Travel insurance
during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Has your trip been cancelled, changed or shortened because of COVID-19? Here’s what your travel insurance could cover, and how to make a claim.
Stay up to date with the latest FCDO travel advice
The travel situation continues to change rapidly. From 17th May 2021 it will not be illegal to depart the UK, however it is important to understand entry requirements set by foreign countries and check the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advice before booking and travelling.
Some countries have closed their borders and some require testing or self-isolation upon arrival and before departure, often with little warning. You may also be required to quarantine upon your return to the UK.
Please note, if the FCDO has advised against all (or all but essential) travel to your destination, regardless of whether the country/territory is allowing travel, and you still go ahead with your trip, your travel insurance won’t cover you.
Unsure what you’re covered for?
We make it simple
What your Bupa travel insurance covers you for
If the FCDO travel advice changes after you bought your Bupa travel insurance policy or booked your trip (whichever came later), we’ll cover you if you’re forced to cancel, amend or cut short your trip as a result.
What you’re not covered for
You’re not covered for travel to any country or territory if the FCDO advises against all (or all but essential) travel. Please check the country-specific advice before booking and travelling. If the advice changed after you purchased your policy or booked your trip (whichever came later) you can claim cancellation costs.
Had to cancel your travel plans?
Here's what you need to know
If your trip has had to be cancelled because of COVID-19, some of what you’ve already paid out may be refundable while other costs aren’t. Your Bupa travel insurance will cover you for most non-refundable costs, so before you claim you’ll need to first request any refunds you’re entitled to:
1. Contact your travel providers
You’re legally entitled to a full cash refund from your travel provider, which means companies like airlines, travel agents, tour operators and hotels. So if you’re offered vouchers, or the option to arrange an alternative trip or transport, you don’t have to accept them. You can insist on a refund.
2. Contact ATOL or ABTA, if your travel provider is a member
If you’re having difficulties getting a refund from your travel provider, or if they’ve gone out of business, check whether they are − or were − a member of ATOL or ABTA. If so, contact ATOL or ABTA direct.
3. Contact your debit or credit card company
If you paid for any part of your trip with a credit or debit card, you can ask for a refund for that amount from your card issuer/s. There are some particular benefits to this approach:
- You could claim the full amount paid, whereas claiming on a travel insurance policy would mean having to pay any excess yourself.
- You could claim for everyone in your booking, including any who don’t have travel insurance, as long as you paid with the same card.
Please note that travel and card providers are taking longer than usual to process claims, due to unprecedented demand.
Can't get a refund?
You may be able to claim
If your trip is disrupted or cancelled due to COVID-19, and you can’t get a refund from your travel or credit/debit card provider, you may be able to claim under your Bupa travel insurance. You could claim for any losses you’ve incurred, as long as they fall within your policy limits.
The section below tells you what information you’ll need to provide along with your claim. And for more information, please check our FAQs.
Money Advice Service has information on your consumer rights.*
How to make a claim for travel affected by the coronavirus
If COVID-19 caused the cancellation or disruption of your trip, you may be able to claim on your Bupa travel insurance for any costs which are non-refundable. Before you claim, you should ask for a refund from your travel provider (for example, your airline or travel agent) and/or your debit/credit card company, where applicable. There’s more information about this above.
To claim, your trip must have been cancelled or amended due to:
• The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) changing its advice about travel to your destination after you bought your travel insurance or booked your trip
• You were ill with the 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, amendments or cancellations, receipts, and policy documentation. You’ll need to upload these for us to be able to process your claim
Documentation showing any refunds you’ve received (or expect to receive) from your travel provider, as well as the response from your credit or debit card issuer
Personal details of everyone covered on your policy
Details of any illness or self-isolation due to the coronavirus, which affected your trip
Name, sort code and account number of the bank account you’d like your claim paid into
Please note that once you’ve started your online claim, there’s no option to save and return to it. Please have all of the relevant information to hand before you begin.
Start your COVID-19 travel insurance claim
If you’re claiming on your Bupa travel insurance for any reason other than COVID-19, please download a claim form.
Frequently asked questions
We don’t know, and it will probably vary by country. If national or international restrictions have been lifted and you haven’t heard from your travel provider, it’s important to check with the FCDO website before you travel. If the FCDO has advised against all (or all but essential) travel to your destination, regardless of whether the country/territory is allowing travel, and you still go ahead with your trip, your travel insurance won’t cover you.
You won’t be covered under the ‘cancelling, amending or cutting short your trip’ section of cover if your trip was booked when the FCDO website was advising against all (or all but essential) travel to your destination, regardless of whether the country/territory is allowing travel. However, you’ll be covered under the remaining sections of cover, including medical and repatriation.
No. If your carrier doesn’t let you board, you’ll need to contact your travel provider or tour operator to get a refund or be offered an alternative.
If you become ill with COVID-19, you’ll be covered for medical and reasonable additional travel expenses, in line with your policy terms and conditions. This is as long as:
- you’re not travelling against a doctor’s advice
- you’re not travelling to an area where the FCDO website has advised all (or all but essential) travel, regardless of whether the country/territory is allowing travel . If the FCDO advice changes during your trip, you’ll still be covered if you need to claim for medical expenses.
Yes, you can cancel your policy at any time. However, if you cancel after the cooling-off period, you won’t get a refund.
No. Cover applies from the date your trip commences until the date you return home. Therefore, there is no coverage under your policy for anything that may happen once you return home.
We’ll cover for the cost of buying a new travel ticket for the first change to your trip, in the same class of travel and up to your policy limit. We can’t pay more than the cost of the trip you booked originally, including if your trip is amended and then cancelled.
You only need to get in touch if your new destination is outside of the geographical bracket covered on your policy. You can find this information in your policy schedule. You can upgrade your policy to a different geographical bracket for an extra cost. You must not be travelling against FCDO advice and you should continue to monitor their advice up to the point of travelling.
• If you have an eligible cancellation reason at the time when you cancel then yes, you’ll be covered. These FAQs explain some of those reasons when it comes to COVID-19, but you should also check your policy wording and the FCDO website for other circumstances.
Your policy doesn’t cover cancellation simply because you no longer want to travel. However, if your GP declares you unfit to travel, then you may be able to claim.
You’re covered in certain circumstances, so please check your policy. These circumstances include if the FCDO website advice changes while you’re away. Please continue to monitor the FCDO website and speak to your travel provider.
No, because your policy doesn’t cover transport cancellations. You should speak to your travel provider (such as the airline) or your tour operator, as they may be able to help you. Please continue to monitor the FCDO website
No, but you can try to get a refund from your accommodation provider or your travel company. However:
- If you’ve already left the UK when you find out about the cancellation, you may be able to claim under your policy’s catastrophe cover.
- If the FCDO website is advising against all (or all but essential) travel to your destination, regardless of whether the country/territory is allowing travel, you can submit a claim for cancellation costs. We will then consider your claim in line with your policy terms and conditions. Here is some further FCDO advice.
No. Your policy doesn’t cover you for any trip delay or amendment because of government action or restrictive regulations.
We’ll need to see some evidence of the requirement to self-isolate, and it needs to be in line with medical or UK government advice.
If you’re abroad, you should contact your transport provider (such as an airline) or travel company right away. You may have to book transport to get you back to the UK yourself, and then claim on your travel insurance to recover some of the costs. Your cover will depend on your policy benefits and will take into account any refund from the transport provider or travel company.
There’s more information about benefits and cover in your policy wording (cancellation cover and catastrophe cover). Please also monitor the FCDO website for the latest travel advice.
If this happens, please follow the emergency assistance process detailed in your policy wording. As long as you’re not travelling to an area where the FCDO website is advising against all (or all but essential) travel to your destination, and you meet your policy terms and conditions, you’ll be covered for your medical expenses. If the FCDO advice changes while you’re on your trip, you’ll still be covered.
Yes, as long as your return journey has been unavoidably delayed because of an eligible claim covered by your policy. In that case, we’ll automatically extend your cover for the period of the delay, and it won’t cost you any extra.
You should contact your tour operator/carrier to book a return at the earliest opportunity. You’ll be able to claim for the unused or new transport (such as flights), up to your policy limits, under the ‘Cancelling, amending or cutting short your trip’ section of your cover. You can also claim for additional accommodation expenses, up to your policy limits, under the ‘Catastrophe’ section.
If you are required to wear PPE (such as masks, gloves, visors etc) solely in response to government working guidelines around COVID-19, then you’ll be covered. Please note PPE costs are at your own expense.
If you were required to wear PPE as standard prior to COVID-19, you won’t be covered. Please refer to the general exclusion section of your policy wording
No, your policy doesn’t cover you for booking or travelling to areas where the FCDO website was advising against all (or all but essential) travel before you began your trip.
Please refer to your policy, which has a section called ‘Cancelling, amending or cutting short your trip’. Here’s where you can find out if you’re eligible to claim for cancelling booked and pre-paid excursions.
You can claim to return early if, during your trip, the FCDO website advises against all (or all but essential) travel to your destination. If there’s no specific FCDO advice, you can’t claim 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 website.
We apologise for any inconvenience. You can search online for other travel insurers, or look for another travel insurance broker via the British Insurance Brokers Association.
For more general coronavirus questions, including about testing and vaccination:
Visit our COVID-19 FAQs page
Useful information
The following webpages may be helpful to you, either when booking your trip or making a claim:
Gov.uk − Travel information
Travel advice and checklists, consular help, country guides and more from the UK government.
ABTA protection
Check if your travel provider is a member of ABTA.
ATOL protection
Check if your travel provider is a member of ATOL.
* 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.
^Lines are open 8.30am and 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am and 1pm on Saturday (closed on bank holidays). We may record or monitor calls.
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.
