Enhanced Covid-19 insurance launched for travel against FCDO advice

Authored by BIBA

The BIBA Holiday Travel+ and Sports Travel+ schemes, from Jackson Lee Underwriting (JLU), now includes an enhanced Covid-19 extension for those vaccinated travelling to countries in Europe where Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have advised against “all but essential travel” due to Covid-19. It provides cancellation cover and medical expenses costs for those who have been vaccinated and wish to travel to places that the FCDO advise against “all but essential travel” where this advice is solely because of Covid-19.

The BIBA scheme covers several other scenarios that are not covered as standard in the majority of travel insurance products such as cancellation due to the failure to complete your vaccine course due to illness, adverse reaction to Covid-19 vaccine within 14 days of your scheduled departure date, and cancellation due to being told to self-isolate by the UK Government’s Test and Trace service.

This is in addition to the standard cover for Covid-19 emergency medical treatment, repatriation costs and any extra travel and accommodation expenses abroad if you catch Covid.  Children who have not been vaccinated will also be covered under the policy as long as they are under 18, have not refused a vaccine when offered one and the Government hasn’t announced the vaccine roll out to under 18s.

Graeme Trudgill, BIBA Executive Director, commented: “This welcome new additional cover from the BIBA Holiday Travel scheme with JLU can give vaccinated holidaymakers improved peace of mind when booking a holiday. It allows them to enjoy their trip with the confidence they have protection from comprehensive travel insurance that provides a great deal of insurance protection for Covid risks and even track and trace self-isolation. We are delighted that the JLU team have worked hard to provide this exceptional benefit to the BIBA member scheme.”

Dipesh Patel, Senior Underwriter for Jackson Lee Underwriting, comments: “We’re delighted to launch this new and important extension to our Travel policy.  Whether holidaying in the UK or abroad, it is imperative now more than ever that clients get broad and appropriate cover that will respond to unique risks presented by the pandemic. The traffic light system announced by the government in a bid to open up our borders again, means insurance brokers can expect to be increasingly busy with international travel quotations.  Many insurance policies will now have elements of cover relating to Covid, but there is a huge difference between the wordings currently on offer.

“Clearly the pandemic has been a worrying and challenging time for many, but as we begin to look to the future and open our borders again, we’re in an excellent position to make sure we equip brokers and their customers with first class coverage, to give them the added reassurance and protection they need to get moving again.”

The key eligibility requirement for the extension is that policyholders must have had, or have booked the Covid-19 vaccinations offered at the earliest opportunity. The policy, and extension, is available to all BIBA members from Jackson Lee Underwriting. For more information visit the BIBA Holiday Travel+ scheme page.