ABI issues travel insurance travel warning for Spanish holidaymakers

Those travelling to mainland Spain risk invalidating their travel insurance policies, the ABI has warned.

The trade body issued the warning following the UK government’s decision to reintroduce a 14-day quarantine for those returning from Spain on Friday.

The decision gave holidaymakers just 48 hours notice and has affected thousands of people who are either in Spain already or who were planning to travel out in the coming days.

The ABI did however reassure UK tourists already in Spain that their cover would continue until they returned home, but said that ”travelling to countries against FCO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office] advice is likely to invalidate your travel insurance and this would apply to those yet to travel to mainland Spain”.

The FCO has warned UK citizens ”against all non-essential travel to mainland Spain based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks”.

But the warning does not extend to the Spanish islands such as the Balearic and Canary islands which are popular with UK holidaymakers, but confusingly those returning from the islands will also have the quarantine for 14 days.

”Customers looking to change or cancel their travel plans should speak with the airline provider, tour operator or travel agent in the first instance,” the ABI said.

”If you booked your trip or took out your travel insurance after Covid-19 was declared a pandemic, you may not be covered for travel disruption or cancellation. In either circumstance, we’d advise checking with your insurer,” it added.

Earlier this month, Zurich offered 8,000 customers who bought a single-trip travel insurance policy but were unable to use it during the lockdown a full premium refund.

And on 12 July, independent UK travel agent Hays Travel announced it was offering its customers travel insurance that includes cover for Covid-19, as well as any other diseases classified as a pandemic or epidemic.