Covid Travel Insurance

[tankgirl!]

We are planning for a 5 night/6 day November trip staying at GCH and I'm wondering if anyone has information/advice on travel insurance in case of a Covid-related quarantine. (I searched for this info elsewhere and couldn't find it and double-checked the guidelines for Covid-related discussions and I'm really hoping this is ok!) In any case, we are a family of 4 (all vaccinated), and we are flying domestically but from out-of-state and my concern is one of us getting a breakthrough case while on vacation at Disneyland. I'm assuming if any of us got sick we'd all need to quarantine at the GCH for at least 10 days. Is there any travel insurance that covers at least some of the cost of quarantine? We are lucky to have health insurance but a 10 day quarantine expense would be way to expensive! I'm just trying to plan for any and all possibilities for my peace of mind. Thanks in advance.

 

[gelatoni fan]

If someone tests positive while on your trip, you would not quarantine at the Grand Californian. You would have three options:

1. stay at a personal residence that you can get to without taking a plane, Uber, etc (your own residence, a friend's, a relative's, etc)
2. get a medical evacuation to return home for quarantine - general travel insurance or health insurance may cover this
3. get referred to a medical shelter in the area such as a hospital or designated quarantine hotel - general travel insurance or health insurance may cover this. It may also be possible to get referred to an LA County medical shelter that is paid for by the government.

Basically, you just have to look under the terms of the insurance for what happens if you or a travel companion experience sickness while on a trip. Note that the chances of testing positive for COVID while on a trip are highly unlikely.

 

[tankgirl!]

Thank you for the information! Could you possibly direct me to additional sources for this info? Unfortunately, I don't have any local friends in the area and my regular health insurance wouldn't cover a medical evacuation. I'd hope we wouldn't need a hospital, so I'd be interested to know more about quarantine hotels or other options as well as more comprehensive travel insurance. Thank you.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Thank you for the information! Could you possibly direct me to additional sources for this info? Unfortunately, I don't have any local friends in the area and my regular health insurance wouldn't cover a medical evacuation. I'd hope we wouldn't need a hospital, so I'd be interested to know more about quarantine hotels or other options as well as more comprehensive travel insurance. Thank you.

I'm no expert on this. I just read somewhere that LA County has designated quarantine centers which for the most part are random hotels that wouldn't get much business otherwise. My understanding is that if you are feeling unwell, you would see a doctor who would conduct your COVID test and refer you over to these. You don't just book these directly.

I would first check with your health insurance what happens if you require urgent care while traveling to Disneyland area. Most likely, they'll be able to at least partially cover your doctor visit and any recommended treatment that stems from there. If your health insurance coverage isn't enough, then you should look into getting travel insurance that covers this. With the insurance that I have already, I don't ever feel the need for additional travel insurance so I haven't looked into it but most insurance companies probably have something specific for COVID.

 

[starry_solo]

I would expect travel insurance to be very pricey to pay for hotel expenses required for quarantining travelers as the risk (to have to pay it) is high.

I don't believe there are any central locations to quarantine people testing positive for COVID-19 in Southern California anymore, but I will see what I can find on the internet.

 

[AndrewC]

I would suggest planning the best you can on staying health. Plan to eat outside as much as you can and away from people, even if that means ditching table service for quick service and finding a somewhat empty spot (10 to 15 feet away from others probably is fine, especially if there is even the slightest breeze).

Then, your best bet is an N95. Moldex makes some really fairly nice N95s and (at least as of a few months ago) they are made in America. The AirWeave masks actually cut down the resistance you feel a lot (because more surface area) and almost feel like the ones with a valve on them (except don't get the valve ones, you'll be asked to use a different mask!).

They also have a more comfortable fit, especially on the bridge of the nose.

Keep men clean shaven and those will stop 95% of particles from passing through the mask, combined with distancing, you're extremely unlikely to get enough of a viral load to be infected, especially since you're vaccinated. They're a bit expensive, especially for a family, but if you want the best protection that could be one option.

I personally have been using the 4800 version which had a soft foam face seal and a strap that you can adjust for a snug fit. I personally have been able to make one mask stretch for a week (I work four tens and probably half the time is in my office with the mask off) but for Disney I'm planning one one mask per day. Try not to touch the front filter of the mask and especially don't touch near your mouth or anywhere else on your face if you do touch that. Practice putting them on and taking them off without touching that front filter part. Have hand sanitizer (70%+ if you can find it) and use it after each time of taking the mask off or putting it on. I personally plan to keep the mask on indoors and outdoors since it's easier than taking it off on rides. It's just what it is this time around...

https://www.moldex.com/product/4800...hing-nuisance-organic-vapor-ozone-respirator/
They're not cheap (about $65 for 8)... I've spent probably $800 since the start of shut downs in 2020 but I feel very safe with them and I haven't had an issue with the bridge of my nose hurting or anything.

https://www.grainger.com/product/MOLDEX-Disposable-Respirator-20JJ53

These might be a little less comfortable and you can't adjust how tight they fit your head, but they are sold in a smaller size for smaller faces...
https://www.grainger.com/product/MOLDEX-Disposable-Respirator-3NMF6(They also still have foam padding around the bridge of the nose, but not around the whole mask)

 

[5forMickey]

AndrewC offers some good advice about N95’s. I would add to that that in order for masks to offer proper effectiveness you would need to have a fit test. Not all masks are a good fit for everyone.

 

[Westcorkdisfan]

Do you know if you’d be able to rent a car if tested positive? I plan on following all precautions of course and we’re all vaccinated. I have family in Northern California so could drive there if worst case scenario. Thanks!

 

[tankgirl!]

Thanks for all of the great info and advice. We'd definitely be masking up and trying to stay healthy! For what it's worth, according to the Disney Food Blog (back in Dec. 2020), for those staying at a Disney hotel at WDW anyone testing positive for COVID after arrival would be required to "remain in their room for their stay to quarantine," and that a process was in place if this situation occurs, although they didn't seem to provide any specifics about that process. I wish there was more info about how Disneyland would handle the situation, although I understand that they don't want to advertise it as a possibility. I'll keep doing research on travel insurance and possibilities if one should be so unlucky as to get sick with COVID while at Disney and share what I find, and I welcome any other information. Thanks again!