With the coronavirus causing travel chaos, many Australians are unsure what their travel insurance covers them for, and at least one insurer has promised to cover costs of repatriation for its customers: Travelcard.
The company announced today that it will support its customers coming home despite the pandemic exclusions in its Product Disclosure Statement and has taken steps to ensure its customers have the financial ability to return home if they desire.
As the World Health Organisation declares the novel coronavirus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and the Australian Government offers repatriation with quarantine on Christmas Island for those stuck in the Hubei Province, many Australian travellers across China and Hong Kong are wondering what to do.
“During times of pandemic many travel insurance policies may not cover the costs where the cause is related to the pandemic. It is important that people travelling to China or Hong Kong, and indeed anywhere, understand that if their holiday changes due to the coronavirus, their policy may not cover their changes,” said Peter Klemt CEO TravelCard Real-Time™ Travel Insurance. “Each request is assessed individually and will depend on a variety of factors and the policy they have purchased, however as a general rule any policies purchased after the event became known will not be covered.”
“At a time when many Australians were travelling to celebrate Lunar New Year with family, they have found themselves in lockdown in the Wuhan area and the Hubei Province. We have made the decision to provide support to our customers by extending our leisure travel policy beyond its usual parameters. We will cover the cost, for TravelCard customers, of their repatriation by the Australian Government chartered flight to Christmas Island for those in the Hubei Province at $1000 per person,” said Mr Klemt.
“Given the seriousness of the emerging situation we will also support TravelCard customers in China and Hong Kong returning to Australia by covering their reasonable costs of changing their return flights if they want to return home in the next seventy-two (72) hours. The situation remains volatile, airlines are suspending or reducing flights and we want our customers to be safe.”
Any TravelCard customers impacted by the restrictions implemented by the coronavirus should call the 24/7 Global support team on 1300 123 413 or if overseas the reverse charges number +61 2 7909 2777. Email: claims@travelcard.com.au or Skype “TravelcardOZ”.
