Government booster policy invalidating travel insurance. AIBU?

[FluffyCushion123]

I was hesitant and worried about getting my Covid vaccinations. I had my second in September and felt lethargic for a whole month afterwards.

I’m now going to have to get a third vaccine earlier than the much of the population as the government have just reduced the recommended time between second vaccine and boosters.

If not, I will be uninsured for travel.

Looking past my own annoyance and looking at the bigger picture for travel in Covid times, AIBU to think that this sudden small changes in government policy should not indirectly invalidate travel insurance.

I think it’s ridiculous that travel uk insurance policies with Covid cover are now effectively only valid for three months after the second vaccine.

This is completely at odds with how even the strictest countries in Europe view people’s vaccination status (eg Austria considers people fully vaccinated until nearly 9months after the second vaccine).

AIBU to think that it’s unfair that a minor change in government policy is going to invalidate many people’s travel insurance and thereby effectively make the UK’s travel restrictions unnecessarily strict (as an unintended consequence of government policy)?

There will be huge numbers of travellers caught out by this, I suspect.

And yes, I do know about the new variant and that no travel is certain during a pandemic. My point is that travel restrictions should be as a result of clear travel related policy and not the unintended consequence of other policies.

AIBU?

I should have said that I have a holiday booked four months post second vaccine which is now affected

It’s down to the travel insurer not the government.

Insurance companies base their conditions on risk. I.e. the least amount of risk possible. As such, now there is a new variant and the booster campaign is being stepped up, the insurers consider it too high a risk to insure travellers who have not had booster vaccinations as well as the first two doses.

This isn’t the governmet’s fault.

@HeartsAndClubsYes but I’ve looked into a lot of Covid cover and they seem to all offer cover based on having all ‘recommended vaccines’ which is totally dependent on changing uk policy.

So you expect the government to consider people’s travel insurance when making policy?

If you want to be covered, get the recommended vaccines. I don’t see what the issue is.

That’s just life unfortunately. They have likely set up the policies that way so that if the travel restrictions change or further vaccination is required they can amend quickly. It’s likely in the terms of the policy that cover is subject to change in the event of new variants/new travel/vaccine advice including that in other countries.

Chances are that if a different country changed its policies your policy would be invalidated as well. The only way to really be sure that you’re not going to be out of pocket at this point is to not travel. It’s just too much of an uncertainty at this point.

Can you get a refund on your travel costs?

@FluffyCushion123

I should have said that I have a holiday booked four months post second vaccine which is now affected

I don't understand why it's affected. Surely just get the booster 3 months after your second and it doesn't impact your holiday at all?

@RoomOfRequirement because I had no energy for a month after my second vaccine and the overseas trip is to do sport, hence my reluctance to get another one especially at that time.

It's a consequence of Brexit that this government make it up as they go along, now they don't have to align with the EU . . .

Can unvax get travel insurance then? If it voids if if you’ve only had 2?

@Arabelladrinkstea no I don’t think you can get any Covid cover if you’re not vaccinated. You can still have travel insurance but with Covid related exclusions.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to mislead…the whole policy isn’t voided but you’d have no cover at all in the most important area (Covid).

It's a consequence of Brexit that this government make it up as they go along, now they don't have to align with the EU . . . When it comes to vaccinations I’m quite happy not to be aligned with the EU ta very much.

In fact the way the EU handled the vaccination scheme has made me rethink my view of Brexit.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to mislead…the whole policy isn’t voided but you’d have no cover at all in the most important area (Covid). well that’s fair enough. Not fully vaccinated/given a booster against COVID especially now that there is an unknown variant out there it’s perfectly reasonable for insurers to not want to give cover for that.

It comes down to choices. You’re choosing not to have a booster jab, and therefore by default you are choosing to not be covered for COVID on your travel insurance.

I felt completely fine after my booster. I was surprised. But honestly fine, sore arm that's all.

@FluffyCushion123

Sorry, I didn’t mean to mislead…the whole policy isn’t voided but you’d have no cover at all in the most important area (Covid).

If you’re going on a sport holiday (skiing?) the covid cover is absolutely not the most important part of it!

The most important part is covering you in the even of a serious accident or injury, making sure hospital bills and potential medevacs are covered

Second to that, covering lost bags and missed flights are probably quite important

The chances of a triple jabbed person who is well enough to go on a sports holiday becoming very ill from covid is vanishingly small
The worst is that you’ll catch it and face quarantine costs

Chill out…

@SW1amp it’s the most important part of the cover in terms of cancellation cover. That’s what I meant. Not the most important part of cover once in resort, as you rightly say!
I’m never going to ‘chill out’ about something that would cost me a couple of thousand £ in the event of being contacted track and trace.

I think the insurance is right, then. If people choose not to follow vaccine guidance that's fine but they surely can't expect someone else - the insurance company in this instance - to pay thousands of dollars for their choice?

[quote FluffyCushion123]@SW1amp it’s the most important part of the cover in terms of cancellation cover. That’s what I meant. Not the most important part of cover once in resort, as you rightly say!
I’m never going to ‘chill out’ about something that would cost me a couple of thousand £ in the event of being contacted track and trace.[/quote]
Then do what everyone else is doing and isolate as much as you can for the 10 days before departure

All the friends of ours who are planning to go away over Christmas are taking their kids out of school early, turning down parties etc and minimising contacts so they don’t get pinged or infected before they go

We will do the same before our ski trip

And we will make sure we are able to travel back at short notice if any new quarantines are announced

Insurance isn’t a substitute for common sense, nor can it be expected to cover all eventualities or make travel into a 2019 experience

You have to think a bit laterally and expect covid cover to be withdrawn or amended at a moments notice. That’s just the world we live in atm

Hmm but how does that work in practise. Because say dp is 40+ but not quite 5m yet so cant book. But by that time all under 40 would release at the same time so doubt there will be appts.. For eg mine is nearly xmas around 19th so ive gone 8d over the 6m.
I think this is an issue going forward in that often couples are different ages then theres the kids. If say need vax 6monthly out of even 4 vaxable people it would be all over the place. Then gov release say under 50s very randomly like this. Even minor stuff like no vax centres in the village and some dont drive. Weve already driven 4 times for 20 min to an hour each way. Min 160 min in the car.
A lot of people have relatives abroad so might have to travel pretty suddenly. So i couldnt now travel p robably till 2w after 19th. Then dp until maybe jan.

@RoomOfRequirement your post makes no sense. They’d only have to pay out for cancellation if I do get the vaccine so actually me following the guidelines would potentially cost the insurance company more due to the change in test and trace rules.

@SW1amp try isolating beforehand with two older teenage DC! Dh and I very happy to do that though.

I know that realistically I’m going to have to such this up and decide whether I’m going to risk further lethargy with the the jab. I’m already struggling with peri menopause as it is and it’s made things much worse.

I think @HSHorror gets my point about indirect unintended consequences that could affect individuals at the last minute. On a positive note, I think you would have to actively turn down an offer of a vaccine appointment in order to have your insurance affected. (I have done this due to work issues when I simply couldn’t afford to be off with side affects at a given point).

*suck this up - not such

[quote FluffyCushion123]@RoomOfRequirement your post makes no sense. They’d only have to pay out for cancellation if I do get the vaccine so actually me following the guidelines would potentially cost the insurance company more due to the change in test and trace rules.[/quote]
What? If your fully vaccinated you don't have to isolate if Test and Trace say you're a contact. How does getting the booster suddenly mean you will have to cancel?

@RoomOfRequirement have you not heard about the change in rules…compulsory isolation for all if the new variant is involved??

I'm not aware of policies making it a requirement that you've have jabs, I've been away quite a lot during the pandemic and not seen that as a requirement.

I have seen recently that they now say you need to declare a positive covid test within previous 12 months as a pre-existing condition. Not sure what that actually means from an additional risk perspective as once someone has covid, they have some level immunity for a while as I understand it.