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COVID-19 Cover

Our travel policies include cover for any medical claim due to Coronavirus* while travelling. We include cover for cancellation due to you falling ill with Coronavirus and being unable to travel or being required to self-isolate, subject to medical certification or an official test result.

Your travel insurance policy covers you for travel to the countries shown on your certificate of insurance. If you travel to a country where the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) or other regulatory authority advise against travel, your cover may be reduced. Please click here for further information.

For the full limits of your policy, please refer to your certificate of insurance and the Policy Wording, which outlines the terms and conditions of your policy.

To view common scenarios to help you understand how your policy covers Coronavirus, click here.

*Coronavirus means COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) or other Pandemic Illness.

FCDO and Regulatory Advice

The cover under your policy may be reduced where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against either ‘all’ or ‘all but essential’ travel. You can view the current FCDO advice by clicking the following link: FCDO Advice.

Please note there is No Cover provided under your policy for travel to this country.

If your travel is ‘essential’, your policy will provide you with Full Cover.

If your travel is not ‘essential’, your policy will provide cover but exclude any claim arising either directly or indirectly from the reason the FCDO advice against travel is in place. For example, if your destination states ‘The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to … based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks, then your policy will provide full cover for any otherwise valid claim other than a claim caused either directly (e.g. you contracting COVID-19) or indirectly (e.g. your accommodation becoming unavailable due to COVID-19) by COVID-19.

To understand what is considered essential travel (and some examples of what is not), please click here.

You can travel to any destination listed on your certificate of insurance. The cover under your policy is not impacted by any colour the country’s given but the advice given by the FCDO. If you travel to a country where the FCDO or other regulatory authority advise against travel, your cover may be reduced.

You should familiarise yourself with the current regulatory advice for travel prior to your travelling (in particular, any requirements for testing and quarantine under the traffic light system). Please click here for more information from gov.uk.

We do not require you to be fully vaccinated to take out a policy with us. However, our policies don’t cover you if you fail to hold the relevant documentation required by the destination country or your airline (or other public transport you might use). For example, if your destination country requires you to be fully vaccinated to enter the country and you fail to provide the documents confirming your vaccination status and therefore cannot travel, there is no cover under your policy.

Essential Travel

If you travel to a country to which the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against ‘all but essential travel’, the cover under your policy is limited.

The FCDO have defined essential travel as follows:

“Whether travel is essential or not is your own decision. You may have urgent family or business commitments which you need to attend to. Only you can make an informed decision based on your own individual circumstances and the risks”.We understand that our customers may need further clarity, so we have outlined below the reasons which we would routinely consider to constitute essential travel.

If you travel to a country to which the FCDO advises against all but essential travel for one of the reasons listed below, you will have full cover under your policy:

Visiting Friends of Family – there are many reasons that you may feel it is essential to visit friends or family. Examples include childcare, health concerns, providing care etc.
Work and Education – examples include visiting an office, colleague or supplier. Attending a job interview or starting a new job. Attending an educational course or taking part in work experience.
Major Life Events – examples include attending Births, Adoptions, Weddings (and Civil Partnerships), Funerals.
Property & Legal – examples include visiting estate/letting agents, viewing properties, maintaining a property, moving house, fulfilling a legal obligation, participating in legal proceedings.
Medical – examples include attending medical consultations or appointments either for yourself or with friends or family.
Sports & Performing Arts – examples include structured training, taking part in events or competitions, performing at events.

Non-Essential Travel

If you travel to a country to which the FCDO advises against all but essential travel for one of the reasons listed below, you will not have any cover for a claim related either directly or indirectly to the reason the FCDO advice against travel is in place. For example, if the advice is in place due to COVID-19, then you will not have any cover for being unable to travel or becoming ill with COVID-19 but will have all other cover in place, e.g. becoming ill for other reasons, needing to claim for list baggage etc.

The following reasons are not considered essential travel:

Going on a Holiday
Going on a Gap Year

Not Sure?

If the reason you are travelling is not listed above and you believe the reason for your travel is essential, then please contact us. However, please note that it may take up to five-working days for a decision to be made.

Common Scenarios

Our travel policies include cover for any medical claim due to Coronavirus* while travelling. We include cover for cancellation due to you falling ill with Coronavirus and being unable to travel or being required to self-isolate, subject to medical certification or an official test result.

Our policies do not include cover for any cancellation due to government restriction on travel or the need to quarantine either at your destination or on return home due to Coronavirus or any future pandemic.

Below are the most common questions asked about how your policy covers you during a pandemic.

Any travel policy sold includes cover for any medical claim due to Coronavirus while travelling. Your policy is valid for travel to the countries shown on your certificate of insurance. If you travel to a country where the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) or other regulatory authority advises against travel, your cover may be reduced. You can click here for more information.

For the full limits of your policy, please refer to your certificate of insurance and the Policy Wording, which outlines the terms and conditions of your policy.

*Coronavius means COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) or other Pandemic Illness.

Cover Examples – Prior to Travel
You are covered for:

Covered as Standard

Conditions: Subject to medical certification / test result. No cover if symptoms or diagnosis occurred prior to your policy purchase.

Covered as Standard

Conditions: Subject to medical certification / test result or you being required to self-isolate by either Track and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 App. No cover if you were requested to isolate prior to your policy purchase.

Covered as Standard

Conditions: Subject to medical certification / test result.

Covered as Standard

Conditions: There is no cover under your policy for circumstances known to you at the point of purchase.

You are not covered for:

No Cover

Conditions: There is no cover under your policy for circumstances known to you at the point of purchase or to cancel the trip due to a pandemic.

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy does not cover cancellation due to a pandemic.

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy does not cover disinclination to travel for any reason (including lack of advertised facilities at your hotel or venue).

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy does not cover disinclination to travel.

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy does not cover disinclination to travel for any reason (including due to event cancellation).

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy does not cover disinclination to travel for any reason (including lack of advertised facilities at your hotel or venue).

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy only covers irrecoverable losses. Please note that in most cases you will have a legal right to a refund and should take the matter further with your provider.

No Cover

Conditions: This is not an insured peril under your policy.

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy does not cover any claim due to quarantine requirements at your destination.

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy does not cover any claim for supplier failure.

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy does not cover disinclination to travel for any reason (including due to a change of venue).

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy does not cover any claim for supplier failure.

Cover Examples – During Your Trip
You are covered for:

Covered as Standard

Conditions: No cover if symptoms or diagnosis occurred prior to your policy purchase.

Covered as Standard

Covered as Standard

Conditions: No cover if travelling against medical advice. Cover may be reduced if travelling against government or other regulatory authority (click here for more info).

Covered as Standard

Conditions: On the orders of a medical professional or public health board. No cover if travelling against medical advice. Cover may be reduced if travelling against government or other regulatory authority (click here for more info).

Covered as Standard

Conditions: No cover if your relative was already hospitalised before you left on your trip.

Covered as Standard

Conditions: On the orders of a medical professional or public health board. No cover if travelling against medical advice. Cover may be reduced if travelling against government or other regulatory authority (click here for more info).

You are not covered for:

No Cover

Conditions: Cover may be reduced or invalidated if you travel against FCDO or other regulatory authority advice (click here for more info).

No Cover

No Cover

Conditions: Your policy does not cover any claim for supplier failure.

*We will pay you up to the amount shown in the schedule of benefits for reasonable additional transport (for example, the cost to adjust your return flights) and/or accommodation expenses incurred, up to the standard of your original booking (for example, all inclusive, full or half board, bed and breakfast, self-catering or room only), if you are required to stay beyond your scheduled return date due to either medical necessity or you being required to self quarantine (on the orders of a medical professional or public health board).

Definitions: Close Relative means your mother, father, sister, brother, fiancé(e), grandparent, in-law, stepfamily, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, next of kin or guardian.

More help

If you have a specific scenario not listed above for which you would like clarification, please contact us.

COVID-19 Cover

FCDO and Regulatory Advice

The FCDO advises against ‘all travel’

The FCDO advises against ‘all but essential travel’

What is considered ‘essential’ travel?

Where can I travel?

Do I need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19?

Essential Travel

Non-Essential Travel

Not Sure?

Common Scenarios

Cover Examples – Prior to Travel You are covered for:

You fall ill with COVID-19 (or other Pandemic illness) at home and cannot travel

You or a household member has to self- isolate at home and cannot travel

You are due to stay with family. A family member who you are due to stay with has to self-isolate due to pandemic illness. You wish to cancel trip as you no longer have anywhere to stay.

You have been made redundant and cannot afford to travel anymore

You are not covered for:

Government or other regulatory authority restrictions due to a pandemic were already in place at time of purchasing insurance/booking holiday and restrictions remain in place at time of departure preventing you from travelling

Current government restrictions are removed but are later reinstated due to COVID-19 pandemic (or other Pandemic illness) and prevent you from travelling

No government restrictions are in place at time of purchasing insurance/booking holiday. A new pandemic is declared and government restrictions are put in place and prevent you from travelling.

Government restrictions are introduced due to a pandemic that do not restrict you from travelling to your destination but require you to be quarantined on return from your trip. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your holiday.

You are due to travel but hear that there are a number of cases of a pandemic illness near where you are staying. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your holiday.

You are or have recently been furloughed and no longer wish to travel

You booked your trip to attend a specific event (ie Wedding, Sporting Event, Trade Show) which has been cancelled. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your trip

You are due to travel and your hotel advises that certain facilities may now be restricted or closed during your stay. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your holiday.

Your holiday has been cancelled due to a pandemic and your provider is only offering you a voucher rather than a refund

You are due to travel but the country to which you are travelling have since introduced a quarantine period upon your arrival. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your holiday.

Your airline goes into administration due to the pandemic

You booked your flight and hotel separately. Your flight is proceeding as planned but your hotel has cancelled your booking, there are other hotels available but you do not wish to travel if you cannot stay at your originally planned hotel.

Your travel provider (other than an airline) goes into administration due to the pandemic

Cover Examples – During Your Trip You are covered for:

You have been denied boarding at the airport (or cruise terminal) due to detected symptoms of COVID-19

No travel restrictions exist at time of travel. During travel, travel restrictions are imposed due to a Pandemic illness but you are not required to return to your country of residence, you complete your trip as originally planned.

No travel restrictions exist at time of travel. During travel, travel restrictions are imposed asking you to return to your country of residence due to a Pandemic illness.

You fall ill with COVID-19 (or other Pandemic illness) abroad and need medical treatment abroad

You fall ill with COVID-19 (or other Pandemic illness) abroad and need to be repatriated to the UK

You fall ill with COVID-19 (or other Pandemic illness) abroad and you need to extend your stay as a result of Coronavirus incurring additional costs.

You show symptoms of COVID-19 whilst on your trip and must self-isolate in your accommodation. You would like to claim for any cancelled excursions.

You need to curtail your trip as a close relative has passed away from COVID-19

You are required to quarantine (placed in to compulsory quarantine) due to either testing positive or being a close contact of a person who tests positive for Covid-19 (or other Pandemic illness) abroad and you need to extend your stay as a result of Coronavirus incurring additional costs.

You are not covered for:

Government or other regulatory authority restrictions due to a pandemic were in place at time of departure and you travelled anyway. You need to make a claim under your policy (under any section).

No travel restrictions exist at time of travel. During travel, travel restrictions are imposed due to a Pandemic illness but you are not required to return to your country of residence, however, you will be required to quarantine on your return and you wish to return early.

Your airline goes into administration due to the pandemic

Your travel provider (other than an airline) goes into administration due to the pandemic

More help

Cover Examples – Prior to Travel
You are covered for:

Cover Examples – During Your Trip
You are covered for: