Your questions answered
Q What cover is available under my policy in relation to Coronavirus or FCO change in advice?
A For full details about our travel insurance policies and Coronavirus/Covid19 please see our dedicated page:
Information about Coronavirus/Covid19 >>
Q Is private medical treatment covered abroad?
A You should be aware that travel Insurance is not private medical insurance, in that it only covers unavoidable, unexpected emergency treatment. You are not covered for private medical treatment if there are medically capable public facilities available.
If you become unwell, or sustain a minor injury whilst abroad, you must call our 24/7 assistance team so that they can help you find appropriate treatment locally.
However, you should call the local emergency services immediately, 112 in Europe, 911 in the USA and Canada or the local equivalent to 999, if you have any symptoms that might require emergency treatment including, but not limited to, difficulty breathing, chest pain, seizure (fit) activity, decreased level of consciousness, heavy bleeding, sudden swelling of the face and lips, signs of a stroke or any other life-threatening condition. You must, in all cases call our 24/7 assistance team to authorise cover. Failure to do so may invalidate your claim.
Q Does being pregnant affect my travel insurance cover?
A We provide cover under this policy if something unexpected happens. In particular, we provide cover under the Emergency Medical and Repatriation Expenses section for accidental bodily injury or illness.
We don’t consider pregnancy or childbirth to be an illness or accidental bodily injury. To be clear, we only provide cover for Cancellation, Curtailment and Emergency Medical and Repatriation Expenses for claims that come from Complications of Pregnancy and Childbirth.
Complications of pregnancy and childbirth only includes the following:
Toxaemia (toxins in the blood), Bicornuate uterus, Gestational diabetes (diabetes arising as a result of pregnancy), Gestational hypertension (high blood pressure arising as a result of pregnancy), Pre-eclampsia (where you develop high blood pressure, carry abnormal fluid and have protein in your urine during the second half of pregnancy), Ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that develops outside of the uterus), Foetal Growth Retardation due to Placental Insufficiency, Molar pregnancy or hydatidiform mole (a pregnancy in which a tumour develops from the placental tissue), Post-partum haemorrhage (excessive bleeding following childbirth), Retained placenta membrane (part or all of the placenta is left behind in the uterus after delivery), Placental abruption (part or all of the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus), Hyperemesis gravidarum (excessive vomiting as a result of pregnancy), Obstetric cholestasis, Placenta praevia (when the placenta is in the lower part of the uterus and covers part or all of the cervix), Stillbirth, Miscarriage, Emergency Caesarean section, A termination needed for medical reasons, or Premature birth more than 8 weeks (or 16 weeks if you know you are having more than one baby) before the expected delivery date.
We will not cover denial of boarding by your carrier, so you should check that you will be able to travel with the carrier/airline in advance. If at the time of booking your trip you are aware that you are pregnant, you must ensure that you are able to have the recommended vaccinations and inoculations by the UK government for that trip; no cover will be provided for cancellation in the event that, after booking you discover travel is advised against, or you are unable to receive the appropriate and recommended vaccinations and inoculations for that country.
Please make sure your Medical Practitioner and Midwife are aware of your travel plans, and that there are no known complications and you are fit to undertake the planned trip
Q Do you have any age limits?
A yes, we can offer single trip insurance to travellers aged up to 85 and annual travel insurance to travellers aged up to 75
Q Are there any medical conditions you can't cover?
A we can cover virtually most diagnosed medical conditions, we cannot cover you if you are awaiting investigation to determine what condition you have - it must have been diagnosed for us to insure you.
Q I didn't receive my documentation from you!
A this sometimes happens as our email to you may be sent to a 'junk' folder within your email providers settings. All our documentation is sent by email very quickly after you buy from us. Please check your junk files before contacting us, and ensure you enter your email address correctly!
Q Why does my policy cost more than my holiday!?
A We're not insuring the holiday (other than for cancellation), we're insuring YOU, and the medical bills you may incur while you are away
Q Are gadgets such as mobile phones or tablets covered?
A The insurance does not cover gadgets such as tablets or mobile phones as standard. You will need to purchase the ‘Phones, Tablets & Other Gadgets’ extension to cover you up to £1,000 for damage, loss or theft of gadgets like these (terms and conditions apply see the full extension wording for details).
Q What if my trip is cancelled by my travel provider?
A There is no cover under the policy to make a claim if your trip is cancelled or postponed by your travel provider. In this situation you should contact your travel provider, please see the further information below about your legal rights if you have had a package holiday or a flight cancelled.
Cancellation of Package Holiday Arrangements: If you booked via a travel agent or tour operator or have booked more than one element including a flight from the same provider, then the trip is considered as packaged and package travel regulations apply. You should contact your travel provider about a obtaining a refund or an alternative trip.
Further information:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/regulation/1/made
https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/package-travel-regulations
https://www.abtot.com/regulation/civil-aviation-authority-caa-atol
Cancellation of Flights and Air Passenger Rights: Flight cancellations by the airline need to be claimed directly from them and are not covered by travel insurance. Flight companies are regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority. If your flight operator cancels or can’t fulfil your flight then there is protection available under something called the ‘Montreal Convention’. All around the world, passenger rights for international flights are protected under the Montreal Convention. Essentially, this piece of law states that the airline is responsible for you if your flight is cancelled and/or you are left stranded at an airport waiting for a flight. These measures of care include: Meals and refreshments, Communication to the outside world (two occasions), Hotel accommodations when necessary, Rerouting to your final destination. In countries like Canada, Israel and the Member States of the European Union, your rights are protected even further. Like any piece of law, it is complicated and not that easy to read! But below is a link and if you google CAA and Montreal Convention then you will find some useful information online that may help you.
https://www.caa.co.uk/Passengers/Resolving-travel-problems/How-the-CAA-can-help/Consumer-protection-law/.
