Today I have had an email from my travel insurance (Avanti) with an upgrade to include cover for Covid-19
You may be aware that we recently upgraded our travel insurance policies to include protection for coronavirus (COVID-19) as standard. This cover applies to all policies issued on, or after 16 March 2020 for covered trips commencing on, or after 17 July 2020.
As such, we are pleased to be able to offer that upgraded cover to our existing customers at no extra cost. Your upgraded travel insurance now covers you for:
Cancelling your trip if you catch COVID-19 within 14 days of travelling
Emergency medical expenses abroad due to COVID-19 and repatriation to get you home
Cancellation and repatriation cover if you’re denied boarding your pre-booked transportation with a positive test for COVID-19
Additional accommodation and transport if deemed necessary by our medical officer
Daily benefit if you are ordered to self-isolate in your holiday accommodation if you have COVID-19
Cancelling or cutting your trip short after death in the family from COVID-19 or if your travelling companion(s), people you live with or people you’re staying with on holiday are diagnosed with COVID-19 within 14 days of travel
There are a couple of conditions to this but nothing that you would not expect (such as not having a positive test before travelling)
If all companies are doing this then it may go some way to alleviating concerns about foreign travel in general and cruising in particular
Today I have had an email from my travel insurance (Avanti) with an upgrade to include cover for Covid-19
You may be aware that we recently upgraded our travel insurance policies to include protection for coronavirus (COVID-19) as standard. This cover applies to all policies issued on, or after 16 March 2020 for covered trips commencing on, or after 17 July 2020.
As such, we are pleased to be able to offer that upgraded cover to our existing customers at no extra cost. Your upgraded travel insurance now covers you for:
Cancelling your trip if you catch COVID-19 within 14 days of travelling
Emergency medical expenses abroad due to COVID-19 and repatriation to get you home
Cancellation and repatriation cover if you’re denied boarding your pre-booked transportation with a positive test for COVID-19
Additional accommodation and transport if deemed necessary by our medical officer
Daily benefit if you are ordered to self-isolate in your holiday accommodation if you have COVID-19
Cancelling or cutting your trip short after death in the family from COVID-19 or if your travelling companion(s), people you live with or people you’re staying with on holiday are diagnosed with COVID-19 within 14 days of travel
There are a couple of conditions to this but nothing that you would not expect (such as not having a positive test before travelling)
If all companies are doing this then it may go some way to alleviating concerns about foreign travel in general and cruising in particular
It certainly seems very comprehensive David, and as you say should ease concerns about cruising.
We now need the FCO to remove the advice against over seventies travelling by cruise ship.
I was checking if that was still in place yesterday as we won't be booking anything until that's removed as insurance would be void.... my Husband just had his seventieth birthday in September he is fit and health playing golf most days (walking the course no golf-buggy)
A word of warning with Avanti Travel Insurance.
I purchased a policy from them for my mother at the end of 2019 for a cruise departing August 2020. I contacted them when the advise from the FCO was not to travel and in particular for over 70's not to cruise. Avanti said that cancellation due to FCO advise not to travel was not covered due to Covid 19 despite the policy being taken out well before Covid was known about.
All they offered was a credit of £28 towards another policy this on a policy that had cost £130 for a weeks cruise.
To put this into perspective I have free bank insurance that confirmed that because our booking was made well before the onset of Covid we were covered if we failed to get refunds from suppliers.
My advice is to check out Avanti customer reviews from people who tried to make a claim rather than the reviews that are left by people who have just purchased a policy.
We now need the FCO to remove the advice against over seventies travelling by cruise ship.
I was checking if that was still in place yesterday as we won't be booking anything until that's removed as insurance would be void.... my Husband just had his seventieth birthday in September he is fit and health playing golf most days (walking the course no golf-buggy)
The Fco changed the advice a few months ago. They now advise against cruise travel for everyone, not just the over 70s
A few days ago I renewed my Staysure travel insurance. I’ve got the full Covid cover and my premium was halved, as I went for Europe only cover, not Worldwide
staysure an avanti are part of the same group of companies I have used both before and found nothing wrong with them except their prices we have 2 cruises booked for next year and on asking them for a price on the round uk one next july I was quoted over £700 by one and £680 by the other so I phoned free spirit travel insurance for both for just over £350 and just in case you think its to cheap and they would not pay out I was taken ill on a p&o cruise 2 years ago and they paid out within 10 days over £5000
When I book for company travel we used to use holiday extras for travel insurance. Never had any issues, although I am not aware of anyone actually having to claim. I have personally used holiday extras for both parking and a pre-stay hotel and again had no issues.
Last time I looked at Holiday Extras using the P&O link for travel insurance their quote was considerably higher than other quotes that I had had - even with the insurer that I was with at the time.
Last time I looked at Holiday Extras using the P&O link for travel insurance their quote was considerably higher than other quotes that I had had - even with the insurer that I was with at the time.
I suspect that for younger passengers with no pre existing conditions their price might be competitive, but for old codgers with lots of ailments, they are far more expensive than Staysure.
We’ve just bought travel insurance from Staysure,we were previously with insure&go who are now part of All Clear. Annual multi trip, Europe Cruise & COVID cover,very happy with price. Will look for world wide for 2023.
We’ve just bought travel insurance from Staysure,we were previously with insure&go who are now part of All Clear. Annual multi trip, Europe Cruise & COVID cover,very happy with price. Will look for world wide for 2023.
There is a big thread on CC about quarantine cover, and whether a partner with a negative test being offloaded due to their partner testing positive, would also have their hotel and repatriation costs covered. At present there is great uncertainty across most insurance companies.
Sorry if this has been raised before , has anyone used HSBC premier travel insurance with a p&o cruise, can't get a definitive answer from either of them if it will be acceptable thanks.
We do. & HSBC state that a cruise is just like any other holiday. I have some medical conditions of which I informed them an told them where I was going & the nature of the holiday (cruise) & they were accepted. I agree though, nowhere states ‘cruise holiday included’. Cruise specific cover issues e.g. missed ports are not included (as I understand it.)
I accept that my reply isn’t exactly what you want. Ideally you would like to hear from someone who has successfully claimed from HSBC for a cruise holiday.
Incidentally, the underwriters have changed from Allianz to Aviva.
Also, I am always confused (& have had differing advice from the HSBC helpline) as to which number to include on the ‘assistance number’ of P&O’s passenger information page.
Last edited by Ranchi on 31 May 2022, 09:06, edited 4 times in total.
I would also add thay anyone trying to dodge taking out insurance whilst taking an holiday on a cruise ship, could face an horrendous bill, should things go pear shaped.
I've just had a very competitive quote for annual cover from Avanti. We're both late 70's with just one fairly minor prior medical condition. Can't fault the quote but does anyone have any experience of their willingness to pay out if required (the acid test!)? David, I know you had a small claim - have you used them for long?
I know you had a small claim - have you used them for long?
I only used then the one time and the claim I had was right at the start of lockdown but there were no issues and it was dealt with fairly quickly under the circumstances.
The only reason I did not use them this time was that I could not get any response to my questions about Covid cover which, at the time, was more relavent than it is now. Pricewise they were one of the better quotes.
Has anyone used Holiday Extras recommended by P&O, i got a good travel insurance quote from them but are they OK
We’ve used them for an annual policy taken out at the time of paying balance .
That will also cover our Canary cruise in January.
£112 for both of us with no ailments
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