Best Travel Insurance that *doesn't* define a trip as requiring you to stay in a hotel?

IrishGypsy

Hi,

Context: NW FlexPlus insurance won't pay out on the flights of a planned "trip" to Northern Ireland to visit my parents with my kids (NI lockdown came into effect after I had booked the flights). They said that, because they changed the definition of a "trip" to "Within the UK, where you are staying in pre-booked commercially operated accommodation for two or more consecutive nights." that staying at my parents means it's "not a trip". Which sees bonkers, but there we are.

As there'll be plenty of occasions in the future where I plan on taking my kids back to see my family in NI (and stay with them), can anyone recommend a solid travel insurance policy where this would be classed as an insurable trip?

TIA. IG

jonesMUFCforever

Were the flights cancelled by the airline? If so claim  from them.

IrishGypsy

jonesMUFCforever said:

Were the flights cancelled by the airline? If so claim  from them.

No, they weren't, they still left. It was pointless going though as my kids wouldn't have been able to get within 2m of their grandparents. 

jonesMUFCforever

In that case I can't see any travel insurance policy covering you.

elsien

That's disinclination to travel so you wouldn't have been covered anyway. 
What does your insurance say about pandemic cover -I think the reason they have given is a bit of  a red herring in the circumstances. 
Having said that, did their definition of a trip change before or after you took out the insurance? It'll be in the definitions in your policy document. 

sheramber

Any Uk travel Insurance I have looked at stipulated you must have a minimum of 2 nights  paid for accommodation booked.

IrishGypsy

elsien said:

That's disinclination to travel so you wouldn't have been covered anyway. 
What does your insurance say about pandemic cover -I think the reason they have given is a bit of  a red herring in the circumstances. 
Having said that, did their definition of a trip change before or after you took out the insurance? It'll be in the definitions in your policy document. 

They said it would have been covered (because NI went into a full lockdown after I booked the flights), but because the policy's definition of a trip changed in 2019 (before I booked the flights) then they wouldn't honour it. They do send out warnings on policy changes in advance, so that's 100% on me for not doing my due diligence on checking the policy changes. 

Hence my asking if this "two nights accommodation in commercial property for UK-based trips" clause was super common as I've honestly never heard of it before. Whould that mean if I owned a holiday home in NI that I wouldn't be covered by default? Does it also exclude Air BnB's?

elsien

Found this online - Which article for 2018.
“Most travel insurance policies will only cover a UK holiday if the accommodation is pre-booked and your stay is for more than two or three consecutive nights.”

Have to be honest, I’m as surprised as you are.

IrishGypsy

elsien said:

Found this online - Which article for 2018.
“Most travel insurance policies will only cover a UK holiday if the accommodation is pre-booked and your stay is for more than two or three consecutive nights.”

Have to be honest, I’m as surprised as you are.

Cheers for that. Found the article you referenced. Blew my mind tbh. They've paid out on cancelled flights before (same destination and duration). Seems barmy that you have to pay for accommodation for something to be defined (in their eyes) as a "trip".

I can well imagine this tripping others up as "staycations" become more and more common (more so if people go on camping holidays).

elsien

Most people probably don't bother with insurance for staycations though. I don't because I work on the basis there is health cover already, which is my priority, and I'll take the financial hit on accommodation if it goes pear-shaped. 
Might be worth talking to a broker to try to track down any that would apply. Saves trawling though umpteen online terms and conditions!

Wondering if it's worth you posting the same question in the insurance bit of the forum? 

jonesMUFCforever

Lloyds Platinum travel insurance states,

ii. solely within Your Home Area provided that You have pre-booked at least two consecutive nights paid accommodation on a holiday or pleasure Trip, or at least five consecutive nights pre-booked paid accommodation on a Business Trip.