Vax passport requirement? (1 Viewer)

[Western Tanager]

I hope this can be a civil and productive discussion. My wife and sister and myself are hoping to travel from the USA to Ecuador in December for a couple weeks. None of us had the so called Covid vaccine. We all got Covid and recovered. We have heard some rumblings that the World Health Organization might come up with a requirement for all international flights that passengers prove immunization. We are not willing to do that if that requirement comes about.

So my question is this: if we buy airline tickets now with travel insurance, and then the Vax passport becomes a requirement, would we get a refund if we cancel our flights?

I called Allianz Insurance and basically got the run around. The guy said that we would have to cancel the flights and then file a claim and wait and see what they decided to do. I asked if I could speak with someone higher up but was told that they would all say the same thing.

This is as I see it a new deal. An issue not likely dealt with before and I would think that Allianz's CEO or lawyers have probably discussed this possibility already and made some policies.

Do any of you have any insight about this? Are there other travel insurance companies besides Allianz that we should use? Would the Airlines themselves refund the tickets?

Thanks for any advise or tips.

 

[Mike Crawley]

Without any comment on your life choices I will say that insurance companies (as in every insurance company) will do absolutely anything to avoid paying.
By not being able to show your vaccination history/status they’ll have an easy way to refuse to pay out on the policy.

 

[temmie]

You'll have to read the contract from your insurance company very carefully.

But it's quite simple:

You have to fullfill the requirements of a certain country to enter said country. You fullfill the requirements now.
If the requirements change (e.g. vaccination required), and you have the choice to adapt and opt out (not wanting the vaccination), it is usually not covered by insurance.

Please note that if the requirements change and you have no choice (e.g. a positive covid test when they require a negative), you are usually covered by insurance (I would so).

In short: cancellation insurance covers unforeseen events when you cannot go because of external, uncontrollable events (somebody deceased, getting ill, natural disaster), but not when you chose yourself you do not want to adapt to rules, even if those are changing between booking date and actual departure date.

ps: there is no such thing as 'immunization'. Even vaccined people can get covid. And people who got covid are more resistent, but can still get covid again. I personally wouldn't bother with the WHO brewing up something, I don't think anything will get implemented worldwide anytime soon.

 

[Andy Adcock]

In short: annulation insurance covers unforeseen events when you cannot go because of external, uncontrollable events (somebody deceased, getting ill, natural disaster), but not when you chose yourself you do not want to adapt to rules, even if those are changing between booking date and actual departure date.

Great try Temmie, 'annulment'.......

Annulation - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[John Nihon]

I would say that an insurance company would expect you to take every reasonable precaution to protect yourself and others. Being vaccinated for a known issue (covid) in my opinion would be a reasonable precaution and not being vaccinated in my opinion would mean you are prepared to take the risk. Whether an insurance company would payout when you knowingly are taking a risk I think is a BIG ?????? (doubtful). Saying all that, I know nowt !! Also, as previously mentioned it depends on the requirements of the country you are visiting.

 

[cheshirebirder]

I would say that an insurance company would expect you to take every reasonable precaution to protect yourself and others. Being vaccinated for a known issue (covid) in my opinion would be a reasonable precaution and not being vaccinated in my opinion would mean you are prepared to take the risk. Whether an insurance company would payout when you knowingly are taking a risk I think is a BIG ?????? (doubtful). Saying all that, I know nowt !! Also, as previously mentioned it depends on the requirements of the country you are visiting.

I hope this can be a civil and productive discussion. My wife and sister and myself are hoping to travel from the USA to Ecuador in December for a couple weeks. None of us had the so called Covid vaccine. We all got Covid and recovered. We have heard some rumblings that the World Health Organization might come up with a requirement for all international flights that passengers prove immunization. We are not willing to do that if that requirement comes about.

So my question is this: if we buy airline tickets now with travel insurance, and then the Vax passport becomes a requirement, would we get a refund if we cancel our flights?

I called Allianz Insurance and basically got the run around. The guy said that we would have to cancel the flights and then file a claim and wait and see what they decided to do. I asked if I could speak with someone higher up but was told that they would all say the same thing.

This is as I see it a new deal. An issue not likely dealt with before and I would think that Allianz's CEO or lawyers have probably discussed this possibility already and made some policies.

Do any of you have any insight about this? Are there other travel insurance companies besides Allianz that we should use? Would the Airlines themselves refund the tickets?

Thanks for any advise or tips.

Has the WHO got the power to impose such a ban on international flights ? I’m sure a good number of countries would not bow to being dictatated to by an organisation that already has credibility problems over the Covid affair. Fully vaccinated,myself, so no personal interest.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Has the WHO got the power to impose such a ban on international flights ? I’m sure a good number of countries would not bow to being dictatated to by an organisation that already has credibility problems over the Covid affair.

Never occured to me but I'd say no?

 

[Mono]

The WHO advises governments, it has no powers to do anything. Covid restrictions are being relaxed all over the world. The "rumblings" sound like the ravings of conspiracy fear mongers.

If a country changes its entry requirements so that you are no longer able to visit it then I could see a possible claim on any travel insurance providing the insurance was taken out before the requirements changed. But as ever with insurance you need to check the small print.

Ecuador has no Covid related entry restrictions and I can't foresee that changing given the current worldwide Covid trajectory.

 

[Richard D]

The WHO advises governments, it has no powers to do anything. Covid restrictions are being relaxed all over the world. The "rumblings" sound like the ravings of conspiracy fear mongers.

If a country changes its entry requirements so that you are no longer able to visit it then I could see a possible claim on any travel insurance providing the insurance was taken out before the requirements changed. But as ever with insurance you need to check the small print.

Ecuador has no Covid related entry restrictions and I can't foresee that changing given the current worldwide Covid trajectory.

Agreed it sounds like anti-vax/conspiracy group misinformation.

 

[Paultricounty]

Agreed it sounds like anti-vax/conspiracy group misinformation.

Anti-vax/conspiracy group misinformation 🙄. I guess that means there’s no pro-VAX conspiracy group information. I knew it wasn’t gonna take too many posts before it became political, but it wasn’t me this time.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Anti-vax/conspiracy group misinformation 🙄. I guess that means there’s no pro-VAX conspiracy group information. I knew it wasn’t gonna take too many posts before it became political, but it wasn’t me this time.

Appeared in the very 1st post Paul.

 

[opisska]

It doesn't even make any sense, WHO is almost powerless. Whoever spreads this idea is not informed on how the world actually works.

That having said I have heard from people that some airlines still ask for vaccine certificate even for destinations that do not require it. If you are paranoid about this, better check with the airline first - but if they don't do it now the chance that they would do it in future is really slim.

I think they are way too many other things that can go wrong and give you a hard time claiming the insurance to worry about this specific unlikely scenario. Enjoy traveling the world while it lasts, it won't ve long before it gets suppressed again, this time for environmental reasons.

 

[Paultricounty]

Appeared in the very 1st post Paul.

I didn’t read into that in the first post. Seemed like a reasonable question wether the flight insurance will cover the situation if vax requirements are forced on people traveling on airlines. Seriously what did I mis.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

I didn’t read into that in the first post. Seemed like a reasonable question wether the flight insurance will cover the situation if vax requirements are forced on people traveling on airlines. Seriously what did I mis.

Re-read it Paul. It’s not the reason why I didn’t answer though. It’s because I didn’t know the answer 😂

 

[Mike Crawley]

I didn’t read into that in the first post.

I think the OP nailed his colours to the mast with his:-
None of us had the so called Covid vaccine - in my humble opinion, a political standpoint
Of course, I would happily defend his right to be entitled to hold that view, whether I personally agree or disagree

 

[Paultricounty]

Re-read it Paul. It’s not the reason why I didn’t answer though. It’s because I didn’t know the answer 😂

I didn’t have an answer either, it does seem like a very gray area. But I do agree that the insurance company will find any which way not to pay the claim.

I did reread it , and the original post seemed like he tried very much to steer away from the conversation becoming political. But soon as I heard the political nature of the term anti-vax conspiracy group , that kind of let the genie out of the bottle.

Not that I’m an anti-vaxer, I’m not, I just have some issues with this specific Covid vaccine, and the way it was pushed, I’m not alone there.

No doubt this specific vaccine is a hot potato issue around the world. I would think that if the OP was required to get the vaccine to fly and won’t comply, they probably would not pay out. This pandemic, the vaccine and restriction on civil liberties overreach (at least in the US) will be discussed for decades to come.

🙏✌🏼

 

[Richard D]

I didn’t have an answer either, it does seem like a very gray area. But I do agree that the insurance company will find any which way not to pay the claim.

I did reread it , and the original post seemed like he tried very much to steer away from the conversation becoming political. But soon as I heard the political nature of the term anti-vax conspiracy group , that kind of let the genie out of the bottle.

Not that I’m an anti-vaxer, I’m not, I just have some issues with this specific Covid vaccine, and the way it was pushed, I’m not alone there.

No doubt this specific vaccine is a hot potato issue around the world. I would think that if the OP was required to get the vaccine to fly and won’t comply, they probably would not pay out. This pandemic, the vaccine and restriction on civil liberties overreach (at least in the US) will be discussed for decades to come.

🙏✌🏼

Note I carefully used Anti-Vax / Conspiracy group, not Anti-Vax Conspiracy Group... Perhaps I misread the opening post "So called Covid Vaxine" as making a political point too...

 

[dantheman]

Note I carefully used Anti-Vax / Conspiracy group, not Anti-Vax Conspiracy Group... Perhaps I misread the opening post "So called Covid Vaxine" as making a political point too...

You've misread/misquoted the OP with 'vaxine' instead of 'vaccine'

Whether vaxine is a real word or not it does sound worse lol. I agree with the premise of 'so called' being a statement though, but to be fair to the OP they were only giving their standpoint/where they were coming from and not trying to be toooo controversial imo.

Nothing to add otherwise ... ;-)

(EDIT: Other than agreeing it would seem unlikely to actually come about - the world is moving on?)

 

[Mono]

Can we stick to the OP's travel insurance question.

 

[Mysticete]

I hope this can be a civil and productive discussion. My wife and sister and myself are hoping to travel from the USA to Ecuador in December for a couple weeks. None of us had the so called Covid vaccine. We all got Covid and recovered. We have heard some rumblings that the World Health Organization might come up with a requirement for all international flights that passengers prove immunization. We are not willing to do that if that requirement comes about.

So my question is this: if we buy airline tickets now with travel insurance, and then the Vax passport becomes a requirement, would we get a refund if we cancel our flights?

I called Allianz Insurance and basically got the run around. The guy said that we would have to cancel the flights and then file a claim and wait and see what they decided to do. I asked if I could speak with someone higher up but was told that they would all say the same thing.

This is as I see it a new deal. An issue not likely dealt with before and I would think that Allianz's CEO or lawyers have probably discussed this possibility already and made some policies.

Do any of you have any insight about this? Are there other travel insurance companies besides Allianz that we should use? Would the Airlines themselves refund the tickets?

Thanks for any advise or tips.

I just came back from Ecuador, and no one ever asked for vaccination status either leaving or entering the country. Hell, no one even bothered to enforce the mask rule, which online sources say is required for the airport.

I don't foresee that situation changing, short of a new pandemic, in which case it probably wouldn't be advisable to travel anyway.