Best Travel Insurance For Flight Cancellation – What Am I Covered For?

What Are Excluded In Travel Insurance With Flight Cancellation Coverage?

Travel against prohibitions/acts/travel alerts/bulletins by any government or public authority which include thermal, biological, and nuclear pollution contamination, civil disorder or unrest, closure of a border, declared or undeclared acts of war, etc.

Travel involving illegal activities like trafficking of drugs, manslaughter or other types of crimes which results in a conviction

Any type of sports played in a professional or competitive capacity such as big wave surfing, winter activities like luging, bobsleighing, skiing, snowboarding, cliff jumping, etc.

Travel when medically unfit and advised against travel by a medical professional

Travel with mental disorders

Injury of loss due to alcohol or drugs when travelling.
We asked Singaporeans about flight disruptions, and they answered.
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Common Situations Valid For Flight Cancellation Claims
While flight cancellation claim benefits differ from insurer to insurer, there are some widely accepted reasons that would be covered by most travel insurance companies. Death or serious illness/injury (happen to you, your spouse, child or travelling companion) is among the most widely accepted reasons for flight cancellation claims, which all insurers will cover.
Other commonly accepted reasons which you or your travel companion can claim for include:
- Unexpected “flare-up” of a pre-existing medical condition right before your trip or during your trip
- Flight cancellation by the airline due to adverse weather conditions
- Flight cancellation by the airline due to closure of airways, airports or runways
- Residential home damaged by a fire, storm, flood or other natural disasters
- Called to be a witness in court during your travel dates

Best Travel Insurance With Flight Cancellation Coverage Benefits
Best For | Travel insurance plan | Estimated premium rate* |
---|---|---|
Best For Highest trip cancellation coverage limit | Travel insurance plan Singlife Travel Lite, Singlife Travel Plus and Singlife Travel Prestige plans | Estimated premium rate* $31 - $60 |
Best For Overall good value | Travel insurance plan | Estimated premium rate* $24 - $39 |
Best For Affordability | Travel insurance plan Bubblegum Travel Insurance plan | Estimated premium rate* $21 |
Best For Trip cancellation due to pre-existing conditions | Travel insurance plan MSIG TravelEasy® Standard Pre-Ex, Elite Pre-Ex, Premier Pre-Ex plans | Estimated premium rate* $38 - $68 |
Best For Family | Travel insurance plan | Estimated premium rate* From $66 |
What Is The Average Cost Of A Travel Insurance With Coverage For Flight Cancellation?
Travel insurance provider | Medical expenses | Personal accident | Overseas hospital allowance | Trip cancellation | Estimated total premium* |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Travel insurance providerSinglife | Medical expenses Unlimited | Personal accidentUp to $500,000 | Overseas hospital allowance$200 per day | Trip cancellationUp to $20,000 | Estimated total premium*$31 |
Travel insurance providerStarr | Medical expenses Up to $1,000,000 | Personal accidentUp to $500,000 | Overseas hospital allowance$200 per day | Trip cancellationUp to $15,000 | Estimated total premium*$24 |
Travel insurance providerBubblegum | Medical expenses Up to $150,000 | Personal accidentUp to $150,000 | Overseas hospital allowance$100 per day | Trip cancellationUp to $15,000 | Estimated total premium*$21 |
Travel insurance providerMSIG | Medical expenses Up to $1,000,000 | Personal accidentUp to $150,000 | Overseas hospital allowance$300 per day | Trip cancellationUp to $5,000 | Estimated total premium*$38 |
Travel insurance providerFWD | Medical expenses Up to $1,000,000 | Personal accidentUp to $1,000,000 | Overseas hospital allowance$200 per day | Trip cancellationUp to $5,000 | Estimated total premium*$17 |
Average Cost Of A Travel Insurance Plan With Flight Cancellation Coverage
*Estimated premium rates are based on a 5D4N single trip plan to a country in Asia.
Looking at the key features and price points of MoneySmart’s round-up of the best 5 travel insurance plans with flight cancellation coverage, we can do a quick comparison of the differences and similarities. The average cost of a travel insurance plan with flight cancellation coverage for a 5D4N trip to somewhere in Asia is about $27, assuming that we take the most basic plan offered by each travel insurance provider.
Estimated average cost of a travel insurance plan:
$31 + $24 + $21 + $38 + $17 = $131
$131 ÷ 5 = $26.20
Those offering lower premiums would be FWD, Bubblegum, followed by Starr. Despite offering lower premiums than Bubblegum, the medical expenses coverage by FWD is much more with a maximum limit of $1,000,000.
Singlife, Starr and FWD also provide higher coverage of up to $20,000 and $15,000 respectively, for trip cancellation in the situation you’re diagnosed with COVID-19.
For more extensive coverage for medical expenses in the event that you or your travel companion gets diagnosed with COVID-19 or meet with any medical-related mishaps during the trip, Singlife’s Prestige plan will be really useful with the highest coverage of an unlimited claim limit among the 5 plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have purchased travel insurance but my trip is cancelled. Will I be able to get a refund?
- Yes and no, this depends on when you submit your trip cancellation request and the departure date of your trip. Most travel insurance companies will accept your claim if your request and the valid reason for cancellation is submitted within 30 days of your departure.
If I need to cancel my trip due to the closure of a border (as announced by a particular overseas government) en route to your originally planned journey, can I make a claim?
- No. Most travel insurance companies do not cover travel against prohibitions/acts/travel alerts/bulletins by any government or public authority which include closure of a border.
Should I buy travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage?
Yes, given that the recent pandemic situation is not entirely over, it is still recommended for most places that you’re travelling to. Although most countries have removed their COVID-19 related entry restrictions tourists visiting, there are still countries with stricter restrictions put in place. It is mandatory to get travel and health insurance coverage before you enter some countries.
Note that each country has its own prevailing entry requirements and in the situation you require medical assistance during your vacation or business trip, healthcare expenses can get very costly, unlike those in your home country as overseas medical expenses are usually not subsidised by the government.
Do travel insurance plans cover COVID-19 tests?
Yes and no. Certain insurers like MSIG that offer free PCR test coverage for some of their plans i.e. Annual Trip plans, while those like NTUC Income travel insurance offer COVID-19 (PCR) swab tests at a certain price along with a series of other types of pre-departure tests.
However, there are also insurers like AXA and AIG who do not cover expenses incurred for mandatory COVID-19 diagnostic tests or any pre-departure or post-departure testing.
How can I compare and get COVID-19 coverage for my travel insurance?
- You may get COVID-19 coverage for your travel insurance either through your preferred travel insurance mobile app, website or insurance agent. As for the comparison process, you can choose to do it yourself via a comparison platform like Moneysmartor through the recommendations of your insurance agent.