Frequently Asked Questions
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19 including mutations)
For policies purchased from 14 April 2020:
Please note that there is no cover under Cancellation & Curtailment for any claims arising from any epidemic or pandemic, including but not limited to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-COVID-2) or any mutation of these.
For policies purchased between 17 March 2020 and 13 April 2020:
Because the World Health Organisation declared the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic on 11th March 2020 this is now a known event. This affects the cover provided by our Travel Insurance policies.
Any policies purchased between 17/03/2020 and 13/04/2020 will not include cover under any section whatsoever for claims directly or indirectly caused by the Coronavirus. This includes any preventative containment or delay measures.
For any policies issued before 17/03/2020 cover remains as per the policy terms and conditions.
- All
- About Your Policy
- Eligibility
- Emergencies and Claims
- Geographical Limits
- Medical and Health
- Policy Purchase and Details
- Sports & Activities – including Golf
- Winter Sports
FAQ’s related to policies issued before 16 March 2020. Travel Insurance Advice for Customers Affected by Coronavirus
Am I covered if I catch Coronavirus in the UK and need to cancel my holiday?
Yes, you are covered under the cancellation and curtailment section for cancellation of your trip if, after you have purchased your policy, you test positive for Coronavirus and you advised not to travel by your GP or Doctor.
Your policy will pay you up to the amount shown in the summary of cover for the unused portion of your travel and accommodation costs that you have paid or contracted to pay and you suffer a financial loss because you cannot get a full refund if you cancel before the start of your trip or cut your trip short and return home early during the period of insurance because of the following:
- the death, bodily injury, illness or being subject to quarantine of you, a close relative or any person you have arranged to travel or stay with during your trip;’
Am I insured if I travel against the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)?
None of the policies underwritten by Ageas will provide any cover if you decide to travel against the advice of the FCO. This would be for ‘All Travel’ and ‘All but Essential Travel’.
If the area is classified as ‘All but Essential Travel’ and customers are still planning to go, they must contact us in advance with their reasons for travel and cover must be agreed by the Underwriters.
Will my policy cover medical treatment for the Coronavirus? And will repatriation be covered?
Yes, you are covered as follows; if you travel to a country that the FCO has not advised against travel to and catch Coronavirus or require medical treatment, then yes cover will be in place for emergency and necessary treatment. Customers should be aware that our policies are travel insurance policies and not private medical insurance meaning that there is no cover for any medical expenses incurred in private medical facilities if we have confirmed that medically capable public facilities are available.
Please contact our Assistance Team if you require medical treatment.
Our policies will provide cover for repatriation (bringing you home) that is medically necessary. Our Assistance Team will liaise with your treating doctor(s) about your treatment plan and if required obtain a ‘fit to fly’ certificate. We also liaise with you and advise on, and put in place, suitable repatriation plans to get you home as soon as it is medically safe to do so in order to achieve your optimal recovery. Our team are unable to make arrangements to repatriate you where it is against local advice, where travel is restricted or where you would pose a risk to other passengers.
Am I covered for cancellation due to the Coronavirus?
Under all Ageas underwritten policies there is ‘specified cause’ cancellation cover, which does not extend to cancellation due to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office advising against travel to a country (or parts of a country).
In the first instance customers with travel booked to areas that the FCO have advised against travel to should contact their airline or tour operator in order to obtain a refund or arrange an alternative holiday.
If I am stuck abroad due to the Coronavirus and cannot come home on my planned return date, will my travel insurance be extended to cover me until I can get home?
Depending on your policy, cover may be extended for the following reasons:
- If you are hospitalised, require medical treatment and are unable to fly.
- If your transport is disrupted or delayed.
- If you cannot return home for any reason beyond your control
If I am quarantined due to the Coronavirus, what cover is in place?
If you are admitted to hospital with the virus your policy will usually provide medical emergency cover and assistance with returning home when you have been discharged.
Please contact our Assistance Team if you are admitted to hospital.
If you are confined to your trip accommodation in a quarantine situation, Ageas policies will not cover any additional accommodation or other additional costs, the local governments and authorities imposing quarantine should be assisting with these costs.
What happens if I arrive at my holiday destination and they refuse entry due to the virus?
If you travel to an area which the FCO advise against travel to, there would be no cover under the travel insurance policies as this would be considered as a known event.
If you travel to an area and the FCO advice changes after leaving home, you should contact your travel agent or tour operator for information on the availability of flights or refunds in the first instance.
If you are refused entry at passport/border control, you should contact your airline or transport provider to arrange changing your return ticket to allow you to come home early.
Will I be covered if I want to cut my trip short due to the Coronavirus?
Travel insurance policies have different terms and conditions regarding what is and what is not covered in regards to cutting short a trip.
This type of event is usually not covered across the travel insurance industry for cutting short a trip. This is because most policies have specific reasons for cutting short your trip and the “fear of an epidemic, pandemic, infection or allergic reaction” is not one of those reasons.
We would advise travellers who have booked package holidays to a destination affected by the viral outbreak and looking to cut your trip short they should contact their travel agent or tour operator for information on the availability of flights in the first instance.
If you are travelling independently from a tour operator or travel agent, you should make your own arrangements to leave by either altering return tickets where possible or booking onto an alternative commercial flight or mode of transport. Claims for independent traveller’s additional expenses in returning home earlier than planned, where medically justified, will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
If I go out on an excursion for the day and then am not allowed back to my travel accommodation (or cruise ship) due to quarantine, what cover do I have?
You should follow any instructions issued by the local authorities as it is more than likely that you will have to enter some form of quarantine.
Traveller’s should contact their travel agent or tour operator for assistance in the first instance.
If I have a stop-over in an area which the FCO advises against travel to, am I still covered?
Yes, but where possible should remain at airport.
Can my policy be changed to suit a ‘new/different’ holiday or trip?
Yes, policy can be transferred to an alternative booking if you are unable to go on your trip, but Tour Operator is happy to transfer holiday to alternative destination/dates.
What can I do with my policy if I am no longer travelling and have received a refund for my holiday?
You may cancel your insurance policy within 14 days of purchase without penalty and we will provide a full refund providing that you have not made a claim during the 14 days. After 14 days, you may cancel the policy at any time but you will not receive a refund.
How many days winter sports cover do I have?
If you are an Annual Multi-trip policy holder, you are entitled to winter sports cover if you have paid the appropriate additional premium. This is limited to 14 days if you have purchased Economy cover, or 18 days for Standard & Premier cover.
Am I covered for piste closure, avalanche or landslide and loss or theft of my ski pass?
Yes, provided you have paid the additional winter sports premium, to the amounts outlined in your policy wording.
Am I covered for off-piste skiing?
Yes, when accompanied by a local guide in areas that are designated safe by resort management.
What activities are covered for winter sports?
Provided you have paid the Winter Sports upgrade, you are covered whilst participating in the following winter sports:
Cat skiing (with guides)
Snow blading (no jumping tricks)
Cross country skiing
Snow bobbing
Glacier skiing
Snow scooting
Langlauf (cross country skiing)
Snow shoe walking
Monoskiing (not for time trials/speed skiing or racing)
Snow shoeing
Skiing on piste
Snow tubing
Skiing or snowboarding off piste (within local ski patrol guidelines)
Snow blading
Sledging/tobogganing
Snow boarding on piste
The following activities will be covered but there will be no cover in respect of any Personal Accident or Personal Liability claims:
Kite snowboarding
Snow carting
Snow go karting
Snowmobiling
Skidoo
Snowmobile safari
What age can I get winter sports cover up to?
Provided you are 64 or under, you can purchase our Winter Sports upgrade at the tailor your policy stage of our quote process.
Am I Covered for Scuba Diving?
Yes, you are covered for scuba diving at no additional premium on bigbluecover.com policies up to 18m, within the terms and conditions of sports and activities.
Now get covered with our Single Trip Travel Insurance or Annual Multi Trip Travel Insurance.
What does no cover in respect of personal accident and personal liability mean?
Personal Accident – No cover will apply, if you suffer Accidental Bodily Injury during the Trip, which within 12 months is the sole and direct cause of death or disablement.
Personal Liability – No cover will apply, if in the course of a Trip you become liable for accidental bodily injury to or the death of, any person and/or accidental loss of or damage to their property.
Does BigBlueCover.com cover sports?
Please see the policy wording for the full list of sports and activities that are covered by the policy.
If you are partaking in a sport or activity that you do not see listed in the policy wording then please contact our friendly Customer Services Team on 0343 658 0225 and they will assist you.
How do I make a claim?
In the event that you need to make a claim, please contact International Medical Rescue on 02380 177286, or visit www.imr-claims.com to submit a claim online.
What do I do if I need medical assistance when travelling?
You must contact the Medical Emergency team before you incur any expenses over £500. If you are unable to contact them immediately then you (or someone representing you) must contact them within 48 hours of the event.
In the event of an emergency please contact International Medical Rescue on 00 44 (0) 2380 644633, quoting your policy number.
Am I covered if I am Pregnant?
Yes, cover is provided for complications of pregnancy. Pregnancy itself is not deemed to be an illness or pre existing medical condition. Cover will only arise if a complication of pregnancy occurs. Please refer to the meaning of words in the policy wording for the definition of complications of pregnancy. Please note that if the due date coincides with the time of travel there is no cover under this policy.
How much Medical Cover does BigBlueCover.com offer?
BigBlueCover.com offers a range of policies to suit everyone’s needs. Our policies cover up to a comprehensive £10 million for Medical Emergency and Repatriation.
Does BigBlueCover.com cover Pre-existing Medical Conditions?
You will not be covered under this policy for any claims arising directly or indirectly from a pre-existing medical condition unless it has been declared to us and accepted by us in writing for cover. Call us on 0343 658 0225 to declare your pre-existing conditions and confirm if cover is available.
Can non UK residents be covered under your policy?
No, only UK residents can purchase the BigBlueCover.com policy.
What is classed as a UK resident?
This policy is only available to you if you are permanently a resident in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man and registered with a medical practitioner in one of these areas.
What is the Maximum Age you can insure up to?
For Single Trip policies we insure up to 85 – should you require a single trip and you over 85 then please contact our call centre team on 01293 855787 and they will help you. Or visit Goodtogoinsurance.com now for a great value quote including the option to add pre-existing medical conditions.
For Annual multi-trip policies we insure ages up to 75 – should you require an Annual multi-trip and are over 75 then please contact our call centre team on 01293 855787 and they will help you. Or visit Goodtogoinsurance.com now for a great value quote including the option to add pre-existing medical conditions.
Winter Sports – 64 years at time of purchasing your insurance.
What is a policy Excess?
Most sections of the policy carry an Excess and this works exactly the same as car insurance. This is the first amount of any claim that you will have to pay. The amount may vary depending on the level of cover you have chosen. It is applicable per person per section of the policy. If we agree to a claim for medical expenses which has been reduced by you using an EHIC you will not have to pay the excess amount under the Medical Expenses section.
Am I covered for Cancellation?
You are covered for the cancellation of your holiday for the reasons stated in the policy wording. You may be able to claim (subject to the policy terms and conditions) for any travel or accommodation costs that you have either already paid or are contracted to pay, that you cannot reclaim from the tour operator.
Can I extend my stay whilst away?
Unfortunately, you are unable to extend your policy whilst you are away; therefore you need to ensure that you are purchasing the correct policy. However if due to unforeseen circumstances such as the flight being cancelled or delayed due to no fault of your own, the policy will be automatically extended for you.
Can I update my details?
If you need to change names and/or your address, please contact us on 01293 855787.
What are my Cancellation Rights?
You have the right to cancel your policy within 14 days of the purchase providing there are no claims pending on the policy and you haven’t already travelled.
How can I pay for my Travel Insurance?
You can pay online using our secure system where all data is encrypted. We hold your details according to current Data Protection legislation.
If you do not feel comfortable online then you can call one of our friendly staff in our UK call centre on 01293 855787 and they will help you with your policy.
We accept Visa, MasterCard, Maestro/Switch, Solo, Visa Electron, Delta and American Express.
When do I start my policy from?
At the time of booking your travel arrangements to ensure you have adequate cancellation cover for that trip.
What ages do I enter to obtain a quote?
Please enter the ages at the time of purchase.
What is the difference between Economy, Standard and Premier Cover?
These are the different levels of cover offered under this policy. Economy offers the least cover, with the highest excess for the cheapest premium. Standard offers a wider range of cover at higher levels with a reasonable excess and is priced reasonably. Premier cover provides the widest range of cover and the highest levels of protection for you and requires you to pay the least amount of excess. As a result Premier cover is the more expensive choice.
How can I purchase travel insurance from you?
You can purchase our policies online or alternatively you can call one of our friendly members of staff in our UK call centre on 01293 855787 and they will help you tailor a policy to suit your needs.
Which area would I need to purchase if travelling to Egypt?
For this destination you would purchase the Europe policy.
What do I do in the event of travelling to more than one country?
There are 2 options; you can purchase a single trip policy for the period you are away for, so for example if you are travelling to Spain and then Brazil you would select the Worldwide Excluding policy. However if you’re going to Spain and then on to the Caribbean for a few days, you would need to purchase Worldwide Including.
Alternatively you could purchase a Worldwide annual multi-trip policy to cover trips going to multiple areas.
Can I upgrade my policy?
Yes, you can upgrade your policy at any time, except to add on an Excess Waiver or the Optional Gadget Cover. Please contact one of our friendly members of staff on 01293 855787. We will charge an administration fee of £5 if you require an amendment to your policy once it has been purchased.
What countries are covered by BigBlueCover.com?
The geographical limits are:
UK
Means England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man except under Geographical Limits where Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are considered to be part of Europe.
Europe
Means Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Azores, Balearics, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Corfu, Corsica, Crete, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Eire (Republic of Ireland), Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Holland (Netherlands), Hungary, Iceland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Kos (Greek Island), Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madeira, Malta, Mediterranean Islands, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Rhodes, Romania, Russia (West of the Ural Mountains), San Marino, Sardinia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City.
Australia and New Zealand
Includes cover for Europe as well as Australia and New Zealand.
Worldwide, excluding USA, Canada, Caribbean and Mexico
Means anywhere in the world except the USA, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico.
Worldwide, including USA, Canada, Caribbean and Mexico
Means anywhere in the world
Am I covered to travel within the UK?
You are covered for trips in the UK providing you have at least two consecutive nights pre-booked accommodation.
Does BigBlueCover.com cover non UK residents?
BigBlueCover.com policies are only available to residents of the UK or Isle of Man who are registered with a medical practitioner.
Am I covered if Strike/Industrial action occurs?
If departure from or to the United Kingdom (final international departure point only) is delayed for at least 12 hours from the scheduled time of departure as a result of strike or industrial action the Insurer will compensate you as follows:
- Travel Delay: The amount shown in the Schedule of Benefits for the first full 12 hour period of delay, up to the maximum amount shown in the Schedule of Benefits, provided always that you obtain in writing from the carrier a statement confirming the length and exact nature of the delay.
- Abandonment: If you choose to cancel your trip following a delay of not less than 12 hours beyond the scheduled departure time (and written confirmation obtained from the carrier), the Insurer will indemnify you up to the amount shown in the Schedule of Benefits for Cancellation.
What happens if my bag is stolen with all my travel documents and money whilst I am travelling?
You must report theft or losses to the police or relevant authority within 24 hours of the event and obtain a written report. These reports are the only proof that the loss/theft did actually occur. Without them the insurer cannot make any payment to you. If you leave luggage and personal items unattended in a public place then the insurer cannot be held responsible for any resultant claim. You should always take reasonable care to look after your property and treat it as if it were not insured. There is no cover for cash or valuables left in an unattended vehicle between the hours of 9pm and 9am even if the vehicle is locked.
What do I do in the event of my Travel Agent/Tour Operator/Airline Company going into administration?
Unfortunately there is no cover under this policy if your Travel Agent or Tour Operator go into administration, if they are an ABTA member you will can submit a claim to them for the cost of your holiday.
If you have booked each component part of your holiday separately (flight, accommodation, car hire) and one of these companies goes into administration you can put in a claim on your travel insurance policy.
Lost Passport?
You should report the loss or theft of your passport to the local police as soon as possible. You will need the crime reference details they provide for the Lost or Stolen Passport Notification form. You should also report the loss or theft to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. You can obtain details of your local FCO office wherever you are by calling +44 (0) 20 7008 1500 or by visiting the FCO website. The FCO will issue you with replacement travel documents so that you can travel back to the UK.
I forgot to take travel insurance before I left the U.K can I still be covered?
Unfortunately you can not purchase a policy if you have already left the UK.
How many times can I travel on my Annual Multi-trip Insurance?
You are able to take any number of trips in the policy year but this is limited to 32 days per trip and 120 days in total if you purchase Economy or Standard cover, or 180 days if you purchase Premier cover.
How many children can I insure on a family policy?
Up to four (4) dependent children under the age of 18.
Am I covered if I need emergency medical treatment and get sent to a private facility?
This is not a private health insurance policy. The Insurer will pay for private treatment only if there is no appropriate reciprocal health agreement in existence and no public service available and the Insurer reserves the right to organise a transfer from a private medical facility to a public medical facility where appropriate.
If you are taken/or go to a private medical facility, costs that arise will only be covered if you have contacted the emergency medical assistance company and any treatment has been authorised by them.
I have not received my documents
Your policy is sent to the email address you provide us. Please note that some internet providers filter out automated emails as SPAM so please check your SPAM/junk folder if the email has not been received. If you haven’t received the certificate please email us at [email protected] or call us on 0343 658 0225 to it send again.
Alternatively for a small postage charge, your documents can be sent by 1st class post.
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