Our priority is helping you stay safe. If you're overseas and in an emergency medical situation, need to extend your policy, or are stuck overseas, see our overseas help section.
We answer the most common questions we are asked about coronavirus and your Zoom Travel Insurance policy, including refunds and changing your travel dates.
There may be ways you can recover fees and deposits from your airline, accommodation, tour, or other providers if your holiday has been disrupted by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The coronavirus situation has been constantly evolving across the world. Visit our coronavirus travel alert.
Our number one priority during this crisis is travellers who are overseas and in a medical emergency. Regardless of the general exclusion in our policy for pandemics and epidemics, we still encourage all travellers in an emergency medical situation to contact our Emergency Assistance team. They can provide guidance as to the next steps you can take.
Our 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team are receiving a high number of enquiries from people who are not in an emergency medical situation. If you are in an actual emergency and experience a delay when calling our Emergency Team, please do not panic. Stay on the line if you can, or send an email. If you have sent an email, it will get seen, and our team will contact you as soon as they can.
We will all get through this situation by working together and prioritising people who are sick, injured and vulnerable. Please do not contact our Emergency Assistance Team unless you or someone on your policy is overseas and in a medical emergency.
The COVID-19 Coronavirus is a respiratory illness caused by a novel, or new strain of coronavirus previously not identified in human beings. Symptoms range from a mild cough to severe pneumonia. Some people recover easily, while others get very sick very quickly and may become critically ill. It appears to be less severe in children and healthy people; more severe in older people, people who smoke, and people who are immunocompromised. There is clear evidence that the virus spreads from person to person. The illness originated in China, but there are now occurrences of the novel coronavirus in over 100 countries.
We understand that your travel plans may have changed due to the extraordinary circumstances of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and travel bans. To help, we are offering flexible options for our customers.
If you want to change your travel plans, we highly recommend contacting your travel providers, such as airlines, tour and accommodation companies, to check what options you have. Many providers are offering penalty-free options to reschedule, credit notes or refunds for those that cannot travel. Visit here to learn more about amending your travel plans.
You can also make changes to your travel insurance policy. You can change your travel dates and destinations up to 12 months from the date your policy was issued. You can also extend your policy online. People who have pre-existing conditions may be blocked by the system from extending their policy.
If you’ve cancelled your holiday altogether and are unsure when you may travel again, you may be eligible for a travel insurance credit. Read the COVID-19 credit-voucher terms and conditions.
Please email our customer service team on [email protected] if you have any questions.
Due to COVID-19, and the travel restrictions imposed by a number of governments around the world, travel to and from all countries is limited. New Zealanders currently overseas have significantly reduced options to return home with many commercial air routes no longer viable. If you are a New Zealander currently overseas you should register your details on SafeTravel to receive important country or territory-specific information.
The New Zealand Government has advised all Kiwis not to travel overseas at this time. There is a Level 4, Do Not Travel warning in place for travel to and from New Zealand with few exceptions. You can keep up to date with the latest border controls, travel exemptions and isolation requirements from Immigration New Zealand.
If you are continuing your journey or intending on travelling in the immediate term, it is important to make sure that you are able to enter your intended destination.
When travelling, it’s a good idea to contact your airline 72 hours before your flight to check whether they have any special requirements you need to meet prior to travel. Some airlines may require medical clearance or confirmation that you are a resident or citizen of the country you are entering or transiting through.
As a result of the Level 4 travel restrictions, Zoom has temporarily paused issuing new policies for international travel.
Yes, all Zoom policies have a general exclusion for the likely threat of, or actual epidemics and pandemics. This means that regardless of when you purchased your policy, you are unlikely to be covered under the policy for any claim relating to COVID-19. This includes (but is not limited to) situations where you decide you want to cancel your plans; your travel provider cancels your plans; the government has imposed travel restrictions, or you are quarantined or suffer travel delays due to the Coronavirus. This applies to all countries you travel to or are planning to travel to, even those which do not currently have an MFAT travel warning advisory issued.
We understand that this is a difficult and stressful time for our customers, and the general exclusion may be disappointing. It is extremely difficult for our team to assess and predict the scope and severity of wide-reaching catastrophic global events like pandemics, epidemics, or the outbreak of war. We continue to assess all claims on a case-by-case basis, even with the general exclusion in place.
If you suffer a loss, you are still entitled to lodge a claim through our online claims system. Every claim is assessed individually on a case-by-case basis by our claims team taking into account the facts, the policy wording and personal circumstances. During the claims process, you can ask your Claim Manager questions regarding your claim if you are unsure of what documents you need.
If, after your claim has been assessed, you are unhappy with the outcome, you can make a complaint, and we will reconsider your claim in accordance with our Complaints Policy.
Many major airlines have suspended or significantly reduced flights to a large number of countries. Your Zoom policy is unlikely to cover claims for any costs related to the Coronavirus. However, many airlines and travel providers are providing refunds, free or low-cost rescheduling or credit notes. Visit here for more on recouping costs from travel providers.
If you think you may have the coronavirus, please contact our emergency assistance provider, First Assistance. They can provide guidance as to the next steps you can take. There is a General Exclusion for a loss arising from an epidemic or pandemic. This exclusion applies to all policy sections regardless of when you purchase your policy. If you are out of pocket for medical costs, you are welcome to submit a claim and all supporting documentation for consideration.
If you are quarantined because of the Coronavirus in New Zealand and need to cancel your trip or make alternative travel arrangements, we are unlikely to be able to cover your costs due to the exclusion regarding pandemics and epidemics. You are however still entitled to lodge a claim, as all claims are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
While you are in New Zealand, we are unable to cover any domestic medical expenses. If you are a New Zealand permanent resident or citizen, you will likely have access to the public healthcare system or your private health insurance.
New Zealand has agreements with a limited number of countries that covers the cost of medically necessary care when New Zealanders visit certain countries and visitors from these countries visit New Zealand.
Reciprocal health care agreements can cover or subsidise some emergency medical costs. This is usually for urgent treatment that can't wait until you get home.
Some reciprocal health care agreements can cover other costs. This can include local medical transport, medication and specialist services.
Unfortunately, a reciprocal health care agreement is not a substitute for insurance, and it’s likely you’ll still have some out of pocket expenses. Our policy does not cover medical care that is covered under a reciprocal health care agreement.
If the countries you are travelling to close their borders because of the Coronavirus, you will not be covered for the cancellation or additional costs of your holiday. This is because we have a general exclusion for claims related to pandemics and epidemics in our policy.
The epidemic exclusion in our policy for pandemics and epidemics applies to all sections of the policy, regardless of when a policy was purchased or where you are travelling to. There is no reference in the exclusion to when the policy was purchased.
The policy exclusion regarding epidemics and pandemics means that no matter when you purchased your policy, you are unlikely to be covered for cancelling your trip to any destination. This applies to all countries, even those that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) has not raised a travel-warning about.
If you don’t want your Zoom policy anymore, you can cancel your travel insurance and receive a refund provided that your policy hasn't started and you are within the cooling-off period. The cooling-off period is typically 14 days or the number of days between when you bought your policy and the first travel date shown on your certificate of insurance if you purchased less than 14 days before travel.
We understand that due to the extraordinary circumstances of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and travel bans that many customers have had their travel plans disrupted. To help, we are offering flexible options for our customers.
You can amend your policy online, including changing dates, destinations or extending your policy. You can move your start date to be up to 12 months (365 days) in advance of your policy issue date. Customers who have pre-existing medical conditions may be blocked by the system from extending their policy. Please email our customer service team on [email protected].
If you’ve cancelled your holiday altogether and are unsure when you may travel again, you may be eligible for a travel insurance credit. Visit the Covid-19 credit-voucher terms.
It is important to note that you will not be able to lodge a claim once a policy has been cancelled.
AIRLINE | AUSTRALIA | NEW ZEALAND |
REFUND/WAIVER FORM/ONLINE
|
Air New Zealand | 1800 00 55 63 | 0800 737 000 | Manage booking |
Asiana | +61 2 9260 4300 | +64 9 905 6708 | Manage booking |
British Airways | +61 1300 767 177 | 09 966 9777 | Manage booking |
Cathay Pacific | 131 747 | 0800 441 289 | Manage booking |
China Airlines | 1300 668 052 | +64 9 256 8088 | Manage booking |
Emirates | +61 1300 303 777 | +64 50 836 4728 | Manage booking |
Etihad | +61 1300 532 215 | +61 1300 532 215 | Manage booking |
Hong Kong Airlines | 852-3916-3666 | 0800 040 514 | [email protected] [email protected] |
Japan Airways | 1800-531-870 | 0800-441-090 | Manage booking online |
Jetstar | 13 15 38 | +64 9975 9426 0800 800 995 |
Refund form |
KLM | 1300 392 192 | +64 9 921 6040 | Refund form |
Korean Air | +82-2-2656-2001 |
Refund guidelines | |
Lufthansa | +61 1300 655 727 | +64 800 945220* | Manage booking |
Malaysia | 132627 (within Australia) +6 03 7843 3000 (Outside Australia) |
0800 777 747 | Manage booking |
Qantas | 13 13 13 | 0800 808 767 (within NZ) +64 9 3578900 (outside NZ) |
Waiver form |
Qatar | 1300 340 600 option 1 +61 291654313 |
+64 9 913-5279 | Contact us |
Scoot | +61 2 9009 0860 | Manage booking | |
Singapore | 13 10 11 | +64 9 379 3209 | Manage booking |
Thai | 1300 651 960 (within Australia) +61-2 9844-0999 [email protected] |
+64 9 377-3886 [email protected] |
[email protected] or [email protected] |
Virgin Atlantic | +44 (0)344 874 7747 | +44 (0)344 874 7747 | Manage booking |
Virgin Australia | 13 67 89 | 0800 67 0000 | Manage booking |