One of the main questions that clients are asking Donna Alkarmi, president of Lone Star Travel, is “What will happen to me if I get sick with coronavirus on vacation?”
Eager to court visitors, some hotels are providing an answer: included medical insurance for coronavirus-related incidents during their stay.
Palladium Hotel Group recently announced its new medical care insurance that aims to protect all visitors to its resorts in Mexico, Jamaica, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Spain.
According to the hotel group, “this new initiative has been launched in collaboration with risk management company Materh, which has advised Palladium Hotel Group to contract a policy designed by InterMundial with the support of Europ Assistance.”
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The coverage includes up to $3,400 in expenses for any illness incurred during a client’s stay, and up to $113,475 in medical expenses related to COVID-19 infection, including fees for medicine, hospitalization and the use of an ambulance. The funds can also cover the medical transfer of patients, emergency transfer to the hospital, an extension of stay, repatriation in the event of death and more.
It’s amazing, and I hope other resorts will follow suit,” Alkarmi said. “This will cover the entire family if they have to go home early as well, and the policy starts from the day the resort reopens for one full year.”
Another Mexico hotel brand, Grupo Posadas, is charging guests a daily fee that will fund a medical expense coverage program called “Travel With Confidence Protection.”
Coverage includes “medical bills in case of accident or support in case of non-pre-existing illness (including COVID-19),” and “cost of hotel stay during convalescence period (if the patient is not allowed to travel. Limited to 15 days per incident).”
The plan also includes repatriation of human remains, medical bills for guest allocation, family member transportation in case of hospitalization, accident or illness (including COVID-19) and more.
According to the hotel group, “the base fee will vary by brand and will be assessed per room on a daily basis to be paid at checkout. This charge will apply to all rate plans and business segments, and is a new initiative designed to ensure the optimal protection for guests traveling during these complex times.”
