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COVID-19 Travel FAQ

 

What do we mean by a “known event”?

Your travel insurance will only provide you with cover if your claim is for an unforeseen event.

A known event refers to something that interrupts your trip that a person would have been aware of through media and/or announcements made by Singapore government authorities (for example, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health) or an internationally recognized entity (for example, World Health Organization).

 

Will DirectAsia cover me for trip cancellation or disruption due to COVID-19

COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020, there will be no coverage for any claims arising from COVID-19 for any trips departing Singapore after this date unless the COVID-19 Travel optional benefit is taken up.

 

What will I be covered for under the DirectAsia COVID-19 Travel optional benefit?
Your COVID-19 optional benefit will cover you for the following (for full policy wording, please view Full Policy Wording):

  • Medical Expenses
    • Medical expenses you incur as a result of being diagnosed with COVID-19 while you are overseas. 
    • Medical expenses in Singapore for COVID-19 when you have sought initial medical treatment in Singapore within 48 hours of your return, up to 30 days from your return to Singapore.
    • Medical expenses for follow-up treatment in Singapore when you were diagnosed with COVID-19 during your trip, up to 30 days from your return to Singapore.
  • Emergency Medical Evacuation, Repatriation of Mortal Remains or Local Burial
    • Cost to transport you back to Singapore or another location for medical treatment after you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, if in our opinion is medically appropriate.
    • Cost to transport your body or ashes back to Singapore, when you are diagnosed with COVID-19 and suffer death overseas.
    • Cost of arranging local burial if after death due to COVID-19 overseas, your next of kin choose to do so.   
  • Trip Cancellation and Curtailment
    • Irrecoverable Travel fees that you have paid when you have to cancel your trip within 30 days from the trip start date, due to the following:
      • You or your travel companion is diagnosed with COVID-19 and certified not fit to travel by a doctor.
      • You or your travel companion is under quarantine order and the quarantine period overlaps with the trip start date.
      • Your immediate family member living with you in the same household is diagnosed with COVID-19 and advised by doctor you should not be travelling.
      • Your immediate family member not living with you in the same household is diagnosed with COVID-19 and confined in ICU at a hospital.
    • When you have already commenced on your trip and your trip is disrupted due to any of the reason above, we will reimburse you for any irrecoverable cost that you have paid, or pay you for reasonable additional expenses for economy class transport or standard hotel room as a result of the disruption.    

 

What is not covered under the DirectAsia COVID-19 Travel optional benefit?

We will not cover:

  • When you are travelling or acting against doctor’s advice.
  • When you, your travel companion or your immediate family member have not been fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
  • When you or your travel companion has not met the entry requirements of the destination or Singapore including vaccination, documents, pre-departure/post-arrival tests.
  • For any COVID-19 diagnostic test, whether mandatory or voluntary.

Please note that General Exclusions for the entire policy will apply for COVID-19 cover as well (for full policy wording, please view full policy wording).

 

 

How much am I covered for under COVID-19 Travel optional benefit?

We cover you up to the amount as shown below for the respective covers:
Medical Expenses

Overseas
Per person $150,000
Per family Limit $375,000

 

Singapore
Per person $2,000
Per family Limit $5,000


Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Mortal Remains or Local Burial

Per person $100,000
Per family Limit $250,000


Trip Cancellation and Curtailment

Per person $3,000
Per family limit $7,500

 

 

Do you cover for any other communicable disease other than COVID-19?

We do not cover for any communicable disease other than COVID-19.

 

Can I add COVID-19 Travel optional benefit if I am an Annual Travel policyholder?

COVID-19 optional benefit is only available for Single Trip policy up to a maximum of 90 days per trip duration. A Single Trip policy with the COVID-19 optional benefit will need to be taken up separately.

 

Can I get COVID-19 Travel optional coverage if I am travelling overseas for more than 90 days duration?

COVID-19 cover is available for Single Trip travel policy only and covers up to a maximum period of 90 days.  Once the 90 days is up, this cover will automatically cease.

 

 

Are there any conditions to be eligible for the COVID-19 coverage?

Eligibility for COVID-19 coverage follows the eligibility of our Single Trip policy.  In addition, to be eligible for any cover under COVID-19 optional benefit:

  1. You and any travel companion must abide and fulfil all pre-departure requirement imposed by the country’s authority including but not limited to vaccination or quarantine requirements and pre-departure/post-arrival tests, of the trip destination or re-entry to Singapore.
  2. You are not travelling against the any government authority and/or doctor’s advise.
  3. You, any of travel companion or your immediate family member are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 as defined by Singapore authorities.
  4. The trip disruption is not caused by any COVID-19 related travel advisory restriction by the authorities.

 

Will the cost of the COVID-19 diagnostic test be claimable?

COVID-19 diagnostic tests, whether mandatory or voluntary, are not claimable under this policy.

 

Will my child who is my travel companion but is not vaccinated under the Singapore’s Ministry of Health advice be covered under the COVID-19 coverage?

Yes, your child will be covered with the COVID-19 coverage if vaccination is not available to the minor as stipulated by the Singapore authority at the time of departure.

 

What happens if I am diagnosed with COVID-19 pre-departure in Singapore?

If you or your travel companion, who are insured with DirectAsia, is/are diagnosed positive with COVID-19 and the trip is necessarily and unavoidably disrupted within 30 days of your departure from Singapore, we may pay for any irrecoverable unused pre-paid transport and accommodation expenses (excluding admin charges or fee related) up to the benefit limits of the cover. The policy will not cover any COVID-19 medical treatment or related cost.

 

Do you cover expenses I incur as a result of isolation and/or quarantine overseas if I am diagnosed with COVID-19?

If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 or put under quarantine order overseas and your trip is necessarily and unavoidably disrupted, we may reimburse you for any irrecoverable unused pre-paid transport and accommodation costs or pay you for additional economy class transport expenses and any reasonable standard room hotel costs.

If you require to seek medical treatment and/or hospitalised whilst overseas due to COVID-19 condition, we may cover the cost of the medical expenses incurred which is reasonable and necessary up to the medical limits of the cover.

 

Do you cover for additional expenses I incur if I am diagnosed with COVID-19 upon arrival into Singapore?

When you seek medical treatment within 48 hours upon returning to Singapore due to COVID-19, we may pay up to the benefit limit for medical treatment within Singapore. This includes medical treatment cost required during Stay-Home-Notice, self-isolation at your home residence or at the facility mandated by the Singapore authority for a maximum of 30 days from your return to Singapore.

This policy does not cover accommodation expenses for self-isolation and/or quarantine whether mandatory or voluntary in Singapore.

 

If I had earlier purchased the COVID-19 Travel optional benefit but the destination is subsequently classified as a high risk country or the authorities have issued against traveling to the planned destination, am I covered for trip cancellation?

This policy does not cover any trip cancellation due to any COVID-19 related travel advisory restriction by the authorities.

 

Can I add the COVID-19 Travel optional benefit if I had taken up the Single Trip insurance policy with DirectAsia before 18 November 2021?

If your trip has not commenced, you may contact DirectAsia at 6665 5555 for assistance. We may cancel your existing policy and reissue you a new Single Trip policy with the COVID-19 coverage. Additional premium may apply.

 

Can I add the COVID-19 optional benefit if I had taken up the Single Trip insurance policy with DirectAsia on and after 18 November 2021?

If your trip has not commenced, you may contact DirectAsia at 6665 5555 for assistance. We may be able to include the COVID-19 coverage into your existing Single Trip policy. Additional premium may apply.

 

Can I choose to take up a DirectAsia travel policy without COVID-19 coverage?

Yes. Our COVID-19 coverage is an optional benefit available on the Single Trip policy. COVID-19 coverage is not part of the basic policy coverage but as an add on coverage.

 

Will a DirectAsia travel policy refund me for the costs if the transport company or hotel provider has refunded me in the form of credits/vouchers/open tickets for future use or I wish not to utilise it?

We may only pay for any irrecoverable unused pre-paid transport or accommodation expenses (excluding admin charges or fee related) provided these are necessary and unavoidable.  Credits, vouchers or open tickets will be deemed as refund and not covered under the policy.  Any voluntary decision by the insured not to utilise any form of credits/vouchers/open tickets provided by the providers are not claimable.

 

 

Last updated: 18 November 2021