Insurance Companies Stop Selling Sudden Illness Travel Insurance 出國染疫不理賠 海外突發疾病醫療險停售

Many insurance companies have announced the suspension of sudden illness clause in their travel insurance policies, which means policy holders will not be able to apply for compensation if they are infected with COVID while traveling abroad.

With borders reopening around the world, many people are making travel plans. Insurance firms, meanwhile, are being deluged with compensation claims. Cathay Century Insurance has announced it is no longer selling travel medical insurance for sudden illnesses, with Chung Kuo Insurance, Union Insurance and Tokio Marine Newa Insurance all following suit.

Lu Yi-ching, Insurance Agent: “They're probably sick of explaining the difference between sudden illnesses and a COVID-19 diagnosis to customers, so they've decided to stop selling this type of insurance altogether. People can buy (travel insurance) for a few hundred NT dollars for a NT$20 million policy. If they really get hit with a sudden illness, the payout may be NT$1-2 million.”

Huang Chun-ting, Insurance Agent: “People (come back to Taiwan) and submit a medical receipt to the National Health Insurance Administration for compensation. They can then apply for the difference from their business insurance company.”

One insurance agent says it's hard to say whether a COVID-19 diagnosis counts as a sudden illness and insurance companies are choosing to suspend such policies to avoid disputes. However, accident and other forms of insurance are still available. The Travel Quality Assurance Association says this will make people think twice about traveling overseas.

Lee Chi-yu, Spokesperson, Travel Quality Assurance Association: “Travelers will incur a great deal more risk when they travel overseas in the future. This may require some coordination down the line.”

In May, the Tourism Bureau asked insurance companies to start selling "epidemic prevention travel insurance" for people that test positive for COVID-19 overseas. In response, the Non-life Insurance Association said this is not feasible as control risk cannot be properly assessed.

隨著各國陸續開放國門，民眾也開始期待海外旅遊，不過先前防疫保單造成業者已理賠壓力大增，國泰產險宣布，停售旅平險的海外突發疾病醫療保障，兆豐、旺旺友聯、新安東京等產險業者也跟進，未來出國確診將無法申請理賠。

保險經紀人呂怡靜表示：「第1他可能不想跟客戶解釋說突發疾病跟確診差異性在哪裡，有的保險公司是不處理，這個問題直接停賣，（旅平險）幾百塊就可以投保到2千萬，如果突發疾病可能，（理賠）2百萬或是1百萬。」

保險經紀人黃俊頲表示：「（回國）拿著醫療收據向健保局申請核退差額的部分可以再向我們擁有的商業保險公司，再申請第二部分的核退。」

保險經紀人表示，確診算不算是突發疾病目前難以定義，保險公司先暫停出售以免之後造成糾紛，不過還是有提供意外事故保障等。對此，品保協會發言人李奇嶽認為，這將衝擊國人出國意願。

品保協會發言人李奇嶽表示：「對於未來我們很多旅客在出發到海外各地去旅行的時候，旅行風險會提高非常多，這個部分可能後續還需要一些協商。」

其實5月中觀光局發函給產險公會，建議針對民眾出國推出旅遊防疫險，提供確診者保障，不過產險公會回覆，由於無法明確評估控管風險，現階段難提供這類商品。未來出國旅遊，染疫成本可能要先自行評估。