This new coverage formalises and adds to some of the temporary accommodations the company put into place in March 2020 to assist travellers who had been impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.
Specifically, the enhancements add epidemic-related illness as a covered reason to cancel or interrupt a trip, or seek reimbursement for emergency medical care, emergency medical transportation, change fees and loyalty points redeposit fees. The product enhancements also allow insured customers to cancel or interrupt their trip if they or their travelling companion have been individually ordered to quarantine, regardless of whether they are ill or have tested positive for a disease. The trip interruption and travel delay benefits on certain plans will also provide coverage if a customer or their travelling companion is denied boarding by their travel carrier due to suspicion of illness. These epidemic enhancements are currently available on certain Allianz Global Assistance travel insurance products offered through retail partners and directly to consumers in most states.
Unprecedented hardship on travel industry
“The Covid-19 crisis has created an unprecedented hardship on both travellers and the travel industry,” said Richard Aquino, Vice-President and Head of Sales at Allianz Partners USA. “We’re pleased to announce that we’ve added epidemic enhancements to many of our products that provide the coverage and benefits that are so valuable to today’s traveller.”
Responding to requirements at certain destinations that travellers have coverage for quarantine-related accommodations, Allianz’s product enhancements provide trip interruption coverage if an insured customer or their travelling companion is individually ordered to quarantine while on their trip.
Under these benefits, insured customers may be eligible for reimbursement of the cost of additional food, lodging and transportation while quarantined. Additionally, as a temporary accommodation, customers who become ill with Covid-19 while on their trip will not be subject to the trip interruption benefit’s five-day maximum limit for additional accommodation and transportation expenses (however, the maximum daily limit for such expenses and the maximum trip interruption benefit limit still apply).
Other products do not cover foreseeable events
While the new Epidemic Coverage Endorsement adds certain covered reasons that apply to specific epidemic-related situations, Allianz Global Assistance travel insurance products otherwise generally do not cover claims due to known, foreseeable, or expected events, epidemics, government prohibitions, warnings, or travel advisories, or fear of travel, and coverage can vary by state.
At the start of the year, Allianz Partners has introduced changes across its senior leadership team.
