Are you ready to dust off your passport?

Do you know where you can travel at the moment? Are you planning a trip abroad? The road map to future holidays isn’t overly clear and there are still uncertainties about where you can travel safely. Before you even consider dusting off your passport and packing your suitcase, have you got the right travel insurance in place?

Foreign holidays were supposed to be allowed from Monday 17th May but where UK citizens can actually travel at the moment has caused so much confusion with mixed messaging distributed by the PM¹ and various MPs. As your insurance broker we are pleased to be able to provide some clarity, as things currently stand, on the travel questions you are likely to have:

Where can I travel?

The government has introduced a traffic light system², with green being deemed as a destination without any quarantine rules on your return to the UK. Amber and red countries require an element of self-isolation, be it at home or at a hotel on arrival.

Green is deemed as a destination without any quarantine rules on your return to the UK and seen as an acceptable location for UK holiday makers to travel. When it comes to Amber and Red countries however, the official guidance has been hard for law-abiding people to follow. One major confusion is the term ‘all but essential travel’, how do you know what is deemed as essential? According to Boris, holidays do not fall within this category, a view shared by many travel insurers. The advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office concurs with this, stating that Brits should not travel to Amber or Red list countries. For further information, and other traffic light queries, our suggestion is to visit the gov.uk site for the latest advice, ensuring to check the page for the specific country you are hoping to visit. And of course, when it comes to booking your holiday, speak with us for the latest insurance cover and guidance.

It is important to be aware that insurers are unlikely to cover you at all if you book a trip; or travel to a country or area against the advice of the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (or any other equivalent regulatory body). Travel insurance policies will typically include a clause that excludes all cover if you travel against the advice of the FCDO, regardless of the reason for your claim; for example, if you chose to travel to a country (not on the green list) your medical costs will not be covered regardless of whether you break a leg or catch Covid.

I haven’t had a Covid vaccination/I’m still waiting for my second jab; can I travel abroad?

Entry into a particular country will depend on the rules each individual country has deemed acceptable. And remember, these rules can change on a daily basis – so please do your research!

Some countries are accepting the ‘NHS COVID Pass’. It demonstrates that you have had a full course of the COVID-19 vaccine. However, this unfortunately doesn’t guarantee an opening of the doors to that holiday destination for you! It is likely that in addition to your NHS COVID Pass you will need to follow additional rules when travelling abroad. For example, you may still be required to show other proof like a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result and/or isolate on arrival³.

For those of you who haven’t been vaccinated or have only had one vaccination then you should continue to follow the entry requirements of the country you are travelling to, such as proof of a negative COVID-19 test on arrival. You should of course carefully research the requirements of your destination country before travelling. Further details on entry requirements can be found on the GOV.UK foreign travel advice pages and on the websites of your destination country.

As we all know, advice can change overnight so it is always advisable to check the government website and speak to your travel agent as well as your insurance provider for the latest guidance.

It is also worth remembering that you will not be covered if you book a trip or travel to a country or area against the advice of the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office⁴ (or any other equivalent regulatory body). Cover for cancellation costs and travel disruption due to COVID-19 and other catastrophes is not included if you are travelling to a destination against advice from the FCO or any other equivalent government body.

What happens if I catch Covid whilst I’m abroad?

Depending on the level of insurance you take out, you may be able to cover all of your medical expenses and treatment in the instance that you are hospitalised with Coronavirus whilst abroad. Call our team to chat through varying options/levels of insurance open to you.

What if I have to cancel my trip?

Cover for ‘cancellation’ is normally a standard feature within a travel policy, but whether you are covered or not will depend on your reason for cancellation. For example, being unable to travel due to ‘accidental injury’ is typically insured, but cancellation due to COVID-19, (particularly if it’s the result of the FCDO advising against travel), may not be. It is important you understand the terms of your specific policy before committing to a booking

Having been unable to travel for so long, you may be splashing out on a more luxurious or exotic holiday, or you may find that the cost of the trip you had been planning last year is now more expensive. Either way, it is important that you check the ‘limit of cover per person for cancellation’ is sufficient for your booking.

There are so many potential travel insurance policies out there. Why should I use Lloyd & Whyte for my forthcoming holiday?

If you’re reading this article, then you’ll know that we are already acquainted, and you are likely to have other insurance policies with us! You’ll know that you have a direct line to your dedicated advisor without any automated phone systems: if you make a call to Lloyd & Whyte it will be answered by a real person straight away.

We will always offer you a completely personalised service and endeavour to match your insurance needs with a bespoke, tailormade policy just for you. Have the peace of mind that even when you are on holiday abroad, your medical care can be covered.