Current information on coronavirus

At the start of the year, a coronavirus epidemic broke out in China, which may cause concern and uncertainty for many travellers. Below, we have compiled important information regarding traveller’s insurance and travelling.

The World Health Organisation has declared the coronavirus epidemic a global pandemic. The risk of coronavirus infection has increased in Europe and worldwide. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is no longer issuing coronavirus instructions for individual countries but calls to avoid all unnecessary travel. Read the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ news item from 12 March 2020 here (in Finnish).

In order to contribute to limiting the spread of coronavirus, we have decided to close our offices for the time being. Our services will continue normally by appointment, online and over the phone. You can find the contact details and opening hours of our telephone service here.

If you are unemployed or laid off, you will receive an additional six weeks of interest-free payment time on your insurance bills by request. Please contact us before the due date of the invoice, tel. +358 1019 5110 on weekdays 8 am–6 pm, for detailed instructions.

Please be considerate and handle any compensation matters with us using electronic channels.

Read the frequently asked questions about coronavirus and travel insurance

Coronavirus and traveller’s insurance

1. Falling ill when travelling

Traveller’s insurance can cover an illness caused by coronavirus when travelling as a travel illness. In addition to the treatment expenses of the travel illness, the insurance can cover the possible prolongation of the trip due to the illness and the new travel arrangements required. In these situations, contact the travel emergency service SOS International on +358 1019 5111. The emergency service provides help and assistance in Finnish around the clock, every day of the year. In Finland, the guidelines issued by health care providers must be followed. If you fall ill while travelling, you can apply for compensation via our online service.

2. Cancellation of a trip

According to the insurance policy, the cancellation of a trip is not compensable on the basis of a fear of viral infection, a travel ban issued by an authority or an airline flight cancellation. In these cases, we advise you to contact your tour operator or airline to claim compensation.

3. Interruption or prolongation of a trip

Unfortunately, if your trip is interrupted prematurely due to evacuation or prolonged due to cancelled flights or quarantine, traveller’s insurance cannot compensate for lost travel days and services or new travel arrangements. In these cases, too, we advise you to contact your tour operator or airline.

4. Follow authority communications

Follow the updated outlook on the THL website. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has opened a national coronavirus service number. The number of the service is +358 295 535 535. The information service does not provide advice on health-related matters or guidance regarding acute symptoms.

Cancellation of a trip

According to the terms and conditions of the traveller’s insurance, the cancellation of a trip will be compensated if it is caused by

a sudden and unexpected illness, accident or death of the insured person
unexpected and significant material damage to the insured person’s property in Finland
a sudden and unexpected illness, accident or death of the insured person’s close relative.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs advises me not to travel to my destination. Will my insurance cover this?

Instructions from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs are not a basis for compensation specified in the insurance terms and conditions. We advise you to contact your tour operator or airline.

If my trip is cancelled due to the cancellation of a public event, training course or other such event related to the trip, will travel insurance cover this?

If a trip is cancelled due to the cancellation of a related event, it is not a compensable trip according to the reasons for cancellation. The cancellation of a trip will only be compensated for the reasons mentioned above.

I dare not go on the trip. Will my insurance cover the cancellation of the trip?

If you cancel your trip because you are afraid of catching the disease, it is not one of the aforementioned valid reasons for compensation.

I postponed my trip to the autumn, which resulted in additional costs. Will my insurance cover these?

The insurance can only cover the costs of changing the travel time or destination if the reason is one of the reasons for cancellation specified in the terms and conditions. Fear of illness is not a reason mentioned in the terms and conditions of traveller’s insurance.

My close relative or I have been diagnosed with coronavirus or I have otherwise fallen ill, and I cannot leave on my trip. Will my insurance cover the cancellation of the trip?

Your own illness or that of your close relative is a reason for cancelling your trip and thus you can apply for compensation from your traveller’s insurance.

The doctor wrote me a statement for cancellation because they do not recommend travelling due to an underlying condition I have or because I belong to a risk group. Will my insurance cover the cancellation?

This is not a case of a sudden and unexpected illness or such a change to an existing illness that the cancellation could be compensated.

I was quarantined, which is preventing me from going on the trip. Will my insurance cover the cancellation of the trip?

People who are placed in quarantine are asymptomatic people who have been exposed, so they are not ill. According to the Communicable Diseases Act, quarantined people are not allowed to travel, but there is no mention of such in the insurance terms and conditions. According to the insurance terms and conditions, you must be ill to be compensated for the cancellation of the trip.

The airline / tour operator cancelled the trip. Will travel insurance cover this?

In these situations, you should contact the tour operator, who will usually reimburse the customer for its own cancellations.

My trip was cancelled due to coronavirus. The tour operator refunded the price of the trip, but I am left with additional travel expenses (e.g. airport parking fee, paid tour, internal flights at the destination, theatre tickets, etc.) Will my insurance cover these associated costs?

The insurance will not cover these additional expenses, just like it will not cover the trip.

Interruption of a trip

The interruption of a trip means that a commenced trip is changed for compelling reasons

due to the insured person’s serious travel illness or travel accident
due to the serious, sudden and unexpected illness, accident or death of a close relative travelling with the insured person as defined in the insurance terms and conditions
due to the serious, sudden and unexpected illness, accident or death of a close relative not travelling with the insured person as defined in the insurance terms and conditions
due to unexpected and significant material damage to the insured person’s property in Finland.

I returned to Finland earlier due to the coronavirus because I do not want to be infected. Will my insurance cover the interrupted trip?

Turva’s traveller’s insurance can compensate for interruptions due to a crisis situation. According to the insurance terms and conditions, a crisis situation is a natural disaster, armed conflict or terrorist attack. An epidemic/pandemic or quarantine without illness is not a reason for interruption as stated in this condition, and the interruption of the trip or the additional costs arising from it cannot be compensated due to the coronavirus. Neither is the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ call to return to Finland in the middle of the trip a compensable reason for an interruption.

Falling ill when travelling

I am travelling and have fallen ill. What do I do?

Call the SOS emergency service on +358 1019 5111.

I am travelling in Finland and have fallen ill. What do I do?

Seek medical treatment if necessary. See instructions and file a claim here.

Insurance validity

The validity of a fixed-term travel insurance will be extended with no additional cost for a maximum of approximately two weeks if the customer is required to remain in quarantine while healthy beyond the validity period of the insurance. The same applies to continuous travel insurance if quarantine causes the length of the trip to exceed the duration of an individual trip specified in the insurance.

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