Coronavirus – how will it affect your Trip?

Do your homework – It is a fast moving situation so make an informed decision about your actions - especially if you may have a compromised immune system, are an older traveller/or travelling with older family members whose health may be more vulnerable, or you have a pre-existing medical condition; speak to your travel providers; check your insurance cover and stay abreast of FCDO and local Government advice and we strongly advise that you comply with it.

Check your local Government Authorities advice and for UK residents, the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/travel-abroad and the World Health Organisation (WHO) https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 advice before you book your travel destination.

If you have already booked we still recommend you check these websites regularly for updates in case the advice changes or restrictions are imposed for the area you are travelling to or from.

You will not be covered for any COVID related claim if you travel to a destination which your local Government has a COVID related travel restriction in place at the time of booking, or travel. If your local government or the FCDO advises against all but essential travel but you still think your trip is essential, please email us at globelink@globelink.co.uk or globelink@globelink.eu for EU customers and we will advise you if we can provide you with insurance.

The FCDO website suggests you check the TravelHealthPro website for advice for travellers on preparing for a trip and reducing risk of exposure to coronavirus.

This insurance is for unforeseen events, so you will not be covered if your trip is cancelled due to government Covid-19 lockdowns / or travel restriction. We provide Cancellation cover for your own personal medical circumstances (illness or accident - including Covid-19). You are covered for irrecoverable travel costs, pre-booked excursions, and other pre-paid charges if you must Cancel your trip due to you, or someone you’re due to travel with, or stay with contracting COVID-19 within 14 days before you travel. Like most other travel insurance, there is no cover for Government imposed area lockdowns. You are covered for the following specified Cancellation / Curtailment reasons:

1. Death, injury, illness, of yourself, travel companion, anyone you’re due to stay with, close relative, close business associate Including COVID.
2. You are called as a Court witness, or jury service.
3. Redundancy
4. Cancelled leave by Armed Forces, TA, Police, Fire, Nursing or Ambulance Services.
5. Police or other authorities need you home due to serious damage to your home
6. Your compulsory quarantine for +24hrs by a doctor (excludes Government area restrictions).
7. Failed COVID-19 test or temperature test at your departure point and not permitted to continue trip.

The airline must fully refund your flight costs or re-arrange your tickets at the earliest opportunity, or when it is convenient to you. Many airlines have adapted their usual policy and charges to assist passengers..

If your travel provider does not co-operate, you can also approach your credit card company for them to arrange a refund instead, if you are in the UK, section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act of 1974 provides legal protection.

If you are stuck away from home because of newly imposed travel restrictions, your first port of call is your travel provider who can advise next steps. It is their primary responsible to get you to your destination.

For Comprehensive or Annual Multi Trip Policy purchased prior to 16th March 2020:

If you need immediate help while away, or you may start to incur additional costs because of trip disruption, contact the relevant Assistance Company, by visiting our Make a Claim Page. They will provide guidance and support in your circumstances. If you are unable to recover any pre-paid costs from any other source, such as your travel provider, you may be covered for certain irrecoverable Cancellation costs in line with the Terms, Conditions and Exclusions of your insurance under Travel Disruption (Force Majeure) of these policy. Contact the Claims Handler your particular circumstances. You must first approach your travel provider for refunds / or rescheduling.

Economy, Regular, Globetrekker or J1 Policies purchased prior to 16 th March 2020:

Unfortunately you are not covered for cancellation, cutting your trip short, or trip disruption costs. However, in the unlikely event that you cancel your trip prior to travel and are unable to recover any pre-paid costs from your travel provider, and can provide evidence of this, Insurers suggest that you contact the claims handlers who will assess the information available and will consider claims for irrecoverable costs on a case by case, individual merit basis.

All Policies purchased prior to 16th March 2020 and those purchased from 3rd July 2020 DO cover Emergency Medical Expenses (Section B) connected with the Coronavirus including compulsory quarantine costs, emergency medication supplies, while you are abroad, provided that you have complied with policy terms and conditions and you are not travelling against mandatory advice of your local government, or for UK residents the FCDO. Always tell the 24 hour Emergency Medical Assistance Service as soon as possible by visiting our Make a Claim page, if you suffer injury, illness or disease which requires hospital admission. They will then assist and authorise necessary treatment.

Travel Insurance is intended to cover unforeseen events. The coronavirus is a circumstance known to you. This means that if you purchase travel insurance for your trip to a location where your local Authorities, or the FCDO/WHO have now restricted travel, or advised against travel, you can still buy insurance and it will be valid and cover all insured events (as long as there is no legally imposed compulsory ban on travel) – but you will NOT be covered for COVID related events or claims. 

If you have concerns about travelling with an underlying medical condition and want to cancel the trip, this is not covered by the insurance, however, Insurers will look at each circumstance on its own merits and we can look to assist you in altering your insurance travel dates on globelink@globelink.co.uk. We can also usually help you pend your policy so you can travel on a future date.

ALL Globelink policies purchased prior to 16th March 2020 and those purchased after 3rd July 2020 provide cover for emergency medical expenses if you contract coronavirus while on your trip, provided that you have complied with the terms and conditions of your policy and you are not travelling against an enforced ban on travel by your local government, or for UK residents, the FCDO, or WHO. The policy covers necessary medical expenses as a result of unforeseen injury, illness, disease and/or compulsory quarantine. You must always tell the 24 hour Emergency Medical Assistance Service as soon as possible if you suffer injury, illness or disease which requires hospital admission. They will then assist and authorise necessary treatment.

ALL Globelink policies purchased from 28th October 2020 include COVID-19 Cancellation & Curtailment cover as well as Emergency Medical & Repatriation Expenses cover. Cancellation cover applies if you receive a positive COVID-19 (Coronavirus) test within 14 days of your trip; and Missed Departure cover if you cannot travel as a result of a failed COVID test, including a failed temperature check at your departure point. Plus emergency medical and repatriation cover while you are away.

If your local government authorities, the FCDO or WHO have advised against all but essential travel to the region you were planning to visit and you booked the trip and purchased insurance PRIOR to this advice, you should approach your tour operator, airline, or other travel provider. You may have the option to change your destination to somewhere different, change your trip dates, or obtain a refund. Don’t forget to update Globelink of changes in your travel plans.

For Economy, Regular, Globetrekker or J1 Policies purchased before 29th October 2020:

Unfortunately you are not covered for cancellation, cutting your trip short, or trip disruption costs.

For Comprehensive and Annual Multi Trip Policies:

For policies purchased prior to 16th March 2020, if you are unable to recover any pre-paid costs from your travel provider, in general terms you should be covered for irrecoverable Cancellation costs in line with the Terms, Conditions and Exclusions of our insurance. This would be covered under the Travel Disruption (Force Majeure) Section of these policy

We can understand you thinking twice about travelling at the moment. However, if you decide against travel, even though the FCDO have not advised against travel to your chosen location – then you are still able to take you trip. This means that you will not be able to make a claim on your Travel Insurance for lost holiday or cancellation costs due to a disinclination to travel. You do have the right to cancel and get a full refund up to 14 days from the date you purchase your insurance provided that you haven’t travelled (or in the case of Single Trip policies, cover has not already commenced), and no claim has been made. We can also Pend most policy types where trips are cancelled by your travel provider to give you the flexibility to travel on a future date. If you purchased more than 14 days ago - in these exceptional circumstances insurers may consider a partial refund depending on your circumstances and policy type; and if no claims have been made; or travel taken place. In such cases Insurers will need to retain a percentage of the premium for the Cancellation Benefit that has been in place since you purchased. The premium retained will depend on the length of time the policy has been in place. Please email globelink@globelink.co.uk or globelink@globelink.eu for EU customers. There is usually an administration charge if you cancel after the cooling off period. 

All Globelink policies purchased prior to 16th March 2020 and those purchased from 3rd July 2020 cover necessary emergency medical expenses as a result of unforeseen injury, illness, disease and/or compulsory quarantine. You must always tell the 24 hour Emergency Medical Assistance Service as soon as possible if you suffer injury, illness or disease which requires hospital admission or compulsory quarantine. They will then assist and authorise necessary costs. (Compulsory quarantine cover is for your own medical condition and does not apply to quarantine restrictions applied by the local authorities).