Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Your Questions Answered

Travel is opening up all around the world, however Coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed the way we can travel. Some countries have certain requirements that need to be met when entering, such as covid testing, vaccination passports and quarantine regulations. It is your responsibility to be aware of the requirements needed for your destination.

We strongly encourage you to register your details on Smartraveller to receive important country or territory specific information.

Smartraveller have also been providing updates on their Facebook page.“

If you want to change your travel plans (including cruise holidays) we recommend that you contact your travel providers (your airline, transport and accommodation providers) to check what your options are. Each provider has different policies.

To help you get started, we’ve created a comprehensive guide on how to recover Coronavirus-related costs.

1Cover policies purchased prior to 19^th November 2021 have a general exclusion which excludes cover for any claims related to an epidemic or pandemic.

Whilst 1Cover policies purchased after 19^th November 2021 offer overseas medical coverage related to Coronavirus (COVID-19), there is no cover any cancellation costs or additional travel costs that are incurred because of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

No, there is no cover for cancellation costs or additional costs incurred because of Coronavirus (COVID-19). All 1Cover policies purchased prior to 19th November 2021 have a general exclusion which excludes cover for any claims related to an epidemic or pandemic.

1Cover policies purchased after 19th November 2021 offer overseas medical coverage if you test positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19) and require medical treatment while overseas. At this time we do not cover any cancellation costs or additional costs incurred because of Coronavirus (COVID-19). We recommend that you contact your travel providers (your airline, transport and accommodation providers) to find out what terms and conditions may apply to you. 

Learn more about cover for pandemics and how to recover your costs.

1Cover policies purchased prior to 19th November 2021 have a general exclusion which excludes cover for any claims related to an epidemic or pandemic. This is a general exclusion and is applicable no matter when you purchased your policy or where you are travelling to. This includes (but is not limited to) situations where you decide or need to cancel your plans due to the Coronavirus, if you are quarantined or suffer travel delays due to the Coronavirus.

Limited cover for Covid-19 is available from 19th November 2021, please refer to your policy wording for the full details.

No, there is no cover under your policy for cancellation costs you incurred due to being in lockdown.

1Cover policies purchased prior to 19th November 2021 have a general exclusion which excludes cover for any claims related to an epidemic or pandemic and policies purchased after 19th November 2021 is not a coverable event under the applicable benefits.

Any test which is required in order to travel is not claimable under the insurance policy. This includes testing for Covid-19 to comply with travel provider requirements, government/country entry or any quarantine rules.

If your flight is cancelled or delayed because of Coronavirus (COVID-19) we recommend that you contact your travel providers (your airline, transport and accommodation providers) to check what your options are as each provider has different policies.

It is unlikely that travel disruptions would be covered under the policy when related to Coronavirus as 1Cover policies purchased prior to 19th November 2021 have an epidemic / pandemic general exclusion.

1Cover policies purchased after 19th November 2021 provide cover for medical related costs only when your treatment relates to Covid-19.”

If you are overseas and have tested positive for Coronavirus, please get in touch with our emergency assistance team. You can contact the team via the numbers listed on our Emergency Assistance page, your certificate of insurance, or you can email [email protected].

1Cover policies purchased after 19^th November 2021 offer overseas medical coverage related to Coronavirus (COVID-19). 1Cover policies purchased prior to 19th November 2021 have an epidemic / pandemic general exclusion, however we encourage you to contact our Emergency Assistance Team immediately.

If you are quarantined because of the Coronavirus at home or overseas and need to cancel your trip or make alternative travel arrangements, unfortunately we are unlikely to be able to cover your cancelled or additional travel arrangement costs you incurred.

1Cover policies purchased prior to 19th November 2021 have a general exclusion which excludes cover for any claims related to an epidemic or pandemic.

If you purchased your 1Cover policy after 19^th November 2021 there may be provision to claim for overseas medical costs related to Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Please note: While there is no cover for any cancellation costs or additional costs that were incurred due to the pandemic. If you are overseas and have tested positive for Coronavirus, regardless of when you purchased your policy, please get in touch with our emergency assistance team. You can contact the team via the numbers listed on our Emergency Assistance page, your certificate of insurance or you can email [email protected].

No, you are covered for medical costs only if you test positive and require emergency medical treatment. If you undergo any test for diagnosis of covid-19 which is not due to illness requiring medical attention, generally there would be no cover for the associated cost.

If you don’t need your 1Cover policy anymore, you can cancel your travel insurance within 14 days of purchase and receive a refund less an administration fee, provided that your travel start date (shown on your Certificate of Insurance) has NOT passed. This is known as the "cooling-off period”.

We understand that many of our customers have been affected by the COVID-19 travel restrictions and may wish to cancel their policy outside of the cooling-off period. To assist we're offering flexible options to accommodate the ongoing changes to travel today. You may be able to amend your policy using our Policy Manager or for further assistance our sales team are available on email at [email protected].

Our policies contain a general exclusion which applies if you travel against the Australian government advice and where a ‘Do Not Travel’ status is in place. You should be sure to check Smartraveller which will provide you with the latest travel status and recommendations.

If your claim is in relation to Coronavirus, you are unlikely to be covered. 1Cover policies purchased prior to 19th November 2021 have an epidemic / pandemic general exclusion and all 1Cover policies purchased after 19^th November 2021, whilst they offer overseas medical cover for Covid-19, do not cover any cancellation costs or additional travel costs that are incurred as a result of a pandemic.

If you suffer a loss, we encourage you to submit a claim through our online claim system. Every single claim is assessed individually by a member of our claims team, based on your policy wording and your individual situation.

On the back of your Certificate of Insurance is information from us outlining Covid-19 is covered under Benefit 2. Overseas Emergency Medical & Hospital Expenses in your policy. 

1Cover policies cover cancellation for many reasons, but not for “any” reason. 1Cover policies do not cover cancellations which occurred because of Coronavirus (Covid-19).

If the countries you are travelling to close their borders because of Coronavirus, you will not be covered for the cancellation or additional costs of your trip. This is because 1Cover policies purchased prior to 19^th November 2021 have a general exclusion which excludes cover for any claims related to an epidemic or pandemic and policies purchased after 19^th November 2021 will only cover medical related expenses relating to Covid-19.

Australia has agreements with 11 countries that covers the cost of medically necessary care when Australians visit certain countries and visitors from these countries visit Australia.

The list of countries includes Italy, New Zealand, the UK and the Netherlands. You can find the full list of countries we have a reciprocal health agreement with here.

Reciprocal health care agreements can cover or subsidise some emergency medical costs. This is usually for urgent treatment that can't wait until you get home. Some reciprocal health care agreements can cover other costs. This can include local medical transport, medication and specialist services.

Unfortunately, a reciprocal health care agreement is not a substitute for insurance, and it’s likely you’ll still need to fork out some money from your own pocket. Our policy does not cover medical care that is covered under a reciprocal health care agreement.

While you are travelling in Australia, we are unable to cover any domestic medical expenses. As a travel insurer, we can't take the place of health insurance. There is legislation in place to prevent this. If you are an Australian permanent resident or citizen, you will likely have access to Medicare or your private health insurance.

You should contact our Emergency Assistance Team immediately for any illness or injury even if you are travelling domestically.

You can find information about travel requirements at Smartraveller. We strongly encourage you to register your details on Smartraveller to receive important country or territory specific information.

We understand that would be a difficult time for you. Whilst 1Cover policies offers cover for early return due to family member becoming ill, injured or passing away, there is no cover if this is related to Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The policy provides cover in relation to medical treatment relating to COVID-19 for those listed on the certificate of insurance, there is no provision to claim for additional expenses or cancellation costs (including curtailment) when a relative becomes ill with coronavirus.

Our Emergency Assistance Team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, they can provide non-financial support even if you cannot claim under the insurance. You can contact the team via the numbers listed on our Emergency Assistance page, or you can email [email protected].