Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidelines:

If you CANNOT travel due to a government or local authority directive

If the area you are visiting has been declared as unsafe to travel to, you should contact your travel/accommodation providers to request cancellation, alteration or an alternative to your booked trip. In most circumstances, the travel/accommodation provider should offer a refund or other option as they are unable to fulfil their contract with you.
Please note that this will only apply if you are travelling soon, as advice could change meaning that the area could become safe again before your planned trip.
If you do not obtain a full refund from the provider, you may be able to submit an insurance claim, depending on the cover that you have purchased. Please check your policy terms and contact our office if you are unsure whether you are covered for this situation.

If you do not WANT to travel due to concerns about Coronavirus

If the area is still accepting visitors and there is no governmental directive advising against travel there, it will be classed as ‘disinclination to travel’ if you choose to cancel or change your trip. You should contact the travel/accommodation providers to see if they are able to make any changes but you should be aware that they are not obliged to do so.
There is no cover on Travel Insurance for disinclination to travel.

If you CANNOT travel because you have contracted the virus or have been placed in compulsory quarantine

If you have not yet left home and cannot travel for this reason, you can submit a Cancellation claim on your Travel Insurance.
If you become ill during your trip with Coronavirus, you would be able to submit a claim for any medical expenses incurred in the same way as if you became ill for any other reason.
If you are placed in compulsory quarantine during your trip and are unable to return home on the date originally planned, your Travel Insurance will automatically extend to cover you until you return home, provided you are able to produce a medical certificate confirming that it was compulsory and not voluntary quarantine. If you are placed in compulsory quarantine during the period of the pre-booked holiday, causing you to lose the benefits of the holiday for more than 24hrs, you can submit a Loss of Holiday claim.

If you need to make alternative arrangements to avoid an affected area

If your pre-booked travel, accommodation or excursions need to be amended for this reason, you should contact your travel/accommodation provider to see what they are able to do to help. As with points 1 & 2 above, their obligations to you will be affected by whether there has been an official directive or if it is your choice to amend your plans.

Further information

Association of British Insurers Coronavirus Advice UK Government Advice

Can a claim be made relating to Coronavirus?

If you purchased insurance after travel restrictions were imposed on the area you are visiting, OR after WHO declared the Coronavirus to be a Pandemic, you are unlikely to be covered to make a claim relating to the cancellation of your trip due to the virus.

If you are travelling to an area that does not have any travel restrictions in force, you should be covered for medical expenses if you contract the virus, or for certain expenses/losses if you are quarantined.

Can insurance be purchased during the current Pandemic?

If you are planning to travel to an area where restrictions are currently in force, you will not be covered for claims relating to Coronavirus and if your trip is within the next two months, we would advise that you seek to reschedule.
If you are planning to travel later in the year, you can purchase cover but will not be covered for claims relating to Coronavirus as you are aware that it has been declared a Pandemic.