[MartynSinclair]

[quote quote=1000961]I have a return ticket but have been stranded here (not a bad place to be) till now in a flat because my airline cancelled all their May and June flights to London. I passed the 90-day limit,[/quote]

I can understand why insurers are not extending policies to cover the lockdown period. Insurance risk has been purchased by the underwriter for a set period of time.

However, GivingupBA’s situation is very different. GivingupBA is currently downroute, flight cancelled by airline & stranded. Current insurer refused to extend the period of cover as maximum trip duration of 90 days has been reached.

How have you covered yourself for medical insurance during this period as presumably, any other travel policy will insist cover needed to start when you left the UK, not 90 days later??

Financial consequences of airline flight cancellations do not appear to be a peril covered by travel insurance, as I found out last August when I was stranded in BKK for an extra 2 days when CX cancelled one of my flights.

[GivingupBA]

MartynSinclair said, “How have you covered yourself for medical insurance during this period as presumably, any other travel policy will insist cover needed to start when you left the UK, not 90 days later??”

Thank you for your thoughts and concern for my case, Martyn. As you said almost all travel policies only give cover if you start your journey in the UK. I found just a very few which could start if you are already overseas, but try as I might I could not get cover from them. So now I’m not covered, however, I am now booked to come back to the UK very soon.

I will be looking for a new travel insurer next time.

[SimonS1]

Quite a stressful situation I can imagine.

I can understand insurers not accepting new risks but for insurers who are members of ABI, I believe their guidance is that expiring travel policies will be extended at least 60 days for emergencies provided travellers return to the UK at the earliest possible opportunity. It may be worth a call or email to ABI.

Generally some insurers are doing the right thing, out if the blue my daughter received a cheque from her car insurance on grounds that she was unlikely to be driving much and with few vehicles on the road the risk was much lower.

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GivingupBA

[handbag]

Captonianm
As regards whether or not one can travel, I am confused and disappointed at the lack of clarity and coordination between the various entities involved.

My thoughts entirely.

[fatbear]

I would be quite to happy to travel to some destinations in Europe but it is the 14 day quarantine coming back that is the issue for me…..

I too received a small refund on my car insurance, although my wife hasn’t ( she has a different insurer )

[ASK1945]

As we are discussing travel insurance in this thread I thought that I would post this query here, to get the collective wisdom of Forum participants.

A friend has just approached me for advice – which I am unable to offer.

He was due to go to Israel with his family in four weeks’ time, for a one-off event. The event has been called off because of the continued quarantine restrictions for overseas visitors, and will not be re-scheduled.

No problem with the hotels booked (he turned it into a family holiday). They were all cancelled without any charges by the hotels anyway, as they aren’t able to open. However, El Al – with whom they were flying are still running the flight. They have told him that they won’t be cancelling it. He was offered a re-schedule for any other date, without a penalty charge (although as usual he would have to pay any difference in fare), but they won’t reimburse or offer a credit note. They advised him to contact his inurance company.

Despite days of trying by phone and several emails, he has had no response at all from the insurance company.

Bearing in mind that El Al of course is not an EU airline, is there anything anyone can suggest for him to get almost £2k back?

[capetonianm]

If El Al do operate the flight as planned then I suppose there’s not much he can expect from them beyond what they have offered, which seems perfectly fair as it’s not within their control.

It sounds like a pretty poor insurance company if he can’t get in touch with them (that’s appalling), I would write as in registered letter.

If he gets lucky – LY will cancel the flight!

[MartynSinclair]

[quote quote=1000971]Despite days of trying by phone and several emails, he has had no response at all from the insurance company.[/quote]

If the insurance company is FCA regulated or voluntary subscribes to the Financial Ombudsman Service, I would suggest your friend contacts them for guidance. At the end of the day, insurance companies can not use Covid 19 as an excuse for poor customer service.

If the event is of a celebratory nature, has the Israeli government not made any provision to allow travelling family members to attend, somehow..?

[SimonS1]

Your friend could also try the Association of British Insurers for guidance.

If the flight is operating then I can’t see the airline giving a refund (unless the tickets are refundable) however all the time FCO is only essential travel then if it is an insured risk then they certainly have a case.

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ASK1945

[HarryMonk]

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[HarryMonk]

Surprised El Al aren’t the only acting as ASK1945 states, it fits with my post on another thread earlier this week. See below

More and more airlines are announcing a resumption of flights but do they really want passengers? I am surprised they haven’t restarted earlier actually, unless a destination has specifically banned incoming flights.

For example a flight between London and the US. Most non-US passengers are not allowed entry to the US so cannot fly, some passengers will choose not to risk travel, the FCO advise all UK citizens against non-essential travel therefore travel insurance policies kick in. So the airline can now say to passengers, we are not making a refunds as we are flying, go claim from your insurance company, For those without insurance, well they will lose out. Either way the airline keeps the cash but keeps flying. Flying with lower costs that previously anticipated from lower fuel costs, less baggage to carry = even more fuel savings or more space for freight, less food & beverage and perhaps even reduced crewing amongst other savings. As a little bonus on top, unless people actively reclaim it, the APD of the no-shows could be kept by the airline, quite a nice sum on long-hauls and business class tickets.

So could less passengers mean more £££ ? Especially with the “busy” summer season coming up

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ASK1945

[GivingupBA]

SimonS1 said, “Quite a stressful situation I can imagine. I can understand insurers not accepting new risks but for insurers who are members of ABI, I believe their guidance is that expiring travel policies will be extended at least 60 days for emergencies provided travellers return to the UK at the earliest possible opportunity. It may be worth a call or email to ABI.”

Thank you very much for information, and advice/ tip, Simon, that’s helpful.

Having no travel insurance for a while is not really stressful because in a long life I’ve had much worse and learned to roll with the punches, or whatever the phrase is. I’m not young, but am healthy – the only thing that worries me is if I’m driving tomorrow and an out-of-control driver barrels into me at 50 MPH.

[simeoncox]

How about this as a guideline?
Essential travel: any travel by an individual that generates an income which can be taxed.

[GivingupBA]

[postquote quote=1001111][/postquote]

But I think that is a very business- and work-focussed definition. Surely some people’s travel is essential for other reasons – e.g. to rescue or assist a very ill child or other relative who is in hospital/in desperate trouble, helping or rescuing someone in jail or in deep trouble with the law, going to a close family member’s funeral?

[SimonS1]

[postquote quote=1001111][/postquote]

How does essential travel to care for a sick relative, or attend a funeral etc fit with your definition?

[Author]

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