In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, many travelers are asking
the question: how does insurance worktrip cancellation
or repatriation linked to the epidemic ? Can a traveler be repatriated if
is infected or if one of his children remained in France? Or if he
found in a country that has closed its borders? So many questions without
frank answer.
“Today, the most delicate subject is our
compatriots who are abroad and how we can repatriate them: under what
deadlines and under what conditions“, said, Friday, March 13, Thierry
Martel, CEO of Groupama, including the subsidiary Mutuaide Assistance
operates in passenger assistance.
The National Union of Service Societies (SNSA),
representative of almost the entire profession, believes that “the
exceptional and constantly changing situation forbids us to answer for
precise way (…). Each case is different and for each of them
the assistant strives to provide the best support in the context of
contractual provisions [et] taking into account the circumstances
“such as the patient’s condition, government guidelines or
those of the country of travel.
“All the major aid companies are united
regularly at the Quai d’Orsay for see case by case and country by country how
we bring back our compatriots“, explains, meanwhile, the boss of Groupama. In 2018,
these professionals had tested for the first time after the earthquake
Lombok (Indonesia) a crisis unit designed with the Ministry of Business
foreign to manage “large-scale events taking place in
abroad “and involving French nationals.
For now, this cell has not been activated, nor the
“epidemic plan” activated in particular in 2006 during the H1N1 flu.
“Today, mass repatriations are paid for by the State
French “, explains the SNSA.
High-end bank cards
As to whether the travel cancellation insurance and
repatriation included in premium Visa and
MasterCard function in times of coronavirus, it is a challenge. Giants
financial services providers refer to provisions
contractual provisions … by card issuing banks.
“The banks are the masters of the situation, they
take out insurance, “said a Mastercard spokesperson at
AFP. Coast banks, a spokesperson for a large establishment assumes the
opposite, another refuses to respond to AFP’s requests when
the other refers to Visa.
Crédit Agricole reacted by explaining to extend to the holders of
high-end cards presenting “a vulnerability” to the coronavirus the
epidemic risk guarantee already included in the cards
“super-premium” for trips purchased before March 1. A customer
suddenly ill or victim of a serious accident proving by a certificate
his inability to travel may trigger cancellation insurance.
While in case of border closure, there is no chance of being reimbursed by
his card.
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