What Happens If You Test Positive for Covid-19 While Traveling?
- Author :
- TATA AIG Team
- ●
- Last Updated On :
- 18/03/2022
It has been about 2 years since the COVID-19 virus struck the world, due to which a lot of international travel came to a standstill. While many of us have been partially or fully vaccinated and are ready to travel with precautions and under guided travel rules and restrictions, there is still a threat of catching the virus when we are on holiday or travelling to another country.
However, with a comprehensive travel insurance policy, you can be covered against COVID-19 emergencies where you may have to be hospitalised due to the infection or cut short your trip halfway and make it back home safely.
A travel insurance policy that covers you against all the expenses and losses that you may have to go through in case of a COVID-19 infection or emergency can help you ensure that you can enjoy your trip without any stress, and rest assured that you will be taken care of if you fall sick on your trip.
These are two scenarios where you could be diagnosed with COVID-19 on your travels, and here’s how you can get help from your travel insurance policy.
What to Do If You Test Positive on Arrival at the Destination?
It is very possible that you may be diagnosed with COVID-19 while being tested before your trip. In many countries, the rules for submitting a negative COVID-19 test before the trip are stringent, which means you will need to have a negative test report taken at least 72 hours prior to boarding the flight along with your full vaccination certificates.
However, if you do not have a test report and depending on which country you are in, you will have to undergo a test on arrival at the airport. Now, if you test negative, you will be allowed to go ahead with your trip.
However, in case your report is positive, you will have to make arrangements to cancel the rest of your trip.
Or if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 symptoms before leaving for the trip, it still means you will have to cancel your flight bookings, accommodations and other bookings, most of which may be non-refundable.
In such cases, your travel insurance policy should be able to compensate for these losses under trip cancellation or trip curtailment benefits. If you compare travel insurance and get a comprehensive travel insurance plan from Tata AIG, you, your immediate family or your travel companion can be reimbursed for the cancelled and unused bookings which you have already paid for but cannot receive a refund for.
What if I Fly Somewhere and Test Positive for COVID-19 at the Destination?
When traveling to another country for leisure or business purposes, it is essential to take COVID-19 safety precautions in public. Wearing a mask, using a sanitiser after touching common surfaces, and social distancing from others can certainly help. Moreover, most countries now have very specific hygiene rules surrounding COVID-19 which ensures that everyone, including tourists, is safe in public.
But despite all of these measures, if you happen to unwittingly catch the infection and fall sick, due to which you need to be hospitalised, it will mean some hefty expenses. In foreign countries, quality healthcare facilities can be really expensive, and if you have contracted the virus during your trip, you will have to be hospitalised so that you can be safely nursed back to health.
It can be really disappointing if you get a positive COVID test while traveling. At such times, having a Tata AIG travel insurance policy with COVID-19 coverage can be helpful as it can cover the hospitalization costs in case you catch the virus and need to be admitted to a healthcare facility.
To ensure that you have adequate coverage for such an emergency, you can buy the travel insurance plan on our official website and get an appropriate travel insurance quote as per your needs. Buying the policy online also means that you can get instant travel insurance, and you need not have to wait for days to avail of your policy.
In case of lockdown in the destination country due to a COVID-19 emergency and in the absence of an alternative means of travel or transport, Tata AIG enables an automatic extension of your travel insurance plan for a period of 7 days. This ensures that you continue to be protected by your travel insurance plan without any risks.
How to Claim Travel Insurance if You Test Positive While Travelling?
If you are in the destination country and happen to test positive, first ensure that you get immediate medical care and keep yourself and others around you safe. To enable your Tata AIG travel insurance to help you out in such a situation, you can easily get in touch with us to file a travel insurance claim:
1. To file an online travel insurance claim
- Head to our official website and go to the “Claims” section.
- Click on “Initiate Claim” and select “Travel”.
- On the online claim form, fill in your personal information and policy details and click on submit.
- We will reach out to you and take the process ahead.
2. For the Americas Policies
- Call us: +1-833-440-1575 (Toll-free within the US and Canada)
- Email - tata.aig@europ-assistance.in
3. For Excluding Americas Policies
- Call us: +91 – 022 68227600
- Email - EA.TATAclaims@europ-assistance.in
4. In India, contact for claim related assistance
The toll-Free number for senior citizen policyholders only:
1800 119966 from BSNL/MTNL Landline or 1800 22 9966
5. You can also contact us on the following local helpline numbers in the following cities
- Mumbai – 66939500
- Delhi – 66603500
- Bangalore – 66272829
- Pune – 66014156
- Chennai – 66841050
- Hyderabad – 66629882
- Ahmedabad - 66610201
6. You can email us at
general.claims@tataaig.com
7. Or write to
Tata AIG General Insurance company Limited,
A-501, 5th Floor,
Building No. 4, Infinity Park,
Gen. A. K. Vaidya Marg,
Dindoshi, Malad (E),
Mumbai, India - 400 097.
Conclusion
The news of any new COVID variants can lead to fresh travel restrictions on a global scale. While obeying all the rules and restrictions and getting vaccinated can help you stay safe from the COVID-19 virus, having a travel insurance policy can get you out of a sticky spot if you happen to get infected somehow.
Disclaimer / TnC
Your policy is subjected to terms and conditions & inclusions and exclusions mentioned in your policy wording. Please go through the documents carefully.
