Best travel insurance

[jinny7]

Looking to book for May 2022 but want to ensure we have travel insurance before we book anything for 2 adults and 2 children. Are there any recommendations for the best company to use that will cover COVID or travel bans etc although I’m hoping things will be better then! Many thanks

[tspill]

The problem is actually getting ANY travel insurance that provides cover.

However, there are recommendations that Staysure do provide the necessary cover. And I have just got a competitive quote from them.

I now need to convince myself that they do actually provide the cover I need.
They do say they automatically cover Covid.

However, they say this on their quote page -

Important Cover Update
If you are booking a policy to cover you for travel during a Government imposed lockdown then this policy will not cover you.

If you have told us that you are resident in an affected area we will contact you post-purchase to discuss your options, but we must remind you that you will not be covered for travel during a regional or national lockdown (England: between the dates of the 5th November and the 3rd December 2020). The end date may change if there are further extensions to the lockdowns imposed by the Government.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Cover Update: Our policies cover Trip Cancellation, Emergency Medical and Repatriation Expenses, if you are affected by COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Cover only applies if the FCDO have not advised against all or all but essential travel to your destination. Currently the FCDO advises against travel to certain destinations such as; Spain (including Balearic Islands), France, USA, South & Central America, Africa, Central Asia and China. Please see gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for full details.

If the FCDO has advised against all but essential travel: Add our European FCDO Travel Advice Extension to validate your cover. In that case the COVID-19 Cover will apply before you travel, but you will not be covered for COVID-19 or the reason behind the FCDO travel advice whilst travelling.

To me this means that you are not covered if you begin your holiday when there is a FORMAL lockdown in the area where you live. I guess this is to stop those in "bad" areas travelling and spreading the virus.

The question for me is about the middle FCDO paragraph. Does this refer to the date the insurance is taken? Or the date travel is booked? Or the date of travel.
Many policies relate to the date booked.

[ClaireNJ]

I rang Staysure yesterday the guy on the phone said it is when you actually go on holiday re the FCO advice, always give a ring to clarify 😉

[mick]

I've posted a number of times recently that our Staysure annual renewal in June did not make any distinction in respect of FCO advice as to when you paid the premium or booked your holiday but only applied at the date of travel

This is from my validation certificate

Important information regarding FCDO Travel advice:
Please be aware that if at the time you start a trip, the UK Government or the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advise against all, or all but essential travel, you will not be covered by this policy.

Just as Claire's phone call but I'd add that you ask them to confirm in writing.

May have changed since of course and we certainly didn't have the lockdown stuff that tspill has quoted

Mick

[mick]

Just to add in my opinion anyway if the policy was voided on the day you purchased because of FCO advice then the insurers would certainly be guilty of malpractice and negligence. They would be entering into a contract that couldn't be executed.

Over 50 years as a Quantity Surveyor in the litigious construction industry - GET IT IN WRITING

Mick

[mick]

Originally Posted by jinny7

Looking to book for May 2022 but want to ensure we have travel insurance before we book anything for 2 adults and 2 children. Are there any recommendations for the best company to use that will cover COVID or travel bans etc although I’m hoping things will be better then! Many thanks

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Didn't really answer your question - sorry.

Lots of posts recently about whether the FCO advice affected cover if it in place when you booked the holiday, left on holiday or paid the premium.

We are not typical Dibbers but because we usually go twice a year, both 74 and both post-cancer we do have to pay quite a bit for annual cover - around £850 this year.

The only cover we get for cancellation for Covid reasons is if we get it within 14 days of travel. We do however get full medical cover if we get Covid over there so long as we don't travel against FCO advice.

Mick

[tspill]

Originally Posted by mick

I've posted a number of times recently that our Staysure annual renewal in June did not make any distinction in respect of FCO advice as to when you paid the premium or booked your holiday but only applied at the date of travel

This is from my validation certificate

Important information regarding FCDO Travel advice:
Please be aware that if at the time you start a trip, the UK Government or the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advise against all, or all but essential travel, you will not be covered by this policy.

Just as Claire's phone call but I'd add that you ask them to confirm in writing.

May have changed since of course and we certainly didn't have the lockdown stuff that tspill has quoted

Mick

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I have just found the Staysure current policy document. It changed on 26th November. I need to read it in detail to check what is and isn't covered. If it isn't clear I am going to phone them.
staysure/policy-do...vel-insurance/

But they quoted me a good price. On the quote it says pay for 12 months and get 15 months. But my email quote has the end date after 12 months. So that needs clarified as well.

What a minefield.

Does anyone know what Staysure are like when making a claim?

[tspill]

Originally Posted by mick

Just to add in my opinion anyway if the policy was voided on the day you purchased because of FCO advice then the insurers would certainly be guilty of malpractice and negligence. They would be entering into a contract that couldn't be executed.

Over 50 years as a Quantity Surveyor in the litigious construction industry - GET IT IN WRITING

Mick

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I agree - it does sound absolutely ridiculous. But certainly on the Virgin policy - it is there in black and white and to me seems absolutely clear. I would prefer not to have to test this.
But they also say on their web page that Covid is covered, yet it is excluded in multiple places in the policy documentation.

[mick]

Originally Posted by tspill

Does anyone know what Staysure are like when making a claim?

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None I'm afraid.

Money back from two flights last year via EU Directive rights (the insurer will make this a condition precedent anyway), rolled two bookings with Andy at DFCH over - twice, car parking at LGW cancelled and money back, PI at LGW ditto, no loss on villa just rolled over.

Mick

[mick]

Originally Posted by tspill

I agree - it does sound absolutely ridiculous. But certainly on the Virgin policy - it is there in black and white and to me seems absolutely clear. I would prefer not to have to test this.
But they also say on their web page that Covid is covered, yet it is excluded in multiple places in the policy documentation.

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Sadly Virgin will probably have access to more expensive corporate lawyers than you do so I wouldn't test it either. The last place you want to start litigation is in a bed at Celebration hospital at $10k a night - out of your pocket.

Worth asking VA how can they sell insurance when the main prevailing condition for invalidity has been in place for maybe 9 months. They should be reported to the ASA if that's what they're doing

Mick