The current corona crisis is thoroughly disrupting many travel plans and trajectories. What if you are about to travel abroad? And what if you are already on site? Time to answer some frequently asked questions per insurance product.
The insurer always relies on the travel advice issued by the FPS Foreign Affairs whether to intervene or not. Trips abroad booked after travel restrictions were imposed, will not be covered since this information was known.
In addition, from now on there are additional provisions indicated by colour codes for specific zones. These colour provisions complement and do not replace other measures such as the negative travel advice. For example, tourism outside the European Union is still largely prohibited.
Colour codes:
- Red means that you are not allowed to travel to a country or region. If you return from a "red" area, you must undergo compulsory testing and go into quarantine for at least 14 days.
- Orange means that travel is strongly discouraged, but not prohibited. You will be asked to go into quarantine when you return, but that is not mandatory either.
- Green means that you are free to leave and return.
Please note that you can open a claim for any of the insurance products by sending the required pieces of evidence mentioned on the claim form.
General information
- Declaration of damage for travel assistance insurance? Call ING Assist'Line immediately on +32 2 550 06 00. Our staff is available 24/7.
- Would you like to file a claim for travel cancellation insurance (ING Lion Travel Stop)? Fill in this form.
ING Lion Assistance, ING Assistance and ING Global Assistance
These products are insured by Inter Partner Assistance and offered by ING.
Do you have the yearly travel insurance? Then you are covered worldwide for medical expenses and repatriation. Always verify the travel advice issued for each country by FPS Foreign Affairs as the insurer relies on this advice whether coverage is provided or not. In the general conditions it is described in detail to what extent you are covered. Below are the most important coverages in the aftermath of the corona crisis outbreak of the ING Lion Assistance (yearly contract), the ING Global Assistance and the ING Assistance.
The covers discussed here are similar for the three products, only the amount of the exemption may differ.
- Medical expenses incurred abroad will be reimbursed: up to 100,000 EUR for each insured person with a deduction of 50 EUR from the amount due for arrangement fees. The insurer will advance the costs and make an arrangement with the national health service insurance afterwards.
- Subsequent medical treatment in Belgium will be reimbursed: up to 2,500 EUR for each insured person up to a maximum of 1 year from the date on which the accident occurred or illness commenced and on condition that the insured was hospitalised abroad for at least 1 night. The insurer will advance the costs and make an arrangement with the national health service insurance afterwards.
- Repatriation or transport costs for the sick or/and injured insured person and other insured parties are reimbursed. The costs of extending the stay in the hotel (or rental accommodation) are also reimbursed up to an amount of 100 EUR per day for each sick or injured insured person, subject to a maximum of 10 days.
- The costs of extending the stay if the insured is delayed abroad by a force majeure event (strikes, natural phenomena, epidemics, etc.), are reimbursed up to 100 EUR per day and a maximum of 500 EUR for each insured person.
ING Lion Assistance: general terms and conditions
ING Assistance: general terms and conditions
ING Global Assistance: general terms and conditions (page 35)
I booked my trip before FPS Foreign Affairs advised against travelling. During my trip abroad, the travel advise becomes negative. Will my travel insurance reimburse medical expenses if necessary?
As the travel advice was still positive on the day you left, the travel assistance insurance will intervene for the medical costs you incur abroad. If you have to return early because of FPS Foreign Affairs' advice, always contact your tour operator or the airline company first. Then contact your insurer.
I booked my trip before FPS Foreign Affairs advised against travelling. During my trip, I am placed in quarantine at the hotel. Does the assistance insurance cover extra hotel expenses?
If you are ill and have to stay at the hotel for at least 48 hours on medical prescription, the travel assistance insurance will intervene for the extra costs up to the maximum reimbursement of €100 per insured person per day for a maximum of 10 days.
Please note that if you are stuck abroad due to a force majeure event, but you are not ill, the travel assistance insurance will intervene for €100 per insured and per day, but for a maximum of €500 per insured.
What if I'm already on holiday and this zone suddenly has a red colour code?
Always contact your tour operator or airline company first, then contact the Assist'Line as soon as possible on +32 2 550 06 00. We can help you to return home and will look at each claim file to see if an intervention is possible on the basis of the policy.
What if I miss my flight home because of quarantine abroad?
If the airline or travel agency cannot book you on a later flight, the insurer will book an alternative flight in consultation with the insured. However, the costs of the flight are at the expense of the insured person.
I booked my trip before FPS Foreign Affairs advised against travelling. In the meantime, negative travel advice has been given, but I am leaving anyway. Will my travel assistance insurance cover any medical expenses?
The travel assistance insurance will not intervene if you go against the advice of FPS Foreign Affairs and still leave on your journey. The medical expenses you have to pay abroad will therefore not be reimbursed. However, the travel assistance insurance will intervene, for example, to pay an advance for your medical expenses. This advance must of course be paid back to the insurer afterwards.
If negative travel advice is given, always contact the travel agency or airline to receive a possible refund or a voucher.
What if I am in an area which they declared red and I decide not to return?
InterPartner Assistance will help you as soon as the code red takes effect. However, if you refuse to return immediately, your travel insurance will not be able to intervene at a later date.
I left before the negative travel advice of FPS Foreign Affairs, I am currently abroad and my return journey has been cancelled. What should I do?
Always contact your tour operator or airline to reschedule the flight. If this means that you need to extend your stay, you can always ask for an intervention from the insurer. The maximum reimbursement of the travel assistance insurance is €100 per day and per insured person and a maximum of €500 per insured person.
Telecommunication costs incurred with the insurer in connection with the insured event abroad will be reimbursed. Please always submit a proof.
What if I travel despite the red colour code?
Then our insurance and assistance cannot intervene if you have a problem. Of course we will try to help you in case of serious problems. But you will have to bear the costs yourself.
What if I have a problem while travelling in a country with the orange colour code?
Contact us and we will help you according tot the terms of your contract. Our travel assistance remains fully valid.
The cancellation or interruption of a trip insurance shall reimburse the non-recoverable amounts in case of cancellation or interruption of an insured trip. Check the general conditions to know the extent of the coverage. Attention: this insurance is no longer offered.
ING Lion Travel Stop
This product is insured by Inter Partner Assistance and offered by ING.
Maximum intervention:
The total cost price of the travel contract, subject to a maximum of 3,000 EUR per insured on each trip and an overall maximum total of 12,500 EUR per trip and per year.
I booked my trip before FPS Foreign Affairs advised against travelling due to Covid-19. If I have to cancel my trip due to travel restrictions at the time of departure, will my cancellation costs be reimbursed?
1. If you booked via a tour operator, then contact the tour operator first.
2. If the tour operator or airline company does not provide coverage, then the ING Lion Travel Stop will reimburse the cancellation costs of your trip and booked excursions. Please send us the claim form. This cover extension is exceptionally granted under Covid-19 if the trip was booked before the negative travel advice was issued.
If I become ill with the Coronavirus before leaving. Will my cancellation costs be reimbursed?
We wish you a quick and full recovery.
You can rest assured, the ING Lion Travel Stop will reimburse the cancellation costs in case you become ill before leaving. Please send us the evidence (medical certificate) added to the claim form.
I develop symptoms of the Coronavirus before I have to leave on my trip. What happens if I cannot leave?
The ING Lion Travel Stop will reimburse the cancellation costs if your GP advises you to stay inside and advises against travelling. Please send us the evidence (medical certificate) added to the claim form.
What happens if I have already booked my trip, but my entry visa is refused?
The ING Lion Travel Stop will reimburse the cancellation costs if your entry visa is refused. Please send us the evidence added to the claim form.
When I book a trip to a country where the colour red already applies, can I cancel my trip and get a refund for it?
If you want to cancel your trip because of the red colour code, the travel cancellation insurance will not intervene as this information was already known at the time of booking. The travel cancellation insurance does remain valid for all other reasons described in the general terms and conditions
When I book a trip to a country where the colour code orange already applies, can I cancel or interrupt my trip and get a refund for it?
If you want to cancel your trip because of the orange colour code, the travel cancellation insurance will not intervene as this was already known at the time of booking. In addition, travelling to an orange zone is not forbidden and quarantine is not mandatory, so you do not have to cancel your trip and you cannot make use of your cancellation insurance to get compensation. The travel cancellation insurance does remain valid for all other reasons described in the general terms and conditions.
Is it possible to book a trip when FPS Foreign Affairs advises against travelling abroad due to Covid-19?
You can book a trip but know that the ING Lion Travel Stop will not intervene in that case as pandemics are not covered. If your trip was cancelled for a reason covered by the ING Lion Travel Stop (e.g. illness or accident), any travel cancellation costs will be reimbursed.
Always contact your travel organizer or airline.
