Blog / Travel
Travel Insurance and Known Events

Last Updated: 25 July 2024.
Are You Covered for Known Events Such as Pandemics or Political Unrest?
We’ve had more than our fair share of known events such as political unrest, epidemics and pandemics around the region.
So, when it comes to protecting your travel plans, it can be confusing as to whether you’re covered and what you can claim for.
Here, we answer some questions you might have.
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What is a known event in travel insurance?
A known event refers to any situation such as a riot, strike, civil commotion, natural disaster, epidemic/pandemic, or other occurrences that could threaten your health or disrupt your trip. To be considered a known event, it must have been publicised or reported by the media, or a relevant authority (local or foreign) must have issued travel advice about it before you purchased your policy (for Single Trip) or before you booked your trip (for Annual Cover).
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Does my Comprehensive Travel insurance policy with Budget Direct Insurance cover a known event, such as a war, an epidemic or pandemic?
Claims related to a known event including wars, epidemics or pandemics are not covered for all Single Trip and Annual Plan policies.
They fall under General Exclusions and will not be covered. Do refer to the Product Disclosure Document for more details.
Do note, however, that you will be covered for travel inconveniences if you purchased your Comprehensive Travel insurance policy (Single Trip policy) or booked a trip (Annual Plan policy) before the event is made known. This cover falls under Travel Inconveniences such as Trip Cancellation, Trip Shortened, Trip Disruption and Trip Postponement (see table below for more details).
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Does my travel insurance cover airline cancellation?
It’s important to read the small print here when it comes to your travel insurance cover. Most insurance companies, including Budget Direct Insurance, will cover you when all flights are grounded, and the airline cancels due to the closure of the airport, runway or airspace.
Coverage for Travel Inconveniences, including airline cancellations, is also subject to the same terms outlined above.
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I no longer want to travel due to a known event, can I cancel my Budget Direct Insurance travel policy whenever I want?
While your travel insurance plan may not guarantee you a reimbursement for losses or damages resulting from sudden changes to your travel plans due to known events, if you had purchased a Single Trip policy, Budget Direct Insurance will provide a full refund with no cancellation fees if you decide to cancel your policy before your policy start date on the condition that no claim is made or reported against your policy.
As long as no claims were made or reported since the start of the policy period, Annual Plan policies can be cancelled at any time, but will incur a cancellation fee. For more information, please refer to Travel Insurance FAQs.
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Ways to help minimise financial loss for your cancelled trip
There are several steps you can take to recoup a part of your trip expenses. For instance, you can talk to your airline's customer service representative in the event of flight cancellation. In most cases, they will do their best to give you some form of credit or refund.
You can also call your tour operator as soon as possible to let them know if your cancelled flight led to you missing a non-refundable event such as a tour or excursion. They may lend a sympathetic ear and agree to reschedule your tour for free at some point in the future.
Hotels often have a cancellation window of 24-48 hours prior to check-in, after which you may end up paying a fee to cancel. It also helps to book a hotel that has a flexible refund policy. If you can't get a refund at all and you have a legitimate reason for cancellation, you can ask if they can offer some form of compensation through a hotel credit.
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Buy travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday
It pays to buy your travel insurance policy when you book your holiday. That means your travel plans are covered in the event of illnesses or any other unforeseen events that may occur before your trip begins.
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Register your trip with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
If you’re travelling, we advise you to e-register your trip with the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) before you set off. That way, you can get hold of the relevant people should you require assistance whilst overseas. Here’s a simple guide on why you should register and how to do it.
If you require further clarification regarding your travel insurance coverage related to known events, kindly contact our Customer Care team at 6221 2111. Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 8pm and Saturdays, 9am to 3pm (closed on Sundays and public holidays), or email [email protected].
Enjoy stress-free holidays when you buy smarter Travel Insurance.
Check out Budget Direct Insurance for your best deal
Travel Inconveniences |
Comprehensive |
Basic |
|
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Trip Cancellation |
Per insured person |
S$10,000 |
- |
Trip Shortened |
Per insured person |
S$10,000 |
- |
Trip Disruption |
Per insured person |
S$2,500 |
- |
Trip Postponement |
Per insured person |
S$1,000 |
- |
Additionally, if you have to be quarantined and you bought your Comprehensive Travel insurance policy (Single Trip policy) or booked a trip (Annual Plan policy) before the known event, you are eligible to claim a daily allowance under the Comprehensive Travel insurance policy (see table excerpt below).
Personal Accident and Medical Expenses |
Comprehensive |
Basic |
|
---|---|---|---|
Overseas Quarantine Allowance |
Per insured person |
S$500 |
- |
Quarantine Allowance in Singapore |
Per insured person |
S$500 |
- |
Note that not all policies cover Travel Disruption or offer an Overseas Quarantine Allowance, so check your policy details to ensure you know exactly what you’re covered for. Read more about Budget Direct Insurance’s travel policy benefits here.