Coronavirus and your travel insurance

As long as you booked your trip in line with FCDO advice for your destination, you’ll be covered if you need to cancel due to not being fit to travel or if the FCDO advice about travel to your destination has changed.

Not being fit to travel includes if you're diagnosed as having COVID-19 by a GP.

If the reason for the change in advice is due to COVID-19 or another pandemic you will not be covered.

If the FCDO advice for your destination is for ‘essential travel only’ when you book your trip, give us a call and we may be able to agree cover. If we’re able to cover you, you’ll still need to follow any requirements needed to enter the country you’re visiting, and to return to the UK too.

For the latest updates and developments visit GOV.UK

You should consider buying travel insurance to cover the unexpected, even if you are holidaying in the UK. For pre-booked trips of 2 nights or more away from home, travel insurance will cover you for:

• Cancellation if you or your travelling companion becomes ill or injured and can’t travel including if diagnosed with COVID-19 by a GP and cannot travel.
• Transport costs to get you home or transferred by ambulance to a hospital near your home should you fall ill whilst away.
• Baggage claims – if you selected this cover.

Our pandemic exclusion means there is no cover for cancellations due to mass travel disruption as a result of a pandemic such as, but not limited to, COVID-19.

However there is cover for an individual that has either been tested positive either before or during their trip or required to isolate. See our dedicated page for full details of our pandemic cover.

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.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) provides advice for British travellers about foreign countries. In certain circumstances, the FCDO will advise against travelling to certain locations for safety reasons. These warnings may result from military action or a natural disaster, e.g. an erupting volcano.

Anyone can view the FCDO and Travel Aware websites.

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.

If you booked your trip when there were no travel restrictions but the FCDO advice has changed and now you can’t travel, you’re covered for cancellation unless the FCDO advice is due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other diseases classed as a pandemic.

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.

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?

UK staycations became very popular, so your travel insurance can cover you if you need to cancel a UK trip. This includes cancelling if you or a travelling companion were to be diagnosed by a GP with COVID-19.  As with all other trips, you should contact the provider you used to book your trip first, to see if you can get a refund or reschedule your trip. If you’re unable to resolve the issue with them, we’re here to help.

When can I make a claim?

Here’s a step by step guide for you:

1. Check the current FCDO advice, are they advising against travel or not allowing travel to your destination?
2. Did you book your holiday and get your travel insurance policy before the FCDO changed their advice to not travel
3. Contact your trip provider (airline, travel agents, tour operators and accommodation) for a refund
4. 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 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 know some tour operators and flight providers can take a while to process refund 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.