Travel insurance doesn’t cover Zika cancellations

Travel insurance will not cover people cancelling trips to areas hard-hit by the Zika virus, says the president of the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada.

Alex Bittner said Wednesday the association is trying to clear up any confusion about the mosquitoborne virus and trip policies to places like Brazil.

“The reason for the confusion is the policies themselves haven’t contemplated the type of health risk,” said Bittner.

“A health risk like the Zika is not an insurance benefit under a travel insurance trip cancellation policy.”

And while travel insurance will not cover cancellations due to the recent concerns over the Zika virus, Bittner said it will be an issue that they will look at.

“As an industry we need to look at policy language that addresses health risks,” he said.

Bittner said the best advice they are giving people is for them to plan ahead. He noted airlines that fly to warmer destinations where the Zika virus is a concern have been helping customers reschedule their flights.

“I know the airlines have been fantastic,” he said.

Other than pregnant women, Bittner said, there are no real travel warnings for destinations like Brazil.

“They should absolutely not entertain travel to those destinations if pregnant,” explained Bittner.

“Know where you are going and know your policy in the event of a pandemic,” he advised.

The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to serious birth defects in Brazil. The virus has been confirmed in Mexico and the Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico and Martinique.

Zika is native to parts of Africa and Asia and gets transmitted by the daytime-biting Aedes mosquito.

Last year the virus in Brazil hit an estimated 440,000 to 1.3 million people.

Zika causes mild symptoms like fever, a rash, red eyes and joint pain. Some people get no symptoms at all.