Will I be insured to travel abroad?

Some providers have restricted cancellation and travel disruption cover in policies bought after coronavirus was declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020. Some have also stopped offering cover for certain countries, including Italy, China, France and Spain. It’s likely that, going forward, different insurance providers will take different approaches – for example, medical cover may be still valid in some policies, but there may be restrictions regarding cancellation cover. What has the UK government said about travel? The government has shared general advice on preparing for foreign travel, advising the elderly and people with a history of health issues that they’re at an increased risk of infection and should not travel on cruises. If you’re planning on travelling, contact your insurance provider or check your insurance policy thoroughly to see how the virus could impact your cover and consult the latest coronavirus updates on the GOV.UK website. Currently, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all travel to Hubei Province, China, and against all but essential travel to the rest of mainland China. The FCO is advising against all but essential travel to Italy. They’re also advising against all travel to the cities of Daegu, Cheongdo and Gyeongsan in South Korea. In India, the north-eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Sikkim have banned entry for foreign nationals. Vietnam has declared that the visa waiver programme for British travellers has been suspended. Citizens from 15 countries, including the UK, are banned from entering the Czech Republic. UK citizens with permanent or temporary residency will be allowed to enter. People aged 70 or over, or who have underlying health conditions, are being advised not to go on cruises. Will my travel insurance cover me if I go to an affected region? If you buy your insurance policy after the FCO has advised against travel, then it’s likely that you won’t be covered. If you’ve already bought insurance and the FCO changes its advice, then you might be covered but you’ll need to check with your insurance provider. Get country-specific travel advice from the FCO. Provided you bought travel insurance before the FCO issued advice against travelling to your destination, then you’re likely to be covered for some costs if you have to cancel your trip, cut it short or rearrange it (in line with your policy wording). But if the FCO hasn’t advised against travel to a region and you decide not to go, your decision will be classed as “disinclination to travel” – this won’t be covered by travel insurance providers. If you’re concerned about travel to a country that the FCO hasn’t provided advice for, talk to your airline or travel agent about rescheduling your trip to a later date, particularly if you suffer from a pre-existing medical condition. However, if you change your dates and/or where you’re travelling to, then you must update your insurance policy accordingly. Can I add disruption cover to my existing policy? This will depend on the individual travel insurance provider. You’ll need to contact them to ask. What if my connecting flight goes through an affected region? If you’re catching a connecting flight in an affected region, it’s best to check the country-specific advice on this destination. FCO advice should be applied to all destinations you’re planning to visit or transit through.