Before
you read on
Please
note, these FAQs have been collated specifically for customers who purchased
their policy BEFORE the change in FCDO advice. Travel insurance is
designed to cover the ‘unforeseen and unexpected’, so if you had purchased your
policy on or after 3rd March 2020, the point that the COVID-19
outbreak was widely known about, then you will be asked for some specific
evidence to prove that when you purchased your policy you had NO
intention or reasonably likelihood of claiming. To better understand the cover
offered by your policy, please check your policy wording. Please also check the ‘Our Cover for
Coronavirus’ section above.
Who
should you speak to first?
We have
provided more specific advice below, but in general, airlines, tour operators
and travel agents are coving costs associated with events that might lead the
cancellation or curtailment (cutting short) of your trip. This means you should
only be submitting claims to us after you have exhausted those options
first. You will be after by our claims team to provide proof that you have been
denied a refund from the transport and accommodation providers before they
consider your claim.
I am
looking to make a claim for Cancellation or Curtailment – please can you send
me a claim form?
Please be
aware that all of our claim form can be downloaded from our website.
Cancellation and Curtailment claims can now be submitted through our website.
We are currently unable to send these forms to you as we are prioritising the
safety of our team.
As general
advice, please be aware that if your trip is cancelled, rearranged or curtailed
as a result of COVID-19 and/or FCDO advice, then it is likely that your
transport and/or accommodation provider will be able to refund you. We will
only be considering claims where you have approached the appropriate provider
for either a refund, reimbursement or change in trip dates, prior to submitting
a claim to us. There are some details further down the page as to who you can
approach to support you before submitting a claim to us.
If after
approaching your accommodation and transport providers, you are still looking
to make a claim for cancellation or curtailment relating to COVID-19 or change
in FCDO advice, you can download the relevant claim forms here:
To start
your cancellation claims – Click Here
For a
Curtailment claim form – Click Here
Please
complete this form fully and send it back to us with all the supporting
documentation requested. Missing information could result in delays to the
assessment of your claim.
My flight
was cancelled by the airline – can I claim for this on my travel insurance
policy?
This is
something you would need to approach your airline about. If you had booked
accommodation separately, then you will need to approach the accommodation
provider to see what your options are. You may be able to include this in your
claim to the airline. If the airline will not accept the claim for the
accommodation costs then it may be that you bank or credit card provider can
support with this via Section 75 of the consumer credit act. Please contact
your credit or debit card company for details on the process. There are some
details further down the page as to who you can approach for help and support
before submitting a claim to us.
I had to
cancel due to local government restrictions at the location I was due to stay
before the FCDO advice against all but essential travel was announced
Unfortunately,
most travel insurance policies do not include this as a reason to
cancel. However, if your trip is no longer able to go ahead as originally
planned – i.e. excursion cancellations, restrictions on use of the facility
etc. then customer who have booked via a tour operator or travel agent, should
in most cases be able to claim a refund from their tour operator or travel
agent. Customer who booked accommodation and transport through separate
providers will need to approach their booking agents to see if they are able to
change dates or offer a refund.
I had a
claim declined previously as there was no FCDO restrictions in place, but now
there is – can you reassess my claim?
Unfortunately,
this is not an option, we can only assess claims based on facts and information
available that applied at the time of you cancelling the trip and submitting
the claim.
I am in
the military and my reporting office has strongly advised that I do no travel
to my trip destination due to COVID-19 – can I submit a claim for cancellation?
If HM armed
forces cover is specified in the cancellation section of your policy wording
and your leave orders have been cancelled then you can submit a claim for
cancellation. However, if your leave orders are not cancelled, then this would not
be covered by your travel insurance policy. We would recommend contacting
your reporting or commanding officer for advice as to how they can support you.
I am
over 70 years old and/or have ‘Chronic’ medical conditions and so under current
UK advice have been told not to travel – can I claim for cancellation?
Unfortunately,
this isn’t something that is covered by the travel insurance policy. This is
because there is protection provided for customers elsewhere. In most cases
this would be covered under the Package Travel Regulations. The current
position is that if passengers have a medical condition for which exposure to
COVID-19 is particularly dangerous, they should have the right to cancel their
package travel contract. This only applies if the risk of infection of COVID-19
at the travel destination or immediate vicinity is declared high by the
competent authorities. So please contact your booking agent, tour operator or
travel agent for further advice. Customer who booked accommodation and
transport through separate providers will need to approach their booking agents
to see if they are able to change dates or offer a refund.
My close
relative, who is not travelling with me, has COVID-19 – can I cancel and claim?
Cover for
this scenario will depend on the type of travel insurance policy you purchased.
To better understand the cover offered by your policy, please check the
cancellation section of your policy wording.
Will
I still be covered if I am on my cruise and the FCDO change their advice on
travel to a country I am due to travel to and the cruise ship has to go to a
different location outside of the geographical area covered by my policy?
Yes,
we would continue to cover you as normal, without charge and without the need
to contact us, as we understand that this is outside of your control and not an
intended change to your insurance demands and needs.
I
am on or going on a cruise and am confined to my cabin because of COVID-19,
even though I am not ill and do not need emergency medical treatment – can I
claim for cabin confinement?
If
you bought a policy that included cruise cover with a cabin confinement
section, if the circumstances of your confinement are included, then we will
consider claims under this section of the policy.
If
when I am on my cruise, they cannot stop at one of the scheduled ports due to COVID-19
– can I claim for missed port?
We’re
afraid missed port cover is usually only provided for missed port due to
adverse weather conditions or timetable restrictions. However, under Package Travel
Regulations because the cruise was not as ‘sold’ then it would be something you
can approach your booking agent to discuss reimbursement of those costs.
Will
you cover me if I have to cancel my trip because I am in quarantine/isolation
in the UK because of COVID-19?
For
all cases we would need confirmation that your trip was still going ahead as
planned and had not been rearranged or cancelled due to FCDO/COVID-19
advice/restrictions. Please be aware that different policies have different
terms and conditions so please check the cancellation section of your policy wording.
If
you are unfortunate enough to be diagnosed with COVID-19 after you bought your
insurance, then as long as the diagnosis was within a reasonable timeframe of
your trip starting (14 days) then we would consider this under cancellation due
to illness. You can submit a claim for cancellation and will be required to
evidence a positive COVID-19 result from a medical practitioner.
- Suspected,
but no confirmed diagnosis
We
are going to have to assess these claims on a case-by-case basis and with some
specific information from you. We are going to need evidence that you have
needed to seek medical advice/assistance. This may include phone records to
show the date/time you called 111 and/or your GP (this must be prior to you
contacting us).
Again,
these cases will be assessed by the claims team on a case-by-case basis. We
will need evidence that you are self-isolating, this may include a letter from
your employer and proof of SSP/sick pay.
I
have changed my flight arrangements to avoid being denied entry or quarantined
– can I claim for this?
We
would need to look at these claims on a case-by-case basis. In most cases
flight companies are assisting people with these arrangements with small if any
administration fees. Where they do charge you a fee your claim will be reviewed
in line with your policy wording, as long as the policy was bought before these
restrictions were being widely reported in the media.
My
doctor advised that I shouldn’t travel to my holiday destination due to my
existing medical problems – will I be covered?
If
you declared the conditions at the time of purchasing the policy, (which has to
be before the outbreak) then your claim will be considered if your conditions
are reliably reported as being ‘high risk’. If you did not declare them, you
would not be covered. We would also need confirmation that your trip was still
due to go ahead as planned.
I
have been offered/given a voucher by my travel agent but I just want the cash –
can I claim this from my travel insurance policy?
If you have been provided a voucher by your travel
agent/tour operator or transport/accommodation provider and you have accepted
this from them, you will not be able to make a claim under your travel
insurance policy.
If you do not wish to accept the offer of a voucher, you
should contact the tour operator/travel agent or transport/accommodation
provider and advise them that you want a refund rather than a voucher/credit
note.
Cancellation claims will only be considered if you have the
relevant cover under the cancellation section of your policy and you can
evidence to us that you have not accepted a voucher/credit note and/or one has
not been offered to you.