Now more than ever, Travel Insurance is an absolute must-have. Everyone has different requirements when travelling, that’s why you need the best policy which will depend on your trip, areas covered, country, type of travel, time of travel etc. If you’re travelling independently, be sure to look at ‘travel disruption cover’.
What should I look for now in 2021 regarding travel policies?
Obviously, insurers are pretty particular and wary at the moment in case you catch Covid -19 abroad or you claim due to cancellations pertaining to the Virus. Therefore all insurers have added restrictions and exclusions into their policy so you need to check exactly what is covered and make sure you understand the limitations.
How far does travel insurance cover coronavirus cancellations?
If you already have travel insurance it will normally cover your cancellation costs if you, or one of your travelling companions, falls ill before departure and can’t travel – though you will need a medical report from your doctor to confirm this. Some policies – though not many – cover losses incurred if you have booked independently and have to cancel. Look for ‘travel disruption cover’ or ‘journey disruption cover’ in the policy details, which may or may not include disruption due to epidemics. If you are forced to quarantine in a hotel after visiting a red list country, this is unlikely to be covered by any insurance companies. If you are simply nervous of travelling and want to cancel – which is known as ‘disinclination to travel’ in the insurance industry – no policy will cover you.
Is there any value to travel insurance during the Covid Pandemic?
The answer is yes, absolutely. The key value of travel insurance is the medical cover it offers while you are travelling. This will underwrite the cost of treatment and if necessary a hospital stay if you fall ill on holiday. But whether or not you are covered for accommodation costs if you are diagnosed with Covid-19 and have to enter self-isolation or quarantine while you are abroad varied by policy.