Travel Disruption | Travel Insurance (2024)

Enhanced protection for unforeseen events

(1) If you buy our trip disruption (including Covid-19, terrorism, natural catastrophe and airspace disruption) upgrade, only one benefit will be applicable per person, per claim. There is no cover under this upgrade for trips taken in the UK on Single trip policies. For annual multi-trip policies, UK cover is only available for cancellation and cutting short your trip.

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• Terrorist attacks can be indiscriminate. They don’t only occur in areas already steeped in conflict. While we hope no one is the victim of a terrorist attack, it’s important to have the right protection in place for peace of mind.

  Terrorism cover enhances your existing travel insurance with cover:

  • Travel disruption and alternative travel arrangements if you’re already at your destination when an attack occurs
  • Having to return home after receiving medical attention for shock, due to stress or trauma following a terrorist event.
  • Cancellation before departure or if you decide to call it a day due to excessive delay

  And, should something happen to your baggage as a result of a terrorist act– we’ll cover this up to certain limits. This could be damage, loss or even your baggage not arriving at all.

• Having cover for terrorist events doesn’t mean that you can travel to areas that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have advised against all travel to. Doing so will likely invalidate your insurance so alwayscheck the latest foreign travel advice. You’re still limited by the same rules governing travel safety as general travel insurance.

• Nature is unpredictable. Extreme weather events are becoming more commonplace. And while natural catastrophes are more likely to happen in some regions of the world it’s impossible to know for sure when and where they’ll occur.

  Our travel disruption add-on can bring peace of mind knowing you’re covered if you find yourself at the mercy of Mother Nature before you leave, are in transit or while you’re on holiday.

  It defines the following as natural catastrophes:

  • Volcanic activity
  • Volcanic ash
  • Earthquake
  • Tsunami
  • Hurricane
  • Cyclone
  • Flooding of more than 50 square km
  • Wildfire of more than 50 square km

  Natural catastrophe cover can provide reassurance you’ll be covered if such events:

  • Disrupt your holiday while you’re already there
  • Prevent or delay you getting there by more than 12 hours, or
  • Mean you have to turn back home in transit

  Whether you need it depends how much you want to leave to chance and what extra reassurance you need. Especially if you’re travelling somewhere with a higher risk of natural catastrophes. 

• Airspace disruption can take many forms. They include:

  • Air traffic control restrictions (eg airspace closure)
  • Unauthorised, unmanned aircraft used close to airports causing flights to be grounded
  • Failure of air traffic control or airport computer systems (except those caused by cyber terrorism)
  • An event at your departure point that causes its closure or evacuation 

  While it's uncommon, airspace disruption can cause major delays. And its causes may not be obvious.

  If you add our trip disruption option to your travel insurance it includes airspace disruption cover. If airspace closure lasts over 24 hours, your pre-booked travel and accommodation expenses are covered. And, if you’ve already left, it covers additional travel and accommodation expenses for every day you can’t reach your destination or get home (up to a limit).

• Our standard travel insurance policies cover travel disruption due to Covid-19 in some circ*mstances. But you may want cover for other situations. You can pay a little extra to add it to your policy with our trip disruption option.

  It covers missing a scheduled departure if:

  • You or someone you’re travelling or staying with tests positive for Covid-19 and you have to self-isolate (2)
  • Your hotel or cruise ship (3) gets put into compulsory quarantine (2) due to Covid-19

  It covers the unused part of your trip on your return if:

  • You have to self-isolate and miss the rest of your trip (2) if someone you’re travelling or staying with tests positive
  • Compulsory quarantine (2) of your hotel or cruise ship (3) prevents you completing the rest of your planned trip
  • You return home early when UK rules for your destination change to avoid having to quarantine away from home (4)
  • You have to self-isolate due to testing positive so miss the rest of your trip

  If regulations for your destination change while you’re there, you can claim for:

  • A contribution towards mandatory quarantine accommodation costs on your return to the UK
  • Costs towards Covid-19 tests you weren’t liable for when you booked your trip or bought your policy – whichever you did last (5)

• Some exclusions apply to our trip disruption cover. You’ll find full details in the policy wording.

  We can’t cover you if:

  • You decide to abandon your holiday before it’s been delayed by 12 hours
  • You buy your cover after a terrorist event or natural catastrophe that impacts your trip has been announced in the media
  • Acts of terrorism involve nuclear, biological or chemical weapons or cyber terrorism

  Claiming compensation

  If your travel is delayed or cancelled, you’ll need to try to claim compensation from all other relevant sources first before we’ll consider a claim. For instance, your airline or holiday provider.

  Compensation for airspace disruption

  If you're faced with airspace disruption, you'll need to exhaust all other avenues for claiming compensation before making a claim on your travel insurance policy. There are certain situations where airlines must give you compensation and some where it’s discretionary. So they should be your first port of call.

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• Single-trip cover

  • Cover for a one-off trip in the UK or abroad
  • Perfect for one-off trips or longer holidays of up to 365 days (6)
  • No age limit

  Single-trip cover

  

• Annual multi-trip cover

  • Cover for multiple-trips for a 12-month period
  • 31-day trip limit, with extensions available up to 45 and 60 days
  • Available for everyone aged up to 75 years

  Annual multi-trip cover

  

• Backpacker cover

  • Cover for a one-off trip up to 18 months
  • Option to return home for up to 7 days on 3 occasions
  • For people aged 18 – 60 wanting to travel the world for a gap year or career break

  Backpacker cover

  

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