Travel Insurance Warning for Thailand -Sainsbury's

jaizan

I'm considering a trip to Thailand.

We need a covid test before going, followed by quarantine, with 2 more covid tests.    I pay for all that, no problem.

Anyone who fails the covid tests in Thailand is sent to hospital, without any discussion.     I'd want an insurance policy that covers me in the unlikely event I am sent to hospital.

So I carefully read the Sainsbury's travel policy with covid cover & decided it should cover this.      I contacted Sainsbury's to confirm.

They stated that the planned covid test before the trip excludes me from cover.    I asked where this is in the policy and they referred me to pre-existing conditions.

The exact wording refers to "waiting for tests or test results for any undiagnosed condition".   

A reasonable person would assume that tests to satisfy a country's legal requirements are NOT tests for an undiagnosed condition.     However, Sainsbury's have a different interpretation.    BEWARE !

Westin

I think you are expecting too much from Sainsbury’s insurance, indeed any off the shelf travel insurance policy.

What you are describing is a known risk.  Perhaps try approaching an insurer for a bespoke and tailored policy but it won’t come cheap.

As an aside, presumably you have checked and are aware of the entry requirements for Thailand at the moment.

DCFC79

When were you thinking of going Jaizan ?

If you dont fit the requirements for entry then I dont see you going.

TELLIT01

A test for Covid19 is for an undiagnosed condition unless the person taking the test already has symptoms.  There is surely no question about that.

Sandtree

I agree with Tellit01... the clause is intended to cover where you are suffering symptoms of “something” but yet to have a diagnosis. You’ve not having covid tests because you fear you may have the infection but as an entry requirement.

However, if you were to turn up at the airport in Thailand with a temperature and subsequently test positive despite the earlier negative tests in the UK it would almost certainly be “pre-existing” given the incubation period... though would be interesting to see how the FOS would consider such matters.

What do you want the insurance to actually cover if you are hospitalised? The cost of the hospitalisation? The loss of use of your hotel/villa?

Browntoa

I think you need to look at other insurers like braveface or staysure or a broker 

jaizan

TELLIT01 said:

A test for Covid19 is for an undiagnosed condition unless the person taking the test already has symptoms.  There is surely no question about that.

That's debatable.   The whole thing comes under medical declarations and refers to pre-existing conditions.   I don't have any pre-existing conditions AND the test is for legal requirements, not an undiagnosed condition.    The whole idea of medical declarations is to declare any pre-existing medical conditions and there is not one here.

Also, Sainsbury's are advertising a policy with Covid-19 cover, including medical cover.    Yet as a number of countries require a covid test for entry, their policy would be invalid in all of those countries.  Yet they still sell policies.   Looks like a case of misselling to me.

HereToday

jaizan said:

I'm considering a trip to Thailand.

We need a covid test before going, followed by quarantine, with 2 more covid tests.    I pay for all that, no problem.

Anyone who fails the covid tests in Thailand is sent to hospital, without any discussion.     I'd want an insurance policy that covers me in the unlikely event I am sent to hospital.

So I carefully read the Sainsbury's travel policy with covid cover & decided it should cover this.      I contacted Sainsbury's to confirm.

They stated that the planned covid test before the trip excludes me from cover.    I asked where this is in the policy and they referred me to pre-existing conditions.

The exact wording refers to "waiting for tests or test results for any undiagnosed condition".   

A reasonable person would assume that tests to satisfy a country's legal requirements are NOT tests for an undiagnosed condition.     However, Sainsbury's have a different interpretation.    BEWARE !

You can always purchase the totally overpriced 'approved' Thailand based alternatives, if you want to take the 'belt & braces' approach: https://covid19.tgia.org

LadyDee

I cannot understand why anybody would contemplate travelling anywhere at the moment.  Not sure Thailand really wants travellers anyway, and probably not from the UK.  latest-thailand-travel-warnings-alerts