If a pregnant passenger is medically advised not to travel to an area affected by the Zika virus, they should in the first instance contact their travel agent or tour operator to see if the holiday can be re-arranged or deferred to a later date.
Claims for cancellation of trips which are already booked, will, subject to medical evidence, be viewed sympathetically.
Cancellation claims which are supported by appropriate medical advice will be met, provided that the policyholder has evidence that they were medically advised not to visit an affected area and that it was not possible to amend the booking to an alternative destination.
Claims for cancellation which are not supported by medical evidence, or which arise solely due to disinclination to visit an affected area, will not be covered.
If an insured person, (whether pregnant or not) books travel to a country where the virus is currently known to be present, and subsequently decides to cancel the trip, then they will not be covered for cancellation under the terms of the policy, because knowledge of the virus is now in the public domain.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE VIRUS PROVIDED BY THE INSURER:
The virus spreads to people via the bite of an infected mosquito and may produce mild symptoms which include localised irritation, a skin rash, muscle and joint pains, headaches and conjunctivitis.
These symptoms are usually mild and can last for 2-7 days, and, as with other insect-transmitted diseases, the best form of prevention is protection from bites by conventional means like insect repellents and covering exposed skin if a person is particularly susceptible to biting insects.
Whilst symptoms are usually mild, travellers who are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, should consult their GP or other healthcare professional on the advisability of travelling to an affected area, because advice varies from country to country and is evolving and changing day by day.
