TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Mandatory Travel Insurance by end of Year

Yes. They are going to require it, regardless of what you have.

We have Chase Sapphire Reserve Card and were told the would NOT cover COVID related expenses (we were in Barcelona when travel ban was implemented in March) because pandemics are an exception, like acts of God are also.

Proper British term for plan, Americanized as to something sneaky.

lhbsurf-thanks for the note. Things could have changed since then, but as I said, most travel insurance states specifically that they don't cover COVID.

Payment page for the Mandatory insurance should be going live soon. If anyone is arriving January 1st and forward let us know how the EHAS application and payment went

I wonder if it IS going to be required as of the 1st, as I thought they had to work out some more details?

Inquiring minds want to know

This government page

has not been updated since September 15 and the requirement for SXM issued travel insurance is not there.

It's not listed on this page either. Link

Again, it is now 12-29, and no changes to either of the above websites. Is it going to be required by 1/1/21 or not??

They will post it when it goes into effect. Just like all the others.

But shouldn't it say NOW, that it is effective as of January 1?? It's only a couple of days away. When they changed to allow the rapid tests, they said they were allowed as of "x" date, which was several days in the future. If someone is only looking at the official website, as of now, you wouldn't know anything about it.

Have they mentioned anything about how much is going to be covered for all of these things? Comparisons were initially made to the insurance in Aruba (link to that coverage), and the limits on those policies may not always cover everything. For example, quarantine is $125/day, and it doesn't extend to anyone you're traveling with unless they also test positive.

If the insurance required in St. Maarten is similar, it may not completely eliminate the need for additional coverage or eventual out-of-pocket expenses. It certainly would help, but $125/day for lodging and food during the high season could still leave a lot to cover, especially if members of a family or others in a group are also not able to fly home due to direct exposure (but they aren't covered since they aren't sick).

I spent a good amount of time on the phone with travel insurance companies and my credit card to determine what options exist when it comes to quarantine coverage. What I found is that the language you use is important. For example, "quarantine" wasn't always covered because it was grouped together with forced quarantine upon arrival regardless of if you're sick, and this was deemed foreseeable. On the other hand, if you ask about an illness (even COVID) that might prevent you from traveling home, that could be covered under "trip delay." You just can't call it quarantine. It was a very confusing process, and the insurance companies are very reluctant to answer specific questions in writing.

Exactly Carol. A tennis friend of mine will be arriving on Jan 3rd and had no idea about the insurance requirement AND cannot find anything that refers to it. So it will be a test case to see if she needs it

I just checked again and still no mention on the page. If they are going to require it, they will need to have it in place when people check in, I would think, so that will be starting tomorrow, for people who are spending overnight on the way down. It will be interesting.

It might be a suprise airival fee. Pay or don't get in.

It's supposed to be part of the pre-approval process, that if you don't have the pre-approval, you don't get on the plane.

Yep, but the island is constantly changing the requirements and how they implement them. Will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Which is NOT a good thing to me, to be constantly changing the rules.

It sounds to me like they hoped to be able to implement it by the first of the year, but didn't get everything lined up in time. It would be in their best interest to give people adequate notice, and I'm sure they know that.

small price to pay!!!!!!!!!!! whenever it is adopted/required

Correct, IF in fact one is really getting something they can use if needed. Until one sees it used and how it works, it is all speculation at this point. Hopefully it would not have to be used but if needed, would it work?

The original info said that the SXM insurance was similar to the one in Aruba and was the same cost ($30)...but....the SXM variant includes, supposedly, transport back to the USA whereas the Aruba policy does not (total of $350 for "transportation costs")

I wonder if this is the issue holding it up....or it could just be Island Time at work

Minister TEATT just said January 11th.

No idea but there seems to be little urgency with regard to it.

Thanks for the update.

Also said ehas system will go live 5 days before with insurance module.

OK, thanks for the update. Didn't think there was any way it could be live by January 1 at this point.