THE coronavirus crisis is continuing to escalate, leaving many concerned about the safety of their upcoming holidays.
Countries that have been affected by the potentially deadly illness include Italy, Japan, the United States, Germany, France, Thailand, Spain and Canada.
President Trump has also took the unprecedented step of suspending all flights from 26 European countries for next 30 days to try to stem the spread.
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Trump said the EU “failed to take the same precautions” as the US before revealing the travel restrictions – which will go into effect on Friday at 12am.
The number of coronavirus cases has soared to over 111,000 world wide in over 50 countries.
Understandably, people with holidays booked are concerned about travelling, but cancelling a trip won’t automatically get you a refund.
This is because insurance doesn’t cover you if you choose not to go on a trip because you don’t want to – even if you think its not safe.
To automatically get your money back, you need to be travelling to a country that has received an “at risk” warning from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).
So far, the FCO advised against all travel to the Chinese Hubei Province, and all but essential travel to the rest of mainland China.
It is also also advising against all travel to the cities of Daegu, Cheongdo and Gyeongsan in South Korea.
And all but essential travel to the following lockdown areas of Northern Italy:
- Lombardy region (which includes the cities of Milan, Bergamo, Como)
- The provinces of Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia and Rimini (all in Emilia Romagna)
- Pesaro e Urbino (in Marche)
- Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola and Vercelli (all in Piemonte)
- Padova, Treviso and Venice (in Veneto)
If you’ve a holiday booked to one of these places then you should be able to get your money back or to make alternative arrangements free of charge.
We’ve spoken to the leading package holiday, insurance providers and airlines to find out where you stand if your trip is affected by the virus.
We asked what you’re covered for if you’re travelling to an area where a warning has been issued and what happens if you end up getting quarantined abroad.
We also wanted to know whether you can get a refund if you need to cancel due health or age concerns.
All of the responses we’ve had from firms so far have been included below and we’ll be updating the article as we hear back from others.
What do the airlines say?
British Airways
If the FCO has issued a “do not travel” or “all but essential travel” warning then flights to that area will be cancelled.
Customers who have their flights cancelled will be offered a refund or given the option to rebook for different dates or a new destination.
It is also regularly waiving its rebooking fee for anyone travelling in the near future so customers can change their plans.
At the moment the waiver applies to routes from March 3 to March 16, but you can track to see if this is extended .
Instances where holidaymakers are quarantined while abroad will be dealt with on a case by case basis.
Easyjet
Flights will be cancelled if the destination it is flying to has been labelled as a “do not travel” zone.
Easyjet will issue a refund for cancelled flights or offer customers alternative flights on different dates or to a new destination.
The airline won’t offer you your money back if cancel your flight because you’re worried about travelling due to pre-existing medical conditions.
It doesn’t have a policy on what happens if you miss your flight due to being in quarantine yet.
Virgin Atlantic
If an area has been declared “do not travel” by the FCO then flights are likely to be cancelled and customers will be offered a full refund.
Flights will continue to go ahead as normal, even if the FCO has declared it an area of “all but essential travel”, and you won’t be able to get your money back if you decide not to fly.
If no longer wish to travel to an area where there have been reports of coronavirus due to pre-existing medical or age issues then refunds will be given on a case by case basis.
The airline is yet to have a policy on what happens if you’re quarantined but say it will assess it on a case by case basis.
Ryanair
Ryanair is cancelling all of its Italian flights from March 13 to April 8 in response to Coronavirus.
All impacted customers have been notified by email and SMS and given the option to request a refund, rebook or re-route their journey.
It is currently working to fly home all of its customers from Italy back to the UK.
For its other flights, passengers are encouraged to check its to see if their flight is still going ahead.
The airline refused to comment on what it would do for customers that cannot travel due to pre-existing medical conditions or who are quarantined.
Flybe
Meanwhile budget airline Flybe has gone bust as a result of Coronavirus fears.
Flybe narrowly avoided going under in January but has continued to lose money.
The company had tried to broker a £100m rescue loan with the government, but a deal could not be done in time.
A drop in demand for flights caused by the coronavirus fears “made a difficult situation worse” for the budget airline.
More than 2,000 jobs are now at risk and several flights have been cancelled.
We’ve written up tips about what to do if you’re a Flybe customer stranded overseas, which can be found here.
What do the travel insurers say?
AA
Holidaymakers will be able to get a refund if they were due to be travelling to a destination that the FCO has issued a travel ban for, as long as the cover was purchased before the advice was published.
You’ll also get a refund if the FCO issues an “all but essential travel” ban as long as the policy was purchased before it was issued.
Those seeking to cancel due to pre-existing medical conditions will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and will need to be able to provide a note from your GP.
The AA will also cover you for extra costs incurred due to being put in quarantine abroad.
AXA
All travel to FCO “do not travel” or “all but essential travel” areas will not be covered by any AXA insurance policy.
If customers aren’t able to make alternative arrangements for their trip with the airline or holiday provider, then it will issue a refund.
Direct Line and Churchill
All policy holders will be covered for a refund of up to £5,000 per person if their holiday is cancelled due to it being made a “do not travel” zone.
Those travelling to “all but essential travel” zones will only be covered for refunds up to £5,000 per person if they bought their policy before the warning was issued and they’re due to depart with 28 days of the advice published.
What happens if I don't have travel insurance?
IF your travel insurance doesn’t cover coronavirus cancellations, or you don’t have any travel insurance, it’s worth getting in touch with your travel operator.
You’re not guaranteed any help but it might arrange an alternative holiday or allow you to rebook at a later date.
Free cancellations aren’t guaranteed if you’ve booked through an ATOL-protected tour operator either.
This is because the protection is against the failure of the package holiday provider, and not for a major medical outbreak like the coronavirus.
Some travel companies are still offering worried holidaymakers help where possible.
For example, Greek airline Aegean Airlines is offering customers with flights to any destination before March 20 the chance to rebook for free.
If you’ve booked flights and accommodation separately, ask the airlines and hotels if they can help.
Your cover is the same if you’re concerned about travelling due to medical or age conditions, as long as you’ve been advised against going by your GP.
You’ll also be covered for any extra accommodation and travel costs if you’re quarantined, but not food.
Insure And Go
Insure and Go says on its website that it will cover cancellation to “all but essential travel” areas as long as you booked your policy before the status was declared.
It says it will allow cancellation claims within 48 hours of your intended date of departure as long as FCO advice is in place.
The insurance company says pay you for any unused travel and accommodation costs if you have to cancel your trip and any necessary extra travel costs if you have to cut your trip short.
But it warns that it will only consider non-refundable expenses on your travel insurance policy so in the first instance you should approach the airline, your tour operator or your travel company for a possible refund/to see if they will amend your itinerary.
If you want to rearrange your trip dates and don’t make a claim, Insure and Go says it an transfer your policy to a later date to cover the new trip as long as it’s within three months of your original departure date, is for the same or no longer duration, and is to the same geographical area.
If you get quarantined overseas, the insurer says it will extend your policy for up to 30 days until you can get home.
LV=
Holidaymakers will be offered a refund if flights are cancelled to areas where warnings against travel have been issued.
Exisiting policies will only cover you for “essential travel” if you have agreed with the insurer beforehand that you absolutely have to travel.
Refunds will be issued for cancellations due to concerning medical conditions as long as the customer can provide a GP note advising against the trip.
If you’re quarantined abroad, LV= will cover repatriation costs but won’t offer any compensation.
LV= has also since stopped selling travel insurance to passengers too,
Marks & Spencer
The insurance provider will issue you a refund for any trip cancelled due to FCO warnings, including “all but essential travel”, if the costs can’t be recovered from your holiday provider.
You will be able to get a refund if you choose not to travel due to concerns over pre-existing medical conditions but only if you can supply a GP note advising you against travel.
Those who are quarantined abroad will be able to recover the costs of extra accommodation and flights home.
Post office Insurance
If the airline or package holiday providers cancels your flight or accommodation, it is responsible for refunding you or finding you an alternate flight at another time of the year.
If this happens, the Post Office is advising customers to contact their travel agent, hotel provider, tour organiser to try and rearrange their trip to a later date.
Anyone who has purchased Post Office Travel Insurance policy can amend their trip dates to within six months of the original trip.
But if there is a change in destination or duration from the original booking, additional fees may be payable.
If, between the time of booking a holiday and/or insurance the FCO’s travel advice has changed to against all or all but essential travel to the area you were due to go to, you may be able to claim back some of the non-refundable costs.
Travelling to one of these areas against the FCO advice could invalidate your policy.
In the first instance customers should contact their airline, hotel, tour operator etc to enquire if they can cancel or rearrange their booking.
Under the normal terms of a Post Office policy a customer would have cover for medical costs and repatriation if deemed medically necessary.
Under certain circumstances additional accommodation and travel costs may be covered also.
If a customer’s health deteriorates prior to travel, and their doctor advises that they should not travel, a claim may be considered.
They will be required to provide evidence from their doctor of this decision.
Virgin Money
The cost of holidays cancelled by the airline or provider should be refunded, but can can be claimed through your insurance if you can’t get the cash back.
The same policy applies to holidays in areas that have been declared “all but essential travel”.
Refunds for pre-existing medical conditions will be dealt with on a case by case basis, and a GP note will strengthen your case.
You’re also covered for repatriation costs as long as you haven’t travelled outside FCO advice.
What do the package holiday providers say?
Lastminute.com
The holiday provider will offer a full refund or alternative holiday if the area you’re due to travel to has been declared “do not travel” or “all but essential travel” by the FCO.
Cancellations made due to health concerns will be dealt with on a case by case basis but you will need a medical note to be successful.
The provider will also pay for up to three extra nights of accommodation if you’ve been quarantined abroad and your flights home paid for.
TUI
TUI will offer customers a full refund or alternative holiday if an FCO warning has been issued for the area they’re due to travel.
Trips cancelled due to medical issues, such as pregnancy, will be offered a refund as long as the circumstances meet the provider’s criteria.
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Those quarantined abroad will be covered for the costs of the holiday and repatriation. You won’t be able to claim a refund in this case.
Virgin Holidays
Virgin Holidays will offer holidaymakers the chance to change the dates or destination of their trip if the FCO has issued a warning for their destination.
Alternatively, customers can opt for a full refund instead.
Customers looking for a refund if they cancel their trip due to medical concerns will be assessed on a case by case basis.
The travel agent will also pay for all repatriation costs if you’re quarantined abroad.
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