How to extend your travel insurance
As a holidaymaker or business traveller, there are many reasons why you might wish to extend your overseas trip. You may simply be enjoying yourself so much you wish to stay longer, or you may have business activities that are running over schedule.
Note: The following is general information and is not intended as an interpretation of any travel insurance policy you may have. Contact your particular travel insurer if you wish to extend your travel insurance.
Contact your insurer
In the first instance, you should contact your insurer and explain you want to arrange an extension to your travel insurance. Most insurers will permit this. If an extension is possible, you would simply pay the additional fee and you would be covered.
What about extensions during Covid-19?
Since the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advised against all but essential travel until further notice (initially on March 17 for 30 days, then extended indefinitely), very few - if any - travel insurers are covering people travelling overseas. Naturally, no extensions would be possible at this time. Almost invariably, travel insurance coverage is based on FCO advice.
NB: Coverage would have been provided to those who took out travel insurance before Covid-19 travel restrictions were put in place.
When the FCO deems a location unsafe
Many - if it all - travel insurance policies do not cover claims that arise as a result of an insured person entering an area deemed unsafe to travel to by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, this could be an issue if, for example, an insured person attempted to return to the UK via a country deemed unsafe by the FCO because normal transport routes had been disrupted.
Covid-19 extensions to travel cover
Those who were stuck overseas because of the Covid-19 pandemic would have been advised to contact their travel insurers.
According to the Association of British Travel Insurers, as regards single-trip travel insurance, "Most travel insurance policies already automatically extend so that people can continue to be covered against the risk of emergency medical treatment when they are stuck abroad due to ongoing travel restrictions.
"Sometimes these extensions have a limit of up to 30 days, however, given the exceptional circumstances leading ABI members will look to extend this protection to cover the risk of emergency medical treatment for up to a minimum of 60 days, provided customers are making every effort to return home."
What happens if I'm quarantined overseas? Will I be able to extend my travel insurance?
According to the ABI, "If you are required to be quarantined while abroad, you should be covered by your insurance policy, including any relevant medical expenses that are required."
The ABI goes on to say: "Many policies can be extended for a specific period, if you are unavoidably detained from returning to the UK. If this happens, then check with your insurer."
What about starttravel.co.uk customers?
If you are a starttravel.co.uk customer and you have a question about your travel insurance policy, contact our team on 0333 320 1240.
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