Before you read on
Please note, these FAQs have been collated specifically for customers who purchased their policy BEFORE the change in FCO advice. Travel insurance is designed to cover the ‘unforeseen’, 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 bought your policy you had no intention or reasonable likelihood of claiming. To 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?
There is more specific advice below, but in general, airlines, tour operators and travel agents are covering costs associated with events that might lead to the cancellation or curtailment (cutting short) of your trip. This means you should only be submitting a claim to us when you have exhausted those options first. You will be asked to provide proof that you have been denied a refund from the transport and accommodation providers.
I am looking to make a claim for Cancellation or Curtailment – please can you send me a claim form?
Please be aware that claim forms can be downloaded online and we are currently unable to email or post these to you, as we’re prioritising the safety of our team.
As general advice, please be aware that if your trip has been cancelled, rearranged or curtailed as a result of COVID19 and/or FCO advice, then it is likely that your transport and/or accommodation provider is going to 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 to 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 our team.
If after approaching your accommodation and transport providers, you are still looking to make a claim for cancellation or curtailment relating to COVID-19 of change in FCO advice, you can download the relevant claim forms here:
To start your cancellation claim – 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 insurance policy?
We are really sorry but this is something you would need to approach your airline for. 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 and if not then it may be that your bank or credit card company can support with this, via a section 75 claim. 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 to support you before submitting a claim to our team.
I had to cancel due to local government restrictions at the location I was due to stay before the FCO advice against all but essential travel.
Unfortunately, most 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, restriction on use of facility etc. then customers who have booked via a tour operator or travel agent, should in most cases be able to claim from their tour operator or travel agent. Customers 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 any refund.
I had a claim declined previously as there was no FCO restriction in place, but now there is – can you reassess the claim?
Unfortunately, we can only assess claims based on the facts and information available that applied at the time of you cancelling and then submitting the claim.
I am in the military and my reporting officer has strongly advised that I do not travel to my trip destination due to COVID-19 – can I submit a claim for cancellation?
If HM forces cover is specified in the cancellation section and your leave orders have been cancelled then you can make a claim. Unfortunately, if your leave orders are not cancelled, then this will not be covered by your travel insurance policy. We would recommend you contact your reporting or commanding officer for advice as to how they can support you.
I am over 70 and/or have ‘Chronic’ Medical conditions and so under current UK advice have been told not to travel – can I claim for cancellation?
We’re afraid that this isn’t something that is covered by the policy. This is because there is protection for customers elsewhere. In most cases this would relate back to the cover offered by 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 for further advice.
My close relative, who is not travelling with me, has Coronavirus – can I cancel and claim?
Cover is available on most policies for cancellation for this type of situation, there are a few things you’ll need to provide to support this and evidence that it was necessary for you to cancel (relative in a ‘high risk’ category and positive COVID19) as well as confirmation your trip was still going ahead.
The policy wording will define what we consider to be a close relative.
Will I still be covered if I am on my cruise and the FCO 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 the Coronavirus, 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 the Coronavirus – 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.
Will I still be covered if I am on my cruise and the FCO 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.
Will you cover me if I have to cancel my trip because I am in quarantine/isolation in the UK because of COVID19?
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 FCO/COVID19 advice/restrictions.
If you are unfortunate enough to suffer with COVID19 after you bought your insurance, then as long as the diagnosis was within a reasonable timeframe of your trip starting (30 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 COVID19 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.
