Travel safely and check small print

With the world avidly awaiting daily updates on the situation surrounding coronavirus, many of us have been struck by inertia, not wanting to move for fear of being sneezed, coughed or spluttered upon by potential germ carriers.

The idea of self-isolation, cutting ourselves off from the world, is beginning to sound as appealing as a five-star beach break in the Maldives.

But the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the United Nations specialized agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism, has warned against implementing travel bans unless absolutely necessary; often they are ineffective and the potential social and economic impact could be devastating.

Of course, the Foreign And Commonwealth Office (FCO) is your best source of guidance for safe travel (travelaware.campaign.gov.uk), but if you are planning a holiday in the coming weeks - or months, here’s some further advice to consider.

Don’t assume cancellation is the only option.

Rather than cancelling a trip altogether, and risk losing money, travellers are being encouraged to postpone their plans temporarily. Etihad, for example, has temporarily removed all date change fees for flights and holidays booked between March 8 and April 7, 2020.

Tour operator Kuoni has also fast-tracked the launch of their Kuoni Flex initiative, which offers customers the flexibility to reschedule their holiday and opt for alternative travel dates without charge up until seven days before departure. This applies to several long-haul destinations including Mauritius, the Maldives, Thailand, Bali, Sri Lanka, the Caribbean, Mexico and select India group departures and is available for a limited booking period until March 16, on holidays departing from now until the February 15 next year.

Appreciating that this is a fast-moving situation, with new advice being issued daily, Royal Caribbean International has also announced a ‘Cruise With Confidence’ policy, permitting changes in travel plans up to 48 hours before sailing.

Applicable to both new and existing bookings with Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea, the policy (which applies to all cruises with a sailing date on or before July 31, 2020), allows guests to re-book their holiday with full credit on alternative cruises with the company both this year and in 2021.

It is advisable top monitor FCO advice to ensure your insurance policy is valid.

In terms of no-go zones, keep checking the FCO website for details. Currently, Iran, Hubei province in China and Italy have been ruled out for all but essential travel.

If you booked a holiday before the FCO advice was issued, then travel insurance will cover you for unused and non-refundable travel and accommodation costs in that destination.

But, in the first instance you should always approach the airline, your tour operator or your travel company for a possible refund, or to see if they are able to amend your travel itinerary before you go, advises Chris Rolland, chief executive officer of specialist medical travel insurance provider AllClear Travel (allcleartravel.co.uk).

You will also be covered for emergency medical expenses if you contract coronavirus in a country where there was no FCO advice in existence at the time of departure.

It may take time but it is very wise to thoroughly check the small print on your insurance documents before you travel to make sure you are covered for all eventualities.

“Travel insurance policies will cover emergency medical expenses and repatriation costs if treatment is needed as a result of the coronavirus,” says Rebecca Kingsley, brand manager of consumer awareness initiative, Travel Insurance Explained (travelinsuranceexplained.co.uk).

“Policies may also be extended should you find you are unable to return on your scheduled date of travel due to quarantine restrictions.”

But she advises checking to find out exactly what is covered. This is crucial.:some policies, for example, will cover additional accommodation and food costs incurred if you are quarantined while away. Others may not.

She also warns that delays are often only covered on outbound (and not return) journeys, so check this too.

Right now, a holiday at home in the UK might seem like the safer option, but don’t neglect insurance cover. Many people may not realise that even staycations require insurance cover.

“Although we have free medical care in the UK, travel insurance will cover you if you need to cancel your holiday or return home early and cannot claim back the cost from elsewhere,” says Kingsley.

“In addition, some travel insurance policies will offer to cover the cost of pre-paid, non-refundable excursions and car hire, if you are unable to make your trip.”

It’s worth noting, however, that some policies will only cover UK holidays if they are more than a minimum number of nights in duration.

If you are worried, confused or simply want to double-check your terms and conditions, contact your insurance provider who will be able to answer any questions before you leave for your trip.