The last few years have been interesting to say the least, and we’re all overdue for a little (or large) break. And with our new COVID-19 travel insurance benefits you can have greater confidence and peace of mind to book an Aussie or overseas holiday.
Our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits
New policyholders will now receive the below extended travel insurance cover for some common scenarios relating to COVID-19:
- Cover for COVID-19 Cancellations and amendments*
- Cover for COVID-19 Overseas Medical Costs*#~
- Cover for Additional COVID-19 Expenses*
Our ahm COVID-19 Overseas Medical Expenses Cover*
Available on the International Comprehensive and Medical Only Plans
Our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits can provide cover for your overseas medical costs if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical practitioner while travelling overseas*. This cover includes costs resulting from overseas medical treatment and ambulance transportation you require when suffering from COVID-19.
However, we can’t pay for any medical costs resulting from COVID-19 if you’re travelling to a country that is subject to “Do not travel” advice from Smartraveller at the time you enter the country or part of the country, or if your claim is related to you having travelled on a multi-night cruise.
Our ahm COVID-19 Amendment or Cancellation Costs Cover*
Available on the International Comprehensive and Domestic Plans
COVID-19 benefits limits apply.
Don’t forget, if you purchase a domestic or international comprehensive travel insurance policy as soon as you book you’ll immediately have cover for various amendment and cancellation costs. However, benefits for COVID-19-related pre-trip cancellation and amendment costs will apply only if the policy is purchased more than 21 days from the date of departure as shown on your Certificate of Insurance. If you bought your policy within 21 days before your scheduled departure date, we will only cover the travel costs that you paid for in the 48 hour period before buying your policy, and after buying this policy. For example, if you booked and paid for your trip in full 6 months ago and then bought this policy a week before your departure date, there will be no cover available if you cannot travel because you or your travelling companion are diagnosed in Australia with COVID-19.
If you’re travelling within Australia or overseas on an international or domestic policy, we can provide cover for a number of COVID-19-related cancellation and amendment situations*.
This may include:
- If you are diagnosed by a qualified medical practitioner with COVID-19 prior to your departure and can no longer travel.
- The policy must be purchased more than 21 days before your scheduled departure date (as shown on Your Certificate of Insurance). If purchased within 21 days of scheduled departure date, only travel costs relating to the 48-hour period before buying your policy and after buying your policy will be covered.
- If you fall ill with COVID-19 overseas and medical advice is that you need to return home
- You need to cancel or amend your trip as a non-travelling relative or business partner in Australia or New Zealand contracts COVID-19 and is a life-threatening condition.
- You’re an essential healthcare worker and your leave is revoked because of COVID-19
Special excess – In addition to your chosen excess or the excess on the Domestic plan, a special excess will apply to:
- Cancellation and Amendment Fees if you or your travelling companion are diagnosed with COVID-19 on your trip (International Comprehensive – $500, Domestic – $250).
- Additional Expenses if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 on your trip (International Comprehensive or Medical Only – Domestic – $250).
If your claim is under both sections, the higher special excess will be deducted. The special excess applies in addition to any other excess. You cannot remove this special excess. What that means is, for example, if you chose a $250 excess on the International Comprehensive plan and claim for additional accommodation costs and cancellation costs because you were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Your overseas trip, we would deduct an excess of $750 in total from Your claim. ($250 excess+ $500 special excess).
For full details, make sure you check out the PDS.
Does it cover additional or unexpected expenses?
You can’t predict the unexpected. That’s why our COVID-19 benefits help protect you from a number of scenarios that may result in unexpected costs.
If you’re an international or domestic travel insurance policyholder, we can provide cover for some additional expenses incurred, such as costs of quarantine or isolation if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 during your trip, if you pass away on your trip because of COVID-19, if you need to extend your stay overseas if you've fallen ill from COVID-19, or if you need to amend your trip because your non-travelling relative or business partner residing in Australia or New Zealand become sick because of COVID-19.
Unfortunately, we can’t pay for any additional expenses resulting from COVID-19 if you’re travelling to a country that is subject to “Do not travel” advice from Smartraveller at the time you enter the country or part of the country, or if your claim is related to you having travelled on a multi-night cruise.
Check out the PDS for full details on benefit limits and what is and isn’t included, as unfortunately we cannot cover everything (including border closures).
Pre-trip Questions
Available on the International Comprehensive and Domestic Plans
Will the COVID-19 benefit cover me if I’m diagnosed with COVID-19 and need to cancel my trip?
If you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 by a medical practitioner, PCR test or a registered Rapid Antigen Test (RAT)and cannot travel, you may be able to claim non-refundable cancellation costs. You can claim your cancellation or amendment costs for your prepaid trip subject to the COVID-19 cancellation benefit limit on your plan.
Cover conditions:
- Subject to evidence of your positive COVID-19 diagnosis (diagnosed by a qualified medical practitioner, PCR test or a registered Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).
- The policy must have been purchased more than 21 days before your scheduled departure date (as shown on your Certificate of Insurance). If purchased within 21 days of scheduled departure date, only travel costs relating to the 48-hour period before buying your policy and after buying your policy will be covered.
- There is no cover if symptoms or diagnosis occurred prior to buying your policy.
Will the COVID-19 benefit cover me if I am deemed to have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 and need to cancel my trip?
Unfortunately no cover is provided if you are deemed to be a close contact and must isolate, and can therefore no longer go on your trip.
Will the COVID-19 benefit cover me if I want to cancel as the government issued a ‘do not travel advice’ to my destination after I booked?
Unfortunately not. Cancelling a trip is always disappointing. If you booked your trip to a destination deemed safe to travel by the Australian Government and purchased ahm travel insurance, but prior to travelling that destination is now under a ‘Do not travel’ warning on smartraveller.gov.au, you may need to cancel your trip due to the risks of travel. There is no cancellation cover when cancelling your trip due to COVID-19 related travel warnings, regardless of the warning level.
Cover conditions:
General Exclusion: We will not pay for:
- Claims arising from any government intervention, prohibition, regulation or restriction or court order.
- Claims directly or indirectly arising from or caused by COVID-19.
Will the COVID-19 benefit cover me if I’m going on a multi-night cruise and I’ve added Cruise Cover to my policy?
If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 on board a multi-night cruise, cover applies to:
- on-board medical and dental cover
- ship to shore medical cover.
Available on International Comprehensive and International Medical plans only if Cruise Cover has been added.
On-Trip Questions
Will ahm travel insurance coronavirus benefit cover me if I am diagnosed with COVID-19 while travelling and need to extend my stay?
If you get sick with COVID-19 on your journey and need to extend your stay, you may be able to claim the cost of additional accommodation and transport.
Non-cruise travel: Yes. Cover available for additional accommodation and additional transport expenses including the cost for you to ‘stay put’.
Cruise travel: Yes. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 on board a multi-night cruise, cover applies to on-board medical and dental cover, and ship to shore medical cover if you added Cruise Cover to your policy.
Cover conditions:
- Cover applies for this event if the country or part of the country you travelled to was not subject to “Do not travel” advice on the smartraveller.gov.au website at the time you entered the country or part of the country.
- For trips in Australia or New Zealand the Smartraveller “Do not travel” condition here will be waived.
- Subject to medical certification.
Will ahm travel insurance coronavirus benefit cover me if I’m diagnosed with COVID-19 while travelling and need medical treatment outside of Australia?
Yes, cover is available if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical practitioner and require medical treatment overseas.~
Non-cruise travel: Yes, cover is available.
Cruise travel: Yes. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 on board a multi-night cruise, cover applies to on-board medical and dental cover, and ship to shore medical cover if you added Cruise Cover to your policy.
Cover conditions:
- Cover applies for this event if the country or part of the country you travelled to was not subject to “Do not travel” advice on the smartraveller.gov.au website at the time you entered the country or part of the country.
- For trips in Australia or New Zealand the Smartraveller “Do not travel” condition here will be waived.
- Subject to medical certification.
Required to verify your ahm COVID-19 medical cover?
Remember to check the PDS for full details. For more information, contact 1300 617 409.
Ready to book that trip?
This advice is general only.
Limits, sub-limits, exclusions and conditions apply. This advice is general only. This product is distributed by Australian Health Management Group Pty Limited (ABN 96 003 683 298, AR 266711) and administered by Travel Insurance Partners Pty Limited (ABN 73 144 049 230, AFSL 360138). Travel insurance is underwritten by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited (ABN 13 000 296 640, AFSL 232507). Please consider your own needs and the Combined FSG/PDS to decide if this product is right for you. For information on the Target Market and Target Market Determinations, visit ahm.com.au/travel-insurance/forms-and-guides.
*Limits, sub-limits, conditions, and exclusions apply. For full details on exactly what’s covered by our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits, please read our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) document.
~Medical cover will not exceed 12 months from onset.
#Cover for medical costs related to COVID-19 are not available on our Domestic Plans.