Travel insurance UK
Travel insurance UK
The United Kingdom, home to the royal family, James Bond, scones with whipped-cream and jam, and the birthplace of (arguably) some of the most innovative music since we started plugging our guitars into amplifiers. From culture to country-side, the UK is a very popular destination for Australian travellers, being the fourth most visited country in 2019, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Whether you’re catching a glimpse of Buckingham Palace, doing a Beatles pilgrimage, or simply experiencing the melting-pot of cultures in London via your tastebuds, there’s a whole wealth of experiences to be had in the Queen’s country. Just remember to pack a travel insurance policy, to ensure you’re financially protected if the unexpected happens. After all, you don’t want to have to fork out thousands of Pounds in shock expenses if your flights are cancelled, you end up in hospital, or your luggage goes missing.
What should my travel insurance policy for the UK include?
Depending on what type of traveller you are, the kind of international travel insurance policy you choose will come down to a few different factors. These include how long you’re travelling for, if you think you’ll need any specific benefits, like cover for cancellations and delay, and if there are any optional extras you think you’ll need.
Whether you’re driving around the UK in a rental vehicle or motorbike, backpacking, or sightseeing, an international travel insurance policy should fit your needs and budget. If you’re cruising in style through the British Isles, then make sure your policy offers cruise travel insurance as an optional-extra, for example. Also, if you’re travelling with a pre-existing medical condition, make sure that your insurance provider covers your condition. You don’t want to foot the bill in an overseas hospital if your health acts up while travelling.
Generally, travel insurance providers offer different tiers of cover on their international policies. These often range from basic or essential policies, to premium or comprehensive policies.
A basic policy will often cover benefits like overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses, and personal liability. However, cover for things like flight delays, cancellations, loss of travel documents or cash, might only be available if you pay a higher premium. The question you have to ask yourself is, what can I afford to risk?
Do Australians need a visa to travel to the UK?
As an Australian, if you’re travelling to the UK for less than 6 months, you likely won’t need a visa. However, if you’re planning on staying longer than 6 months, you can find information about visa eligibility on the UK Government’s website.
Can I get COVID-19 travel insurance for the UK?
Since 1 April 2022, all Covid-related travel restrictions to the UK have been removed. You won’t have to prove your vaccination status, enter quarantine, nor provide a negative COVID-19 test to enter the UK.
However, if you are heading to the UK via another country, there may be COVID-19 measures still in place. So, it’s worth checking Smartraveller to see if your stopover destinations still have travel restrictions.
However, if you’re travelling overseas, your international travel insurance might not cover you for any COVID-19 related claims, depending if your destination is considered high-risk by the Australian government’s Smartraveller warnings. So, before you go booking your UK adventure, make sure you check the travel advice warnings for your destinations.
If your policy does cover COVID-19 related events, it may only provide cover for overseas medical and cancellation costs if you contract COVID-19, and may not cover things like mandatory quarantine or government-mandated border closures.
Travel insurance tips for UK
- Excess fees. When you need to make a claim on your travel insurance policy, you may be required to pay a certain part of the total value of your claim. The rest would be paid by the insurance provider. This amount that you need to pay yourself is called an excess. This excess fee can vary according to your policy. Generally, the cheaper the cover, the more likely your excess fee will be higher.
- Pre-existing conditions. Travel insurance providers ask you to declare any pre-existing conditions at the time of purchasing the policy. If you fail to do so, the insurance company can reject a claim you later make regarding that condition. Also, remember that pregnancies are considered as a pre-existing condition.
- Unattended baggage. Remember that if your bags go missing while you’ve left them unattended, your insurance provider may reject your claim. In fact, even when you leave your bags with the hotel concierge after you’ve checked out, that’s often considered ‘unattended’ in the provider’s eyes. So, leaving your luggage with the concierge at the hotel could result in your provider refusing to reimburse you for it, if it goes missing.
- Report incidents ASAP. Whether you’ve injured yourself while hiking through the countryside, or had your bags stolen from your hotel, you need to report any incident as soon as possible. Again, if you’ve read your policy’s product disclosure statement (PDS) carefully, you’ll know the exact documentation that you will be required to submit with your claim. Generally, these will be doctors reports, hospital bills, police reports, or receipts, depending on the nature of your claim. So, make sure you hold onto these when it comes to contacting your travel insurance provider.
- Driving in the UK. First of all, don’t drive a vehicle you aren’t licensed to drive. Australians who hold a valid Australian driver’s licence, you’re able to drive for up to 12 months on UK roads, after which you’ll need to apply for a UK licence. If you’re renting a car, make sure you have the right paperwork and consider whether or not your policy covers rental vehicle insurance excess, in case there’s an accident in your hire car. And like in any part of the world, don’t drink and drive – your insurance will not cover you for any accidents while under the influence.
- Drink responsibly. For some, it’s all too easy to set yourself up in a UK tavern, pint in hand but always remember to be responsible with your drinks. If you face a medical emergency or injury while you were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, your insurance company could refuse to reimburse you for those expenses. The worst type of hangover might not come from pints of beer – but be induced by bills.
Mozo Experts Choice Award-winning Travel Insurance for the UK
With so many options to choose from, finding the right travel insurance provider to suit your individual needs can be challenging. To help make your search a little easier, why not start by checking out this year’s Mozo Experts Choice Travel Insurance Award winners from the Exceptional Value Essential Travel Insurance UK category and the Exceptional Value Comprehensive Travel Insurance UK category. Find out more about the winners and what they offer on our best travel insurance page.
Compare internaitonal travel insurance policies – last updated 8 September 2022
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