Coronavirus: IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Posted by OrbitProtect on 31 January 2020
Update 04 Feb 2020 - Government restriction on entry to NZ
From midnight on the 2nd of February the New Zealand Government implemented additional border measures. These measures deny entry to New Zealand for anyone who has left or transited through mainland China after midnight on 2 February 2020.
Again, we would mention that actions by any government to restrict travel is outside the cover provided by our insurance. This is an exclusion under all our policy wordings, so please consider this when making your travel arrangements.
This exclusion applies to all policies (current or future). The date an insurance plan was purchased does not negate or limit this exclusion.
We would stress that treatment costs in NZ (if any) from Coronavirus remain covered.
Background
Coronaviruses are a large and diverse family of viruses which includes the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome – better known as SARS - and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
This month, officials identified a new coronavirus called novel coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV.
Its symptoms – fever, coughing and difficulty breathing – are similar to a range of other illnesses such as influenza.
Experts from the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed the virus first jumped from animals to humans inside the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in the heart of the Chinese city of Wuhan.
There have been cases of 2019-nCoV reported in some other Chinese provinces and countries – and some of these cases have no history of travel to Wuhan.
POLICY WORDING
If you have been directly affected by this event, there may be provision for you to claim for benefits provided by your travel insurance policy. Claims will be assessed in accordance with your Policy Wording and may vary depending on the type and purchase date of the policy you hold.
Below are links to our claims process. If you have been impacted by this event, please submit your claim which will be assessed in accordance with the policy guidelines.
- Claim tips and video on the process: https://orbitprotect.com/claim-faq/
- Make an online claim: https://claims.orbitprotect.com/login/
IMPORTANT GENERAL ADVICE
Our plans focus on your time in New Zealand and your travel between your home country and New Zealand. Action by any government to restrict travel is outside our cover, so please consider this when making your travel plans.
As a known situation likely to impact travel, travel disruptions are outside cover but medical treatment for the illness in New Zealand remains covered. We consider this to be a known event/situation as at 21 January 2020.
This information must be read in conjunction with the Policy Wording as certain terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions apply. These terms, conditions, limits and exclusions are detailed in the Policy Wording and in particular, we draw your attention to the ‘General Exclusions’ section of the Policy Wording.
Update: 10th May 2022
As we welcome travellers back to New Zealand, we understand that you may have plenty of questions about our policies regarding COVID-19 coverage. We have prepared some frequently asked questions detailing how our policy covers specific COVID-19 scenarios.
Download our information pack here for FAQ on various scenarios relating to COVID-19 coverage.