Travel insurance providers adapting to post-pandemic world

By Alex McCuaig, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on July 20, 2021.

amccuaig@medicinehatnews.com

With travel once again an option, tourists and snowbirds alike may want to take a hard look at health insurance policies with the COVID-19 still active.

Samantha Reinhart, co-owner of Medicine Hat-based Bolton Insurance, says the pandemic predictably altered the business of travel insurance.

“When it hit, it slowed right down,” said Reinhart.

But that’s changing and so are potentially policies which once saw coverage for pandemics being rare now far more common.

Reinhart said reviewing an individual’s existing insurance policies which may have some travel insurance coverage would be prudent.

But in today’s post-pandemic world, ensuring specified coverage that would cover not only healthcare issues but ticket cancellations related to COVID is something travellers may want to consider.

“It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it,” said Reinhart.

“Often (existing policies) don’t have coverage for specified costs … The coverage isn’t the same.”

Travel insurance policies which provide coverage for possible pandemic-related costs up to $1 million can be purchased for around $100, she added, and “tailored for your exact needs.”

Regarding how being vaccinated versus unvaccinated might affect coverage, Reinhart says that’s still being determined, but she expects at some point the issue will be in play.

Reinhart says contacting an insurance broker such as Bolton Insurance is a traveller’s best bet, as they can shop around providers for the best policy.

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