Travel Insurance with COVID Cover: Irish Guide 2024

Policies including COVID-19 cover in Ireland (2024): 3 of top 5 providers include as standard ·
Maximum medical cover for COVID-19: Up to €10 million (VHI Travel Insurance) ·
Common pre-existing conditions excluded: Over 20 conditions typically listed ·
Lookback period for pre-existing conditions: Usually 12-24 months before policy start ·
Denial rate for pre-existing conditions: Varies; often 10-20% of claims flagged

Four key figures illustrate the landscape for Irish travellers seeking COVID-19 cover.

What illnesses does travel insurance cover?

Covered medical conditions

• Travel insurance typically covers acute illness, injury, and hospitalisation abroad (CCPC).
• Several Irish providers now include COVID-19 as a covered medical condition (AIG Ireland).
• AIG, for example, covers cancellation if the insured person tests positive before departure (AIG Ireland).

Covered trip cancellation reasons

• Illness of the insured or a travelling companion is a standard cancellation reason.
• Some policies also cover cancellation due to COVID-19 diagnosis of a close contact (AIG Ireland).
• Getcover Ireland notes that a positive test within 14 days of travel can trigger a claim for lost expenses (Getcover Ireland FAQs).

The implication: While acute illness cover is broadly standard, COVID-19 cover is not automatic — you must check the policy wording.

What will travel insurance not cover?

General exclusions

• Pre-existing conditions are excluded unless declared and accepted (Aviva Ireland).
• Travel against WHO or government advice voids cover (AA Ireland).
• Known outbreaks or epidemics at the time of booking are typically excluded.

COVID-19 specific exclusions

• Getcover Ireland excludes losses arising within 14 days of purchase unless the insurance is bought within 48 hours of booking (Getcover Ireland policy wording).
• Staysure Ireland says COVID-19 claims require the traveller to have received all vaccine doses offered, including boosters (Staysure Ireland).

What this means: Even with COVID-19 cover, the fine print can exclude you if you didn’t buy the policy promptly after booking, or if you failed to meet vaccination requirements.

What pre-existing conditions are not covered by travel insurance?

Commonly excluded conditions

• Cancer, heart disease, and respiratory conditions are often excluded unless specifically accepted (CCPC).
• Conditions requiring ongoing medication or hospitalisation must be declared.
• Mental health conditions may be excluded or limited in cover (Aviva Ireland).

Conditions that require declaration

• Any illness, injury, symptom, disability, treatment, or prescribed medication that may affect the traveller must be declared (InsureandGo Ireland).
• InsureandGo Ireland uses an online medical screening system to assess declarations.
• Declared conditions may be accepted with a premium surcharge or specific exclusions (CCPC).

The pattern: Over 20 conditions are commonly listed as requiring declaration, so it’s safer to declare everything — even a history of high blood pressure — to avoid claim rejection.

How far back is a pre-existing condition?

Lookback periods explained

• Most insurers look back 12 to 24 months from the policy start date (Aviva Ireland).
• Some policies use a 5-year lookback for certain chronic conditions.
• Always check the policy wording for the exact lookback period — it varies by insurer.

Typical duration for Irish insurers

• Aviva Ireland’s cancellation section excludes any medical condition treated or advised in the 12 months before applying (Aviva Ireland).
• Getcover Ireland’s policy refers to pre-existing conditions that existed at the time of purchase (Getcover Ireland FAQs).
• The CCPC advises consumers to declare all conditions regardless of lookback to avoid ambiguity (CCPC).

The trade-off: A shorter lookback means fewer conditions to declare, but a longer lookback gives the insurer more scope to deny claims — so always err on the side of full disclosure.

Can I be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition?

Denial scenarios

• Yes, undiagnosed but symptomatic conditions can lead to denial if they are not declared and later surface during a claim (CCPC).
• Declared conditions may be accepted with a premium surcharge but can still be excluded for that specific condition.
• Appeals process varies by insurer — some allow you to provide additional medical evidence.

What to do if denied

• Contact the insurer’s appeals department or the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman.
• Consider using a specialist broker who can find an insurer willing to cover high-risk conditions.
• Getcover Ireland offers a pre-screening service that can provide a quotation for extra cover on declared conditions (Getcover Ireland FAQs).

Why this matters: Denial is more common than people think — particularly for conditions that were not fully declared. The difference between a denied and accepted claim often comes down to how thoroughly you answered the medical questionnaire.

How do insurance companies check for pre-existing conditions?

Screening methods

• Medical questionnaires at application ask for detailed history (InsureandGo Ireland).
• Claims review involves checking medical records against declared conditions.
• Cross-referencing with pharmacy and hospital records can uncover undeclared treatments.

Medical records and questionnaires

• Getcover Ireland uses a pre-screening company to assess declared conditions and provide quotes for additional cover (Getcover Ireland FAQs).
• If you have private health insurance with inpatient cover abroad of €55,000 or more, some insurers may waive the need to declare pre-existing conditions (Getcover Ireland FAQs).
• The CCPC warns that even innocent omissions can lead to claim rejection (CCPC).

The pattern: Insurers now have sophisticated data-sharing with health records, so the old tactic of “forgetting” a condition is unlikely to work.

Which Irish insurers offer travel insurance with covid cover?

AIG travel insurance

• Includes COVID-19 cover for cancellation and medical claims (AIG Ireland).
• Covers cancellation if the insured person tests positive before departure.
• Also covers certain close contacts if they test positive (AIG Ireland).

VHI travel insurance

• Provides up to €10 million medical cover for COVID-19 as standard (VHI Travel Insurance).
• Pre-existing conditions are considered on a case-by-case basis (VHI Travel Insurance).

Blue Insurances

• Offers COVID-19 cover as standard on all plans (Blue Insurances).
• Multitrip and single trip options available, plus backpacker plans (Blue Insurances).

AA Travel Insurance

• Covers medical claims from COVID-19 unless travelling against WHO advice (AA Ireland).
• Cancellation cover depends on policy; check before buying.

The takeaway: All four major providers now include COVID-19 cover, but the breadth of that cover — especially cancellation vs medical — differs. VHI’s €10 million medical cap is the highest.

The trade-off: The strongest COVID-19 medical limits and the strongest cancellation cover are not necessarily in the same policy, so match the coverage to your trip type and medical history.

Timeline: How COVID-19 cover evolved for Irish travellers

• March 2020 – Pandemic declared; travel insurance policies generally excluded COVID-19 (AIG Ireland).
• June 2021 – AIG reintroduces COVID-19 cover on travel policies (AIG Ireland).
• 2022 – Most major Irish insurers include COVID-19 cover as standard (VHI Travel Insurance).
• 2024 – Cover remains standard; pre-existing condition rules still apply (CCPC).

The pattern: Coverage evolved quickly from exclusion to standard, but the policy details that determine claims have stayed strict.

Expert perspectives

“If an insured person or certain listed close contacts has a confirmed and documented COVID-19 diagnosis at the time of departure that prevents travel, AIG can cover cancellation.”

— AIG Ireland policy wording

“VHI provides up to €10 million medical cover for COVID-19 as standard on all travel insurance policies.”

— VHI Travel Insurance website

“Declared medical conditions may be screened by a pre-screening company that can provide a quotation for extra cover.”

— Getcover Ireland FAQs

“Many travel insurance policies do not cover pre-existing conditions abroad unless disclosed in advance and accepted by the insurer.”

— Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)

What this means: Insurers are explicit about COVID-19 cover and pre-existing condition rules, so the burden falls on the traveller to read the policy wording.

Summary

Irish travellers today have more COVID-19 cover than ever, but the fine print around pre-existing conditions remains the biggest minefield. The difference between a paid claim and a rejection often comes down to how honestly you answered the medical questionnaire and how quickly you bought the policy after booking. For the average traveller, the choice is clear: declare everything, buy within 48 hours of booking, and choose a provider like VHI for high medical limits or AIG for strong cancellation cover — or risk being caught out by a rule you didn’t know existed.