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The Zika Virus: Who’s Covering Trip Cancellations and Who’s Not

January 28th, 2016  |  Canadian Business

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a troubling warning this week: the Zika virus is spreading at an alarming rate and will likely infect almost all countries in the Americas. Pregnant women are advised to postpone travel plans, but many insurers are refusing to cover trip cancellations.

Here’s what’s going on. The Zika virus is a mosquito-transmitted virus that has been linked to long-term brain damage in fetuses. The discovery singles out pregnant women as the most at-risk group. Although the WHO doesn’t currently expect Canada to be infected, it warns pregnant women of the dangers in travelling to countries that have reported Zika cases.

Travellers are disappointed about cancelling their trips, but would much rather protect their babies from developmental harm.

The problem is that some insurers and airlines won’t refund their trips. The Globe and Mail reports that TD Insurance is waiting for the federal government to issue more official travel warnings before it agrees to cover associated cancellations. On the other hand, RBC Insurance is covering cancellations claimed by affected travellers.

Other organizations, like Manulife, are accommodating pregnant travellers on a case-by-case basis. Similarly, Air Canada has asked pregnant customers to contact its Medical Desk about changing their travel plans.

Details on which insurers are covering pregnant women’s trip cancellations continue to emerge. So stay tuned, stay informed, and stay safe.

Image Courtesy of Adobe Stock