As more countries open up, many Singaporeans are excitedly making holiday plans after close to three years. However, with all the uncertainty regarding outbreaks and government regulations, you may be facing turmoil on whether to book your flight and accommodations, especially if they are non-refundable.
The good news is, travel insurance policies now cover Covid-19-related disruptions. Many also provide compensation if you or your loved ones are diagnosed with Covid-19 before, during, or after the trip, so you can have peace of mind as you book your next vacation.
How to choose the best travel insurance with Covid-19 coverage
With the myriad of options available, how do you choose the best travel insurance with Covid-19 coverage?
Here are 5 key factors you should look out for to help you make an informed decision:
1. Price range
Depending on your destination country, travel duration, and a number of other factors, insurance premiums can range from tens of dollars to several hundreds. It is always best to find a balance between the cost of premium and the coverage you need.
2. Coverage
A typical travel insurance covers the following:
- Overseas medical expenses, including treatment, evacuation and repatriation
- Death and total and permanent disability (TPD)
- Missing or lost baggage
- Flight delays and cancellations
- Trip cancellation
Pay extra attention to the coverage for overseas medical expenses. Most domestic insurance do not cover overseas expenses, which can easily cost upwards of thousands of dollars in the unfortunate event of a medical emergency. The cost of medical expenses may also vary greatly depending on your destination, so be sure to take that into consideration.
Depending on your itinerary and purpose of travel, you may choose to add extra coverage. For example, if you are an adrenaline junkie, consider getting a plan with adventure and sports coverage.
In the current pandemic situation, it is highly recommended to ensure your plan includes Covid-19 coverage. Covid-19 coverage typically includes the following benefits if you or your family members are diagnosed with Covid-19, or if you are affected by a related disruption:
- Medical expenses
- Hospitalisation allowance
- Quarantine allowance
- Trip cancellation
- Trip postponement
- Trip disruption
- Trip curtailment
- Emergency evacuation and repatriation
3. Reliability of provider
Misinformation and fraud is rampant these days, and making sure your insurance provider is reliable is key to avoid being scammed. There are a few steps you can take to ensure the reliability of your insurance provider, such as checking that the agent is authorised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), requesting for a receipt, and ensuring the details on the policy document is accurate.
The safest option is to go with a reputable insurance provider that has a great track record so that you can have peace of mind and be confident that your insurance provider has your back should you face any issues overseas.
4. Ease of claims
Often, you may discover travel insurance plans with similar coverage but vastly different costs. While it is tempting to go with the more affordable option, make sure to check the fine print and reviews first. It could be that the company has a tedious and lengthy claim process or highly restrictive rules in the fine print that results in many claims being denied. These days, some insurers also provide a paperless claim process for a more seamless and fuss-free experience.
5. Additional features
Depending on the insurance plan and provider, there may be value-added services and features that you may find useful. For example, some insurance providers provide a 24/7 global medical assistance hotline to connect you with medical treatment and transportation while overseas. Others have an app where you can easily find your policy details, file and track claims, locate nearby medical facilities, police stations, or embassies, and even access medical translation functionalities.
If you find these additional features helpful, keep a look out for them when purchasing your travel insurance plan.
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Apart from being able to assist with activities of daily living (ADLs) like changing and cooking to nursing procedures, our Care Pros are also able to provide respite care to accompany your loved ones to their medical appointments or provide primary care in the interim.
Top 8 travel insurance plans with Covid-19 coverage
Depending on the country you are visiting, you may have to meet the mandatory Covid-19 travel insurance requirements to enter. For example, Singapore requires all inbound short-term visitors to have travel insurance with a minimum coverage of $30,000 for Covid-19-related medical expenses.
Here are the estimated premium and Covid-19 coverage of different travel insurance policies for a 7-days trip to most destinations worldwide:
| Travel Insurance Provider | Estimated Premium | Covid-19 Medical Expenses Coverage | Covid-19 Overseas Hospitalisation Allowance | Covid-19 Overseas Quarantine Allowance | Trip Cancellation due to Covid-19 | Emergency Transportation/Repatriation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FWD | $51.60 | $200,000 | $50/day, up to 14 days | N.A. | $5,000 | $200,000 |
| Chubbs | $88 | $100,000 | $100/day, capped at $350 | $100/day, capped at $350 | $2,500 | Unlimited |
| AIG | $68 | $50,000 | N.A. | $50/day, up to 14 days | $2,500 | $50,000 (shared with medical expenses) |
| Allianz | $112 | $200,000 | N.A. | N.A. | $5,000 | Unlimited |
| AXA | $157.02 | $75,000 | $100/day, capped at $1,000 | $50/day, capped at $350 | $1,000 | Unlimited |
| NTUC Income | $149 | $250,000 | N.A. | $100/day, capped at $14,00 | $5,000 | $150,000 |
| Sompo | $129 | $200,000 | $100/day, capped at $3000 | $50/day, capped at $700 | $5,000 | $500,000/$30,000 |
| Singlife | $77.93 | $250,000 | N.A. | N.A. | $5,000 | $250,000/$30,000 |
Do note that the numbers above are for the most basic plan offered by each travel insurance provider. Many of them also offer plans with higher coverage, but of course have higher premiums as well.
1. FWD Premium
FWD offers affordable travel insurance plans with Covid-19 coverage. At $51.60 for a week-long trip to most destinations including the USA, FWD Premium has one of the lowest premiums in this list, but its coverage is also limited to only the bare minimum.
The Covid-19 insurance, which you have to purchase as an add-on to the FWD Premium plan, covers:
- Medical expenses: Up to $200,000 while overseas or after returning to Singapore
- Hospitalisation allowance: $50 per day for up to 14 consecutive days while overseas, $100 per day for up to 14 days after returning to Singapore
- Trip cancellation: Up to $5,000 for non-refundable costs, for up to 30 days before the trip
- Trip disruption: Up to $5,000
- Emergency evacuation and repatriation: Up to $200,000
The good thing about the FWD Premium travel insurance policy is that the medical expenses and hospitalisation allowance benefits are applicable for up to 14 days after your return, which not all plans offer.
2. Klook x MSIG Lite Plan
Another affordable travel insurance plan with Covid-19 coverage is the Klook x MSIG Lite Travel Insurance. At only $34.40 for a week-long trip to Thailand and up to $88 for a trip to the United States, its premium is comparable to FWD’s, but their Covid-19 coverage differs.
Covid-19 travel insurance coverage:
- Medical expenses: Up to $100,000 while overseas
- Hospitalisation allowance: $100 per day for up to 14 days while overseas, with maximum limit of $350
- Quarantine allowance: $100 per day for up to 14 days while overseas, with maximum limit of $350
- Trip cancellation: Up to $2,500
- Trip curtailment: Up to $2,500
- Evacuation and repatriation: Unlimited
While MSIG provides an overseas quarantine allowance, its payouts for hospitalisation allowance, medical expenses, as well as trip cancellations or disruptions, are lower compared to FWD.
Importantly, do take note that the Covid-19 cover will cease immediately after your return to Singapore, and the plan covers a trip duration of up to 30 days only, with no extension available.
If you are on a tight budget and don’t mind the basic coverage, consider getting this plan.
3. AIG Travel Guard Basic
For a comprehensive plan that already incoporates Covid-19 coverage, consider the AIG Travel Guard Basic. Under this policy, a week-long trip to Japan would incur a premium of $68.
Covid-19 travel insurance coverage:
- Medical expenses, emergency evacuation, and repatriation : Up to $50,000 for those below 70 years old, up to $25,000 for children and those above 70 years old
- Quarantine allowance: $50 per day for up to 14 days while overseas
- Travel cancellation: Up to $2,500
- Travel postponement: Up to $500
While this plan offers decent coverage, it is missing a few elements, namely payouts for hospitalisation allowance, pre-departure changes to your trip, and even if you decide to return to Singapore early.
For better overall coverage, you have the option of upgrading to the Standard, Enhanced, or Supreme plans. However, do note that while these plans have higher compensation for the existing benefits, they do not provide additional benefits like hospitalisation allowance.
4. Allianz Single Trip Bronze
Rather than an add-on, Allianz incorporates Covid-19 coverage into its existing travel insurance plans. This means that while its medical expense coverage is significantly higher than the other plans above, it doesn’t provide payouts for travel delays, or allowance for hospitalisation and quarantine due to Covid-19.
You can get the Allianz Single Trip Bronze plan at $49 for a week-long trip to Thailand, or $112 if you are travelling to the USA.
Covid-19 travel insurance coverage:
- Emergency medical and dental expenses: Up to $200,000 for those below 70 years old, up to $50,000 for those above 70 years old
- Travel cancellation: Up to $5,000
- Emergency transportation: Unlimited
For those who are looking for a more comprehensive plan, including personal accident and trip interruption coverage, Allianz also provides two other travel insurance plans: Silver and Platinum.
At the time of updating (9 Nov 2022), Allianz is also offering 12% off their travel insurance if you use the promo code “travel12”.
5. AXA SmartTraveller Essential
Since 1 February 2021, the AXA SmartTraveller plans have been updated to better suit Singaporeans’ travel needs. The most basic plan, AXA SmartTraveller Essential, costs $157.02 for a week-long trip to most countries and includes the following Covid-19 travel insurance coverage:
- Medical expenses: Up to $75,000 overseas, and up to $37,500 in Singapore
- Hospitalisation allowance: $100 per day, up to a limit of $1,000
- Quarantine allowance: $50 per day, up to a limit of $350 overseas and $350 in Singapore
- Trip cancellation: Up to $1,000
- Trip postponement: Up to $500
- Trip curtailment or rearrangement: Up to $2,000
- Emergency transportation: Unlimited
While the Covid-19 medical expense coverage for the Essential plan is considered low compared to the other plans on this list, AXA covers medical costs incurred within 90 days of your trip, which is quite generous duration-wise. For a higher coverage, you may want to consider upgrading to the Comprehensive plan, which covers up to $150,000 for Covid-19 medical treatment.
Another perk of the AXA SmartTraveller plan is their flexibility when it comes to claims for trip curtailment, which includes situations where a family member passes on due to Covid-19 or when there is a Covid-19 outbreak at the destination country.
6. NTUC Income Classic
For a week-long trip to most destinations, the NTUC Income Classic plan costs $149. On top of personal accident coverage, the plan includes the following Covid-19 travel insurance coverage:
- Medical expenses: Up to $250,000 while overseas
- Quarantine allowance: $100 per day while overseas, capped at $1,400
- Trip cancellation: Up to $5,000
- Trip postponement: Up to $500
- Trip curtailment: Up to $5,000
- Trip disruption: Up to $2,000
- Emergency transportation: Up to $150,000
All NTUC Income travel insurance policies bought online now include Covid-19 coverage for the first 90 days of each trip. However, do take note of the exclusions, as they do not cover travel inconveniences caused by border closures and government advisories.
For increased coverage, you have the option to choose NTUC Income’s Deluxe or Preferred travel insurance plans. Alternatively, if you are looking for a travel insurance policy that covers pre-existing conditions, NTUC Income is also one of the few providers that offers it. Their Enhanced PreX Travel Insurance starts from $194 for a week-long trip.
At the time of updating (9 November 2022), there is also an ongoing 40% promotion for all single-trip travel insurance policies bought online.
7. Sompo Essential
The Sompo Essential plan costs $129 for a week-long trip to most countries worldwide, and includes the following Covid-19 travel insurance coverage:
- Overseas medical expenses: Up to $200,000
- Medical expenses in Singapore: Up to $5,000
- Hospitalisation allowance: $100 per day while overseas, capped at $3,000
- Quarantine allowance: $50 per day while overseas, capped at $700
- Trip cancellation: Up to $5,000
- Trip postponement: Up to $5,000
- Trip curtailment: Up to $5,000
- Trip disruption: Up to $1,000
- Emergency medical evacuation: Up to $500,000
- Repatriation: Up to $30,000
In terms of breadth of coverage, the Sompo Essential plan has most of the Covid-19 benefits that other plans offer as well. Furthermore, the trip cancellation, postponement, and curtailment benefits apply not only when you contract Covid-19, but also when your travel companion(s) who are also insured by Sompo are infected.
However, do note that Sompo only covers Covid-19-related medical expenses for a period of up to 45 days (or until the maximum limit is reached), starting from your first day of treatment. Any medical expense incurred after 45 days will not be covered.
If you would like a more comprehensive coverage, there is the option to upgrade to the Sompo Superior plan.
At the time of updating (9 November 2022), Sompo is running a promotion for its single-trip Covid-19 insurance plans. Purchase your policies at 25% off till 4 December 2022.
8. Singlife Travel Lite
Singlife offers three plans with different levels of coverage: Travel Lite, Travel Plus, and Travel Prestige. The Singlife Travel Lite plan is the most affordable of the three, at $77.93 for a week-long trip to most destinations worldwide.
Covid-19 travel insurance coverage:
- Medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation: Up to $250,000 while overseas
- Medical expenses in Singapore: Up to $10,000
- Trip cancellation: Up to $5,000
- Trip interruption: Up to $1,000
- Repatriation: Up to $30,000
While the Singlife Travel Lite plan—the most basic of the three—has quite a low coverage, the benefits of the other two plans are comparable to the rest on the list and include overseas quarantine allowance of up to $2,000.
Additionally, MINDEF/MHA and POGIS policyholders can enjoy up to 46% off single-trip plans and 30% off multi-trip plans.
While we have provided a brief summary of the pros and cons of various travel insurance plans, remember to also read the fine print before making a decision to make sure the plan is right for you.
What to do if you get Covid-19 during or after your trip?
If you are diagnosed with Covid-19 or are affected by a related disruption during your trip, call your insurance provider immediately as they will be most familiar with the plan you have purchased and will be able to advise you accordingly. There may be steps you need to take within a fixed time frame (e.g. obtain an official quarantine order or a doctor’s letter) for the insurer to approve your claims, so you should call them once you are aware of the diagnosis or disruption. Most insurers should have a hotline that operates 24/7.
You will also have to submit your claim with supporting documents within the deadline (usually 30 days), so make sure that you always keep all receipts in an accessible place so you can submit claims on-the-go and do not have to wait till you are back in Singapore to process the claim.
Have peace of mind for your next getaway
The Covid-19 coverage component in travel insurances is something that is new and unfamiliar to many of us, but we hope that this detailed guide helped you get a better idea of what to look out for your next travel insurance purchase!
Just as insurance provides us with a peace of mind on our travels – if you have elderly parents who you are concerned about leaving at home alone while you are away – Homage is able to provide caregiving services for your loved ones in the interim.
Our trained care professionals are able to provide companionship, nursing care, night caregiving, home therapy and more, to keep your loved ones active and engaged while you are away for your much needed holiday.
Provide the best care to your loved one today! Fill up the form below for a free consultation with our Care Advisory team.
