The nation is tired of hearing about the Brexit shambles but trust us, it’s important to be prepared.
The United Kingdom is set to leave the EU on October 31st 2019 and although there’s still a few months to go, those looking to book a half-term holiday need to ensure they are prepared. Newly elected Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, tweeted earlier today that ‘it’s time to get to work to deliver Brexit by 31st October’ but has made it no secret that it’ll be with or without a deal.
Leaving the EU without a deal could have a negative impact on travelling abroad. Following the political shift, holidaymakers should be paying more attention to the cover offered by the travel insurance policy they are buying to protect them.
The majority of the travel insurance industry have previously announced they will not cover Brexit-related claims. Whether they will choose to join the small number of insurers with this cover in the coming months is unknown.
So, with this in mind what is the key things to look for when buying travel insurance for Brexit?
Depending on what happens, it may not be possible for holidaymakers to reach their destination and if they wish to cancel their holiday, they will need to either speak to their package holiday provider or their travel insurer. Most travel insurance companies will only cover cancellation for specific reasons, but there are a few that will offer to cover cancellation for any cause beyond your reasonable control – and yes, this includes Brexit.
Medical cover is also essential. At the moment, those travelling to Europe can use the EHIC but it is not yet known how this will be affected. Brits are speculating that it will either be dropped completely or it will continue during the transition period but there hasn’t been an official confirmation. So, to be on the safe side holidaymakers should ensure their travel insurance policy offer medical expenses cover. In addition, all existing medical conditions will need to be declared otherwise claims could be declined.
Passports changes are at the centre of holidaymakers’ concerns. Earlier this year it was announced that more than 3.5 million British passports would be invalid post-Brexit. Since then the Government have released a passport checker. It is advised all holidaymakers check their passports in advance. Any expenses, including the cost of the holiday, relating to refusal of boarding or entry to a country will not be covered by travel insurance.
When should holidaymakers buy travel insurance?
It is likely people are already booking holidays for October half-term and travel insurance should be next on the list. It is important to buy travel insurance as soon as the holiday deposit is paid. If anything was to go wrong, protection will already be in place, and providing the policy is suitable for the holidaymaker’s individual needs, a claim can be submitted to ensure no one is left out of pocket. To reiterate, buying a policy a few days before the holiday is not advisable. Particularly with Brexit looming.
