Coronavirus and your travel insurance
Here's everything you need to know...
What should I do when Travel is allowed?
The Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) have lifted its advice against travel to some countries but this is a constantly changing situation.
If your travel insurance was bought or renewed before September 14th 2020 you will be covered for medical emergency and cancellation claims due to Covid-19 as long as there were no travel restrictions in place when you booked your trip.
Any new policy or renewal effective from 14th September 2020 won’t cover certain claims caused by any coronavirus (including COVID-19), or any other contagious disease declared as a pandemic after 1 March 2020 by the World Health Organisation (WHO). For existing policies this will apply to new trips booked from renewal.
The new exclusion for claims relating to pandemics will apply to all sections of your policy. For detailed information about what’s covered and what’s not covered, check out our COVID cover page
Please check the entry and quarantine requirements for each country you’ll be visiting and for your return. All travel requirements are still subject to change, so make sure you keep checking the government website.
Have a question? Perhaps our FAQs can help...
We've split our FAQs into sections, just click on the topic you'd like to know more about.
We've updated some of our terms and conditions...
What do these changes mean for your renewal?
Any new policy or renewal effective from 14 September 2020 won’t cover certain claims caused by any coronavirus (including COVID-19), or any other contagious disease declared as a pandemic after 1 March 2020 by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Hot topics
The COVID-19 vaccination gives you substantial protection from contracting the illness, but it doesn’t stop you from transmitting the disease, so it is likely that individuals who are vaccinated will be required to follow the same current COVID-19 restrictions when travelling. If do you want to book a trip you are still covered for cancellation if you or someone you are travelling with is instructed to self-isolate, or a travelling companion falls ill with COVID-19. LV= travel insurance doesn’t cover changes in FCDO travel restrictions due to a pandemic.
Before you book a trip, make sure you check the entry requirements including any vaccinations needed to the country you plan to visit - you can do this on the government's website. You will not be covered if you are prevented from entering your country of destination because you do not meet the requirements.
This depends on your local lockdown/tier restrictions and if you’re allowed to travel outside of your area. For new policies starting on or after 14 September or existing policies with a renewal date of 14 September 2020 or after, your travel insurance will not cover you for cancellation due to travel restrictions imposed by the FCDO or Public authorities, relating to any coronavirus (including COVID-19).
Any trip you booked before your policy was due to renew will still be covered for cancellation even if the trip is after your renewal date
Yes, if the FCDO are allowing essential travel please give us a call to discuss to see if we can agree and extend cover.
However, if your trip isn't essential and you still go away, you won’t be covered.
It depends on the date of your policy. For new policies starting on or after 14 September or existing policies with a renewal date of 14 September 2020 or after, your travel insurance will not cover you for cancellation due to travel restrictions imposed by the FCDO relating to any coronavirus (including COVID-19).
Any trip you booked before your policy was due to renew will still be covered for cancellation even if the trip is after your renewal date.
Making a claim
When can I make a claim?
Here’s a step by step guide for you:
- Check the current FCDO advice, are they advising against travel or not allowing travel to your destination?
- Did you book your holiday and get your travel insurance policy before the FCDO changed their advice to not travel
- Contact your trip provider (airline, travel agents, tour operators and accommodation) for a refund
- Contact your relevant payment provider as you may be able to claim back the money you spent if you have not been provided the service you paid for. They don’t charge an excess and you should get the whole amount back. Here are some of the options:
• Credit cards may provide a refund under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Card Act for bookings over £100 where a service has been cancelled. Debit cards may be able to refund you through the chargeback scheme
• PayPal may be able to refund you through their buyers protection scheme
If you still haven’t been able to get a refund you can submit a claim. It may be easier for you to log your claim online
How do I make a claim?
As the FCDO can change at any time and airlines and tour providers need to be contacted first we are only looking at trips which are due to depart within the next 14 days. In the meantime check out our step by step make a claim guide.
How long do I have to send you the documents for my claim as my tour operator/flight provider has not got back to me yet?
Don’t worry – we understand some tour operators and flight providers are experiencing delays in processing requests, so we’ll keep your claim open. Once you’ve submitted your claim, there’s no need to let us know about any delays in getting the documents to support your claim.
Most airlines and tour providers are offering a range of options including refunds, vouchers or new trip dates. It’s a tough time for the travel industry at the moment, so as long as you’re able to use the voucher, then you can accept it but if not, you're entitled to a full refund. The CAA website provides guidance on what you are entitled to https://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Newsroom/COVID-19-guidance-for-passengers/
My flight has been cancelled or delayed. What are my rights?
If your flight has been delayed or cancelled, you’re protected by a European regulation, referred to as EC261.
Under EC261, your airline has a duty of care for you if you were flying out of a UK airport or if you were flying back to a UK airport with a UK or EU airline. If you faced a delay of more than two hours, you may be entitled to assistance, including food and drink, as well as accommodation if a delay continues overnight.
If your flight has been cancelled, your airline should offer you the choice of a full refund or alternative flights. Under the current situation, alternative flights may not be practical to organise, for example where government advice is to avoid travel to particular destinations. A refund may be the only option available for you.
Speak to your airline for further assistance. Please be aware that airlines will likely be dealing with more queries than usual and some may be prioritising consumers who are currently abroad or due to travel imminently.
If the Government has advised against all but essential travel to your destination, your airline will likely cancel your flight and offer a full refund. If you’re due to travel imminently and your flight hasn’t been cancelled, check the airline website before contacting the airline. If the airline has confirmed your flight will go ahead, they may still be able to offer a refund or allow you to change your booking to a later date.
Check the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) website for the latest updates.
I have a UK trip booked. Am I covered for cancellation due to COVID-19?
As the country begins to open up for business, some hotels, holiday parks and tourist attractions may still be closed. If you don’t want to travel yet and you’re due to travel shortly, you should contact your provider – they may offer you a credit note or allow you to rebook. Our other FAQ’s also apply to UK trips.
My trip is later this year but I need to pay the final balance of my holiday now. If I need to cancel later due to FCDO COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions, will I be covered?
If you booked your trip before your renewal (and you're due to renew on or after 14 September 2020), and there was no FCDO advice against travel at the time of your booking, then you’ll be covered for cancellation whether you’ve paid the full balance or just a deposit. Any new policy will not cover cancellation due to FCDO travel restrictions relating to COVID-19.
If my doctor or GP says I fall into a high-risk group and mustn't travel, will my policy cover me for cancellation?
If you have an underlying health condition that puts you at additional risk from coronavirus, we will cover your cancellation if you’ve been screened for the condition and we have agreed to cover it and your trip was booked before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March. We will need you to provide evidence of the condition, such as prescription or medical notes. This applies to respiratory conditions, heart conditions and any condition with requires you to take immune suppressing medication.
I booked my trip to go to a theme park / resort. It’s still closed and I don’t want travel, can I cancel the trip?
When the FCDO lifts the current travel restriction at your destination there may be theme parks or resorts that remain closed. If the FCDO advice is that it is safe to travel to the country you were planning to visit, not wanting to travel due to the theme park / resort closure isn’t a reason for cancelling and you won’t be able to make a cancellation claim.
I’m stuck abroad in a country that has imposed a ‘lockdown’ so I can't get back, can my trip dates be extended to cover this?
Yes, we can extend your trip dates, just get in touch and we’ll take it from there. For Premier policies due to renew on or after 14 September 2020, there is no cover for curtailment or additional transport or accommodation costs unless the trip was booked before your renewal date.
If I’m quarantined, and I'm asked to pay for food, can I make a claim?
For LV= Premier policies due to renew on or after 14 September 2020, additional costs can only be claimed if the quarantine was because you were ordered to quarantine by a government or public authority (e.g. Track & Trace) or because you were diagnosed with COVID-19 (coronavirus).Cover and amendments
My provider has offered me a rescheduled trip, am I covered for coronavirus related issues?
Yes, up to the value of the original trip and as long as the original trip was booked before the FCDO advice against travel in March 2020. Remember to keep any documents relating to the original booking in case you need to claim.I have a medical condition that’s not covered by my insurance. Am I still covered for coronavirus?
Yes, coronavirus medical costs are covered unless we have stated it isn't (which will show in your schedule). You won’t be covered for cancellation claims if the reason is due to an existing medical condition.
How can I be sure that I’m covered?
If you booked your trip before your policy renewed on or after 14 September 2020 and there was no FCDO advice against travel to your destination, you will be covered to cancel your trip due to the coronavirus.
Do I have to renew my policy if my trip is after my renewal date?
Yes, you'll need to renew your policy if you need to make a claim after your renewal date.If I already have a policy, can I make changes?
Yes, if you already have travel insurance with us, you can make changes to your policy. Just give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.If I can reschedule my trip with my travel provider, will you be able to change my travel policy to cover me for the new dates?
Yes, if you originally had a single trip policy, we can cancel your policy and set you up with a new one. As long as the destination and duration are the same, your premium won't change.If I need to make a change, will you increase my price?
If you need to extend your cover to other countries, for example changing your policy from European cover to worldwide, then it’s likely the premium will increase because you’ll have more extensive cover.Yes you can, as long as you haven't made a claim during this policy year. With the current FCDO restrictions and health concerns you may want to postpone your travel plans, so won’t need your travel insurance policy. Before you cancel your policy please note:
- You won’t have cover for any future trips you have already booked but not cancelled yet
- We will provide cover for COVID-19 if you booked your trip before your policy is due to renew (on or after 14 September 2020) but you may not be able to get all COVID-19 related claims covered after this
- Any credit note or voucher won’t be covered even if they go into administration
- You won’t be able to make a claim even if it was a trip before your cancellation date, so any pending claims you have with a trip provider or airline won’t be covered
Useful information
- Follow the current guidance for where you live (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). A travel restriction where you live may stop you from going on holiday.
- You should still avoid all non-essential travel unless this is to an FCDO exempt country. Check the latest list of countries you can travel to.
- Follow any government or local advice for each country or territory you plan to visit. Check the advice regularly before you book a new trip and while you’re travelling – the current restrictions and guidance may change.
- There may be entry restrictions, screening or quarantine requirements when you arrive for each country or territory you plan to visit. The travel advice pages will provide information, but if you need more detail, contact the UK based embassy of the country you’re travelling to.
- Some countries may require you to self-isolate when you return to the UK, so make sure you read the latest list.
- Before you return, you’ll need to provide your journey and contact details. There may be a government time restriction to complete this information. Here are the latest rules.