Read about our award winning Coronavirus (COVID-19) cover included on all policies here

Am I covered for Coronavirus?

Any policy sold by Outbacker includes cover for any medical claim due to Coronavirus*. We include cover for cancellation due to you falling ill with Coronavirus* and being unable to travel or being required to self isolate, subject to medical certification or an official test result. We additionally include cover for curtailment due to the death of a close relative due to Coronavirus*

Click here to view common scenarios and the cover available under your policy on our dedicated Coronavirus Page.

The cover for cancellation under your policy for Coronavirus* will depend upon when you purchased your policy and when you originally booked your trip.

If you purchased a new policy after midday on the 13th March 2020
Any new policy purchased after midday on the 13th March 2020 will not cover any cancellation due to government restriction on travel due to Coronavirus* or any future pandemic.

If you renewed a policy after midday on the 13th March 2020
So long as there was no break in cover then for any trip originally** booked prior to midday on the 13th March 2020 you will continue to receive cover for cancellation due to government restriction on travel due to Coronavirus* or any future pandemic. For any trip originally** booked after this date and time no cover will apply for cancellation due to government restriction on travel due to Coronavirus* or any future pandemic.

If you purchased or renewed a policy prior to midday on the 13th March 2020
Your policy will cover cancellation due to government restriction on travel due to Coronavirus* or any future pandemic so long as both your policy and the trip where originally** booked prior to the 13th March 2020. If your trip was originally** booked after this date and time then no cover will apply for cancellation due to government restriction on travel due to Coronavirus* or any future pandemic.

* Coronavirus (COVID-19), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) or other Pandemic Illness.

** If you originally booked a trip prior to the 13th March 2020 at midday and you move this trip to a later date (for example by way of date change or voucher) you will continue to receive cover for cancellation claims in relation to Coronavirus for that trip.

What will I need to do if I test positive?

Unless your destination requires a COVID test then you have no obligation to take one prior to travel under our policy. If your destination does require a test or you wish to take one as you feel unwell we would generally recommend using a private test as noted below as this will include a standardised Fit (or unfit) to Fly Travel certificate. As standard the following options are available to you to prove you have tested positive

  • A private test from a provider that provides a Travel certificate, for example* https://covid.randox.com/pre-departure/
  • Any other written confirmation of a positive COVID test from a relevant source for example a pharmacy, doctors surgery or hospital.
* Please note this is not an endorsement of this particular provider, we use this as an example as they are one of the largest providers in the UK.

Am I covered for the cost of COVID testing?

No. Our policies do not cover the cost of COVID tests either prior to, during, or post your travel.

Note: Our claims team will assess costs for COVID tests required by a doctor or hospital as part of a valid claim for emergency medical assistance on a case by case basis. Claims for COVID tests for any other reason (for example pre-departure, in hotel/venue or post arrival tests) will not be covered.

Am I covered to travel to an 'Red' list country?

You can travel to any destination listed on your certificate of insurance. Cover under your policy is not impacted by the traffic light system (you may travel to red countries), however, if you travel to a country where the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) or other regulatory authority advise against travel your cover may be reduced, click here for more information.

You should familiarise yourself with the current regulatory advice for travel prior to your travelling (in particular the requirements for testing and quarantine under the traffic light system), please click here for more information.

How is my Insurance Premium Calculated?

Your insurance premium is calculated on several factors including where you're travelling to, how long you're going for, how long in advance you purchase your policy, who you are travelling with, any medical conditions and what activities you'll do on holiday. We've created a handy document which you can see by clicking here which explains why we consider these factors. It also explains what external factors cause insurance premiums to increase on an annual basis and how we insure our policies offer fair value.

Can I travel against Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice?

The cover under our policies may be reduced where there Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against either 'all' or 'all but essential' travel. You can view the current advice by clicking here.

FCDO advises against 'all travel'

No Cover

FCDO advises against 'all but essential travel'

If your travel is 'essential': Full Cover

If your travel is not 'essential': Cover excluding any claim arising either directly or indirectly from the reason the FCDO advice against travel is in place. For example if your destination states 'The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to … based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.' then your policy would provide full cover for any otherwise valid claim other than a claim caused either directly (for example you contracting COVID-19) or indirectly (for example your accommodation becoming unavailable due to COVID-19) by COVID-19.

What is 'essential' travel?

To understand what is considered essential travel (and some examples of what is not) please click here.

Please Note: If you are travelling to multiple destinations under your policy you must check the FCDO advice before each leg of your trip. If you are travelling for non essential travel and move from a country without advice in place to a country for which 'all but essential' travel advice is in place your cover will be reduced as outlined above for that portion of your trip.

I need written confirmation my policy covers COVID

We understand that certain countries and travel companies are requiring written confirmation of medical and repatriation cover if you contract COVID-19 while travelling. If you need such a confirmation you can obtain this by accessing your Customer Zone where you will be able to download a policy document entitled 'COVID-19 Cover Confirmation'.

Am I covered to cancel my trip if the outbound flight is cancelled?

As standard all our travel insurance policies cover cancellation of a trip if your outbound flight, departing from the United Kingdom, is cancelled and no suitable alternative public transport is provided within 24 hours of the scheduled time of departure.

If you need to make a claim under your policy, you should contact your travel provider for reimbursement in the first instance. If they do not refund your unused expenses, you can submit a claim online by accessing your Customer Zone from your welcome e-mail.

All cover will be subject to all other terms and conditions of your policy. Should your flight be cancelled by the airline, they are legally responsible to either provide you an alternative flight or full refund. They are also liable to provide overnight accommodation until the alternative flight becomes available. Since the EU 261 regulation was passed in 2004, passengers have been protected against severe flight disruption. The legislation confirms that long delays, cancellations, missed connections and flight re-bookings cause great inconvenience to the passenger, and as such affected passengers should be compensated.

Please note that similar protection exists where your travel is via pre-booked ferry or train and the same process should be followed.

Am I covered to continue my trip if the outbound, inbound or connecting flight is cancelled?

You should contact your travel provider in the first instance, as they should offer a suitable alternative public transport so you can continue your trip.

If your flight is delayed for more than 12 hours, all of our policies offer a delayed departure benefit. This is designed to help you pay for telephone calls, meals and refreshments purchased during the delay.

We can also cover your reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses so you can continue your trip. We will only cover costs to the standard of your original booking and that cannot be claim back from your travel provider.

Please note if you booked a package trip, your additional transport and accommodation expenses will be arranged by your travel provider. We will not be able to refund any additional costs if you booked a package holiday, except for the delayed benefit.

All cover will be subject to all other terms and conditions of your policy. Should your flight be cancelled by the airline, they are legally responsible to either provide you an alternative flight or full refund. They are also liable to provide overnight accommodation until the alternative flight becomes available. Since the EU 261 regulation was passed in 2004, passengers have been protected against severe flight disruption. The legislation confirms that long delays, cancellations, missed connections and flight re-bookings cause great inconvenience to the passenger, and as such affected passengers should be compensated.

If you need to make a claim under your policy, you should contact your travel provider for reimbursement in the first instance. If they do not refund your additional expenses, you can submit a claim online by accessing your Customer Zone from your welcome e-mail.

Please note that similar protection exists where your travel is via pre-booked ferry or train and the same process should be followed.

I am abroad and my return flight has been delayed to a later date
so I return after my policy expires, what do I do?

If your return flight (or train/ferry) is cancelled while you are abroad and replaced with a later flight (or train/ferry) your policy will automatically extend at no cost (and without need to notify us). Please note this is subject to you returning on the first available alternative date offered by your travel provider.

If you do not wish to return on the first available date offered by your travel provider we may be able to offer you an extension while abroad, in most cases you will be able to do this online via your Customer Zone.

I had to change my travel dates, can I move my insurance?

We are able to change your cover dates subject to some terms and conditions. The options available to you depend on how long it has been since your original intended travel date.

If you purchased your policy on or after 1st March 2022:

Up to 60 days from your original travel date: You can change your travel dates at no cost so long as your new travel starts within 60 days of your original start date on a like for like basis. Once you have changed your travel dates in most cases you will be able to increase your cover duration paying only the difference in cost.

Up to 1 year from your original purchase date: You can change your travel dates (including extending the length of your trip if required) paying only the difference in cost between what you have paid and what you would have paid had you have selected these dates at the point of purchase.

More than 1 year from your original purchase date: In most cases we will provide you with a quote for a new policy for your new travel dates and then deduct 50% of the premium paid for your original policy for your time on cancellation risk.

How to request a change:
Please enter your Customer Zone and click 'Change my Travel Dates', please note for your security you will need to enter your post code to verify your identity.

If you purchased your policy prior to 1st March 2022:

You can move your policy at no cost so long as your new travel starts within a year of your original start date on a like for like basis, in many cases once you have changed your date you will be able to make other mid term adjustments such as increasing cover duration or upgrading your area of cover. To do so please enter your Customer Zone and click 'Change my Travel Dates', please note for your security you will need to enter your post code to verify your identity.

If you wish to move your policy back more than a year from your original start date we may be able to do so subject to certain terms and conditions. Please contact our customer services team for further information.

I had to return home early from my travels, what are my options?

Claim for curtailment of your travels
If your policy provides cover for Coronavirus (see 'Am I covered for Coronavirus' for more detail) and you have had to return home to the UK early you may be able to make a claim for curtailment under you policy. Please note that prior to attempting a claim you must in all cases attempt to obtain a refund for any pre-booked accomodation, travel or other services. For more information on how to make a claim please see section 'How do I make a claim?'.

I am no longer planning to travel, can I cancel my policy?

You can cancel your policy through the customer zone using the process outlined below, the amount we will refund depends on how long you have had your policy and when you purchased you policy (as we have special conditions for policies purchased prior to Coronavirus being declared a pandemic). You will not be able to cancel your policy if you have made a claim. Terms and Conditions apply.

How to Cancel Your Policy:
  1. Access your Customer Zone
  2. Click 'Edit Your Policy'
  3. Click 'Cancel Policy'
  4. Confirm you have not made nor do you intend to make a claim under this policy

How much we will refund (policy purchased on or prior to 13th March 2020):
  • If you cancel within 14 days of purchase and have not travelled: Full Refund
  • If you cancel after 14 days and up to 45 days after the expiry of your policy (so long as you have not travelled):
    • between 14 and 30 days after purchase: 70%
    • between 31 and 60 days after purchase: 60%
    • between 61 and 365 days after purchase: 50%
    • more than 365 days after purchase: 25%
  • If you cancel after the start date of your policy: No Refund

How much we will refund (policy purchased after 13th March 2020):
  • If you cancel within 14 days of purchase and have not travelled: Full Refund
  • after 14 days of purchase and prior to the start date:
    • between 14 and 30 days after purchase: 70%
    • between 31 and 60 days after purchase: 60%
    • between 61 and 365 days after purchase: 50%
    • more than 365 days after purchase: 25%
  • If you cancel after the start date: No Refund

By following this process, we aim, if your request is approved, to process your cancellation within 2 working days or receipt and thereafter funds should reach your account within 3 to 5 working days.

How do I make a claim?

The quickest way to make a claim for cancellation due to Coronavirus is online. Please be aware that in all cases you should attempt to obtain a refund or voucher from your travel provider prior to making a claim. If you are concerned about the requirement to notify us as soon as possible of a loss please be assured that you do not need to make a claim until such point as your travel provider has formally in writing denied your request.

Make a claim online: Enter your Customer Zone and click 'Make a Claim', please note for your security you will need to enter your post code to verify your identity.

Make a claim by phone: Call CEGA Travel Claims on 0330 094 5091. Their team are available 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.

Please note the above information relates to general claims only, if you need to make a claim for a Medical or other Emergency, under Gadget Cover or for Scheduled Airline Failure or End Supplier Failure please view our claims page for more information.

Am I entitled to make a claim under my policy for Airline Failure (e.g. FlyBe)?

Almost all of our policies include Scheduled Airline Failure Cover or End Supplier Cover. To claim under these sections please contact IPP Claims

Make a claim online: www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp

Make a claim by phone: Call IPP Claims on 0345 266 1872

Major Incident Advice

For certain incidents we issue a Major Incident Advice document, you can download the latest below:

I would like to make a complaint about a delay in processing my claim

In most instances you should expect the claims team to review your claim within 2 to 4 weeks though it can sometimes take a little longer. If your claim has taken longer than 6 weeks please contact us so we can investigate the reason for the delay.

How to make sure you receive our emails

To make sure our emails get past your spam filters and into your inbox, follow these simple instructions for adding Outbacker to your safe list.