The spread of the new coronavirus strain from Mainland China is a rapidly developing situation. Chubb is closely monitoring guidance issued from leading organizations, including the World Health Organization(WHO) and local health authorities. The company is also tracking the progression of the coronavirus through its travel security and medical assistance partners.
To assess its policy response to claims related to the coronavirus, Chubb has carefully considered governmental and other public reporting of this situation. Chubb considers the coronavirus contracted in Mainland China as epidemic and regarded as a “known event” effective 31 January 2020, which an insured person should mitigate against by not travelling to the affected areas, as the claim will not be covered.
Policy Response
Chubb will assess all claims in accordance with the facts of each case, the Policy Wordings and any applicable Certificate of Insurance. Your cover will depend on the type of plan you purchased and your individual circumstances.
The terms and conditions of some policies may preclude coverage of this event in certain instances. For example, coverage for claims related to this event that are received for single-trip policies purchased after 30 January 2020, or travel arranged under an annual policy after that date, may be precluded because this would be considered a “known event” under the terms and conditions of some policies.
If you have questions about whether a planned trip will be covered , please contact Chubb customer service at +852 3191 6611. If you are an insured person and you require emergency assistance, please contact Chubb Assistance on +852 3723 3030.
If a travel cancellation or disruption loss does occur, please first contact your travel agent or the airline (before submitting a claim) to seek a refund or make alternate travel arrangements based on existing tickets. After this, if you still have a loss, you may wish to submit a claim along with the original and amended itineraries and relevant documents to substantiate your remaining loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. If I want to cancel or rearrange my travel plan due to the new coronavirus, can I make a claim for my loss?
If you need to cancel your trip due to your unexpected compulsory quarantine within 90 days prior to departure, you can make a claim if “unexpected compulsory quarantine of an Insured Person” is an insured peril under Trip Cancellation section of your insurance policy.
If your single-trip policy is purchased before 31 January 2020, or travel arranged under an annualpolicy before that date and you need to curtail your trip or rearrange your trip in Mainland China due to the new coronavirus, you can make a claim if “epidemic” is an insured peril under Trip Curtailment or Trip Re-route / Trip Re-arrangement section of your insurance policy.
For travel destination other than Mainland China, if you make personal decision to cancel or rearrange your trip, the claim would be outside policy coverage. For example, if you are worried about the current situation and would like to cancel a trip to Thailand departing 3 days later, the resulting loss would not be covered by travel insurance.
2. If my trips are forced to cancel as being refused to enter the immigration of the travel destinations, can I make a claim for my loss?
The above situation is not one of the insured perils under the Trip Cancellation section; also prohibition or regulation by any government, or detention or destruction by customs or any authority is a general exclusion of the policy. Therefore such loss would not be covered by travel insurance.
3. If at the end of my trips I could not return to Hong Kong as scheduled as a result of government or custom prohibition or regulation, can I make a claim for my loss?
In the above circumstances, we will extend the insurance period of your policy until you return to Hong Kong with maximum 7-10 days without additional charges according to the Extension section of your policy.
4. If I am now in Mainland China, and I am forced to stay there because of the closure of airport, can I be protected?
In the above circumstances, we will extend the insurance period of your policy until you return to Hong Kong with maximum 7-10 days without additional charges according to the Extension section of your policy. In addition, if your single-trip policies are purchased before 31 January 2020, or travel arranged under an annual policy before that date, then you can make a claim if “airport closure” is an insured peril under Travel Delay section of your insurance policy.
5. If I feel unwell after returning to Hong Kong and I have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus, can I make a claim?
If you have consulted doctor during the insured journey , the 90 days follow-up medical expenses after returning to Hong Kong will be covered. Please contact our Chubb customer service at +852 3191 6611 for assistance.
6. If I am diagnosed with the new coronavirus overseas, will Chubb assist me to return to Hong Kong for treatment?
You can call Chubb Assistance 24-hour Emergency Assistance Hotline at +852 3723 3030 for assistance. After medical evaluation, if it is medically necessary to return to Hong Kong for treatment, we will arrange the most suitable medical delivery method. The 90 days follow-up medical expenses after returning to Hong Kong will also be covered.
7. What can I do if I have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus overseas, but I do not have enough cash to pay the hospital deposit?
You can call Chubb Assistance 24-hour Emergency Assistance Hotline at +852 3723 3030 for assistance and we can assist you with a hospital deposit.
The above provided information are for reference only. For the insurance plan's details please refer to the terms and conditions and exclusions stated in the Policy Wording and Policy Schedule and Endorsement (if any) for your insurance policy.