With flights restarting and rumours of ‘air bridges’, 2020 summer holidays are looking more likely than they have in months. But will you be able to get insured? At the height of lockdown, more than 30 insurers stopped covering travel altogether. Many have since returned to the market. And recently, some have boasted that they can cover certain coronavirus-related claims.
First of all, it is important to note that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s current advice will invalidate many insurance policies unless you’re taking an ‘essential’ trip. Since 17 March, the FCO – which gives advice on which countries are safe to visit – has advised against ‘all but essential travel’ to any country outside of the UK. The advice is indefinite, meaning no one knows when it will change.
More details can be found here.
For as long as the FCO’s advice remains in place, many policies won’t cover you for anything if you choose to travel – from lost baggage to life-threatening injuries.
Therefore, it is essential that you check with your current travel insurers as to the cover they provide at the moment, or if you are considering purchasing travel insurance, that you are clear in what will/will not be covered.
Some Insurers will require you to inform them ahead of time what your trip is and why exactly it’s essential. In all cases, the insurer will have their own view of what ‘essential’ means – and it won’t necessarily align with yours.
For further advice on your travel insurance queries, please email us at sales@neilwillies.co.uk or call 01527 857611.