Sykes Holiday Cottages - do I buy their cancellation travel insurance or get my own?

TallDaisy

Hi,
I am organising a holiday to one of Sykes holiday cottages, have got to the booking part online and it's asking for me to opt into their holiday cancellation and travel insurance. This is if we can cancel six weeks before the trip - before then I think you can get a refund.

It says this is £54 but no excess. It seems quite alot though? 

Could I get my own travel insurance or does it not work that way? In which case I will have to purchase it through them. It seems like their insurance seems like any other standard travel insurance?

Thanks

elsien

So on what basis are you allowed to cancel? Because standard travel insurance won’t pay out for a change of mind cancellation. Is this any different?
They can’t make you buy the insurance because travel insurance isn’t compulsory and for this country you may choose to either buy elsewhere or not insure at all. So I’d be comparing their terms and conditions to other insurance before deciding whether to take it or not.

TallDaisy

Cancelling a Booking after you receive your Booking Confirmation because you have changed your mind: If you change your mind after you receive your Booking Confirmation:

10.2.1 you are not entitled to cancel the Booking Contract for a particular Booking and obtain a refund for the Booking Fee as we will already have supplied the Booking Services to you for that particular Booking;

10.2.2 if you wish to cancel the Rental Contract with the Owner more than 6 weeks before the start of the Holiday Period, you will be entitled to a refund of the Rental Charges you have paid minus: (i) the Deposit (excluding any Third Party Other Services Charges which you may or may not be entitled to a refund of pursuant to your arrangements with the relevant third party); and (ii) all reasonably incurred charges for any other services that the Owner provided to you up to the date you cancelled the Rental Contract; and

10.2.3 you do not have a right to cancel the Rental Contract with the Owner 6 weeks or less before the start of the Holiday Period. You may, however have the right to end the Rental Contract in accordance with paragraph 11, under which you may be entitled to a refund for any Rental Charges you have paid. You may also be entitled to a refund of the Booking Fee, Sykes Other Services Charges and/or Third Party Other Services Charges payable under the Booking Contract in certain situations in accordance with paragraph 11.

elsien

Is that not their standards t&c? What does their insurance say about the circumstances in which they will pay out? 

ETA - which country is the cottage in, and what do you want to be covered for?
It’s in the UK then you don’t need medical cover. So it’s cancellation due to illness etc.
It says they cover 

“he death, Bodily Injury or Illness, as certified by a Medical Practitioner, of You, Your Relative,

Colleague or travelling companion or of a friend with whom You had arranged to stay; or

2. Yourattendanceatacourtoflawasawitness(exceptasanexpertwitness)orforJuryServicewhere

postponement of the Jury Service has been denied by the Clerk of the Courts Office; or

3. YouorYourtravellingcompanionbeingamemberoftheArmedForces,Police,Ambulance,Fireor

Nursing Service and Your or their authorised leave being cancelled due to an unexpected emergency

or a posting overseas at the time of Your trip; or

4. YouorYourtravellingcompanionbeinginstructedtostayatHome(within7daysofYourdeparture

date) by a relevant authority due to severe damage to Your or their Home or place of business in the

United Kingdom caused by serious fire, explosion, storm, flood, subsidence or burglary; or

5. YourinvoluntaryredundancyorthatofYourtravellingcompanionorYourspouse,civilpartner

or cohabiting partner, notified after the purchase of this Policy or after the trip was booked,

whichever is later.

6. AccidentalBodilyInjuryordeathfollowingAccidentalBodilyInjuryorAccidentinvolvinganydomestic

cat or dog owned by You, where Your attendance at Home is recommended by the treating vet.”

So if that’s mainly what you want it for or, you might as well check with other insurers and compare the value before deciding. 

TallDaisy

elsien said:

Is that not their standards t&c? What does their insurance say about the circumstances in which they will pay out? 

Sorry it says
To help with peace of mind on your holiday you may purchase travel insurance. We can offer you a single trip travel insurance policy for £ 54.00 (including insurance premium tax) to cover you for the duration of your trip and this can easily be added to your booking. 

• Personal Liability
• Up to £2m, including accidental damage to your temporary holiday accommodation during your stay
• Cancellation
• Up to £5k
• Personal Accident
• Up to £10k, personal accident cover is subject to age

https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/terms/insurance

It looks to be standard travel insurance by Towergate Travel

TallDaisy

elsien said:

Is that not their standards t&c? What does their insurance say about the circumstances in which they will pay out? 

ETA - which country is the cottage in, and what do you want to be covered for?
It’s in the UK then you don’t need medical cover. So it’s cancellation due to illness etc.
It says they cover 

“he death, Bodily Injury or Illness, as certified by a Medical Practitioner, of You, Your Relative,

Colleague or travelling companion or of a friend with whom You had arranged to stay; or

2. Yourattendanceatacourtoflawasawitness(exceptasanexpertwitness)orforJuryServicewhere

postponement of the Jury Service has been denied by the Clerk of the Courts Office; or

3. YouorYourtravellingcompanionbeingamemberoftheArmedForces,Police,Ambulance,Fireor

Nursing Service and Your or their authorised leave being cancelled due to an unexpected emergency

or a posting overseas at the time of Your trip; or

4. YouorYourtravellingcompanionbeinginstructedtostayatHome(within7daysofYourdeparture

date) by a relevant authority due to severe damage to Your or their Home or place of business in the

United Kingdom caused by serious fire, explosion, storm, flood, subsidence or burglary; or

5. YourinvoluntaryredundancyorthatofYourtravellingcompanionorYourspouse,civilpartner

or cohabiting partner, notified after the purchase of this Policy or after the trip was booked,

whichever is later.

6. AccidentalBodilyInjuryordeathfollowingAccidentalBodilyInjuryorAccidentinvolvinganydomestic

cat or dog owned by You, where Your attendance at Home is recommended by the treating vet.”

So if that’s mainly what you want it for or, you might as well check with other insurers and compare the value before deciding. 

I'm not that fussed about but I think it's more if I get ill with covid or someone is hospitalised which could happen although unlikely, I will have to cancel within that six weeks before we go. Ots more just wanting a refund if I have to cancel because someone gets ill.

TallDaisy

I found a policy for £9 with no excess for myself that has the same conditions and I assume this is okay since I am the one booking the holiday? 

onashoestring

TallDaisy said:

I found a policy for £9 with no excess for myself that has the same conditions and I assume this is okay since I am the one booking the holiday? 

That will cover you but not the others travelling with you . 

You can all take out separate policies or buy a group one that covers everyone.  

You will need to consider if something happens to another person in your party that prevents them from coming on the holiday will that also effect your ability to continue with the holiday ?
 

Separate individual policies won’t automatically cover you cancelling because someone else in the group is admitted to hospital .

If you buy a group policy - You likely will need to know about any pre- existing conditions of the rest of your group as these will have to be declared. 

The Sykes insurance states it covers “accidental damage to your temporary holiday accommodation during your stay” -other policies are unlikely to cover this .

onashoestring

You have quoted the T&Cs above - have you noted 10.2.2 

If you cancel you will not be refunded  (I)your deposit and  (ii) all reasonably incurred charges for any other services that the Owner provided to you up to the date you cancelled the Rental Contract. 

TallDaisy

I just paid for it in the end, I read some reviews from covid saying it was hard to get refunds from them so thought it was better to be safe than sorry