Travel Insurance
LooLa is not an insurance agent, but what we have done is make it very easy for schools to obtain a MOE-compliant travel insurance.
Singapore government (MOE) schools, note: early 2016, MOE announced some changes as regards to school travel insurance cover. While it appears that the default insurance is now NTUC, MOE has stated that each school remains free to choose any MOE compliant travel insurance it wishes for its trips.
LooLa has had a long and fruitful business association with AIG, so we know what our guests can expect from AIG, and our insurance SOPs are mature as a result of our long-time cooperation.
Working with NTUC will be new for us, but we are ready to do so.
For legal reasons, it is important to note that this page does not give guests any advice on which insurance to choose. But, being voted the World’s Most Responsible Tourism Operator In 2015, it is only right that we attempt to inform our guests as best as we can, so as to help schools to make up their mind.
As such, in the table below, we have summarized, to the best of our understanding, some of the differences between the two insurances (again for legal reasons, we’re advised to add here the disclaimer that all statements in the table below are subject to the insurance policy terms and conditions, so please bear this in mind when reading the table). Should you need further clarification, you can obtain this from the insurances directly.
For those who wish to see the policy details for themselves …
For details on the AIG insurance, please click here
For details on the NTUC insurance, MOE schools can access the designated government portal
AIG travel insurance (as tailored to LooLa) |
NTUC travel insurance |
|---|---|
The hotline you call is AIG’s hotline, and LooLa is familiar with its protocols. AIG’s hotline typically provides the call assistance of doctors who speak the local language, in case you need to interact with local medical authorities. |
The hotline you call is apparently the hotline number from iSOS, not your NTUC insurance, but, as we understand it, iSOS and NTUC will coordinate. We are awaiting written information from NTUC as to whether the insured can expect the call assistance of doctors who speak the local language, in case you need to interact with local medical authorities. |
AIG’s coverage is not dependent on government advisories, meaning that the AIG insurance typically covers you even if there is a government advisory against travel (subject to policy terms). |
NTUC’s coverage, according to a recent email from NTUC, ceases if “the insured person travelling overseas against a travel advisory issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore where such travel advisory strongly advises the issued person against travelling overseas. This exclusion will not apply if the insured person is overseas when the travel advisory was issued”. This clause could potentially leave the school without cover after issuing the PO. |
All activities that LooLa offers are covered under AIG’s insurance. |
Certain activities are excluded from cover in the NTUC base coverage. As we understand from NTUC’s email, to cover a number of LooLa’s standard activities such as climbing, kayaking, trekking and camping, it appears the school would have to purchase the ‘competitive sports’ coverage, but it is still not clear to us as to whether other standard popular LooLa activities such as zipline, skywalk, and boat and boomnet are then included or excluded. |
Pre-existing medical conditions are no longer excluded from cover in the standard policy. This means that even students with pre-existing medical conditions are typically covered under the insurance (but refer to exact policy wording). |
Pre-existing medical conditions are excluded from cover in the standard policy, but schools can opt for an individual opt-outs where individuals are covered for pre-existing medical conditions. The school would have to arrange such individual insurance coverage directly with NTUC |
Emergency assistance is available to every insured on the same basis, regardless of e.g., pre-existing medical conditions. Only after return to Singapore the insurance may look into whether it feels it may be entitled to recover funds from the insured on the basis of policy exclusions. |
We are awaiting confirmation from NTUC on whether the same applies, or whether NTUC will ask the insured for information about pre-existing conditions before evacuating in case of emergency |
Baggage loss is covered for the duration of the journey |
Baggage loss is only covered overseas |
AIG does not yet have a hospital deposit guarantee (meaning that they can arrange with local hospitals to front the bill if teachers do not have sufficient cash on them). So far, LooLa has always been able to front this money, but we are working on arranging such a deposit guarantee with AIG |
NTUC has a hospital deposit guarantee (meaning that they can arrange with local hospitals to front the bill if teachers do not have sufficient cash on them) |
From 1 March 2016 onwards, AIG’s standard medical cover limit upon return to Singapore after a travel incident is 25K for all its packages (it’s 100 – 500K while overseas, depending on which package you choose). |
NTUC’s standard medical cover limit upon return to Singapore after a travel incident is 15K |