Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Information about travel insurance
Last updated: 27 October 2020
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO, formerly the FCO) currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. Travel to some countries and territories is currently exempted. This advice is being kept under constant review. Travel disruption is still possible and control measures may be brought in with little notice.
We’d encourage you to look at the latest advice from the Government on the FCDO website at www.gov.uk/fcdo
The COVID-19 situation changes quickly, so we’re continuing to monitor travel advice and will keep customers updated.
Before you make a claim for holiday or trip cancellation
Due to COVID-19, many travel plans are being disrupted. Travel insurance covers you for non-refundable costs. Outlined below is the action you should take first if your trip has been cancelled by your travel provider:
- Please contact your travel provider for a refund. You are legally entitled to a full cash refund, so if you are offered vouchers or the option to arrange alternative transport or trip, you do not have to accept these.
- If you are having difficulty obtaining a refund from your travel provider, or if they have gone out of business, you should contact ATOL or ABTA if they are a member.
- You can also contact your card provider for a refund if you paid for any part of your trip with a credit or debit card.
Due to the unprecedented number of refund claims, travel and card providers are taking longer to process them. However, obtaining a refund from your travel or card provider may benefit you. For example, you may be able to:
- Claim the full amount paid without paying an excess.
- Claim back losses for all the members of the party on the booking who didn’t have insurance, if you paid on the same credit or debit card.
If they can’t help you, you may be able to submit a valid claim to us as a result of your trip being disrupted or cancelled due to COVID-19. For us to assess your insurance claim, we will need full information regarding your booking, including evidence of cancellation, and any refunds you have received. Your travel insurance may then cover losses you’ve incurred within policy limits.
To check that you can claim for trip disruption or cancellation because of COVID-19, please refer to our FAQs.
Further guidance on your rights can also be found on the Money Advice Service website - https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/coronavirus-and-travel-insurance
‘The Money Advice Service is an independent service, set up by government to help people make the most of their money, they give free, unbiased money advice to everyone across the UK – online, over the phone and webchat.’
3 April 2020
Our pledge to UK health insurance customers during this national crisis
We’ve announced a pledge that we will pass back to our UK health insurance customers any exceptional financial benefit ultimately arising from COVID-19 – by rebate or other means. As UK hospitals and staff – including Bupa’s own healthcare professionals – rightly focus on the nation’s fight against COVID-19, it is clear that the independent health sector will be disrupted. We want to reassure our customers that we will do the right thing for them.
What this means for travel insurance customers
Travel insurance customers won’t be able to claim a rebate as we’re continuing to pay claims, especially those for cancellations including those as a result of COVID-19..
Make a claim for a trip affected by coronavirus (COVID-19)
Before you make a claim with us, it’s important that you contact your travel provider first as they may be able amend or refund your trip. If they’re unable to help you with your claim, please contact your card provider as they may be able to raise a dispute and refund your trip.
To claim your trip must have been cancelled or amended due to:
• The government advising against all, or all but essential travel to your destination; or
• You’ve been ill with coronavirus or self-isolating when you were due to travel
What you’ll need before you start your claim
Full details of your trip, including any booking confirmations, receipts, emails or policy documentation. You’ll need to upload these to help process your claim.
Documentation showing any refunds, amendments or cancellations from your travel provider, as well as any response from your card provider.
Personal details of everyone covered on your policy.
Details of any self-isolation due to coronavirus.
Details of the bank account you would like your claim paid into.
Please be aware, there's no option to save a claim and return to it once you've started, so it’s important you have this information to hand before you start your claim.
If you’re claiming for any other reason, please download a claim form.
Frequently asked questions
We don’t know when it will be safe for you to travel again and it will probably be country specific. If restrictions have been lifted and you haven’t heard from your travel provider, it’s important to check with the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO) before you travel.
If the FCDO have advised against all, or all but essential travel to your destination and you go ahead with your trip, your travel insurance policy will be invalid.
You will not be covered under the ‘cancelling, amending or cutting short your trip’ section of cover as the trip was booked when the FCDO advice was in place.
You will however be covered under the remaining sections of cover including medical and repatriation as per the policy terms and conditions.
No, If your carrier doesn’t let you board, you’ll need to contact your provider or tour operator to get a refund or be offered an alternative.
You will be covered for medical and reasonable additional travel expenses in line with the policy terms and conditions if you become ill. As long as:
- You are not travelling against doctor’s advice; and
- You are not travelling to an area where the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO) have advised against travel.
If the FCDO advice changes while you are on your trip, you will still be covered if you need to claim for medical expenses.
Yes, you can cancel your policy at any time. Any policies cancelled outside of the cooling off period won’t include a refund.
No, cancellation cover applies from the start of your insurance period until the date your trip commences. Cover under all other sections, applies from the date your trip commences until the date you return home. Therefore, there is no coverage under your policy for events or circumstances once you return home.
Your policy provides you with cancellation cover for specific reasons which are set out in your policy wording. Your policy doesn’t cover cancellation because you no longer wish to travel.
You can claim for cancellation of a trip if the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO) advises against all or all but essential travel to your intended destination, provided that the advice wasn’t in place when you booked the trip or purchased your insurance, whichever is the later.
If there isn’t currently FCDO advice for your destination then you should continue to monitor FCDO advice and speak to your travel provider.
What does my Travel Insurance cover me for if I amend my trip?
We will provide cover for the cost of purchasing a new travel ticket (on the same class of travel, up to the policy limit) for the first change to your trip. Please note we will not pay more than the cost of the original booked trip for any claim, this also includes where a trip is amended and then subsequently cancelled.
Do I need to let you know if I change the destination of my trip?
You only need to get in touch If your new destination is outside the geographical bracket selected on your policy (you can find this on your policy schedule). You can upgrade your policy to a different geographical bracket for an additional premium.
If you have an eligible cancellation reason at the point of cancelling then, yes, you will be covered.
Your policy provides you with cancellation cover for specific reasons which are set out in your policy wording. Please refer to your policy wording for further information. Your policy doesn’t cover cancellation because you no longer wish to travel.
The FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO) have advised people who are aged 70 and over, and those with underlying health conditions such as chronic diseases and diabetes, not to travel on cruise ships. In this situation, you may want to contact your travel provider to discuss your options. If you no longer wish to travel, you may submit a claim for cancellation.
Your policy provides you with cancellation cover for specific reasons which are set out in your policy wording. Please refer to your policy wording for further information. No longer wishing to travel is not an eligible reason for cancelling your trip.
If your GP declares you unfit to travel then you may be able to cancel.
Your policy provides you with cover if you need to cut short your trip or make an amendment for a specific number of reasons which are set out in your policy wording. This cover includes if the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO) advice changes while you are on your trip. Please refer to your policy wording for further information.
You should continue to monitor FCDO advice and speak to your travel provider.
No. Your policy provides you with cancellation cover for specific reasons which are set out in your policy wording.
If the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO) advises against all or all but essential travel for your destination, you can submit a claim for cancellation costs, and we will assess this in line with your policy terms and conditions.
Here is the link for FCDO travel advice. (FCO): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus.
No. Your policy provides you with cancellation cover for specific reasons which are set out in your policy wording.
If you have already commenced your trip, you may be eligible to claim under catastrophe cover.
If the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO) advises against all or all but essential travel for your destination, you can submit a claim for cancellation costs, and we will assess this in line with your policy terms and conditions. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus.
No, Your policy does not provide cover for delay or amendment of the trip because of government action or restrictive regulations.
We would require evidence of the requirement to self-isolate in line with medical guidance or UK government guidance.
If you’re abroad, you should:
- Contact your airline or travel company now. You may have to book transport to get you back to the UK yourself and then claim back on your Bupa travel insurance to recover some of the costs you incur.Your cover will depend on your policy benefits and any refund from the airline or travel company. You will find further information about benefits and cover within your policy wording under sections 1 and 10 for cancellation cover and catastrophe cover.
- It’s important to keep up-to-date with the latest travel advice from the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO) click here to find out more.
If you contract the Coronavirus while you’re on a trip abroad, please follow the Emergency Assistance process detailed in your policy wording.
As long as you’re not travelling to an area where the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO) has advised against all or all but essential travel, and meet the policy terms and conditions, then you will be covered for medical expenses.
If the FCDO advice changes while you are on your trip, you will still be covered if you need to claim for medical expenses.
Yes, If your return journey from abroad is unavoidably delayed because of something which is covered by your policy, we will automatically extend your cover for the period of the delay at no additional premium. In the first instance you should contact your tour operator/carrier to make arrangements for your return at the earliest opportunity.
You will be able to claim for the unused or new flights, up to policy limits, under the ‘Cancelling, amending or cutting short your trip’ section of cover. You will also be able to claim for additional accommodation expenses, up to policy limits, under the ‘Catastrophe’ section of cover.
You would be covered under the ‘Catastrophe cover’ benefit for the accommodation costs up to the policy limit.
If you have taken sufficient medication for the trip but you are now stranded for longer than anticipated and therefore require extra medication, this would be covered up to policy limits.
If your place of work now requires you to wear personal protective equipment such as masks/gloves/visors solely in response to COVID-19 Government working guidelines then this will be covered. If you were required to wear protective equipment in your place of work prior to COVID-19 in your standard work practice, this is not covered. Please refer to the general exclusion section of your policy wording
No, your policy does not cover travel to areas where, at the time of booking the trip or thereafter, but before you travel, the FCDO has advised against all or all but essential travel.
Your policy provides you with cancellation cover for specific reasons which are set out in your policy wording. Please refer to your policy wording for further information. If it is a valid claim under the ‘Cancelling, amending or cutting short your trip’ section you will find details on the cover available for booked and pre-paid excursions.
No. Your policy doesn’t cover flight cancellations. Therefore, if the company you’ve booked transportation with cancels your travel, this isn’t covered by your Bupa travel insurance policy. You should speak to your tour operator as they may be able to help you, and you should continue to monitor the FCDO advice (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO): www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
You can claim to return home early from your trip if the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office formally known as the FCO) advises against all or all but essential travel for your destination while you are on your trip.
Where the FCDO advice is not in place, there is no cover under your travel insurance. You should speak to your tour operator as they may be able to help you, and you should continue to monitor the FCDO advice: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
No, missing your connection due to delays is not a valid missed departure reason under your policy. You should speak to your tour operator as they may be able to help you.
We made the difficult decision to stop selling travel insurance to individuals from earlier this year before the ongoing global health emergency arose so that didn't affect our decision. You can search online for other travel insurers or visit the British Insurance Brokers Association website at www.biba.org.uk to find a broker who can help you find a policy to meet your needs.
NHS Online Coronavirus Advice
Get the latest health advice from the NHS on what to do if you think you may have symptoms of, or have been exposed to, coronavirus (COVID-19).
Here you’ll find information and advice from our experts to help you stay healthy in body, and mind.
Bupa Travel Insurance is provided by Bupa Insurance Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 3956433. Bupa Insurance Services Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 3829851. Bupa Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Bupa Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7HJ.
