Eurowings has become the latest airline to join in offering COVID-19 insurance for passengers traveling with the airline. Multiple airlines have taken the approach to try and draw passengers in by reducing the risk if they do contract the virus while traveling.
Around the world, COVID-19 has changed travel patterns. The spread of the virus brought the travel industry to its knees, causing a drop in passengers and flights, and an inverse ride in aircraft retirements. While demand is starting to return, airlines are exploring ways to stimulate this return further.
Corona insurance for all
Eurowings will add complimentary COVID-19 insurance for all passengers booking fares. The insurance will be offered by the airline’s partner HanseMerkur. Eurowings will be offering the insurance for all flights booked up until the end of 2021.
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However, while other airlines have offered such protections for quite some time, Eurowings’ offering is much more constrained. The insurance was announced yesterday, but it will only be included on bookings made before the end of Sunday (September 27th). As such, it almost seems like more of a tool to drive a burst of flight sales than a long term attempt to reassure passengers. After this date, passengers will be required to add the insurance to their booking with an additional fee.
What does the insurance offer?
The insurance being offered by Eurowings protects customers in several ways in case COVID-19 ends up disrupting their travel plans. Firstly, the insurance will cover trip cancellation due to COVID. This would kick in if a passenger didn’t travel as they have the virus or fail a temperature check at the departure airport, for example.
Once the customer has left the country, the insurance will begin to cover foreign health-related COVID-19 expenses. This could be for a hospital visit or a medically necessary return transport due to illness. Finally, a travel interruption insurance would kick in if travel plans are disrupted due to the virus. An example would be an extended stay due to the virus.
Commenting on the introduction Jens Bischof, CEO at Eurowings, said,
“People want to fly and travel but want more security for uncertain times. We provide this in the form of a new corona insurance policy.”
Eurowings joins several other airlines that have launched COVID-19 policies. Emirates was one of the first airlines to take such action. More recently, Virgin Atlantic and Etihad, to name a few, have also added COVID-19 insurance policies to cover those making new bookings. Virgin Atlantic’s policy is valid on bookings made until the end of March and covers passengers to a total value of half a million pounds ($636,100).
What do you make of Eurowing’s new COVID-19 insurance? Would you purchase it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
