Please see below our most frequently asked questions regarding cover under our policies, please click the question below to be taken directly to the relevant information, or view all FAQs below.
If you can't find the answer to your question in our FAQs please contact us and our team will assist you further.
Your insurance premium is calculated on several factors including where you're travelling to, how long you're going for, how long in advance you purchase your policy, who you are travelling with, any medical conditions and what activities you'll do on holiday. We've created a handy document which you can see by clicking here which explains why we consider these factors. It also explains what external factors cause insurance premiums to increase on an annual basis and how we insure our policies offer fair value.
Both the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and independent sources (for example MoneySavingExpert) advise you to purchase your travel insurance as soon as you book, however, the further in advance you book, the higher your premium, why is this?
We've created a handy document which you can see by clicking here which explains why this is the case, it includes a few examples to showcase how this works, why it’s important and how buying your policy last minute can end up costing you even more, or worse, leave you uninsured.
At Insure & Escape we believe your medical condition(s) should not be a barrier to finding the cover you need. We offer an online screening process that ensures your condition(s) can be confidentially and discreetly declared prior to purchase. We will then offer a premium that includes cover for your pre-existing medical condition.
If we can't offer you cover for your condition(s), or if we've had to charge you a significant additional premium due to your condition(s) we'll introduce you to Money Helper Travel insurance directory. The Money & Pensions Service has introduced this service to help those with significant pre-existing medical conditions find affordable cover.
You can access the Money Helper Travel insurance directory by clicking here or by calling 0800 138 7777 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm).
When you apply for a Schengen Visa your insurance must cover all countries within the Schengen area to be valid for your application, this means:
If you are purchasing an Annual Multi-Trip
The minimum area of cover we offer 'Europe' is valid for a Schengen Visa.
If you are purchasing a Single Trip
You MUST use the 'choose an area' function and select an area of 'Europe', or 'Worldwide' to be valid. If you select any other area, in particular 'Europe Restricted', or, input a specific country (such as just 'Spain' or 'France') then your policy will not be accepted for a Schengen Visa.
We recommend purchasing an Annual Multi-Trip as you'll be expected to show you have insurance for all trips planned within the period of visa validity. If you choose to purchase Single Trip cover you'll need to provide insurance certificates for all trips you have planned.
Visa Documentation
When you purchase a policy we will provide you a certificate of insurance as standard which most countries will accept. Some countries however require a confirmation of the medical cover included under the policy in either US Dollars or Euros, we therefore also provide a Cover Confirmation Letter for Visas which you can download from your customer zone after purchase with all policies.
What If I don't obtain my visa on time for my travel?
There is no cover under our policies if you fail to obtain required travel documents such as a visa or passport. We therefore recommend you apply in plenty of time as applications can take months.
Please note that if you purchase your insurance to apply for a visa and your visa is rejected, our normal cancellation terms apply click here for more information.
No, there is no cover under this policy if you travel against Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice.
As standard, all our Single or Annual Multi-Trip travel insurance policies cover the cancellation of a trip if the final international departure from the United Kingdom by aircraft, sea vessel, coach or train is cancelled and no suitable alternative public transport is provided within (24) hours of the scheduled time of departure due to:
This will cover the non-refundable trip payments, deposits, cancellation fees and change fees (less any available refunds). Also, if you prepaid for shared accommodation and your travelling companion cancels their trip due to one or more of the covered reasons listed below, we will reimburse any additional accommodation fees you are required to pay.
If your flight is not cancelled due to these reasons or you decide not to abandon your trip and to continue with your holiday, you will receive an allowance for each 12-hour delay to help you pay for telephone calls, meals and refreshments.
If you need to make a claim under your policy, you should contact your all providers including for example your travel, hotel and credit/debit card providers in the first instance as you will be required to submit a written confirmation from them proving no alternative or refund was provided in order for us to assess your claim. You can submit a claim online, click here for more information.
Please note that we will not provide cover for circumstances known to you before your purchase or which could reasonably have been expected to lead to the cancellation of the trip.
Should your flight be cancelled by the airline, they are legally responsible for either providing you with an alternative flight or a full refund. They are also liable to provide overnight accommodation until an alternative flight becomes available. Since the EU 261 regulation was passed in 2004, passengers have been protected against severe flight disruption. The legislation confirms that long delays, cancellations, missed connections and flight re-bookings cause great inconvenience to the passenger, and as such affected passengers should be compensated.
Please note that similar protection exists where your travel is via pre-booked ferry or train and the same process should be followed. All the cover we have outlined is subject to our terms and conditions, please check your policy wording for further clarification.
The cover is in place if your final international departure from or to the United Kingdom by aircraft, sea vessel, coach or train is delayed for more than twelve (12) hours due to:
We will pay a benefit for each complete twelve (12) hour period that you are delayed, as long as you eventually go on the holiday to help pay towards telephone calls and meals.
If the delay in your flight will cause you to return on a date later than covered under your policy please see I am abroad and my return flight has been delayed to a later date so I return after my policy expires, what do I do?
Please note this policy is not designed to cover costs which are met under EC Regulation No. 261/2004. Under this Regulation, if you have a confirmed reservation on a flight, and that flight is delayed by between 2 and 4 hours (length of time depends on the length of your flight) the airline must offer you meals, refreshments and hotel accommodation. If the delay is more than 5 hours, the airline must offer to refund your ticket. The Regulations should apply to all flights, whether budget, chartered or scheduled, originating in the EU, or flying into the EU using an EU carrier. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you must in the first instance approach your airline and clarify with them what costs they will pay under the Regulation. If you would like to know more about your rights under this Regulation, additional useful information can be found on the Civil Aviation Authority Website (https://www.caa.co.uk).
All the cover we have outlined is subject to our terms and conditions, please check your policy wording for further clarification.
Yes, all our policies include up to £10 million of cover for on board emergency medical costs including the costs of repatriation (emergency evacuation) where medically necessary.
Please note we also offer an optional 'Cruise Cover' add on which provides additional cover for Missed Port(s) of Call, Low/High Water, Cabin Confinement, Unused Shore Excursions and Denied Boarding.
If you have already purchased your policy and would like to add this cover please visit your Customer Zone to add (subject to terms and additional premium).
We understand that some cruise lines require proof of this cover, so we have issued a confirmation of cover letter which you can download by clicking here.
Policies issued before 01/05/2023If you are taking a cruise you'll need to add Cruise Cover to your policy, if you don't you'll have no cover for any claim related directly or indirectly to your cruise.
Our Cruise Cover, in addition to extending the core cover under your policy to include a cruise, also adds cruise specific cover including missed port departure, cabin confinement, formal cruise attire and unused pre-booked excursions.
We understand that certain countries and travel companies are requiring written confirmation that your travel insurance includes personal liability cover for winter sports. If you have included winter sports cover on your policy and need such a confirmation you can obtain this by accessing your Customer Zone where you will be able to download a policy document entitled 'Winter Sports Cover Confirmation'.
All our policies provide cover for Covid related risks as standard. The cover provided depends on when you purchased your policy.
Please click here for information on coverage.
Unless your destination requires a COVID test then you have no obligation to take one prior to travel under our policy. If your destination does require a test or you wish to take one as you feel unwell we would generally recommend using a private test as noted below as this will include a standardised Fit (or unfit) to Fly Travel certificate. As standard the following options are available to you to prove you have tested positive:
* Please note this is not an endorsement of this particular provider, we use this as an example as they are a high street provider in the UK.
No. Our policies do not cover the cost of COVID tests either prior to, during, or post your travel
Note: Our claims team will assess costs for COVID tests required by a doctor or hospital as part of a valid claim for emergency medical assistance on a case by case basis. Claims for COVID tests for any other reason (for example pre-departure, in hotel/venue or post arrival tests) will not be covered.
If you purchased your policy prior to 1st January 2024 you will be able to download a confirmation of COVID cover document from your Customer Zone.
For policies purchased on or after 1st January 2024, we no longer issue a separate confirmation of COVID cover as we are not aware of any country continuing to require this document. If your destination requires proof of insurance your certificate of insurance should be provided. If you'd like to review the cover under the policy you can click here.
Your policy does not include cover for cancellation due to a pandemic. Please note the following information that may be of use:
If you hold a Single Trip policy you are able to change your cover dates subject to some terms and conditions.
You can move your policy at no cost, provided your new travel start date is within two months of your original start date on a like-for-like basis subject to our disclaimer. In many cases, once you have changed your date, you will still be able to make other mid-term adjustments, such as extending cover duration or upgrading your area of cover. To make these changes, please enter your Customer Zone and click 'Change my Travel Dates'. For security, you’ll need to enter your postcode to verify your identity.
If you wish to move your policy to a date more than two months from your original start date. An additional premium may apply. You can access your customer zone to update your dates. If you wish to change the dates outside of one year, we may be able to do so subject to certain terms and conditions. Please contact our customer services team for further information.
If your return flight (or train/ferry) is cancelled or delayed (for a covered reason) while you are abroad and replaced with a later flight (or train/ferry) your policy will automatically extend at no cost (and without need to notify us). Please note this is subject to you returning on the first available alternative date offered by your travel provider. If your flight cancellation means your departure is delayed by more than 12 hours you may be able to claim under your delayed departure benefit, see Am I covered if my flight is delayed? for more information.
If you do not wish to return on the first available date offered by your travel provider we may be able to offer you an extension while abroad, in most cases you will be able to do this online via your Customer Zone.
You can cancel your policy through the customer zone using the process outlined below, the amount we will refund depends on how long you have had your policy and when you purchased you policy (as we have special conditions for policies purchased prior to Covid being declared a pandemic). You will not be able to cancel your policy if you have made a claim under the policy. Terms and Conditions apply.
How to Cancel Your Policy:You are entitled to a full refund so long as you cancel within 14 days of purchase, you haven't reached the start date of your policy, and haven't claimed under your policy. Thereafter, no refund is due.
Please note we will consider mitigating circumstances where you contact within 3 days of the start date of the policy (for example if your travel is changed the day before or on the day of departure) where you are still within the 14-day cooling-off window.
If you cancel an Annual Multi-Trip Policy:The quickest way to make a claim is online. Please be aware that in all cases you should attempt to obtain a refund or voucher from your travel provider prior to making a claim. If you are concerned about the requirement to notify us as soon as possible of a loss please be assured that you do not need to make a claim until such point as your travel provider has formally in writing denied your request.
To make a claim online or by phone or post please view our Claims Page for more information.
In most instances you should expect the claims team to review your claim within 2 to 4 weeks though it can sometimes take a little longer. If your claim has taken longer than 6 weeks please contact us so we can investigate the reason for the delay.
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Yes, however what it covers has changed and once it expires, you'll need to apply for a GHIC to replace it, click here for more information the GHIC including how to apply.
Please note you can no longer use you EHIC in Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. You can however use a UK passport to get medically necessary healthcare in Norway (for example emergency treatment, or to treat a pre-existing condition).
If you are a British national then since January 2021 you can no longer apply for an EHIC as the UK is no longer part of the EU. The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is a replacement and lets you get state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free.
The GHIC is valid in the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
Please note you can use a UK passport to get medically necessary healthcare in Norway (for example emergency treatment, or to treat a pre-existing condition).
How do I apply for a GHIC?
To apply for a GHIC click here.
What else do I need to know?
Your GHIC covers you for emergency medical treatment only including treatment of a chronic or pre-existing medical condition that becomes necessary during your visit. It can also cover oxygen and kidney dialysis, but you will need to pre-book these treatments before you depart for your trip. It will not cover your medical treatment if you're travelling abroad specifically to have medical treatment, including giving birth.
Do I still need travel insurance if I have a GHIC?
The gov.uk website recommends all UK travellers to take out appropriate travel insurance policy when travelling abroad. It is important to remember that an EHIC or GHIC does not cover you for rescue or repatriation costs, or if you are on a cruise. It's also important to remember that each EU country's healthcare system is different and without insurance you may have to contribute to some of the cost of your care – like locals do.
Important
If you are admitted to hospital contact must be made with the Medical Emergency Assistance Company as soon as possible and their authority obtained in respect of any treatment NOT available under a reciprocal health agreement. The information provided in this answer is an overview of the information held on the NHS GHIC site and was last updated on 27th July 2022.
If you are a British Citizen the following additional reciprocal health agreements are available to you:
Australia
If you require medical treatment in Australia you must enrol with a local MEDICARE office. You do not need to enrol on arrival but you must do this after the first occasion you receive treatment. In-patient and out-patient treatment at a public hospital is then available free of charge. Details of how to enrol and the free treatment available can be found by visiting the MEDICARE Website on www.humanservices.gov.au/medicare or by emailing: medicare@humanservices.gov.au.
New Zealand
If you require medical treatment in New Zealand, there are reciprocal agreements, but a person may not enrol with a Primary Health Organisation (PHO). They should get the same health subsidies as a New Zealand citizen visiting a general practitioner as a casual patient, if the doctor has decided the condition needs prompt attention.
For more information, please go to www.health.govt.nz or email: info@health.govt.nz
Important Notes
If you are admitted to hospital contact must be made with the Medical Emergency Assistance Company as soon as possible and their authority obtained in respect of any treatment NOT available under a reciprocal health agreement.
