Travel Insurance and Swine Flu

If you are planning to travel, you should be concerned about the effect that swine flu could have on your holiday planning.  As the virus spreads at an increasing rate around the UK, many people preparing for their holidays will be effected.  The UK is now one of the leading countries for Swine Flu infections and so unless you are travelling to the North American continent, you are unlikely to increase the risk of infection by going on holiday.

Cancelling a holiday at short notice through illness can leave you out of pocket unless your travel insurance policy covers the cancellation costs.  Not all travel insuranec policies do, so when looking to purchase cover, check that cancellation is a part of the policy and that the cancellation limits are satisfactory to reimburse you for the costs of the holiday. 

In addition, some insures have specific exclusions relating to pandemics, these policies will not pay you out if you are diagnosed with Swine Flu and cannot travel so again, check travel insurance policy wording carefully. 

If you do contract swine flu and need to claim on your travel insurance, normally your insurance company will expect proof of illness.  For many people this will be difficult as GPs are not seeing many suspected cases.  Contact your insurer at a very early stage if you think you may be contracting the illness and it may effect your travel plans.

The illness generally lasts for five days and so if you do become ill more than a week before you are due to travel, you are likely to have recovered in time.  Major British airlines are now screening passengers at airports for the major swine flu symptoms.

If you do not want to travel because of fears of swine flu, you are unlikely to be able to receive any financial support.  Only those that contract the illness are able to claim for being unable to travel. 

Insurers also treat single illnesses in groups differently from an insurance perspective.  For example, if a family of four are due to travel and one member contracts swine flu, then there is no automated way of handling this from an insurance perspective.  Check with any insurer on their policy for this.  For many families travelling, it would be advantageous to purchase a travel insurance policy that will allow cancellation cover for the group if just a single person contracts the illness and cannot travel.

If you do contract swine flu whilst on holiday, you will be entitled to claim medical expenses as for any other injury or illness.

Related: Travel Insurance