It’s around this time of year that most of us would normally start thinking about our summer holidays, whether for this year or next.
Thinking about days at the beach or by the pool, exploring somewhere new, helps keep us sane during the working day.
But these aren’t normal times, and so it may seem that the summer holidays ‒ for this year at least ‒ are cancelled.
One of the many knock-on effects from COVID-19 has been the grounding of the vast majority of flights, with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) now strongly advising against all but essential travel abroad.
And yet talk is starting that perhaps a trip to sunnier climes may not be entirely off the cards.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, has floated the idea of ‘air bridges’, with flights to and from certain countries exempt from the current quarantine rules requiring all visitors to self isolate for 14 days.
So if you’re starting to dream about a possible trip overseas, what’s the situation with travel insurance?
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Crucial cover
It’s always a good idea to have proper travel insurance in place when booking a holiday.
This cover isn’t just there to help you should something go wrong on the holiday itself, like help with medical costs if you get injured on the ski slopes.
It’s also important protection in case something happens in advance of the holiday which means you can’t go, from cancelled flights to falling ill.
And that’s a vital thing to consider in the current uncertain situation.
Can I get cover?
Given the FCO’s position on foreign travel, right now you will struggle to find any insurer willing to offer you a travel insurance policy at all.
But once travel in some form is possible again, what will those policies look like?
The Association of British Insurers, the trade body which represents the industry, told loveMONEY that insurers will look to extend cover again where they can, when they can.
But a spokesperson cautioned: “Many insurers have changed their wording in light of the virus being a pandemic, this is because it is now a 'known' entity and travel insurance is designed to cover for the unexpected.
"This will only cover new policies taken out and is a temporary position that insurers will continue to review. The COVID-19 exclusions in place will vary from insurer to insurer but you will still be covered for other medical emergencies.”
In other words, even once travel is more widely available again, and insurers start selling policies more broadly, you may struggle to find an insurer that will cover you for anything COVID-related.
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Why this matters
We are in an incredibly uncertain situation at the moment, with one of the only things we know for sure is that COVID-19 isn’t going away any time soon.
As a result, even if we can head off for a fortnight to the Meditteranean by the end of the summer, it will be against the backdrop of a global pandemic.
So it won’t be out of the question that the flights will be cancelled, perhaps because of a spike in cases in a certain region meaning planes are grounded once more.
And even if the flights are going ahead as usual, and the hotels are open, what if you manage to fall ill with the virus before the trip, meaning you can’t go?
If the policy wording specifically rules out cover for anything COVID-related, then you’re going to be seriously out of pocket.
With that in mind, it’s important to tread very carefully when it comes to booking anything, even if you opt for a ‘staycation’ and remain in the UK for a holiday.
Insurance is supposed to cover you should something wreck your plans, but it may not provide the peace of mind you need for some time.