How is a Positive Covid Test at the Cruise Terminal Covered?

by Steve Dasseos on September 28, 2021

Hi Steve, In “Does a Trip Cancellation plan Cover a Last-Minute Positive Covid Test?”, you said that your plans will cover me if I have a positive Covid test result just before I leave on my trip as long as I see a doctor who tells me that I have to cancel my trip.

But, how am I covered if I am denied boarding based on a positive Covid test at the cruise terminal when no doctor is present? Would I be covered for reimbursement by my Trip Cancellation insurance? We are flying from Florida to Canada and boarding the ship there after we leave home. Thanks! Ed

If you have a positive Covid test result after you have left home, but before you get on the cruise ship, you still must see a doctor who will likely tell you that you have to cancel your trip. It’s possible that the doctor will do a second test to rule out a false positive because they happen more often than people realize. In fact, two co-hosts of “The View” said yesterday that their results from Friday turned out to be false positives.

And, on Thursday, September 16th, a customer named Barry sent this email: “I have just got a positive Covid test result. I think it is a false positive but can you put a hold on the insurance until I’ve cleared this up and let you know?” Then, on September 17, 2021, Barry sent this email: “I got a negative test result this time so we are good to fly!”.

I recently got a call from Sheila in Texas who said “I’m going to Miami in December and if I test positive at the pier, how do I find a doctor I can see in Miami?” I suggested she make a list of doctors prior to going to the area in case she has to see one. She can also see a doctor by a video conference.

If you do not see a doctor, and instead, decide to interrupt your trip based on the positive Covid test, there are no Trip Cancellation plans that will cover you simply because you receive a positive Covid test without documentation you saw a doctor. Another reason to see a doctor is that if you need to be quarantined, only a doctor can order you into a medically-imposed quarantine.

At the risk of sounding redundant, this is what you need to do if you receive a positive Covid test or even if you got the Coronavirus:

  1. See a doctor that you are not related to in person or by a video conference and
  2. If he or she says that you cannot continue on your trip, all of our Trip Cancellation plans will cover you the same as any other illness or injury.

If what I said in #2 wasn’t clear, here it is again: If you test positive at the pier, you must see a doctor because it’s a medical condition. If he or she says that you cannot continue on your trip, all of our Trip Cancellation plans will cover you the same as any other illness or injury .

Depending on what the doctor says, you can be covered for any of these benefits: Extension of Coverage, Trip Delay, Medical, Emergency Medical Transportation and / or Trip Interruption. Look at at this post I wrote on Dec 31,2021:
https://tripinsurancestore.com/blog/are-quarantine-costs-covered-if-i-test-positive-for-covid/

I cannot say if any of the other Trip Cancellation plans we do not sell will cover you, so you will have to check with them.

The only plan you can get that will cover you if you have to cancel your trip for a not-covered reason like being worried that you will have Covid or that you will potentially get Covid on your trip is one with the Cancel For Any Reason coverage.

However, one drawback to the Cancel For Any Reason coverage is that you have to cancel your trip not less than two calendar days before you leave on your trip.

I hope this makes sense. If you want the right travel insurance advice, call us at 1-888-407-3854 and we'll help you figure it all out.

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