4 min read
9th March 2020

Cover4Travel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Customer Update

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virus researcher

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

I am sick with Covid-19. Am I covered to cancel my trip?

  • Coronavirus (Covid-19): Policies purchased from 00.01 on 1st June 2020 will not offer cover under any section of the policy for claims directly or indirectly relating to Covid-19, SARS-Cov-2, or any mutation of these.

Will my policy cover medical treatment abroad for Covid-19? And will repatriation be covered?

  • Coronavirus (Covid-19): Policies purchased from 00.01 on 1st June 2020 will not offer cover under any section of the policy for claims directly or indirectly relating to Covid-19, SARS-Cov-2, or any mutation of these.

Am I insured if I travel against the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFA) or local government?

  • None of the policies sold by Cover4insurance and underwritten by White Horse will provide cover if you decide to travel against the advice of the FCO, WHO, the DFA or other government authority. This would be for areas where there is a public notice advising against all travel or all but essential travel.
  • Some of the policies sold by Cover4insurance and underwritten by White Horse will provide protection under the Extended Cancellation section to cancel a trip where there is advice against all travel or all but essential travel.

If I am travelling and there is an outbreak of Covid-19 at my trip destination after I have arrived and there is a local government directive to this effect, can I claim back a new flight cost to return me to my country of residence earlier than I originally booked?

  • Some of the policies sold by Cover4insurance and underwritten by White Horse will provide cover under the Catastrophe Cover section of your policy. This section provides cover for irrecoverable travel or accommodation costs if you are forced to move from the pre-booked and prepaid accommodation, to enable you to continue with the trip, or if the trip cannot be continued, for you to return home. In this scenario, you should contact your airline and/or your accommodation provider in the first instance.

If I go out on an excursion for the day and then am not allowed back to my travel accommodation (or cruise ship) due to quarantine, what cover do I have?

  • You should follow any instructions issued by the local authorities.
  • You should contact your travel agent or tour operator for assistance in the first instance.
  • Check your policy cover in your travel insurance wording. Certain policies include Catastrophe Cover, however, there is limited cover under the catastrophe section, if applicable, to your individual policy contract.

If I am ill abroad with Covid-19 and cannot come home on my planned return date, will my travel insurance be extended to cover me until I can get home?

  • Depending on your policy, cover may be extended for the following reasons:
  • If you are hospitalised, require medical treatment and are unable to fly due to Covid-19, then your policy will be extended until you can get home.
  • Please contact our Emergency Assistance Service on +44 (0)1733 224 892 if you require medical treatment.

Can my policy be changed to suit a ‘new/different’ holiday or trip?

  • If you are offered an alternative destination and or dates from your travel agent, we are pleased to advise that we will shift your insurance policy to fit the new trip without any administration charges, providing the new trip is for the same duration and to the same location or geographical area. Please call Cover4insurance on 0161 772 3395.

Important:

  • Each travel insurance plan is unique, travel insurance policies have different terms and conditions regarding what is covered and what is not covered. Please review your travel insurance policy in detail to understand the cover and exclusions that may be applicable to your policy based on your cover and travel plans. In all scenarios, claims payment is subject to all policy terms and conditions being satisfied. Please ensure that you read and understand your policy wording. If you have any queries regarding your policy, please contact Cover4travel.com by telephone: +44 (0)161 772 3395 or by email: info@cover4insurance.com
  • The cancellation of a trip is usually not covered across the travel insurance industry. This is because most policies have specific reasons for cancellation and the “fear of an epidemic, pandemic, infection or allergic reaction” is not one of those reasons.
  • We would advise travellers who have booked package holidays to a destination affected by the viral outbreak and looking to cancel their trip or amend their travel plans to contact their travel agent or tour operator in the first instance.
  • If you are not able to amend your trip and have a medical justification for having to cancel, please contact our claims team on +44 (0)1733 224 845 who would be happy to discuss your situation on a case-by-case basis.
  • If you have purchased a single trip, annual multi-trip or longstay policy and you have chosen and paid for the optional ‘independent traveller’ cover and this is shown on your insurance certificate, cover is provided under the ‘extended cancellation & curtailment’ section for irrecoverable travel and accommodation costs if the FCO, WHO, the DFA or other government authority issue a directive prohibiting all travel or all but essential travel to a country or specific area that you were travelling to.
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