Travelling abroad for a holiday is now legal thanks to the government’s newly introduced traffic light system.
From today (17 May) the “stay at home” messaging has been lifted and international travel has finally resumed for those living in England, as long as they travel to a destination on the government’s ‘green’ list.
However, reports in the media have suggested that airports could experience their busiest day of the year today. Therefore, to reduce the risk of being caught up in mass queues at the airport we would strongly recommend that travellers make sure they have all the relevant documentation needed to either leave the UK or enter the destination they are visiting ahead of their departure date.
In particular, it is important to check that:
- Your passport is in date and has at least six months validity remaining on it
- Your EHIC is in date or you have replaced this with a GHIC
- Any entry restrictions, testing, or quarantine requirements for the country you are visiting and for your arrival back to the UK
- Your travel insurance is up-to-date and valid for your trip
If you are in doubt of any of the above, we would strongly recommend getting in contact with the relevant company or government department to help you answer any queries you may have.
If you have questions about your travel insurance policy, we suggest you contact your provider directly. Travel insurance is still a must have, even if you are travelling to a country on the ‘green list’.
Of course, there many aspects of Covid-19 that a travel insurance policy will protect you against. For example, accommodation and transportation costs should you fail your pre-departure test to the UK and have to isolate abroad. Please find more examples of the different types of scenarios that a policy with Covid-19 protection may protect you against here.
However, aside from protection against risks the coronavirus may pose, there are many other reasons why it is important to have adequate travel insurance in place from the day you book your trip. For example, you may still need to submit a claim for a reason that is not at all related to Covid-19, such as trip cancellation due to a family member falling unwell, if your trip is delayed for several hours, or losing your luggage while on route to your holiday destination.
