AIG Travel announced that it has introduced optional lodging expense coverage for travelers barred from boarding a commercial aircraft back to the U.S. as a result of receiving a positive COVID test.

The upgrade is a response to the new CDC requirement, which went into effect January 26, 2021, that international travelers get a COVID-19 test within three days prior to entering the U.S. and show a negative result before boarding their flight. Travelers testing positive would be required to remain in country until they demonstrate a negative test result, which could necessitate accommodations beyond original booking dates.

AIG Travel’s Lodging Expense Bundle may cover up to a total of 0 per person for certain additional lodging expenses, available to most new and existing policyholders who select AIG Travel’s Preferred or Deluxe travel insurance plans and indicate a destination outside the USA.

“We understand there are increasing numbers of people who feel ready to travel internationally, but they want additional safeguards in place including financial coverage in case they should need to remain at their destination country longer than originally planned,” said Jeff Rutledge, CEO, AIG Travel. “This new offering will help people to once again travel with confidence.

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Residents of U.S. states and the District of Columbia traveling to Costa Rica will have access to a customized version of the Lodging Expense Bundle to address the country’s new entry requirement that U.S.-based visitors must secure and show proof of a travel insurance policy that includes up to a total of $2,000 in lodging expense coverage. This customized version, which would cover up to a total of ,000 per person in additional lodging expenses, is likewise only available to those Costa Rica-bound travelers who select either the Preferred or Deluxe travel insurance plan.

The Lodging Expense Bundle joins a suite of optional product upgrades introduced by AIG Travel in 2020. These optional bundles provide the ability to customize an insurance plan to a traveler’s specific needs, either by increasing the existing coverage limits on certain plans, or by introducing coverage benefits or features not previously available.

At the current time the upgrade and bundles are not available to residents of New York.