Please note that the information on this page is for policies sold prior to 18th October 2023, if you purchased your policy after this please click here for information.
Our policies cover a wide range of Covid risks as standard.
Any policy sold by Outbacker includes cover for any medical claim due to Covid while travelling so long as you are travelling to an area where no FCDO or other regulatory authority advice against travel exists. We include cover for cancellation due to you falling ill with Covid 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 Covid
Any new policy will not cover any cancellation due to government or other regulatory authority restriction on travel due to Covid or any future pandemic (for example the FCDO advising against all travel or all but essential travel to your destination or your flights being cancelled).
We have outlined below the most common questions we are asked about how your policy covers you during a pandemic.
Any policy sold by Outbacker will (where normally included in your chosen cover level) continue to benefit from all other cover including but not limited to Emergency Medical Costs, Scheduled Airline and End Supplier Failure, Baggage including Gadget and Passports, Personal Accident and Liability.
For the full limits of cover for your chosen policy please refer to your schedule of cover. Terms and Conditions apply.
Our policies do not require you to be fully vaccinated. Please note however that our policies do not offer any cover if you fail to hold the relevant documentation as required by your airline (or other public transport such as a cruise ship or train) or destination country. For example if your destination country requires you to provide either proof of being fully vaccinated or a current negative test certificate and you are denied boarding/entry due to not providing valid documents there is no cover under our policies.
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.
* Please note this is not an endorsement of this particular provider, we use this as an example as they are a high street provider in the UK.
No. Our policies do not cover the cost of Covid tests or vaccination 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.
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 against Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) or other regulatory authority advice, your cover may be reduced, click here for more information. You can view the current advice by clicking here.
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
You are covered for: |
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|---|---|---|
| Scenario | Cover Stance | Cover Conditions |
| Prior To Travel | ||
| You fall ill with Covid (or other Pandemic illness) at home and cannot travel. | Covered as standard | Subject to medical certification / test result**. No cover if symptoms or diagnosis occurred prior to your policy purchase |
| You or a household member has to self isolate at home and cannot travel. | Covered as standard | Subject to medical certification / test result** or you being required to self isolate by either Track and Trace or the NHS Covid App. No cover if you were requested to isolate prior to your policy purchase |
| You are due to stay with family. A family member who you are due to stay with has to self isolate due to pandemic illness. You wish to cancel trip as you no longer have anywhere to stay. | Covered as standard | Subject to medical certification / test result** |
| You have been made redundant and cannot afford to travel anymore | Covered as standard | There is no cover under your policy for circumstances known to you at the point of purchase. |
| Your airline goes into administration due to the pandemic. | Covered as standard | Subject to your chosen level of cover including Scheduled Airline Failure |
| Your travel provider (other than an airline) goes into administration due to the pandemic. | Covered as standard | Subject to your chosen level of cover including End Supplier Failure |
| During Your Trip | ||
| You have been denied boarding at the airport due to detected symptoms of Covid | Covered as standard | No cover if symptoms or diagnosis occurred prior to your policy purchase |
| No travel restrictions exist at time of travel. During travel, travel restrictions are imposed due to a Pandemic illness but you are not required to return to your country of residence, you complete your trip as originally planned. | Covered as standard | |
| No travel restrictions exist at time of travel. During travel, travel restrictions are imposed asking you to return to your country of residence due to a Pandemic illness. | Covered as standard | |
| You fall ill with Covid (or other Pandemic illness) abroad and need medical treatment abroad | Covered as standard | No cover if travelling against medical advice. Cover may be reduced if travelling against government or other regulatory authority (more info) |
| You fall ill with Covid (or other Pandemic illness) abroad and need to be repatriated to the UK | Covered as standard | No cover if travelling against medical advice. Cover may be reduced if travelling against government or other regulatory authority (more info) |
| You fall ill with Covid (or other Pandemic illness) abroad and you need to extend your stay as a result of Covid incurring additional costs. | Covered as standard* | On the orders of a medical professional or public health board. No cover if travelling against medical advice. Cover may be reduced if travelling against government or other regulatory authority (more info) |
| You are required to quarantine (placed in to compulsory quarantine) due to either testing positive or being a close contact of a person who tests positive for Covid (or other Pandemic illness) abroad and you need to extend your stay as a result of Covid incurring additional costs. | Covered as standard* | On the orders of a medical professional or public health board. No cover if travelling against medical advice. Cover may be reduced if travelling against government or other regulatory authority (more info) |
| You show symptoms of Covid whilst on your trip and must self isolate in your accommodation. You would like to claim for any cancelled excursions. | Covered as standard* | On the orders of a medical professional or public health board. No cover if travelling against medical advice. Cover may be reduced if travelling against government or other regulatory authority (more info) |
| You need to curtail your trip as a close relative has passed away from Covid | Covered as standard | No cover if your relative was already hospitalised before you left on your trip. |
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* We will pay you up to the amount shown in the schedule of benefits for reasonable additional transport (for example the cost to adjust your return flights) and/or accommodation expenses incurred, up to the standard of your original booking (for example all inclusive, full or half board, bed and breakfast, self-catering or room only), if you are required to stay beyond your scheduled return date due to either medically necessity or you being required to self-quarantine (on the orders of a medical professional or public health board). ** In all cases we will require a written confirmation of a positive test for example an e-mail from the NHS/Track and Trace or a letter from a testing centre, hospital, doctors surgery or pharmacy confirming the result. The type of test (PCR or Lateral Flow) we will require will depend on the government requirements at the time you test positive. If you would like further information please contact our customer support team. |
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If your policy was purchased and your trip originally booked prior to 13th March 2020 you are additionally covered for: |
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| Scenario | Cover Stance | Cover Conditions |
| Government or other regulatory authority restrictions due to Covid remain in place at time of departure preventing you from travelling. | Covered as standard | |
| Government or other regulatory authority introduces local restrictions (local lockdown) due to Covid which remain in place at time of departure preventing you from travelling. | Covered as standard | |
| Government or other regulatory authority restrictions due to Covid are lifted prior to your departure but you will be required to quarantine on return from your trip. You are no longer able to travel and want to cancel your holiday. Please note that this cover is based on your country of residence. | Covered as standard | |
| Current government restrictions are removed but are later reinstated due to Covid pandemic (or other Pandemic illness) and prevent you from travelling. | Covered as standard | |
| No government restrictions are in place at time of purchasing insurance/booking holiday. A new pandemic is declared and government restrictions are put in place and prevent you from travelling. | Covered as standard | |
If your policy was purchased prior to 1st April 2021 you are additionally covered for: |
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| Scenario | Cover Stance | Cover Conditions |
| You are due to travel but the country to which you are travelling have since introduced a quarantine period upon your arrival. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your holiday. | Covered as standard | No cover if the requirement to quarantine upon your arrival was known to you at the point you purchased your policy or booked your trip. |
You are not covered for: |
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| Scenario | Cover Stance | Relevant Exclusion |
| Prior To Travel | ||
| Government or other regulatory authority restrictions due to a pandemic were already in place at time of purchasing insurance/booking holiday and restrictions remain in place at time of departure preventing you from travelling. | No Cover | There is no cover under your policy for circumstances known to you at the point of purchase. The policy also excludes cancellation due to a pandemic. |
| Current government restrictions are removed but are later reinstated due to Covid pandemic (or other Pandemic illness) and prevent you from travelling. | No Cover | Your policy does not cover cancellation due to a pandemic |
| No government restrictions are in place at time of purchasing insurance/booking holiday. A new pandemic is declared and government restrictions are put in place and prevent you from travelling. | No Cover | Your policy does not cover cancellation due to a pandemic. |
| Government restrictions are introduced that do not restrict you from travelling to your destination but require you to be quarantined on return from your trip. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your holiday. | No Cover | Your policy does not cover cancellation due to a pandemic or disinclination to travel. |
| You are due to travel but hear that there are a number of cases of a pandemic illness near where you are staying. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your holiday. | No Cover | Your policy does not cover disinclination to travel. |
| You are or have recently been furloughed and no longer wish to travel. | No Cover | Your policy does not cover disinclination to travel. |
| You booked your trip to attend a specific event (ie Wedding, Sporting Event, Trade Show) which has been cancelled. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your trip. | No Cover | Your policy does not cover disinclination to travel for any reason (including due to event cancellation) |
| You booked your flight and hotel separately. Your flight is proceeding as planned but your hotel has cancelled your booking, there are other hotels available but you do not wish to travel if you cannot stay at your originally planned hotel. | No Cover | Your policy does not cover disinclination to travel for any reason (including due to a change of venue) |
| You are due to travel and your hotel advises that certain facilities may now be restricted or closed during your stay. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your holiday. | No Cover | Your policy does not cover disinclination to travel for any reason (including lack of advertised facilities at your hotel or venue) |
| Your holiday has been cancelled due to a pandemic and your provider is only offering you a voucher rather than a refund. | No Cover | Your policy only covers irrecoverable losses. Please note that in most cases you will have a legal right to a refund and should take the matter further with your provider. |
| You are due to travel to pre-booked accommodation as a group of households however local restrictions have limited the number of households that may stay in the same accommodation. You are unable to travel and want to cancel your holiday. (ie. Three households have booked a cottage and government restrictions limit to two households in one accommodation). | No Cover | This is not an insured peril under your policy |
| You are due to travel but the country to which you are travelling have since introduced a quarantine period upon your arrival. You no longer wish to travel and want to cancel your holiday. | No Cover | Your policy does not cover any claim due to quarantine requirements at your destination |
| During Your Trip | ||
| Government or other regulatory authority restrictions due to a pandemic were in place at time of departure and you travelled anyway. You need to make a claim under your policy (under any section). | No Cover | Cover may be reduced or invalidated if you travel against FCDO or other regulatory authority advice (more info) |
| No travel restrictions exist at time of travel. During travel, travel restrictions are imposed due to a Pandemic illness but you are not required to return to your country of residence, however, you will be required to quarantine on your return and you wish to return early. | No Cover | |
Close Relative - means mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, civil partner, daughter, son, grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, step-parent, step-child, step-sister, step-brother, foster child, legal guardian, domestic partner or fiancé/fiancée.
If you have a specific scenario not listed above for which you would like clarification, please contact our team at support@outbackerinsurance.com or 0203 475 4682
