This is the traveler’s worst nightmare in 2021: What if you test positive for COVID-19 while abroad? With the delta version steadily increasing, even many fully vaccinated travelers are asking this question. A positive test will bar you from your return flight to the US, but for how long and under what circumstances? It varies greatly by destination: There is no one-size-fits-all quarantine plan. And, unless you’ve purchased standard travel insurance that covers delays, you could be on the hook for hefty hotel bills and airfare rebooking expenses.
how to get out of dodge
For those who don’t risk dealing with a week or two in quarantine away from home, many travel advisors recommend travel evacuation coverage — subscription plans that can get you back home on an air ambulance. And while most medical evacuation policies are designed for serious emergencies like a car accident or heart attack, the COVID pandemic has given rise to a more flexible type of policy. A newcomer to the field, Kovac Global provides coverage for travelers who test positive for Covid and report at least one symptom but do not require hospitalization. Membership starts at $675 per person for 15 days of coverage. According to CEO Ross Thompson, Kovac Global has evacuated about 60 US travelers from overseas, including Croatia, Uganda, the Bahamas and Peru. However, these are not padded private-jet jaunts. Mr. Thompson said, “These are registered air ambulances with a doctor and full medical team. Re-entering the US requires several steps that the CDC oversees: for example, patients are either taken directly to the hospital Should go or go in isolation. As per the rules of their state health department.
Medjet, which has been operating medical evacuation flights for 30 years, recently expanded its COVID-related assistance to cover travel outside North America. Membership starts at $99 per person for an eight-day trip, or $295 for a year of travel. Those with milder cases—even non-members—can arrange for an air ambulance at a “fee depending on the service,” but the tab can run well into the five figures—most will want to spend more than a vacation. .
Is it really worth the expense?
Many insurance policies that cover “delay in travel” will reimburse you for hotel stays if you test positive for COVID. The higher priced evacuation plan is for travelers who want extra assurance. “Our members are less concerned about travel delays, and more concerned about not being found. ‘Stuck’ in a hospital out of town,” said Medjet COO John Goebbels. An evacuation plan makes sense, but if you’re healthy – and fully vaccinated – travel insurance with travel delay coverage will probably suffice.
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