Travel insurance brands CoverForYou, Cedar Tree and Outbacker have added Covid-19 cancellation terms to their standard policies.
The brands, part of the Worldwide Internet Insurance services group, say the move fills a much-needed gap in insurance for Brits determined to go on their summer holiday.
Extra pandemic cover will be applied as standard to all existing and new policies, the company has announced.
It claims to be the first to offer the expanded Covid cover to all annual multi-trip and single trip policies.
The policies cover situations specific to current travel uncertainties and also incorporate elements of cover that were only available as add-ons for customers who purchased policies ahead of March 13, after coronavirus was officially declared a pandemic.
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Neil Wright, founder and managing director of the three insurance brands, said: “The expanded Covid cover is designed to give people additional peace of mind and make clear the levels of cover in place for specific incidents we’ve seen emerging which may affect them before and during travel.
“In effect, we are treating Covid the way we would a normal illness. If you fall ill with Covid or have self-isolation restrictions as a result then coverage is in place.
“This level of cover couldn’t be more timely. With lockdown easing, flights starting to resume and borders opening, people are – probably for the first time in three months – seeing glimmers of hope they will have a summer holiday after all.
“That’s reflected in the very early signs we’re seeing of policy sales beginning to not only resume, but slowly increase, especially for single trip policies.”
CoverForYou, Cedar Tree and Outbacker said their COVID-19 policies now cover the following scenarios:
- If the policy holder is due to stay at a family member’s house and the family member, or someone in their household, has to self-isolate due to a pandemic, so the policy holder chooses to cancel their trip because they have nowhere to stay;
- If the policy holder is not allowed to board a plane at the airport due to detected Covid-19 symptoms;
- If the policy holder falls ill with Covid-19 or another pandemic illness and cannot travel;
- If the policy holder, or a member of their household, has to self-isolate at home and cannot travel;
- If during travel, travel restrictions for a pandemic illness are imposed which were not in force ahead of travel, requiring the policy holder to return home.
Existing CoverForYou, Cedar Tree and Outbacker customers will automatically have the full suite of Covid extension cover applied to their policies and will not need to do anything further. The brands will contact these customers directly to confirm the changes.
All CoverForYou, Cedar Tree and Outbacker travel insurance products are underwritten by AXA and available to UK residents aged 18-75.
The company stressed that no cover would be valid if the Foreign Office advises against travel to the intended destination. The FCO currently advises against all non-essential overseas travel.