A travel insurance provider that covers Coronavirus cancellations?

[partygamer]

I know that most travel insurance isn’t really worth the paper it’s printed on due to so many exclusions.

We have a European short break booked in April.

Is there any point in buying travel insurance now in case the country/area is quarantined (and if so who with)?

Or shall I just buy insurance the day before again like usual?!

I was just looking at travel insurance for the same thing!

Or shall I just buy insurance the day before again like usual

Wherever you buy it, you need to buy it now, not the day before your holiday, in case you become ill/injured, there is a death in the family or any other reason that would cause you to cancel your holiday if you want to be covered for cancellation generally.

As far as corona is concerned, this statement by the Association of British Insurers seems to be indicating that you should look for cover that includes advice being given not to travel by the FCO, and again, the sooner you buy your insurance, the more likely you will be covered.

If the situation escalates and the FCO advise against travel to your destination before you buy your policy, you won't be covered for cancellation.

Can anyone recommend any companies?

Following with interest. We have a trip to Italy booked for the Easter holidays. Do you think we are likely to have to cancel?

Watching with interest. My flight insurance to Italy doesnt cover pandemics or lockdowns🤔

Look for a cancel for any reason rider, but I think it only covers up to 75% of the trip cost.

Never wait to buy travel insurance until the day before unless your flights and accommodation are completely cancellable. The instant you book anything non-refundable then your immediate next move should be to buy the travel insurance for the trip.

Most travel insurance will cover you for cancellation if Foreign Office advises against travel. Money Saving Expert gives a decent guide to reliable providers.

I have InsureandGo. Pandemics are covered. I called them up on Sunday as I’m traveling to Japan in April and wondered if I’d be covered in the event of cancellation. I will be foverwdnif FCO says non-essential travel forbidden. I will also be covered if the threat level is increased whilst out there and need to cut short the trip. I will not be covered if I decide not to travel out of fear.

I use Insure & Go. DD booked an Interrail trip around Europe in the summer over the weekend. Their policy covers things like missed destinations & significant delays.

As PPs have said, you should arrange travel insurance as soon as you book something that cant be cancelled for free. But at least youre sorting it before you go.

I look for an insurance policy with a five star Defaqto rating:
www.defaqto.com/defaqto-star-ratings/?id=53081

So does anyone know any companies that provide 'cancel for any reason' insurance? I haven't been able to find one except USA based which I don't think I can get.

Why would you only buy travel insurance the day before? What are you covering yourself for?

I just checked the T&C's of my Travel Pack from Barclays Bank and it covers FCO advice and lockdowns/quarantine.

May help if you bank with them.

@ineedaholidaynow

I'm generally healthy so I'm happy to 'self-insure' against the tiny risk of me falling so ill that I can't make the flight before I go.

I think the whole insurance industry is a racket. So I tend to buy insurance on the way to the airport, and hope it covers baggage and flight cancellation without any weasly exceptions in the Ts&Cs!

Three of my colleagues were booked to go on work trips to various Italian cities (not even in the quarantine zone) and the news came through today that the events have all been cancelled. I'd certainly be looking at getting insurance if you haven't done so already, and I say that as someone who notoriously buys insurance the week before we fly!

It's strange to buy insurance at the last minute, hope it covers you and then say insurance is a racket. You'll be paying for a policy but not using the cancellation element and potentially leaving yourself unable to claim due to exclusions. Surely a well researched policy bought at the time of booking offers the best value for money. Your current way gives the insurance company less risk for the same profit.

You should ALWAYS buy travel insurance when you book the holiday, otherwise if something happens then its tough luck and not the holiday providers issue to refund you. I found this out the hard way when a family member got very ill 3 weeks prior to us going away and we lost a lot of money

I’m with AlunWyn. Self-insuring for a sum you can afford to lose without disaster is often sensible, but not when the cover is literally free.

If you buy insurance on the way to the airport you’ll pay thirty quid and you’ll get cover for medical expenses or other disasters while you’re on holiday and also any delays to your journey home.
If you book a holiday and then buy insurance immediately you’ll pay thirty quid, get the same cover as above and also get your money back if you break your leg and can’t travel, have to attend your father’s surprise funeral, get snowed in and can’t reach the airport, or have the Foreign Office tell you not to travel. They may not be high probabilities but they’re worth covering if you’re spending the thirty quid anyway.

Most insurance won't cover you for anything that you already knew about, so even if you booked travel insurance today, it wouldn't cover you for loss resulting from this coronavirus outbreak.

I called mine today and they confirmed I would be covered for any cancellations/quarantine as I purchased the policy when I booked my trip in July last year, way before coronavirus became an issue.

Had I taken out the policy today, it wouldn't cover me as I would already be aware of the issue.

Totally pointless taking out policies now!

Travel insurance is a necessity, not optional and should be booked when you book the holiday as you never know what can happen. Cancellations for Coronavirus are depending on the cover and fco advice. But if you were to get it or anything else on holiday I would much rather have my insurance covering the medical costs than me.

You mean you've never sprained or broken an ankle? Never had the flu? Never had a relative die? Never been in a traffic accident? And neither has anybody you were going with? Never, ever been made redundant?

a) I don't believe you if you say you and your partner/DH/DC haven't.

b) That means you've all been so very, very lucky - it's unlikely to last forever. What with people not being, you know - immortal - and not being in an accident depends purely upon every other driver being perfect, never, ever slipping or stumbling, never spilling anything, never tripping over, never doing anything that could result in an injury, like, well - living.

I've just bought mine now! I don't go till July.

You're meant to buy the insurance the day you book the trip.

That's the whole point of cancellation cover.

People who travel without insurance are foolish, in my view.

Life is what happens, even in a foreign country.

I travel a lot and have a yearly cover, costs me just over 6 euros a month.

Why would you leave it to your family/loved ones to have to sort out and get into financial problems for it....? Never mind the stress of it all while shit hits the fan....

I'm also supposed to travel to Italy at Easter and have had travel insurance since last year (annual policy) but it looks as if the current outbreak isn't covered, whether or not the FCO advise against travel.