Is swine flu covered by travel insurance?

Post date: Oct 02, 2009 7:52:42 AM

What is a typical travel insurance policy cost, and what are the major coverage areas?

A: Most travel insurance packages cost 4% to 8% of a journey's total value and encompass trip cancellation/interruption refunds plus medical care and evacuation.

Q: I'm not sick now, but I'm worried about getting the flu at my destination. If I have insurance, can I cancel before I leave and get my money back?

A: Not unless you've purchased "cancel for any reason" coverage, which is sold as an add-on to existing policies or as a stand-alone waiver by cruise lines and other travel companies. A "cancel for any reason" upgrade is more expensive (40%-50% higher than a basic policy), typically covers 70%-100% of prepaid trip costs (all of which must be insured), and requires trip cancellation at least two days before departure, says Peter Evans of the insurance comparison site InsureMyTrip.com.

source: USAtoday.com READ MORE>