You can get a refund on your travel insurance if coronavirus cancels your trip

HOLIDAYMAKERS whose trips have been cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis may be able to claim a full or partial refund of their unused travel insurance.

With the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advising against all non-essential travel worldwide until at least April 15, you may be able to get a refund of redundant travel policies.

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This is down to each individual insurer and you’ll only be able to get a refund if you haven’t claimed for cancelled holidays.

That means you can’t get a refund if you’ve used your policy to claim a refund for cancelled flights or accommodation.

Trade body the Association of British Insurers (ABI) expects 400,000 coronavirus travel claims costing at least £275million.

Whether you can get a refund may also vary depending on whether you have a single trip or annual policy.

You’re more likely to get a refund on single trip cover as insurers could argue that if you’ve got an annual policy you could still have the opportunity to go away later in the year.

And even if you have a single trip booked, you might want to consider changing the dates instead of cancelling it altogether if you’ve been offered a replacement trip, although you may be charged extra for this.

The ABI told us: “Refund policies by insurers will vary but typically provide a premium refund within one or two weeks of taking out cover.

“If customers are rearranging their trip rather than cancelling insurers will usually will allow them to change dates.

“Speak to your insurer if you are not sure.”

Here’s what some major insurers told us their policies were for cover you’ve had for more than 14 days.

If you’ve had your policy for less than 14 days and it covers you for at least one month then you can get a full refund anyway under the city watchdog’s “cooling off” cancellation rules.

Aviva

Single trip policy: You can claim a refund of the proportion of the policy you haven’t used.

So say, for example, you took out the policy in January for a trip in July.

You’ve already technically used the cover for three months, as even with single trip policies cover begins as soon as you take out the policy, not just for the dates of the holiday itself.

So you’ll have that portion knocked off any refund. Visit Aviva’s website for its contact details.

Annual policy: No refunds given.

Axa

Single trip policy: You can claim an up to 65 per cent refund on policies purchased before March 13.

Policies purchased after this can’t be refunded as they don’t cover coronavirus-related issues.

Annual policy: You can request a refund for the portion of the policy you haven’t used.

Visit Axa’s website for its contact details.

Churchill/ Direct Line

Single trip policy: You can’t get a refund.

Annual policy: You can’t get a refund.

More Than/ RSA

Single trip policy: You can claim a full refund. Visit More Than’s website for its contact details.

More Than is the trading name for RSA (Royal Sun Alliance Insurance).

Annual policy: You can’t claim a refund.

Coronavirus-related cancellations are no longer covered by most new travel and wedding insurance policies.

We round-up your coronaavirus travel refund rights.

Plus, here’s why you need to buy travel insurance as soon as you book a holiday.