Making the most of your travel opportunities in 2021

The Hong Kong Government is continually updating its Coronavirus travel guidelines with respect to inbound traveler quarantine requirements. Latest measures dictate that fully vaccinated travelers arriving from locations that are classified below “extremely high risk” are able to quarantine at a hotel for 7 days upon their return to Hong Kong.

This is a dramatic reduction from the previous 14 day requirement, and in conjunction with the Covid Quarantine Waiver being offered to business travelers, has seen an increase in travel over the last month. You’re not alone if you’ve been thinking that Discovery Bay and Central have been extremely quiet over the last 2 weeks as many people have taken advantage of the situation to finally get out of the city.

Even if you’re not going to space with Jeff Bezos, plenty of non-Coronavirus risks are still present any time you go overseas. So, if you’re taking advantage of loosened quarantine requirements, or if you’re able to finally travel for business and close that deal, you’re still going to want to consider travel insurance.

Travel Insurance for your Health

In an age where we’re all acutely aware of the various health and medical risks surrounding us, from global pandemics like Covid to more mundane issues like heart disease, it is important that you are protecting your ability to access healthcare as, and when, you need it. In a city like Hong Kong where residents have access to high quality public healthcare services receiving care when its needed is not a concern.

However, these same systems and the high level of infrastructure may not exist overseas when you go on a trip. Furthermore, as a tourist you may not be eligible to receive the care that is on offered to local residents, and if you are this could be at a vastly inflated cost. If you’re choosing to vacation in the United States of America where there is no national healthcare system or any form of socialized medicine, then a medical emergency could be catastrophic.

Many travelers are taking advantage of the 7-day quarantine requirement for inbound passengers from the USA, and are setting off on their journeys without the security of an insurance policy which would protect them against the high cost of any medical bills they may face in the country. This is concerning especially as accidents can, and will happen – unexpectedly. Even the best laid plans go astray and awry.

Hong Kong Travel Insurance products will, by and large, provide health insurance coverage sufficient to ensure that you will be able to receive necessary and life saving medical treatment no matter where you are or what may have happened. These policies are not as expensive as an annual international health insurance policy, but give you a great deal of flexibility over and above what is contained on a traditional medical plan.

Travel Insurance for Your Stuff

Travel Insurance is a great way to ensure that your belongings are as protected as your person when you go overseas. Even in developed countries and destinations crime is an issue – there is a reason why people buy home insurance for their apartments in Hong Kong. When you’re abroad and in an unfamiliar country you often present a target for unscrupulous criminal elements looking for easy prey.

From pickpockets, and credit card skimmers on ATMs, all the way through to having passports or jewelry stolen out of the safe in your hotel room as a tourist there are an awful lot of risks you face when you’re in another country. This is ignoring the obvious risk of having your luggage lost by bag handlers at the airport! In all of these situations you will be stressed out and in need of immediate assistance. Replacing items that have been lost on holiday can also be expensive – if you have to get a whole new wardrobe from the resort shop after your luggage has gone missing then that is going to be a very big drain on your bank account.

Travel insurance removes this burden by ensuring that you have access to the financial assistance needed to overcome any obstacles involving the loss of your personal belongings, giving you the security you need to enjoy your trip.

Travel Insurance for your Travel

One of the biggest headaches and inconveniences of post-Covid travel is the issue of constantly shifting flight plans. From canceled flights to planes that are delayed for hours on end, getting to where you’re going is (at this present time) not as certain as it was a mere 24 months ago.

A delay in your travel, especially with the specter of a 7-to-14-day quarantine upon your return to Hong Kong, can be disastrous for the entire trip. Factoring in quarantine requirements, any excursion away from Hong Kong at this time is being done on a strict schedule, with bookings being timed down to the minute in order to maximize your experience.

If there is an issue which impacts your ability to get to your destination, or a problem out of your control which curtails or cuts short your trip, then you deserve to be compensated for that. This is especially true when considering the cost of pre-paid airfare and hotel bookings.

Consider Travel Insurance and Enjoy Your Trip

Insuring the trip you are taking is no different from insuring your car, your employees, or even your home, but often goes overlooked by modern travelers who are eager to simply get on the road. Taking out a travel insurance policy is a invaluable aspect of any vacation that should be considered before you depart.

And when you do eventually make it to space with Blue Origin, there may even be an insurance option waiting for you.

For more information about Travel Insurance in Hong Kong, or to receive a free quotation comparing the best options for insuring your next trip, please Contact Us Today to speak to an expert CCW Global insurance broker.