Individual, group and family travel insurance policies are a must if you plan to travel. They are especially useful if external events force you to cancel your trip or if you need medical attention abroad.
Ebola, however, presents a whole new ball game, especially since it has become widespread enough to warrant government intervention. Not surprisingly, providers are reacting in different ways. However, the question is what effect Ebola will have on your basic family travel insurance policy. These are some of the most notable aspects to consider.
Lack of inclination is not a plausible reason
Some family travel insurance providers offer packages that reimburse you if you decide to cancel your trip for any reason. Others will only refund your trip fees if there is a plausible reason to cancel your trip. Fear of contracting Ebola is not a plausible reason, especially if you are traveling to destinations where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not published any travel advisories for your planned destinations. However, if your destinations have been marked unsafe by the FCO after you made arrangements while they were still safe, your provider is expected to cover your cancellation fees. This also applies if your airline decides to cancel services to your planned destination due to Ebola or some other outbreak.
Contract Ebola inside and outside countries with travel advisories
If you ignore the FCO advisories and enter countries that you have marked as unsafe due to Ebola (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone at this time), then don’t expect your supplier to rescue you if you contract the dreaded disease. In short, you will have to be responsible for your own well-being if you travel against the advice of the FCO.
However, if you are infected by the virus in any other country, your provider is expected to cover the costs involved. It is highly unlikely that this will happen outside of the aforementioned countries, but it is reassuring to know that the FCO will lean in the consumer’s favor if it does.
Delays due to Ebola testing
Suppliers are highly unlikely to reimburse you if you are unable to make your flight on time due to enhanced screening at airports for the Ebola virus. However, such a situation is rare, as the strictest controls are for incoming airline passengers arriving from West African countries. However, it’s a good idea to arrive a few hours before departure in case these delays spread and start to affect departing flights as well.
Contact local embassies or ministries of health
The effects of contagious diseases evolve over time, and advisories are issued as the need arises. That’s why it’s always a good idea to contact the embassies or health ministries of the countries you visit, especially those in West Africa where the risk of Ebola infection is highest. The information you can collect by doing so will help you better determine if the virus will present itself as a risk factor when applying for your family travel insurance.
Keep these facts in mind, and you can rest easy now that you know how to best work with your provider when it comes to Ebola and other infectious diseases.
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