Travel Insurance Refund query

leo_111

My holiday to Israel has been cancelled because Gov UK website says not safe to travel. My Travel Insurance company say I’m not entitled to any refund at all as per their terms. Are they allowed to put anything they like in their Ts&Cs?

Keep_pedalling

Yes they are. 

elsien

It would be helpful if you explained which of the relevant terms and conditions they have used to decide that you are not entitled to a refund.
Different insurers have different terms and conditions, which may be reflected in the price that you paid. If the terms were clear then generally speaking  yes they can put exclusions in. But it’s unusual for it not to cover foreign office advice not to travel unless you booked after the advice was put in place.

However you need to double check what the policy says. If you don’t agree with the refusal then you need to put in a complaint to the insurer and if you still disagree with the final outcome, then you go to the ombudsman. 

Generally speaking it’s a good idea to check the terms and conditions and exclusions before you buy and not afterwards. Particularly if you’re travelling somewhere known to be volatile.

cymruchris

Hard to say without knowing which policy you booked, and what cover was offered. Different travel insurance policies can cover different things to different levels, and offer different compensation amounts. Did it come part of the package you booked? Or did you buy your own policy separately?

SiliconChip

You certainly wouldn't be entitled to a full refund as you've already benefitted from cover for pre-departure events since taking out the policy. A partial refund might be something that some insurers would offer but if yours isn't one of them I'm not sure you have much argument.

Annemos

Good evening. I had never thought about this. 

I just  looked at Insure and Go. (The Silver, Gold booklet)

They say this:   

Change in FCDO/WHO advice If the FCDO/WHO advice for the country or area that you are travelling to, changes; • after the purchase of your policy or after the booking of any individual trip (whichever is the latter) • to advising against all or all but essential travel • for reasons OTHER than medical epidemic or pandemic (including Coronavirus, or anything mentioned in the general exclusions Your InsureandGo travel insurance policy will provide cover under: • Section 1 - Cancellation (provided you have purchased a policy which includes cancellation cover, and the advice changes before you commence your trip ) • Section 2 – Curtailment (if the advice changes after you have commenced your trip)

So they do NOT cover it, I believe. The General Exclusions says they don't cover any claim resulting from or relating to:  

28) War or hostilities, civil unrest or any similar event;


I also looked at Staysure:  They seem to have a similar General Exclusion which means it will not be covered:  No section of this policy shall apply in respect of:

18. Loss, damage, cost or expense of whatever nature directly or indirectly caused by, resulting from or in connection with any of the following regardless of any other cause or event contributing concurrently or in any other sequence in the loss: a) Active participation  ***  . b) War and civil unrest including any action taken in controlling, preventing, suppressing or in any way relating to war and civil unrest, unless you are in an area subject to war and civil unrest at the outbreak of hostilities, in which case you will be covered for a maximum period of 72 hours from the outbreak of hostilities provided that you take the first reasonable opportunity to leave the area. If you fail to take such an opportunity all cover under this policy will end.

(***  Active participation – 1. The act of any person, whether combatant or non-combatant, supplying, transporting, or otherwise handling facilities, equipment, devices, vehicles, weapons, or other materials intended for use in War and Civil Unrest, or Terrorism. 2. The act of any person voluntarily entering an area known at the time to be subject to War and Civil Unrest or against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. See www.gov.uk/fcdo.)

cymruchris

I might have misread - are you asking about a refund on the policy and they wouldn’t give it ? Or they wouldn’t honour a claim to refund your trip? If the former, then as you’ve been covered since buying the policy you’d unlikely get a full refund. If the latter, and it’s a claim that’s not being paid - we’d need a few more details. 

TELLIT01

If a package holiday has been cancelled you would generally get a full refund from the tour operator, although I don't know if there would be an exclusion on that similar to that on the travel insurance.

When Covid first appeared we were shocked to discover that despite the cause being FCO advised not to travel, and that is covered, there were only 4 or 5 specific reasons with the 'advice not to travel' which they would pay out on.  Pandemic was not one of them.  Fortunately the airline refunded all passengers.