InsureMyTrip has seen a significant increase in the number of policies purchased for domestic travel this summer, accounting for 50% of policies purchased in June 2020 as compared to 11% in June 2019.
However, with the continuing and complex situation surrounding COVID-19, travelers may be uncertain about the travel restrictions and safety measures in place for each state.
Before choosing your next domestic destination, we invite you to review InsureMyTrip’s travel guide* for insight and advice on what to expect before and after traveling.
Traveling Safely
If you are planning to travel in the coming months, safety is a top priority. When packing consider the following travel essentials:
● Face Mask
o Wear this at all times in public spaces
o If the mask is fabric, be sure to wash this regularly (you can include it in your regular laundry) using regular laundry detergent and ensure it’s at the warmest water setting for the material used to make the mask.
● Hand Sanitizer
o Apply this before and after touching public surfaces or items, as well as before and after eating or drinking
● Anti-bacterial Wipes
o Perfect for wiping down door handles, gas pumps, steering wheels and any other hard surfaces you may touch
● Contactless Payment Card
o Cash is a high-touch item often passed between multiple people
● Non-perishable Food
o This will minimise food stops and limit exposure to others
o Non-perishable food also prepares for unexpected restaurant closures
o Avoid eating and drinking on public transport as you will have to remove your mask
● Prescription Medicine
o Try to pick this up curbside to avoid unnecessary contact
● Carry-on Luggage
o If you are flying, opt for carry-on luggage so you can avoid lingering in pickup points waiting for bags to arrive
o You also have a better sense of who has touched your luggage
● Essential Clothing Only
o Consider packing light to fit your belongings in a carry-on
o Be sure to wash your clothing regularly, especially once they have been exposed to the public
States with no current restrictions or measurements in place for out of state travelers are as follows:
● Alabama
● Arizona
● Arkansas
● California
● Colorado
● Delaware
● Florida
● Georgia
● Illinois
● Indiana
● Iowa
● Louisiana
● Michigan
● Minnesota
● Mississippi
● Missouri
● Montana
● Nevada
● North Carolina
● Oklahoma
● Oregon
● South Carolina
● South Dakota
● Tennessee
● Texas
● Virginia
● Washington
● West Virginia
● Wisconsin
● Wyoming
State(s) with localized travel restrictions or measures in place:
● Idaho: You are encouraged to quarantine for 14 days if you’re visiting Boise and other cities in Ada County.
State(s) where all travelers must quarantine for 14 days on arrival:
● New Mexico: All travelers – on arrival – must quarantine for 14 days or for the length of their stay, whichever is shorter.
State(s) where both quarantine and testing measures are in place:
Alaska: All non-residents should take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to arrival and provide documentation showing a negative result. If you don’t take a test, a 14-day quarantine will be expected on arrival.
Connecticut: Passengers must quarantine upon arrival for 14 days and fill in a mandatory form if staying for longer than 24 hours. This is only mandatory from travelers from states with a test positivity rate higher than 10% over a 7-day rolling average.
District of Columbia: Passengers are expected to quarantine for 14 days if they’re traveling from states listed on DC’s government site.
Hawaii: Currently all passengers traveling to Hawaii are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival. From September 1st it’s mandatory for all travelers to fill in the Safe Travels application. The Pre-Travel Testing Program will not begin until October 1st.
Illinois: People entering/returning to Chicago from states with cases of at least 15 daily cases per 100k are required to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.
Kansas: It’s only mandatory to quarantine for 14 days if you’ve travelled from Florida and if you visited Arizona from 17th – 27th July.
Kentucky: Travelers coming from states with at least 15 percent infection rate are asked to quarantine for 14 days. The states government website includes the full list of areas meeting this threshold.
Maine: All passengers are subject to mandatory 14-day quarantine, unless a negative COVID-19 test is conducted 72 hours prior to arrival. Residents of Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey are allowed to enter without restriction.
Massachusetts: All passengers except those from low risk states, must fill out a health form and quarantine for 14 days or provide negative test within 72 hours. You can find the low risk states on the state government website.
New Hampshire: All travelers are expected to quarantine for 14 days except those from Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
New Jersey: Passengers must quarantine for 14 days if staying in the state for more than 24 hours and coming from one of the states and territories on travel restriction. List can be found on the state’s government website.
New York: Travelers must quarantine for 14 days if staying in the state for more than 24 hours and coming from one of the states and territories on travel restriction.
Ohio: Travelers coming from high risk areas are asked to voluntarily quarantine for 14 days. High risk is defined by states reporting positive testing rates of 15% or higher based on a 7-day rolling average.
Pennsylvania: Travelers from any of the 19 surging states must quarantine for 14 days. The list can be found on the state’s government page.
Rhode Island: Travelers from states where positive tests are higher than 5% are required to self-quarantine for two weeks or provide negative test within 72 hours of arrival.
Vermont: Travelers are expected to quarantine for 14 days unless traveling from New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, D.C, Virginia and West Virginia.
To view the full state travel guide click here
