Ebola coverages lacking

The second case of Ebola strikes a Dallas nurse sparking a wave of questions about coverages and associated risks.

Insurance News

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With the second case of Ebola striking the nurse who treated Thomas Eric Duncan - the Liberian national who arrived in the United States in September – businesses and travelers now face increased risk as insurers refuse to help shoulder the burden.

Despite wearing protective gear the nurse became the first person to contract Ebola within the United States, sparking a wave of panic as officials scramble to identify how she became infected and monitor any individuals she may have come into contact with.

Unfortunately for most as the threat of Ebola looms business owners worry about two things, interruptions in money flow as well as the well-being of their employees.

According to Logan Payne, senior account manager at Lockton, a global insurance broker, most businesses carry insurance to protect them in each scenario but in the case of Ebola the insurance policy may not help.

Brad Smith, vice president of CG Environmental-Cleaning Guys which decontaminated the Dallas apartment of Thomas Eric Duncan, the Liberian who died last Wednesday, says the company is still negotiating with its insurance company about what's covered.

"When they took us on, they knew what we did," Smith says. "But Ebola is new to the United States of America.”

Companies must consider their liability should an employee sent to an Ebola-affected area get sick and expose others, says Dave Evans, senior vice president of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America.

"Businesses need to consider what will happen if an employee of theirs boards a plane and has Ebola," Evans says. "What potential liability do they now have to other members of the public?"

This obviously extends to individuals who are traveling to Ebola-affected countries who have been encouraged by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to obtain travel insurance including medical evacuation for Ebola.

If the coverage meets the Affordable Care Act standards, it covers care for illness from Ebola, but it might not cover everything a patient might need, such as experimental drugs or a medical flight back to the U.S. for treatment, says Carrie McLean, director of customer care at eHealthInsurance.

Some plans limit the insurance payout to a figure that might not be enough to cover the costs of the intensive treatment and quarantine that come with Ebola, McLean says.

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