Unsure of which travel insurance plan covers for Covid-19? We highlight the key things to note for each travel insurance in this article.
While we may have been inclined to simply get the cheapest travel plan pre-Covid-19, traveling during this pandemic/endemic will no longer be the same. Instead of only looking at the cost and going for the cheapest travel insurance, choose a plan that can give you a peace of mind with the Covid-19 coverage offered.
In this article we highlight the pros and cons of the three travel insurance plans that includes coverage for Covid-19.
Travel insurance plans with Covid-19 coverage:
- FWD Travel + add-on COVID-19 enhanced travel benefit
- NTUC Income
- TravelSompo Travel (COVID-19) Insurance
Coverage for FWD’s add-on Covid-19 enhanced travel benefit includes medical expenses overseas, hospitalisation allowance, trip cancellation and disruption, and emergency medical evacuation due to Covid-19. Additionally, while some insurers only cover for medical expenses incurred and a hospitalisation allowance benefit if you are diagnosed with Covid-19 overseas, FWD’s benefits will apply even after your return to Singapore. With FWD, these benefits are payable should you be hospitalised or incur medical expenses due to Covid-19 within 14 days after your return to Singapore.
While FWD’s add-on Covid-19 enhanced travel benefit does not have the highest coverage, they still do provide the necessary Covid-19 coverage at an affordable price of just $28.95 for a 7 day trip to Germany. Therefore if you just want basic Covid-19 coverage for your travel insurance, FWD’s affordably priced plan will appeal to you. Note that $28.95 for a 7 day trip to Germany is the cost of the add-on Covid-19 benefit and does not include the base travel insurance cost.
Lastly, if you have previously been diagnosed with Covid-19 do note of is that you will not be able to purchase FWD’s add-on Covid-19 enhanced travel benefit. This is even if you have already recovered from a previous Covid-19 infection.
While NTUC’s previous Covid-19 travel coverage was rather minimal, policies purchased on or after 15 October 2021 includes the new enhanced Covid-19 coverage extension. While there is still no quarantine or hospital allowance given, NTUC now includes coverage for trip cancellation due to Covid-19. While this trip cancellation benefit limit is not the highest at $2,000, we feel that the conditions covered are the broadest. This includes cover if you or your traveling companion have a positive Covid-19 diagnosis, is issued a quarantine or ordered to self-isolate by the Singapore government before your trip, or if a family member staying in same household is diagnosed with Covid-19. Therefore if you are most worried about the conditions allowing for a trip cancellation, NTUC Income’s travel plan may be suitable for you.
Additionally, NTUC also covers if you have any complications from a Singapore government approved Covid-19 vaccine and require medical treatment while overseas. Do note that this is only applicable for medical treatment overseas and if your complications if within 30 days from the last dose. From 4 October 2021, there is also no longer a need for a negative pre-trip PCR test in order to buy NTUC Income’s travel plans. Coverage for Covid-19 is automatically included in all of its travel plans.
If you are looking for a plan that offers quarantine allowance while overseas, look no further than Sompo’s Travel (COVID-19) Insurance. Providing a coverage of up to $100 per day, up to a maximum of $1,400, Sompo’s quarantine allowance covers for every consecutive day that you are diagnosed and tested positive with Covid-19 and have to be quarantined or hospitalised while overseas. Sompo’s Travel (COVID-19) Insurance also covers for other Covid-19 related coverage such as medical expenses incurred overseas, trip cancellation and disruption, and emergency medical evacuation due to Covid-19.
However, do note Sompo’s Travel (COVID-19) Insurance will not cover for any non-refundable local activities should you cancel your trip or need to cut short your trip to return to Singapore. The definition of local activities include tours, excursions, shows, sports events, concerts etc. Therefore, if you are planning to engage in multiple events, tours and/or excursions at your destination country, Sompo’s travel plan may not be suitable for you.
Additionally, while Sompo no longer requires you to do a pre-departure COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for trips commencing on or after 13 October 2021, we recommend those who are not fully vaccinated to still do a pre-departure PCR test. This is because if you are not fully vaccinated, Sompo will not pay for certain benefits unless a pre-departure PCR test is done and you test negative within 72 hours prior to your departure date from Singapore. Therefore, to protect your benefits and ensure that you will be allowed to claim for trip disruption and curtailment, overseas medical expenses, quarantine and hospitalisation allowance, and emergency medical evacuation benefit due to Covid-19, we recommend a pre-departure PCR test for those who are not yet fully vaccinated.
Lastly, Sompo’s benefit for trip cancellation, postponement, curtailment and disruption are subjected to an excess of $100. This means that you will have to pay the first $100 of these claims before you can proceed to claim the remainder from the insurer (e.g. if your claim is $500, you will have to pay for the first $100 and can only claim for $400 from Sompo Travel (COVID-19) Insurance).
An overview of Covid-19 coverage in travel insurance plans
| FWD Travel + add-on COVID-19 enhanced travel benefit | NTUC Income Travel | Sompo Travel (COVID-19) Insurance | |
| Medical expenses overseas due to Covid-19 | Covered | Covered | Covered |
| Quarantine allowance if you are Covid-19 positive overseas | No | No | Yes |
| Hospitalisation allowance due to Covid-19 (Overseas) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Hospitalisation allowance due to Covid-19 (in Singapore) | Yes | No | No |
| Trip cancellation due to Covid-19 | Covered | Covered | Covered |
| Trip disruption due to Covid-19 | Covered | Covered | Covered |
| Emergency medical evacuation due to Covid-19 | Covered | Covered | Covered |
| Cost of travel insurance for a 7 day trip to Germany | Premium: $69.95Business: $81.95First: $94.95(Cost of add-on fixed at $28.95 regardless of type of plan.) | Classic: $95Deluxe: $114Preferred: $153 | Essential: $103Superior: $132 |
^Coverage does not apply if they are diagnosed within 14 days from date of purchase.
*Will not cover if you buy your policy within 3 days before date of scheduled departure.
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Information is accurate as of 19 October 2021 with changes subjected to the insurer’s discretion.