Insurance for forced ASQ in sandbox?

[moon47]

Are there any insurance companies that will cover the forced "Upgrade" that the passengers of the Quatar flight received.

 

She thinks that the Emarities insurance will cover the 50K+ Baht upgrade in price for a downgrade in her vacation.

I am not convinced, we shall see...

 

If I have to get insurance I would like to be covered for this, otherwise I would just ASQ in Bangkok.

 

 

Edited July 13, 2021 by moon47

[stubuzz]

Why would you let the TAT use you for their propaganda campaign?

[madmitch]

Normal travel insurance policies will not cover this. I've glanced through the AXA policy, which is one of the ones promoted for Covid cover for tourists, and it's not covered, unless there's something specific on the certificate.

 

The Emirates policy covers as follows:

 

• Up to USD 500,000 for overseas medical expenses and emergency evacuation.
• Up to USD 7,500 if your trip is cancelled due to contracting COVID‑19 or for other reasons named in the policy.
• Up to USD 7,500 if your trip is cancelled or cut short if the school year is extended due to COVID‑19 beyond the departure date, and you or a relative is a full‑time teacher, full‑time employee, or a student at a primary or secondary school.
• Up to USD 7,500 if your trip is cut short due to you or a relative* falling ill overseas, including contracting COVID‑19, and you need to return home.
• Up to USD 7,500 if you have to abandon your travels for failing a COVID‑19 test or medical screening at the airport.
• USD 150 per day, per person for up to 14 consecutive days if you test positive for COVID‑19 and are unexpectedly placed into mandatory quarantine while overseas.

No mention at all of being forced into quarantine without having tested positive yourself, though that final bullet does cover you for a small amount if you test positive and have to quarantine, even if you are asymptomatic. Not all insurances cover this.

 

ICoverage when you are not sick yourself is a difficult one. One problem is the sheer numbers of people in different countries asked to self-isolate or quarantine as a result of close contact with an infected person, which would make this cover very expensive.

 

Not very helpful in answering the question. Sorry about that.

[Espanol]

If you test positive, insurance will cover all your expenses. 

 

But if Thai government force you to quarantine in ASQ hotel, even when you test negative, insurance will not pay anything. 

[drenddy]

10 hours ago, madmitch said:

Normal travel insurance policies will not cover this. I've glanced through the AXA policy, which is one of the ones promoted for Covid cover for tourists, and it's not covered, unless there's something specific on the certificate.

 

The Emirates policy covers as follows:

 

• Up to USD 500,000 for overseas medical expenses and emergency evacuation.
• Up to USD 7,500 if your trip is cancelled due to contracting COVID‑19 or for other reasons named in the policy.
• Up to USD 7,500 if your trip is cancelled or cut short if the school year is extended due to COVID‑19 beyond the departure date, and you or a relative is a full‑time teacher, full‑time employee, or a student at a primary or secondary school.
• Up to USD 7,500 if your trip is cut short due to you or a relative* falling ill overseas, including contracting COVID‑19, and you need to return home.
• Up to USD 7,500 if you have to abandon your travels for failing a COVID‑19 test or medical screening at the airport.
• USD 150 per day, per person for up to 14 consecutive days if you test positive for COVID‑19 and are unexpectedly placed into mandatory quarantine while overseas.

No mention at all of being forced into quarantine without having tested positive yourself, though that final bullet does cover you for a small amount if you test positive and have to quarantine, even if you are asymptomatic. Not all insurances cover this.

 

ICoverage when you are not sick yourself is a difficult one. One problem is the sheer numbers of people in different countries asked to self-isolate or quarantine as a result of close contact with an infected person, which would make this cover very expensive.

 

Not very helpful in answering the question. Sorry about that.

It seems though "quarantine as close contact" is covered by the Emirates insurance.

It says "reasonable expenses".

Please see attachment, section C3, however read carefully what is marked with red.

I will ask Emirates just in case  but it seems, you are covered.

 

 

multi-risk-travel-insurance-policy.pdf

Edited July 13, 2021 by drenddy

[madmitch]

6 hours ago, drenddy said:

It seems though "quarantine as close contact" is covered by the Emirates insurance.

It says "reasonable expenses".

Please see attachment, section C3, however read carefully what is marked with red.

I will ask Emirates just in case  but it seems, you are covered.

 

 

multi-risk-travel-insurance-policy.pdf 1.74 MB · 0 downloads

 

What You are covered for

We will pay up to the amount shown in the table of benefits if while on an Overseas Trip, You are unexpectedly placed into a mandatory Quarantine outside YourCountry of Residence by an order of a governmental body for one of the following two reasons:

•You test positive for a communicable disease the outbreak of which is declared an Epidemic or Pandemic; or

•Such governmental body identifies You or any Travelling Companion, specifically, as having been exposed to a communicable disease the outbreak of which is declared an Epidemic or Pandemic.

We will pay to cover reasonable and necessary accommodation costs directly related to such Quarantine up to the amount specified in the Table of Benefits for up to 14 consecutive days.

 

What you are not covered for under section C.3

In addition to the exclusions set out in the General Exclusions section, this policy does not cover any loss or expenses arising out of, based upon, or attributable to any Quarantine mandate that generally or broadly applies to:

•all arriving/transiting passengers, or all arriving/transiting passengers from a particular geographic area of origin

•all individuals currently located in a particular geographic area

 passengers, or a sub-group of passengers that is broader than just You and YourTravelling Companion(s), in any Common Carrier

 

I hadn't seen the wording. Thanks for providing it. The two sentences in bold are the ones that are most relevant to this case. The first indicates that cover is provided if you are forced into quarantine as a result of exposure via close contact with a Covid-infected person.

 

The second excludes this if you are on a flight and a number of people are forced into quarantine. This is what's happened here and if the claims handlers take the wording to the letter of the law there would be no coverage.

 

The amount payable is USD150 per day.

 

Insurers are AIG. This cover is wider than most. I don't know if this is tailored exclusively for Emirates or whether a similar policy is available from them directly.

 

 

[impulse]

Even if you couldn't get coverage, the odds of ending up in ALQ in Phuket seem to be about 1%. 

 

The odds of ending up in ASQ flying through BKK are 100%.

 

[Espanol]

14 minutes ago, impulse said:

Even if you couldn't get coverage, the odds of ending up in ALQ in Phuket seem to be about 1%. 

 

The odds of ending up in ASQ flying through BKK are 100%.

 

Yes.

 

So Phuket is a much better option than Bangkok for people in the need to go to Thailand. 

 

But I don't think is a good destiny for a 2 weeks holiday trip.

Edited July 14, 2021 by Espanol

[impulse]

8 minutes ago, Espanol said:

So Phuket is a much better option than Bangkok for people that need to go to Thailand. 

 

But I don't think is a good destiny for a 2 weeks holiday trip.

I'd agree, on several counts.  The risk of being forced into ALQ.  The lack of things to do because so much of the island is closed.  The risk that future restrictions on the island will be imposed. 

 

My vision of the "ideal tourists" are the FIFO guys looking for somewhere to spend their pent up money on their 28 days off.  But I'd have a hard time recommending Phuket today, even to the horniest ones. 

 

Hopefully, they'll get the processes dialed in and problems solved in time for the high season.

 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

13 hours ago, madmitch said:

 

 passengers, or a sub-group of passengers that is broader than just You and YourTravelling Companion(s), in any Common Carrier

 

 

The second excludes this if you are on a flight and a number of people are forced into quarantine. This is what's happened here and if the claims handlers take the wording to the letter of the law there would be no coverage.

 

 

Insurers are AIG. This cover is wider than most. I don't know if this is tailored exclusively for Emirates or whether a similar policy is available from them directly.

 

 

I agree that it appears to be AIG's intent to exclude a situation in which multiple passengers are subject to quarantine based upon being on the same flight or sitting in an area near an infected person. 

 

I'm fairly sure this is a special policy that AIG has developed for Emirates. Something like this is developed as a "no additional cost" or "NAC" product for airlines, banks and other distribution partners to provide to their customers without charge. Such products usually have enhancements that are not available otherwise. The AIG travel policy available to consumers here in Thailand is different and many of the limits are lower and it does not have the same benefits.

[moon47]

Thank you everyone that provided some thoughtful and educated insights into this situation.

 

For me it does not matter if its 1%, 10%, or even 50/50. If I can not be insured for it, it is still a risk.

If I wanted to play odds I would go to Vegas or Macau. Thats the insurance companies job.

 

Looking at the total cost of staying on Puket (Hotel, COVID Tests, Food, Etc...) v.s. biting the bullet and staying in Bangkok. 

Bangkok is only marginally more expensive.

 

More importantly I know exactly what to expect. I will rather pay a bit more for the certainty and peace of mind.

There is actually allot of work I can get done locked up for two weeks. Like getting a better grasp on the language =]...

 

It will be interesting to see how things unfold with Stephanie and the others. 

If the Arline insurance pays for her stay I would expect allot of attention/business if the insurance company is willing to take on the risk.

If they decline per the sub-group exclusion noted by madmitch then it will add to the uncertainty.

 

My money is on the latter but there is always hope...

[gk10012001]

On 7/13/2021 at 1:24 PM, Espanol said:

If you test positive, insurance will cover all your expenses. 

 

But if Thai government force you to quarantine in ASQ hotel, even when you test negative, insurance will not pay anything. 

yeah, the lady that was interviewed talked about that "loophole".  Even if one got past that hoop, I suspect the other fine print in most policies, about emergencies, unrest, acts of god, etc. would leave one out in the cold and the Thais reaching into your wallet.

 

  Things like this have the potential for money grabs.