COVID- 19 (Coronavirus) FAQs

Question 1. If the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has advised against to a specific location because of a COVID-19 outbreak, will my travel policy cover a claim where I had a booked prior to this advice?

The Disruption section of your policy provides cancellation cover in certain specified circumstances that are listed in your policy wording. Travel to destinations where the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has advised against ‘all but essential travel’ or ‘all travel’ is not such a specified circumstance in your policy wording.

We want to assist our customers in these extraordinary circumstances. Therefore, we will consider cancellation claims made in relation to trips that were booked before the Foreign & Commonwealth Office issued its advice against ‘all but essential travel’ or ‘all travel’ to your planned destination.

We will consider such cancellation claims for any trip booked within your current period of insurance as stated in the policy schedule irrespective of date of travel. Please refer to your Employer if you are unsure of this date.

We will only consider unused travel and accommodation costs that you have paid or are contracted to pay, and that cannot be recovered from any other source. You should first approach the airline, , accommodation provider or travel company for a possible refund or to see if they will amend the itinerary.

All cover is otherwise subject to individual policy conditions, limits and applicable excess.

Important

If your trip was booked after the Foreign & Commonwealth Office advised against ‘all but essential travel’ or ‘all travel’, you will not be able to claim.

Question 2. I am unwell with suspected COVID-19 – can I claim for cancellation cover under the policy?

The policy will look to respond should you have to cancel, curtail or rearrange your trip due to sudden illness or a recommendation from a doctor that you are, or are to be, quarantined provided that such cancellation, curtailment or rearrangement is confirmed as medically necessary by a Doctor.

We will only consider unused travel and accommodation on your travel . So you should first approach the airline, tour operator, accommodation provider or travel company for a possible refund or to see if they will amend the itinerary.

All cover is subject to individual policy conditions, limits and applicable excess.

Question 3. My flight isn’t cancelled, but I no longer want to travel. Can I get a refund?

If your flight is proceeding as planned, then you will not be entitled to claim.

However, we will consider all cancellation claims made in relation to trips booked to destinations where the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has

advised against ‘all but essential travel’ or ‘all travel’, provided that the trip was booked before the Foreign & Commonwealth Office issued their advice in relation to that destination, and subject to the other terms and conditions of your policy.

Question 4. If my flight is cancelled by my travel provider due to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office advice, can I be refunded for pre-booked accommodation?

Your policy does not provide cover if you decide to cancel pre-booked accommodation due to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office advising against ‘all but essential travel’ or ‘all travel’ for your intended destination, so you will need to contact your travel or accommodation provider directly to seek a refund.

However, if you are unable to recover these expenses from your travel or accommodation provider, we may consider your claim provided the Foreign & Commonwealth Office advised against ‘all but essential travel’ or ‘all travel’ for your intended destination after the trip was booked, and subject to all other terms and conditions of your policy.

Question 5. If the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has issued travel advice against all but essential travel or all travel, for a specific location and I decide to ignore this advice and travel anyway would I be covered?

If you travel against the advice of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the policy will respond to claims for medical expenses up to the amount shown on the schedule as per terms and conditions of the policy.

For Cancellation, Curtailment and Rearrangement Costs no cover will be provided if the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advised against ‘all but essential’ travel or ‘all travel’ to your destination at the time the Journey was booked. There is also no cover for Cancellation, Curtailment and Rearrangement Costs which occurs as a result of prohibitive regulations imposed by the government of any other country.

Question 6. If I fall ill with COVID--19 while on holiday, does my travel insurance cover the cost of medical expenses?

We will cover the cost of overseas medical expenses which arise because of you falling ill with the Covid-19 virus while on holiday, up to the amount shown in the policy schedule.

Question 7. If I am on holiday and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has issued travel advice against all but essential travel or all travel and there is an outbreak of COVID--19 at my holiday destination, will my travel insurance policy cover the travel costs incurred regarding arrangements to end my holiday early and return home?

We will pay you for the additional travel and accommodation expenses you incur up to the amounts stated in your policy, to enable you to continue with your trip and for alternative accommodation if you cannot live in your booked accommodation due to an outbreak of COVID-19. You will be covered for irrecoverable unused Travel and Accommodation costs only if the Foreign & Commonwealth Office advises against travel to your destination, or if they advise you to leave the country or location. If the policy or trip was booked after the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has issued travel advice against all but essential travel or all travel, you will not be able to claim.

If you choose to change your travel arrangements and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has not issued travel advice against all but essential travel or all travel for your destination, it is likely the claim will be denied.

In the first instance, contact your travel or accommodation provider for guidance. If you are still unsure or have any questions, please contact our claims team.

Question 8. Will my policy cover any additional Travel and Accommodation costs incurred in the situation where I must go into quarantine abroad?

We would assume that additional accommodation costs arising from forced quarantine at pre-booked accommodation or elsewhere, would be met by local authorities. You will be able to claim for any irrecoverable, unused accommodation and other unused prepaid charges and reasonable additional travel costs to return home once the period of quarantine has ended.

Question 9. If I suffer a loss of earnings and or additional costs (such as food, personal hygiene products, etc.) due to being in quarantine abroad because of the COVID--19 virus, will my travel insurance cover any such costs?

There is no cover under the policy for Consequential Loss (such as food, personal hygiene products etc.) or loss of earnings.

Question 10. What are my entitlements if the airline cancels my flight?

If your flights are cancelled by the airline, you must contact the airline directly regarding your options.

Question 11. What are my rights if my flight is cancelled?

If your flight is cancelled for any reason, and regardless of when you are notified, your airline must offer you the choice between:

1) Re-routing as soon as possible, subject to availability, free of charge.

2) Re-routing at a later date.

3) A full refund.

If you believe compensation is due, then the first step is to formally contact the airline or travel provider. If you're not satisfied with its response, then you can escalate by contacting the National Enforcement Body - which, in most cases for UK passengers, is the Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT) (0330 022 1916)

Question 12. How do I arrange a re-routing or refund?

In the event of a cancellation or delay, airlines are obliged to inform passengers of their options. If this happens at the airport, staff will usually be on hand to talk you through the various scenarios. Otherwise, the quickest option is to check your carrier's website. It should include the steps to process your own refunds or bookings.

Question 13. Am I entitled to care and assistance?

If your flight is cancelled and you choose to be re-routed as soon as possible, then you are entitled to meals and refreshments, accommodation and transfers between the airport and hotel as required. If the airline does not provide these, and you end up paying yourself, keep the receipts - you are entitled to a reimbursement of reasonable expenses.

NB. A five-star hotel may not be a reasonable expense!

Bear in mind that if your flight is cancelled and you choose a full refund, then the airline's obligations to you end there and then.

Question 14. Am I entitled to compensation?

Financial compensation from the Air Carrier depends on the flight length and the reason for the cancellation. It differs to care and assistance obligations (as outlined above), and generally ranges from €250 (short-haul, less than 1,500km) to €600 (long-haul, over 3,500km).

Several scenarios can impact on compensation rights.

1) If you receive less than seven days’ notice of cancellation and choose to be re-routed as soon as possible (i.e. see option 1 under question 11 above), you will NOT be entitled to compensation - provided your new flights depart within one hour of the original departure and land within two hours of the original arrival.

2) If you receive between seven days and two weeks’ notice of cancellation, provided you choose to be re-routed and are facilitated with a new flight that departs no more than two hours before the original departure time and arrives no more than four hours after the original arrival time, you are NOT entitled to compensation.

3) If you receive notification of two weeks or more, you will NOT be entitled to compensation - provided, of course, that the airline offers full re-routing or refund options.

NB. If the air carrier can prove the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances, then you may NOT be entitled to compensation. However, you are still due a refund or re-routing.

For up to date information on your rights, please go to www.flightright.co.uk

Question 15. How do I claim compensation?

Compensation claims are never evaluated or resolved at the airport. If you believe compensation is your due, then the first step is to formally contact the air carrier. If you're not satisfied with its response, then you can escalate by contacting the National Enforcement Body - which, in most cases for UK passengers, is the Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT) (0330 022 1916)

You can check the latest travel advice for your destination by visiting: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

OR https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel- advice

Chubb European Group SE (CEG) is an undertaking governed by the provisions of the French insurance code with registration number 450 327 374 RCS Nanterre. Registered office: La Tour Carpe Diem, 31 Place des Corolles, Esplanade Nord, 92400 Courbevoie, France. CEG has fully paid share capital of €896,176,662. UK business address: 100 Leadenhall Street, London EC3A 3BP. Authorised and supervised by the French Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority (4, Place de Budapest, CS 92459, 75436 PARIS CEDEX 09) and authorised and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.