Singapore’s General Insurance Association issues coronavirus advisory

The General Insurance Association (GIA) of Singapore has issued an advisory on the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak and how it affects travel insurance coverage and claims.

GIA said that most insurers consider the 2019-nCoV a known event, and that they have issued consumer advisories on travel insurance claims related to or arising from the outbreak.

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The association advised consumers with existing travel insurance policies or claims related to or arising from the event, such as travel cancellation, flight postponement, and trip curtailment, to approach their insurer if they are in doubt about whether a claim is covered in their respective travel insurance policies.

It added that claims eligibility can be affected by the following factors:

• Cut-off date for coverage – Claims may not be covered if the policy was purchased after a specific date and/or time.
• Affected region(s) visited – As the situation develops, cover to other parts of Mainland China may be subject to change.
• Reasons for travel disruptions – Insureds should also clarify with their insurer for claims unrelated to or not arising from the 2019-nCoV outbreak.

“As the situation evolves, the general insurance sector will continue to review our measures in accordance with guidelines by the authorities and provide updates on consumer advisories,” the advisory said.

The GIA was established in 1966 and represents 37 ordinary member firms that are licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to transact general insurance business in Singapore.