Insurance refuse payout for UK holiday 22nd March, booked 16th March

outwood1

We had a big US trip cancelled (due to fly 19th March) so we booked a week self catering starting 22nd, which quickly ended on the 23rd on the lockdown announcement. At the time of booking there were no restrictions within the UK, and no advice not to travel outside the UK, at the time we just felt a week on our own hiking every day would be safe and of course had no expectation that things would  progress so quickly.

The insurance company however is relying on WHO guidance that defined Coronavirus as a Worldwide Pandemic on 11th March 2020, which therefore constitutes a known event:

“A known event is an existing or expected publicly announced occurrence, such as a named tropical storm, a hurricane or a strike voted upon by union members.”

As at 16th I believe there was no restrictions on travel outside the UK (17th I believe), so I'm unsure how they can rely on this as a known event, especially for a holiday inside the UK? 

Any advice welcome.

Browntoa

My travel insurance excluded covid cover from 13th march

Mrsn

Most insurers are using that date or a few days later to exclude COVID from their policies.

Im not surprised they have rejected the claim if I’m honest, things even without official lockdown at that point where in a pretty poor state. I don’t think there would have been many choosing to holiday at that point.