The FCO advises British people against all non-essential travel worldwide

heatherw_01

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises British people against all non-essential travel worldwide

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus

danlightbulb

Is this the necessary trigger for travel insurance policies to pay out?

worldtraveller

British nationals should avoid all non-essential international travel to tackle the spread of coronavirus, the Foreign Office has advised.

The travel restrictions will be in place for 30 days initially but could be extended, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the House of Commons.

The advice reflects the pace at which other countries are bringing in border controls in response to the pandemic.

BBC News

Travel Advice: Foreign Secretary Satement, 17th March 2020

Travel advice: coronavirus (COVID-19), Updated 17th March 2020

heatherw_01

danlightbulb said:

Is this the necessary trigger for travel insurance policies to pay out?

More will pay out yes as a lot only pay out depending on what the FCO say.

PIPL

Will airlines now have to offer refunds?

silvercar

Moved to the coronavirus sub-board

silvercar

PIPL said:

Will airlines now have to offer refunds?

Not if the flight is still operating. It does mean that more people will be able to claim on their travel insurance.

aroominyork

silvercar said:

PIPL said:

Will airlines now have to offer refunds?

Not if the flight is still operating. It does mean that more people will be able to claim on their travel insurance.

So forgive me for repeating a question I asked on a new thread: should I first wait and see if the flight is cancelled, as that way I will get a full refund, and only if the flight departs should I fall back onto my travel insurance which carries an excess?

ry91

Bought an annual multi trip travel insurance policy with insurefor.com and have flights booked to Portugal in April. Now the FCO have advised against all non-essential travel ANYWHERE I assumed my flights would be eventually be cancelled and I would get the money back on the insurance. However, on the insurefor website's FAQs it states:

"Under all Ageas underwritten policies there is ‘specified cause’ cancellation cover, which does not extend to cancellation due to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office advising against travel to a country (or parts of a country)."

Does this basically mean they are saying they are off the hook for literally everyone who booked a trip anywhere for the next month now the FCO have issued their advice?

scomber

I bought single trip travel insurance policy from insurefor.com on March 3rd for travel in April to Amsterdam. They gave me the same spiel about not being covered for FCO non-travel advice. I don't think that I clearly made aware that this policy was basically not fit for purpose in the current climate at the time of purchase. I have re-read the documentation several times and can't make head nor tail of it. You could argue that you get what you deserve if you pick the cheapest option presented from a comparison web site but I think this is a clear case of mis-selling.

silvercar

aroominyork said:

silvercar said:

PIPL said:

Will airlines now have to offer refunds?

Not if the flight is still operating. It does mean that more people will be able to claim on their travel insurance.

So forgive me for repeating a question I asked on a new thread: should I first wait and see if the flight is cancelled, as that way I will get a full refund, and only if the flight departs should I fall back onto my travel insurance which carries an excess?

That is what I am doing.