Travel insurance when about to move home from abroad

Lola123L

Hello!

I am in an unusual situation and can't find any guidance on this. I'm a UK citizen, have been living abroad for the last year and will be permanently retuning to the UK shortly. Once I arrive back, I plan to go travelling. The question is where do I buy travel insurance?

I want to book things for my trip now (whilst living abroad), but as I am not currently in the UK should I buy my insurance here or from a UK company? If UK, would it be invalid at point of purchase as I am not currently in the UK? Or would it be OK as I will have moved back before the trip and will start my trip from the UK? If I needed to claim after my trip, I will be living in the UK at that point so it would be easier dealing with a UK company at that point.

If I buy UK travel insurance now, but pay with a foreign credit card will that make things difficult/invalid also?

Thanks!

Worried_fool

Virtually all the travel insurance sold in the UK is available only to people who, at the time of purchase, have already been living in the UK for at least six months. So that would exclude you.

I am aware of two brands that are available to people living anywhere in the world: their names are something like True Traveller and Global Nomad. They are rather expensive, I fear.

MyRealNameToo

Most insurers in the UK won't have a licence to sell insurance to residents of other countries, the group may do but its the actual underwriting entity that would need to have a licence for both here and wherever you live now.

Assuming policywordings where you are now are similar to the UK wordings then a policy bought there wouldnt work either.

There are some niche providers that will pretty much insurer someone from anywhere to go anywhere but they are typically much more focused on medical matters than cancellations or lost luggage. Note that most of them are not UK based and so you dont get FSCS and FOS protection with them if things go wrong

Woodstok2000

It depends how many things you are booking, but rather than paying for specialist insurance you may be cheaper booking flexible fares/refundable hotels etc. That way if you need to cancel you can without cost. Once you move back to the UK you could cancel and rebook if cheaper and then book tour insurance.

Maz9455

True Traveller do this. UK based, FCA regulated and their insurer is AXA. I use them.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81884603#Comment_81884603

They say they are limited to issuing policies to people resident in UK and Europe so depends if the OP is living in Europe or somewhere further afield.

luci

Should the OP come back to this thread:

I haven't looked recently, but World First used to provide insurance for people who had already left the UK to travel. It may be worth looking there.

Maz9455

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81886380#Comment_81886380

No they specifically cover people are are abroad.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81887702#Comment_81887702

Try doing a quote and declare you are a resident of South Africa… you can't as it says you must be a resident of the UK or Europe - you dont have to be currently in the UK or Europe but it needs to be your home address.

Maz9455

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81887799#Comment_81887799

Yeah, but the OP stated he was a UK resident not a South African resident. Why are you so angry?

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81889761#Comment_81889761

They say they are a UK Citizen not resident, they have been habitually living abroad for a year and so arent a UK resident.

Not angry, just pointing out your recommendation would leave them uninsured and have declined a £50k claim because the person followed the possibly well meaning advice from "a guy down the pub". Random stranger online is pretty much the same as the old guy in the pub. Ultimately it's not you who's going to pay their losses if it goes wrong because of your advice.