The Maldives government has partnered with Allied Insurance Company to create a COVID-19 insurance policy focusing on tourists. The insurance was launched on October 15.
While the insurance is not compulsory for travellers to the Maldives, it is available to visitors who are not citizens or residents of the Maldives.
It must be purchased 24 hours prior to arrival and the insured must also have a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours prior to arrival. The plan covers travellers for medical charges, isolation facility charges (for centres that have been designated by Health Protection Agency of the Maldives) and emergency medical transportation charges and interment charges should they test positive for COVID-19 during their stay in Maldives. In the case of death, the insurance covers the arrangement of mortuary and burial services in the Maldives.
The insurance comes in two options: Allied Inbound and Allied Inbound Plus.
Allied Inbound covers isolation facilities for up to US$75 (R1 220) per day; emergency medical transportation by sea from place of illness to the nearest medical facility in Maldives up to $2 000 (R32 523); emergency medical expenses for treating the illness up to $75 000 (R1 220 000) and interment up to $20 000 (R325 355). Allied Inbound Plus has higher limits for some of these costs at $150 (R2 440) per day for isolation facilities, $3 000 (R48 817) for transportation, and $100 000 (R1 627 420) for medical expenses.
A spokesperson for Allied Insurance Company told Travel News that travel agents could sell the insurance but would not earn commission on sales. There are also plans to make bulk payments possible for people travelling as a group.
