Background
The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) is a rapidly developing situation. Chubb is closely monitoring guidance issued from leading organisations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and local authorities. Chubb is also tracking the progression of COVID-19 through its travel security and medical assistance partners.
On 11 March 2020 the WHO declared that COVID-19 is a pandemic. Approximately 114 countries were affected at the date of the WHO announcement and the WHO has expressed concern about the alarming levels of spread and the severity. In response many countries have issued travel bans and/or travel warnings prohibiting and/or restricting travel.
To assess its coverage response to COVID-19, Chubb has carefully considered governmental (Safetravel) and other public reporting of this situation. Significantly, at 1:35pm on 19 March 2020, the New Zealand Government issued a ‘do not travel overseas at this time’ advice to all New Zealanders, the highest advice level.
Advice to our customers wanting to cancel their trip
If a travel cancellation or disruption loss does occur, we recommend that you first consider if you have any rights to seek a refund from your travel agent or the travel service provider, or if you are able to make alternate travel arrangements based on existing bookings. If you are not able to recover from your travel provider, we encourage you to submit a claim for consideration along with the original and amended itineraries and relevant documents to substantiate your remaining loss. We will assess all claims based on their individual circumstances.
Policy Response
We encourage our customers to submit a claim for consideration as each claim received by Chubb will be investigated and assessed in accordance with the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of the policy.
Declared “foreseen circumstance”
“Foreseen circumstance” under policy terms and conditions
Insurance coverage for a “foreseen circumstance” is not likely to be covered under the terms and conditions of some policies. It is important that you consider this prior to the purchase of any new travel insurance or new travel arrangements for an existing travel policy with Chubb.
Chubb considers COVID-19 to be a “foreseen circumstance” for policies issued and/or new paid travel arrangements under an existing policy made in the following areas and after the following dates:
- 5:00 pm (NZDT) on 22 January 2020 for Hubei province, China;
- 9:00 am (NZDT) on 2 February 2020 for mainland China; and
- 4:00 pm (NZDT) on 2 March 2020 for all other destinations outside New Zealand.
When COVID-19 is considered a “foreseen circumstance” under a policy, there is unlikely to be cover for any event relating to or resulting from COVID-19.
It is currently uncertain when COVID-19 will be contained, when the New Zealand Government’s travel advice will be updated, and when airlines and other businesses will return to normal operation. Customers that have travel plans more than four (4) weeks away may wish to delay cancelling their travel until it is less than four (4) weeks away in case the travel situation improves.
If the position on travel improves but a customer still does not wish to travel, such as when the New Zealand Government’s travel advice is reduced in severity, Chubb may consider any cancellation of this travel to be a disinclination to travel, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.
Please check your policy wording for full terms, conditions and exclusions.
Enquiries and Claims
We encourage our customers to submit a claim for consideration as each claim received by Chubb will be investigated and assessed in accordance with the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of the policy. We are monitoring the situation regularly and will revise our position as needed.
- Leisure policy holders +64 9 374 1775
- Business Travel policy holders +64 9 374 1774
