Any Insurance policies with effective Covid cover for holidays in the UK?

atigger

Are there any travel insurance policies out there with proper Covid cover for UK travel?

With the current high Covid infection rates, I am looking for a policy which would protect us should I or my partner fall ill with Covid just before our holiday and am unwell enough to travel.  Having checked the policies and telephoned a few - including LV - they seem to all be saying that because the Government restrictions have been eased, you are now allowed to travel - and are thus not covered  [even though you may be unwell with a high temperature + all the other Covid symptoms].

eskbanker

The Which? piece at https://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/travel-insurance/best-and-worst-travel-insurance-akxsn9g15kgb includes a summary of the providers they considered to have the best Covid cover, but was published before the self-isolation status changed from mandated to advisory.

However, if any traveller is physically too unwell to travel, on the basis of any illness, Covid or otherwise, that should be covered by pretty much all travel insurers, assuming that supporting medical advice has been provided....

atigger

Many thanks for your reply.

Yes, I had a look at the Which? article and read some of the detail in the recommended policies - the problem [as you indicated] is that Covid rules have since changed and the Which? guidance is out of date.

In the unlikely event [we have both had all required vaccinations] that either I or my partner become hospitalised I am sure that most companies would provide cover.  However, bearing in mind the extreme reluctance of doctors to visit people who are ill at home with Covid, I believe it would be very difficult to provide the required medical advice should either of us otherwise become too ill to travel. 

Thus the limitations of the policies make them unworthwhile.

lisyloo

atigger said:

Many thanks for your reply.

Yes, I had a look at the Which? article and read some of the detail in the recommended policies - the problem [as you indicated] is that Covid rules have since changed and the Which? guidance is out of date.

In the unlikely event [we have both had all required vaccinations] that either I or my partner become hospitalised I am sure that most companies would provide cover.  However, bearing in mind the extreme reluctance of doctors to visit people who are ill at home with Covid, I believe it would be very difficult to provide the required medical advice should either of us otherwise become too ill to travel. 

Thus the limitations of the policies make them unworthwhile.

Do you have a smart phone that you can send pictures on or have a video consultation e.g. FaceTime, zoom, teams 

personally i book cancellable accomodation which reduces the risk to last minute and then avoid close contact as much as Reasonably possible beforehand.

atigger

Unfortunately the accommodation is already booked.  I thought I would be able to get to get insurance to cover the possibility of falling ill beforehand - at a glance many of the policies seem to provide Covid cover, it is only when you go into the detail....

Yes, a video consultation with a doctor is a possibility - thanks for the idea. Should I be able to get one and the doctor to agree to providing a letter, that may cover the 'unable to travel' clause.

eskbanker

atigger said:

Many thanks for your reply.

Yes, I had a look at the Which? article and read some of the detail in the recommended policies - the problem [as you indicated] is that Covid rules have since changed and the Which? guidance is out of date.

In the unlikely event [we have both had all required vaccinations] that either I or my partner become hospitalised I am sure that most companies would provide cover.  However, bearing in mind the extreme reluctance of doctors to visit people who are ill at home with Covid, I believe it would be very difficult to provide the required medical advice should either of us otherwise become too ill to travel. 

Thus the limitations of the policies make them unworthwhile.

You're effectively hoping that you'd find an insurance company that would pay out a claim with no supporting evidence, so I think that's ambitious!  I'm not convinced that this renders policies 'unworthwhile' as such (especially with all the other cover they provide) but what alternative approaches are you considering if you're unable to find one that doesn't meet your self-certification requirements?

atigger

I would have hoped a PCR test would have provided sufficient evidence - although as from 1 April, these are no longer free .  
However, lisyloo's suggestion of a video consultation + follow-up evidence sounds worthwhile too.

lisyloo

Superdrug are selling single LFTS for £1.99.

are you able to keep away from people or at least worst confined spaces for the week beforehand?

eskbanker

atigger said:

I would have hoped a PCR test would have provided sufficient evidence

But that's the significance of the change in regulations - beforehand a positive PCR automatically prohibited you from travelling within the UK (or abroad), so no further validation was needed, but now that the rules have been relaxed, a PCR test in itself is no longer sufficient to prevent travel.

Therefore (from a travel insurance perspective) Covid is essentially regarded in the same way as any other disease or illness, i.e. if you're asserting that it's serious enough to warrant cancelling a trip then you'd need some sort of medical diagnosis confirming that.

lisyloo

I think the issue is here that’s its recommended that you don’t, which shifts the financial burden onto the consumer (or business in some cases).
so if (for example) a sole hairdresser closes then that’s at their own cost (unless they have insurance which covers it).

so for insurance unless is says otherwise I’d assume it falls under “disinclination”.
i am talking about mild symptoms not hospitalisation.

i think eventually we have to live with in and we’d all take a holiday with a cold, but we’re in an “uneasy” phase where it feels morally wrong.

atigger

lisyloo said:

I think the issue is here that’s its recommended that you don’t, which shifts the financial burden onto the consumer (or business in some cases).
so if (for example) a sole hairdresser closes then that’s at their own cost (unless they have insurance which covers it).

Agreed, the recommendation is that you don't travel.  With the current high prevalence of Covid, I was hoping that there was a policy that would still cover me with a positive PCR test as sufficient proof of infection.  A video consultation with follow up letter from a doctor may be a possible alternative but is not without potential costs/difficulties.

Maybe the best solution is that you mentioned earlier - keeping away from others beforehand plus wear a ffp2 mask when that is not possible!