Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can cover for a variety of different incidents, from lost luggage to sickness or injury. However, many people still travel without it, leaving themselves at risk of great expense should something go wrong. This guide looks at what travel insurance is and whether you need it.

Travel insurance is a policy specifically designed to provide holidaymakers or travellers financial protection for unexpected expenses and losses, that arise out of their travel needs. Most common covers are medical emergencies, cancellations, travel delay and loss of personal possessions and baggage. It can also be extended to provide protection for additional sports and activities or even to cover pre-existing medical conditions.

Travel insurance is not a legal requirement like car insurance, but without it you are at risk of incurring huge costs should something happen when you’re away. According to a recent study by ABTA, 40% of British holidaymakers travel with the wrong cover and 22% travel without any insurance at all. Due to the costs involved most travel companies now require proof of travel insurance, prior to completing a booking or issuing travel documents.

The average cost of a travel insurance claim is more than £1000, and is significantly more if it involves medical treatment or repatriation (returning you home).

Travel insurance is often seen as an added expense to travel arrangements and one that you never think you will need. However, without it and something does go wrong, especially if it involves medical treatment, you could be faced with having to pay a great deal of money, before treatment or assistance is provided.

There are many stories in the media of such situations having happened and the difficulties faced by either the individual involved or their families back home. Having travel insurance in place when you travel abroad should be always be considered a crucial part of organising any trip.

There are a variety of travel insurance policies available and the cover you need will depend on your holiday type and requirements.

Single trip travel insurance

This cover will provide protection for a one-off break, whether that is a weekend away or a world tour of up to 365 consecutive days. The cost of this type of policy will depend on the length of your trip, the level of protection you require and the places you are travelling to. It is important that you discuss this with your adviser to ensure that you have the right level of cover.

Annual multi trip cover

Annual travel insurance cover typically provides protection for multiple trips of up to 31 consecutive days during the policy term. The level of cover for an annual policy can differ to a single trip policy so it is important that you are aware of any exclusions in your policy.

Travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions

Some travel insurance policies may not cover for pre-existing conditions and will require you to disclose any injuries or illnesses you already have before leaving. However, there are policies available which are designed to cover pre-existing conditions so that you can feel confident that you are protected.

This will be assessed on a case by case basis. The medical screening experts will ask you several questions relating to your health condition and this will determine whether we are able to offer you cover. Please be reassured, everything you tell the team is treated with the utmost confidentiality and your details will not be shared with anyone outside of the organisation. 

You'll need to notify the airline within 24 hours and obtain a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) or its equivalent. Keep hold of your tickets and any luggage tags too. Following a delay of at least 12-hours, if you have needed to purchase essential items, please retain all receipts to help substantiate reimbursement.

Limits range between £200 to £500 and are dependent on cover levels. Tablets are covered on the Premier/Premier Plus products.

Please contact the appropriate claim details above.

Please contact Sykes Cottages directly or check their website for further instructions.

Please contact Holiday Cottages directly or check their website for further instructions.

Travel insurance covers non-refundable cancellation costs in specific circumstances, as long as you are travelling to a region where the virus has had a significant outbreak and that the UK government therefore advises against travelling to. Check your travel insurance policy for the scope of cover.

However, if you cancel your trip because of your own concern about coronavirus, but you are not travelling to a region which the UK government has advised specifically against travelling to, your travel insurance will not cover the cost.

If you buy Towergate travel insurance online or by phone through towergateinsurance.co.uk and towergatetravel.com, these are the things that are covered and not covered.

Coronavirus circumstances covered

• If you fall ill with Covid-19 abroad and need medical treatment
• If you fall ill with Covid-19 at home and cannot travel
• If you or a household member have to self isolate at home and cannot travel due to Covid-19
• If you have been denied boarding at the airport due to detected symptoms of Covid-19
• If no government restrictions are in place at time of purchasing your insurance/booking your holiday, but then you are made redundant, cannot cover the cost of your holiday and have to cancel the trip 
• If you are due to stay with your family, and a family member you are due to stay with has to self isolate due to Covid-19  and you wish to cancel the trip as you no longer have anywhere to stay
• If no travel restrictions exist at time of purchasing your insurance / booking your holiday / your time of travel, but during your travel, travel restrictions are imposed asking people to return to their country of residence due to Covid-19

Coronavirus circumstances NOT covered

• Where you cannot travel or choose not to travel because the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (or any other equivalent government body in another country) advises against travel due to a pandemic.
• Where you cancel your trip and the reason for cancelling is not listed in the ‘what is covered’ section, including but not limited to an event you were due to travel to being cancelled, or your change in desire to travel.

You will continue to benefit from all the remaining policies within your policy including:

• Emergency medical costs cover
• Cancellation cover (excluding Covid-19 coronavirus)
• Baggage and personal money cover
• Disruption to travel

If you are planning to travel outside the UK you should check and follow the foreign travel advice on gov.uk. If you travel to a holiday resort or region that has been designated as a risk, and to which the UK government therefore advises you not to travel, you are likely to invalidate your travel insurance and you would not be covered if you fall ill with Covid-19.

Under the July 2018 Package Travel Directive, travel firms offering package holidays are legally responsible to provide either an alternative holiday / destination, defer or change travel dates or offer a 100% refund if they have to cancel or cannot provide travel service due to Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advice / travel restrictions.

You will therefore should not suffer any financial loss if you have purchased a package holiday to somewhere which has been placed under UK government restrictions due to coronavirus, and should contact your tour operator / travel agent in the first instance.