My Travel Insurance co stopped selling policies incl. renewals

MichaelPD

I had a multi-trip annual travel insurance policy with Holiday Extras which expired this month, and they have said they are not selling/renewing policies "due to Corona Virus".
But I have travel arrangements in September which were booked in January whilst I had that policy so if I have to cancel how can I claim on the insurance as I have not been able to renew it with the "same company" (which would have covered me) through no fault of mine. This appears to be a deliberate ploy by Travel Extras to avoid having to pay out for inevitable cancellations later in the year by not allowing customers to renew, as the rules state that "so long as you renew with the same company" they will have to cover for claims arising from bookings made whilst the old policy was in force, i.e. in my case last January. I feel this may be unlawful - do you think I can insist they cover for any cancellation fees I may incur in September as it is their decision not to renew the policy?

[Deleted User]

No.        

dunstonh

This appears to be a deliberate ploy by Travel Extras to avoid having to pay out for inevitable cancellations later in the year by not allowing customers to renew

You mean it has nothing to do with the reassurers not offering coverage and there not being sufficient underwriters willing to take on the risk?     You seem to have more inside knowledge of what is happening that the industry.

 I feel this may be unlawful 

It's not. Insurers are not obliged to offer a policy at the renewal point.

do you think I can insist they cover for any cancellation fees I may incur in September as it is their decision not to renew the policy?

no.

TELLIT01

Even policy renewals would be subject to any changes made to cover in the past 12 months so it's highly likely there would no longer be cover for Covid19 on renewed policies.

csgohan4

even packaged bank accounts with travel insurance now no longer cover covid 19 on trips booked after mid march 2020, even if you have the account before then. 

MichaelPD

Thanks for your replies but the point is that insurers must honour cancellation fees if the affected bookings were made when the policy was in force but only if you renew with them. How can I renew if they will not allow me to? I'm not looking for new covid cover but for cover against possible fees which WOULD be covered under the OLD, EXPIRED policy if I was able to renew it.

TELLIT01

Even if the company was to continue offering travel insurance, it wouldn't have to be with the same terms and conditions as the previous one.

Browntoa

Trailfinders are the only company I'm aware of providing full covid19 cover , including cancellation and curtailment , at the moment

Staysure  provide covid19 cover but not cancellation currently

Thrugelmir

MichaelPD said:

I feel this may be unlawful - do you think I can insist they cover for any cancellation fees I may incur in September as it is their decision not to renew the policy?

There's nothing in statute law to stop a business to discontinuing an unprofitable line of business. Be sheer madness if there was. Find another insurer. 

sheramber

 That is the risk of booking a holiday to  commence after the end date of your current annual policy.  It is never guaranteed that a company will continue to offer policies.
A few years ago several companies stoped selling pet insurance leaving pet owners without cover for pre existing conditions when thy had to change to a  new company.

katejo

sheramber said:

 That is the risk of booking a holiday to  commence after the end date of your current annual policy.  It is never guaranteed that a company will continue to offer policies.
A few years ago several companies stoped selling pet insurance leaving pet owners without cover for pre existing conditions when thy had to change to a  new company.

Yet insurance companies won't let clients 'renew'an annual policy slightly early to ensure cover for a future booking. i haven't been affected by this but have learnt of it. If I had an annual policy and wanted to book a trip for a date slightly beyond the expiry date, I would buy a single trip policy and later delay renewing my annual one until I was ready to book the next trip. Things like this are putting me off bothering with annual policies in the future. Too many loopholes.