We’ve got good news for you!
At Go Insurance, we have updated all of our policies to include some cover for losses arising from Coronavirus COVID-19.
These policy updates mean you may be covered if you or your travelling companion contract COVID or are specifically quarantined due to exposure to COVID. No cover is provided for border closures or disobeying government directives.
Here’s some more detail on what we cover when it comes to COVID-19.
Overseas Medical Expenses
If you contract COVID-19 while travelling overseas, you will be covered for:
- The reasonable cost of medical treatment for your COVID-19 infection. This includes hospital charges, ambulance transfers, physician fees and medication for you to be treated overseas. In addition to this, there is also cover for the cost of repatriation back home or evacuation if medically necessary.
- The reasonable cost of additional accommodation if you are ordered into quarantine or medically unable to travel because you have contracted COVID-19.
- The reasonable cost of additional accommodation if you are denied boarding of public transport due to the detection of possible COVID-19 symptoms.
Trip Cancellation and Curtailment
Pre-departure cancellation
You will be covered for the irrecoverable value of cancelled travel bookings if:
- Your trip is cancelled because you or your travelling companion contract COVID-19 in Australia and can’t travel.
- Your trip is cancelled because you or your travelling companion are ordered by the Australian government into mandatory quarantine or self-isolation because contact tracing indicates you may have been exposed to COVID-19.
- Your trip is cancelled because your relative or business partner tests positive to COVID-19 and the level of infection is life threatening.
Post-departure curtailment
You will be covered for additional travelling expenses and a pro rata refund of forfeited travel bookings if:
- Your trip is disrupted because you or your travelling companion are ordered into mandatory quarantine by the government of a foreign country because you have contracted COVID-19.
- Your trip is disrupted because you or your travelling companion are ordered into mandatory quarantine by the government of a foreign country because contact tracing indicates you may have been exposed to COVID-19.
- You or your travelling companion are denied boarding of public transport due to the detection of possible COVID-19 symptoms.
But certain circumstances aren’t covered
- You won’t be covered for hard border closures. So, if a government decides to shut its borders to all travellers, this is not covered.
- You won’t be covered for cancellation losses if you decide not to travel because you are worried about being exposed to COVID-19.
- You won’t be covered for COVID-19 related claims where you can’t provide proof of infection or evidence that you were denied boarding or ordered into mandatory quarantine / self-isolation.
- You must observe government and health authority advice relating to preventive and precautionary measures including vaccination, hygiene and social distancing guidelines. If you don’t, we might not pay your claim.
- You won’t be covered for any costs you would have incurred anyway. So, if you would have incurred quarantine costs regardless of having or being exposed to COVID-19, these costs will not be covered.
- Go Insurance policies are modular so you can choose the cover options you want. You wont be covered for trip cancellation or curtailment losses arising from COVID-19 if you decide to remove the Cancellation module from your policy.
It is very important you read the PDS and policy to make sure the cover we offer is right for you and that you understand what is and isn’t covered. Click here to review the full terms and conditions.
A note on the government “do not travel” advice
At the moment, the Australian federal government travel advice is “do not travel” for all international destinations because of COVID-19 risk.
Most often, government “do not travel” advisories relate to criminal, social and political risks (eg terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping) or natural disasters etc.
If you are travelling to a destination for which the Australian government has in place a “do not travel” or “reconsider your need to travel” advisory which relates to any reason other than COVID-19, you will not be covered for any losses which arise from you travelling to that destination.
However, if the travel advice for your destination relates only to COVID-19 risk, you will be covered provided you are travelling legally. Travelling legally means you have secured an Australian government travel exemption or are otherwise able to depart/return to Australia without impediment.
Need more info?
Why not call us on 1300 819 888? Alternatively, send us an email at sales@goinsurance.com.au.