Most people associate travel insurance with going abroad. Whilst it’s common to get cover when travelling overseas, many people are unaware of the benefits that an annual travel insurance policy brings…and not to forget that the worst can still happen whilst on holiday in the UK.
Although ‘what could go wrong’ may slightly differ from being abroad, it’s still important to have peace of mind when taking a well-deserved break.
In this article we include examples of the type of cover you can get, but it’s worth noting it varies by the cover you actually have in your policy – which as a specialist broker, we can tailor to suit you and your needs.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways that an annual travel insurance policy can cover you for holidays, getaways and generally travelling in the UK.
How Travel Insurance can protect you for UK holidays:
Trip cancellations, delays and curtailment
Many UK holiday booking providers such as Airbnb and Booking.com do offer free cancellation on some bookings, but they don’t on others.
If you can no longer attend your UK holiday or if your trip is cut short due to unforeseen circumstances, you would be covered with your annual travel insurance policy if you’re staying for two or more nights.
For example, you could be covered if:
- You can no longer go on your non-refundable, three-night getaway to the Lake District.
- You fell ill on your week-long trip in Edinburgh and your trip needed to be cut short.
- Your pre-booked train from Manchester is cancelled due to strikes which means you miss your prepaid Ed Sheeran concert during your weekend away.
Personal belongings cover
Your personal belongings are covered against loss, theft or damage during your UK trips meaning you can travel easy knowing that you’re protected.
Cover varies by policy, but with Norton you would be protected for your belongings which are worn, used or carried when travelling in the UK, generally up to the total value of £3,000 as standard.
It’s worth noting that there can often be exclusions such as high value jewellery and other electronic devices aside from your phone, so this is always worth double checking.
With some insurers, there will be single item limits which is limited to a maximum payout of £250, although this can be increased to £750 with some of the insurers we work with. If you need increased cover for your belongings, it may be worth considering ‘specified high risk’ cover as an extension to your Home Insurance policy.
If you’re doing something such as an extreme sport or you’re intoxicated, then you wouldn’t be covered. In addition to this, if any item is insured within another policy, such as having specific insurance for your iPhone, then this would be excluded from this annual travel insurance policy.
For example, you would be covered if:
- Your luggage is damaged on a train journey to Bristol for a weekend away.
- You drop your brand-new iPhone and the screen smashes whilst travelling on the National Express bus to see your friends for a few nights. You would be covered up to £250 in most cases for a standard policy – as specified above.
Pre-booked trips
Any pre-booked activities or excursions that you can no longer attend (due to illness or any other emergency situation) during your UK trip are also covered. Whether you’ve reserved tickets for a guided tour or an outdoor adventure, you can get reimbursed if you’re unable to participate in these activities due to unforeseen circumstances.
For example, you would be covered if:
- Illness forces postponement of a planned family day out at Alton Towers theme park.
- Disrupted travel plans prevent you attending a guided city tour around Bath.
