COVID-19 Travel Insurance: The Best Coverage for Medical Costs, Cancellations, and More for Singapore Travellers
PUBLISHED December 13th, 2021 05:00 am | UPDATED July 22nd, 2024 03:37 pm
Remember the days we could hop on a plane without a care in the world? Post-pandemic, travellers have more to worry about than a once-in-a-blue-moon case of lost luggage. COVID-19 remains a travel risk that can rack up hefty bills when it strikes, from medical costs to quarantine woes to trip cancellations. That means travel insurance is no longer an extra frill – it’s a safety net you can’t skimp on.
As Singapore launches VTLs in quick succession, insurance providers are fast catching up with policies featuring COVID-19 coverage. We’ve combed through the fine print to pick out the best single-trip travel insurance plans with COVID-19 coverage for Singapore travellers, from the budget-friendly to the comprehensive.
Allianz Travel Insurance
For comprehensive coverage at a pocket-friendly price, there’s no beating Allianz Travel’s Comprehensive Bronze policy. This single-trip plan has you covered in medical emergencies with up to S$1,000,000 in benefits, including selected COVID-19 coverage. Should your trip be cancelled because you test positive for COVID-19 prior to departure – or other covered reasons – you can claim coverage of up to S$15,000. You’ll also get the benefit of peace of mind with 24/7 assistance – their Emergency Medical Assistance team can arrange appointments and even organise direct payment to selected providers.
Their fuss-free claim process is a plus point – unlike providers which require original documents, you can simply upload a scan or photo of your documents to Allianz Travel’s online portal. Folks planning on a longer time abroad can consider their International Health Insurance too. Working much like health insurance at home, this multi-country plan covers not just emergency treatment but also diagnosis and post-treatment care. With 24/7 multilingual support, always-on digital services, and telehealth consultations, it’s ideal for expat families or professionals working abroad.
Allianz Travel‘s Comprehensive Bronze Plan starts from S$35.10 for Single-Trip Travel Insurance. City Nomads readers can enjoy 40% off travel insurance with the exclusive promo code citynomads40, from now till 28 February 2022. Get your quote here.
AIG Travel Guard
There’s nothing like a quarantine order to derail your travel plans in an instant, but having your expenses covered offers some small relief. One major perk of AIG Travel Guard’s COVID-19 coverage is a S$100-per-day quarantine allowance across all policy tiers, in the event that COVID-19 strikes and leaves you in self-isolation.
Their mid-tier Superior Plan offers a stellar range of COVID-19 benefits besides, with up to S$250,000 in coverage for your overseas medical expenses and a 24/7 emergency hotline to count on. Should you test positive for COVID-19 before or during your vacay, there’re travel cancellation and curtailment benefits of up to S$5,000 – more than enough for mid-range trips.
AIG’s Travel Guard Superior Plan starts from S$69 for one-week single-trip travel insurance within Zone 1 countries. Find out more here.
NTUC Income Travel Insurance
If you’re on a slim budget, make your coverage count with NTUC Income’s frills-free Classic Plan. Automatically included for all single-trip insurance plans, their COVID-19 Coverage Extension offers up to S$150,000 in related medical expenses, and another S$150,000 for emergency medical evacuation needs. For trip cancellations and postponement, you can recoup some losses with a modest S$2,000 in benefits.
Pandemic mishaps aside, the Classic Plan packs solid coverage for personal accidents to the tune of S$150,000, and up to S$250,000 for non-COVID-19 medical expenses. The cherry on top? NTUC Income has partnered with Raffles Medical to offer pre-departure COVID-19 PCR tests at a discounted rate of S$124.20, available upon purchase of a single-trip plan.
NTUC Income’s Classic Plan starts from S$43.32 for a one-week trip within Southeast Asia. Find out more here.
HL Assurance Travel Protect360
In terms of COVID-19 medical benefits, HL Assurance’s Travel Protect360 Enhanced Plan sits on the lower end of the spectrum – up to S$50,000 coverage for medical expenses. But it comes with unique features like overseas hospitalization cash benefit of S$100 for every 24 hours, as well as unlimited coverage for medical evacuation.
For trip cancellations and postponement due to COVID-19, the policy extends up to S$1,000 and S$750 in benefits respectively – a fairly slim coverage that may be best suited to weekend getaways. Another unique feature, however, is their No Claim Discount. If you complete a trip without making any claims from your travel insurance, you can enjoy up to 10% off your next travel insurance purchase with HL Assurance.
HL Assurance’s Travel Protect360 Enhanced Plan starts from S$79 for a one-week trip within Southeast Asia; currently, the brand is offering a half-price discount at S$39.50. Find out more here.
Singlife Travel Insurance
If you’re after a truly comprehensive safety net to put your mind at ease, Singlife’s Travel Prestige plan has all the bases on medical expenses covered. This top-tier policy features unlimited coverage for overseas medical expenses, albeit with a maximum of S$20,000 to cover medical costs related to COVID-19. Grounded in quarantine overseas? Take comfort in an allowance of S$100 for every 24 hours. There’s unlimited coverage for emergency medical repatriation due to COVID-19 too.
Outside of COVID-19 woes, this plan is a notable all-rounder. Besides generous benefits on personal accident protection and overseas hospitalization income, you’re covered for emergency chiropractor and Chinese physician treatments too.
Singlife’s Travel Prestige plan starts from S$69.43 for a one-week trip within ASEAN countries. Find out more here.
Great Eastern TravelSmart Premier
If you’re travelling to a VTL destination, Great Eastern’s TravelSmart Premier with COVID-19 coverage is another ultra-comprehensive option. Their plan’s Elite tier involves up to S$150,000 coverage for medical and hospitalization expenses should you be diagnosed with COVID-19. And should the worst happen before your trip, the cancellation and disruption benefits of up to S$5,000 have your wallet well-covered.
For medical expenses non-related to COVID-19, it’s worth noting that Great Eastern’s plan has your back for both overseas and Singapore expenses – including hospital stays upon return to Singapore, TCM, and chiropractic treatments. You can count on their emergency assistance services for 24-hour help too.
Great Eastern’s TravelSmart Premier Elite plan starts from S$67 for a one-week trip within VTL countries. Find out more here.
Top Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto
