Swine Flu and travel insurance

It seems not a day goes by without some mention of Swine Flu or influenza A (H1N1) in the national press. Some media sources seem to be sensationalising the situation with reports of millions of potential deaths. In truth it is clearly not possible to know the accuracy or otherwise of such reports. What we can safely say is that it is a global problem.
Unfortunately for those of us that have booked or are thinking about booking a holiday this year, it is something else to be worried about.If you are looking for advice on your particular destination, the best place to get information is from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.

For British Nationals overseas the FCO has provided a dedicated telephone number for those concerned about the swine flu outbreak - 00 44 207 928 1010.

For those concerned about their travel insurance cover, have a look at the policy wording or contact your insurer to discuss your situation. It should be noted that:

• All travel insurers will exclude cancellation cover due to the fear of catching swine flu.
• All travel insurers will also excluded cover if you are travelling to a destination that the FCO has advised against travelling too.
• Some travel insurance policies exclude all claims relating to the swine flu pandemic (If you have a holidaysafe.co.uk travel insurance policy however, rest assured that we do not, please read on for more information).

What cover does holidaysafe.co.uk offer in respect of Swine Flu?

Cancellation

If you do fall ill with swine flu before travel and after booking your travel insurance (or holiday, whichever is earlier) you will be covered by our policy.

Cutting short your trip (curtailment)

If you fall ill abroad and did not have the illness at the time of booking your insurance (or holiday if earlier) you may be covered to cut short your trip. In all cases you should contact the emergency assistance company on 0845 260 3260.

Medical expenses

As long as you are not travelling to a destination that the FCO advise against and you did not have swine flu before booking your travel insurance (or holiday if earlier) or before travelling your policy will provide cover. You should follow the normal claims procedure as outlined in the policy wording.