Artex Insurance Brokers (Malta) PCC Limited – Coverwise Cell
Coverwise
Coverwise is a travel insurance for the Italy market with online purchase and 24/7 assistance.
Direct payment
Hospitalization medical expenses are paid directly to the healthcare provider by the Operations Centre when it is contacted and authorises treatment in advance; medical/pharmaceutical visits, telephone costs and dental care are reimbursed after the trip upon presentation of receipts.
Geographic scope
Italy, Europe, or Worldwide (including USA, Canada and the Caribbean) depending on the geographic area selected on the Certificate of Insurance
Each trip must start and end in Italy; the insured must be resident and domiciled in Italy and registered with a General Practitioner; trips to countries under an Italian government/WHO travel ban or a UN embargo are excluded.
Unique selling points
- Emergency medical and repatriation costs are covered up to €20 million abroad, paid directly to hospitals when the Operations Centre pre-authorises treatment.
- Children under 18 travel free of charge when included on a Coverwise family policy.
- Coverwise was recognised as 'Campione del Servizio 2023' (Service Champion 2023) in Italy based on customer satisfaction ratings.
- The Tutto Incluso plan bundles medical, accident, roadside assistance and home-emergency assistance into a single policy rather than separate add-ons.
- The Annual Multi-Trip policy covers an unlimited number of trips of up to 31 days each within a single 365-day period for one premium.
Coverage limits
Medical expenses
€10,000 – €20,000,000
Reasonable medical expenses arising from a health emergency during the trip are covered up to €20,000,000 for Europe and the Rest of the World, and up to €10,000 for trips wholly within Italy.
Emergency medical treatment
€10,000 – €20,000,000
Covers doctor fees, hospital costs, medical care and transport to the nearest adequate medical centre following a sudden illness or accident; €10,000 in Italy, €20,000,000 in Europe/Rest of World.
Hospitalization expenses
€10,000 – €20,000,000
Hospitalization costs are covered until discharge or repatriation is deemed possible, for a maximum of 120 days of hospitalization; €10,000 in Italy, €20,000,000 in Europe/Rest of World. No reimbursement if the Operations Centre was not contacted and authorisation obtained.
Outpatient medical/pharmaceutical visits
€550 – €1,300
Reimburses the first emergency outpatient/first-aid visit (including day hospital) plus diagnostic tests and medicines prescribed by the local doctor; €550 in Italy, €1,300 in Europe/Rest of World.
Emergency dental care
€550
Reimburses emergency dental treatment for immediate pain relief and/or urgent repair of teeth or dental prosthetics, up to €550.
Medical transport
Covered
The Operations Centre organises transfer of the insured to the nearest adequate medical facility, transfer to the insured's residence, and sanitary repatriation to Italy, using air ambulance, scheduled flight (stretchered if needed), first-class train or ambulance; costs fall within the same overall medical-expenses limit as hospitalization.
Medical evacuation / sanitary repatriation
Covered
If the Operations Centre's medical service recommends it, sanitary repatriation to Italy is organised by air ambulance (Europe only), scheduled flight, train or ambulance, with medical/paramedical escort if required; included within the overall medical-expenses limit.
Repatriation of mortal remains
€2,000
In case of death of the insured during the trip, the Operations Centre organises and carries out transport of the remains to the place of burial in Italy, up to €2,000; funeral/burial/cremation ceremony costs are excluded from this benefit but a separate €2,000 funeral-expenses benefit exists under Tutto Incluso.
Search and rescue expenses
€5,000
If the insured goes missing, the Company provides assistance and covers search and rescue costs up to €5,000.
COVID-19 / pandemic illness treatment
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Sources conflict: the current (Oct. 2021) edition affirmatively covers 'malattia improvvisa (incluse pandemie e malattie pandemiche diagnosticate)' under the same medical-expense limits, whereas the older 2018 edition excludes pandemics declared by the WHO and destinations under quarantine.
Pre-existing medical conditions
Excluded
Claims deriving directly or indirectly from any Pre-existing Medical Condition (symptomatic or treated in the 2 years before taking out the policy and/or the trip) are excluded, except for approximately 60 listed 'exempted conditions' which are covered at no extra charge provided the insured is not awaiting surgery for the condition and it has been declared fully satisfactory with no further post-operative check-up required.
Winter sports cover
Excluded
No winter-sports extension is offered; medical expenses exclude extreme sports practised outside sports organisations or without required safety criteria, and the (Tutto Incluso only) accident section excludes off-piste skiing, ski-jumping, mountaineering, free climbing, rafting and bungee jumping.
Adventure/extreme sports cover
Excluded
Aerial and extreme sports practised outside sports organisations and without required safety criteria are excluded from medical expenses, and any sport practised professionally or for direct/indirect remuneration is excluded from all guarantees.
Pregnancy complications
€75,000 – €100,000
Reasonable emergency medical expenses for babies born following a listed Pregnancy Complication during a trip outside Italy are covered up to €75,000 (€100,000 in the USA, Canada or Caribbean); NOT covered for trips within Italy; normal pregnancy/delivery is excluded.
Personal (third-party) liability
€25,000
Covers sums the insured is legally liable to pay as compensation for death, personal injury or damage to property/animals caused accidentally to third parties in the course of private life, up to €25,000 per insured, per event and per insurance period; excludes professional activities, hunting, theft, motor vehicle circulation, weapons, and real-estate occupation (temporary holiday occupation capped at €250).
Legal assistance abroad
€1,500
If the insured is arrested or threatened with arrest, the Operations Centre provides a lawyer and pays fees up to €1,500; NOT available for events occurring in Italy; excluded when the claim is against the Company, AXA Assistance, a travel agent/tour operator or a related person.
24/7 Operations Centre assistance
Covered
The Operations Centre (Centrale Operativa, tel. +39 06 42115 718) run by AXA Assistance operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year, providing medical specialist referrals, translation, legal assistance, travel information, and organising all assistance benefits under the policy.
Key conditions
Assistance call deadline
The insured (or someone acting on their behalf) must contact the Operations Centre on +39 06 42115 718 before organising any assistance service; assistance benefits must normally be arranged directly by, or expressly authorised by, the Operations Centre, otherwise the right to the benefit is forfeited.
Unauthorized treatment
No reimbursement is provided for hospitalization expenses if the Operations Centre was not contacted and did not pre-authorise the treatment during the hospital stay; the Company also suspends cover for further medical expenses if the insured unreasonably refuses an organised sanitary repatriation.
Purchase while abroad
The Company is not liable if the policy is purchased after the trip has already started; the policy must be taken out before departure.
Chronic conditions
Claims arising from any Pre-existing Medical Condition are excluded, except for a list of about 60 'exempted conditions' (e.g. acne, cataract, tonsillitis, controlled hypertension-related items) which are covered at no extra charge if fully resolved and not awaiting surgery or further post-operative checks.
Pregnancy
Complications of pregnancy (as specifically defined in the policy Glossary) occurring during a trip outside Italy are covered up to €75,000 (€100,000 in USA/Canada/Caribbean); normal pregnancy, normal delivery, and pregnancies continued after a doctor flagged increased risk of premature birth are not treated as unforeseen events.
Pre-existing condition exclusions
A Pre-existing Medical Condition is any condition that in the 2 years before taking out the policy and/or the trip caused symptoms or required treatment, medication, consultation, tests or check-ups; claims linked to it are excluded unless it appears on the 'exempted conditions' list.
Coverage duration limit
Maximum trip duration is 59 days (31 days for insured aged 61-68) for the Single Trip policy, and 31 consecutive days per trip (unlimited number of trips within 365 days) for the Annual Multi-Trip policy; each trip must start and end in Italy, and trips wholly within Italy require at least 2 nights of paid accommodation.
Policy specifics
Maximum trip duration
Each trip under the Annual Multi-Trip Insurance is limited to a maximum duration of 31 days
SourceMedical expense coverage limits
Medical expenses abroad covered up to €20 million; in Italy covered up to €10,000
SourceTrip start and end location requirement
Each trip must begin and end in Italy to be covered under the policy
SourcePre-existing medical conditions exclusion
Claims arising from any pre-existing medical conditions are not covered unless specifically exempted and declared
SourceAutomatic renewal with opt-out requirement
Annual Multi-Trip policies automatically renew year-to-year unless cancellation notice is given at least 30 days before expiry
SourceCentral Operations Coordination Requirement
Assistance services must be organized directly by or expressly authorized by the Central Operations office; failure to do so may result in loss of assistance benefits
SourceResidency requirement for Italian policies
Policies are intended for persons residing and domiciled in Italy, properly registered with a local family doctor (Medico di Medicina Generale)
SourceAge limit for insured persons
Maximum age ceiling for policy purchase is 68 years; age limits apply for determining trip duration (31 days for ages 61-68, up to 59 days for under 60)
SourceMedical assistance through Central Operations network
All medical assistance is coordinated through AXA Assistance Central Operations (Centrale Operativa), operating 24/7 from Dublin and with local coordination in Italy
SourceClaim reporting and documentation timeline
Claims must be reported within 30 days of return from travel; for trip cancellation claims, notification must be within 5 days of the event
SourceStatutory cancellation/withdrawal right
14-day cancellation right applies from policy inception or from receipt of full terms and conditions, whichever is later; full refund available if policy not yet used
SourceFraud and misrepresentation voidance clause
Policy is voided if insured attempts to obtain funds through deception, illegal means, intentional misinterpretation of facts, or omission of facts to misrepresent the real situation
Source