does offer the option to upgrade to “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage on some of its travel insurance plans. The “Cancel for any reason” add-on benefit gives the traveler the option to cancel for any reason, even if it is not listed in the plan’s base trip cancellation reasons. For example, one can cancel the trip because there was a work related crisis which would not be covered in the base trip cancellation coverage.Please review the plan to check the rules for CFAR coverage. IMG’s Travel LX travel insurance reimburses 75% of the non-refundable trip costs under the CFAR benefit. The traveler must buy the “cancel for any reason” add-on coverage within 21 days of making the initial trip deposit. To make a CFAR claim one must cancel the trip at least two days prior to the actual departure date.

IMG provides travel insurance includes coverage for Covid19 related trip cancellation and medical expenses. IMG’s Travel SE, Travel Lite and Travel LX Basic trip cancellation insurance plans all include Covid coverage. The IMG trip cancellation plans will cover you and reimburse all the financial loss incurred in prepaid expenses and non-refundable deposits.

IMG’s travel insurance includes Pre-existing medical condition waivers as an add-on coverage. Travelers should review the policy details to be sure of this coverage specification. Including this pre-existing conditions waiver add-on will mean the pre-existing conditions is not excluded from your travel insurance coverage.

COVID-19 is treated the same as any other sickness for purposes of all coverage that are triggered by sickness or that can reimburse losses resulting from a sickness including death caused by sickness. Depending on the Plan Design, this can include but is not necessarily limited to the following (including the sub-benefits of many of these):

• Trip Cancellation,
• Trip Interruption,
• Accident and Sickness Medical Expense;
• Emergency Medical Evacuation / Medical Repatriation / Return of Remains

Regardless of the terms of the Plan, United States Fire Insurance Company has made the administrative decision to allow for coverage to be extended for the entire duration of a COVID-19 related quarantine, and coverage will be extended for five additional days following the end of the quarantine provided the travelers have not arrived back in their return destination city.

If the travelers incur additional hotel or meal expenses solely due to a quarantine, they will not receive any reimbursement under the Trip Interruption coverage either. Trip Interruption coverage may include a provision that provides reimbursement for additional hotel nights and meals (among other expenses) if the travelers cannot continue travel due to a sickness that does not cause them to need to be hospitalized. Please note that the travelers would actually need to be sick, as certified by a Legally Qualified Physician (as defined by your Plan), for this to apply if this provision is in their Plan.

However, when included in a Plan Design, the Travel Delay and Missed Connection coverages may be able to reimburse additional meal and hotel expenses incurred solely due to a quarantine (subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable coverage).

The trip cancellation insurance coverage starts on the day following the purchase of the policy. The trip cancellation insurance plan will cover the traveler for factors such as trip cancellation even before the departure date of the trip.

If the traveler becomes ill with Covid while they are insured, it will be covered like any other sickness. Along with trip costs and any eligible medical expenses, related Quarantine expenses may also be covered if required by the concerned authority.

IMG plans do not cover COVID vaccination since all preventive care is not covered. However it will cover COVID-19 treatment as any other eligible sickness if the infection happens after the policy is effective.

All US citizens and US residents are eligible to buy IMG trip cancellation plans. They can buy these trip cancellation plans for travel both within the US as well as outside the country.

Yes, one can cancel the IMG plan if there is no claim on the policy and if the traveler :

1. Requests for cancellation is made within the 10 day free look period after buying the insurance
2. Requests for cancellation before the start of the trip

The trip costs will include all non-refundable expenses such as the airline ticket costs, cruise expenses, hotel booking costs .... In the event of an unplanned cancellation of the trip, these expenses which would otherwise be lost will be covered by the IMG trip cancellation plans.

No, the IMG plans are not renewable.

The pre-existing conditions coverage varies depending on the IMG plan.

1. The IMG Lite plan does not cover Pre-existing conditions
2. The IMG SE plan covers pre-existing conditions if the insurance is bought within 20 days of the initial trip deposit
3. The IMG LX plan covers pre-existing conditions if the insurance is bought within 24 hours of trip payment.

Only the IMG LX plan offer Cancel for any reason (CFAR). The IMG Lite and IMG SE plans provide trip cancellation only for covered reasons.

Trip cancellation coverage is available if the entire trip is cancelled even before the start of the trip (this is even before the trip start date). Trip interruption coverage is applicable only after the start of the trip. Trip interruption comes is applicable if the trip is cancelled for a valid covered reason (unless you have the Travel LX plan which covers CFAR), after the start of the trip and here the insured traveler has to return to his/her home country.

You compare the coverage differences between the three IMG plans IMG travel insurance Comparision

There isn’t a specific “quarantine” benefit, but benefits could apply under both IMG travel Insurance’s Trip Interruption and Travel Delay benefits. Trip interruption would generally reimburse for the prepaid, unused, nonrefundable elements of the trip that are lost. Travel delay would reimburse up to the per day, per person policy limit (varies between plans) for additional meals, accommodations, and local transportation expenses. A requirement to quarantine is a covered event under each of these benefits. In addition, if medical treatment is sought due to symptoms, the medical expense benefit would apply as well.

There isn’t a specific “accommodation” benefit, but benefits could apply under IMG travel Insurance’s Travel Delay benefit. Travel delay would reimburse up to the per day, per person policy limit (varies between plans) for additional meals, accommodations, and local transportation expenses. A requirement to quarantine is a covered event under each of these benefits. In addition, if medical treatment is sought due to symptoms, the medical expense benefit would apply as well. Benefits would apply to an insured traveler OR a travel companion.

If the traveler is required to quarantine as per the terms of coverage, benefits would be extended for up to 5 days after the period of quarantine ends (per the guidelines provided by our underwriter).

The policy defines quarantine as follows: Quarantined means You or Your Traveling Companion, Pet or Service Animal are forced into strict medical isolation by a recognized government authority, their authorized deputies, medical examiners or Physician to prevent the spread of the disease due to You or Your Traveling Companion, Pet or Service Animal either having, or being suspected of having an contagious disease, infection or contamination. An embargo preventing You or Your Traveling Companion, Pet or Service Animal from entering a country is not a quarantine.

There are some very advantageous credit cards out there to help travelers, particularly with money exchange fees when making purchases abroad. However, you should look over your benefits carefully. Certainly travel items charged to the card may be covered and refundable, but what if you get sick at your destination? What if your luggage is lost? What if you need to quarantine or get delayed in one leg of your trip? The best trip cancellation insurance can put your mind at ease. These best travel insurance are specifically designed to help in all aspects of travel from interruptions that may come up (an emergency back home), unintended trip delays (testing positive for COVID, missing a flight or having a flight cancelled), helping you get your minor children home if you can't, and medical expenses should you become sick or hospitalized. There are plans to help you get your pet home safely and insure your expensive golf clubs or sports equipment get with you to your destination! You have invested so much into your trip planning, you may as well have full peace of mind that your investment is protected and you are taken care of by experts who have dealt with the most unlikely of scenarios!