Sunwing introduces complimentary Manulife COVID-19 travel insurance

As part of their Safe with Sunwing commitment, Sunwing has partnered with Manulife to offer COVID-19 Coverage to Canadians at no additional cost when booking a vacation.

The announcement comes on the same day Manulife announced that a COVID-19 insurance plan would be available in October. 

READ MORE: Manulife COVID-19 Pandemic Travel Plan Insurance will be available in Oct.

What's included

Designed to cover emergency medical and quarantine costs associated with COVID-19 in the unlikely event customers contract the virus while travelling with Sunwing, this coverage is included in all Sunwing vacation packages (excluding cruises) and air only bookings with Sunwing Airlines (for a duration of 21 days or less) made between now and October 31st, 2020 for departures from October 16th, 2020 up to and including May 31st, 2021. 

The COVID-19 Emergency Medical Certificate of Insurance includes, but is not limited to, medical consultations, specialty care, hospital admittance, surgery, cost of air ambulance if medically necessary and intensive care. 

In an exclusive story PAX published in August, Chief Operating Officer at Sunwing Travel Group Andrew Dawson revealed that a COVID-19 coverage option with Manulife, Sunwing’s insurance partner, was coming. 

This coverage is supported by medical assistance at all Sunwing resorts.

“Canadians are patiently weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, staying inside, maintaining social distancing and making changes to their lives,” Dawson said in a statement. “As travel begins to restart, Sunwing wants to ensure Canadians can travel responsibly. Our new complimentary COVID-19 Coverage will help our customers get back to the tropics. This is an added layer to our existing Safe with Sunwing commitment, which includes new health and safety measures to give customers peace of mind throughout their entire vacation journey.”

With the COVID-19 Emergency Medical Certificate of Insurance, Sunwing customers will be eligible for a total of $200,000 in medical insurance covering expenses related to a positive COVID-19 test result. 

Quarantine costs, including meals and accommodations, will also be covered with up to $150 per day for an individual and up to $300 per day for a family, for a maximum of up to 14 days and a total of $4,200 in quarantine costs. 

The coverage also includes $500 in interruption insurance coverage should the Government of Canada’s travel advisory for international destinations move from Level 3 to Level 4. Terms, conditions and exclusions of the coverage can be found in the full policy.

“Our top priority remains the health and safety of our customers, employees, partners and communities. That’s why offering specialized travel insurance for Canadians is important,” stated Alex Lucas, Head of Insurance, Manulife. “Offering coverage for COVID-related expenses and trip interruption insurance means we can help Canadians protect what matters most when they plan their travel with Sunwing.”

Safe with Sunwing

Sunwing is taking extensive measures to maintain the health, safety, and confidence of its customers. 

As the only travel provider that owns the airline its customers fly on, the transfer buses that travel to and from hotels, as well as over 30 hotels throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico, Sunwing’s commitment to safety spans across every step of the travel process.

In addition to COVID-19 Coverage, the tour operator’s Safe with Sunwing commitment includes:

• On-flight HEPA air filters, which remove 99.9% of airborne particles in a cabin;
• Reduced capacity on transfer vehicles in destination with frequent disinfection;
• Contactless methods of communication with Sunwing Experiences representatives who are available to assist customers 24/7;
• A 360˚ Clean Approach at its Royalton Luxury Resorts, where common areas are cleaned hourly; and
• Certification of all Sunwing Experiences excursions from the World Travel Tourism Council.

 For answers to Frequently Asked Questions about this coverage, click here.

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