Arranging travel insurance should be an important part of organising your holiday. But the way you book your travel and accommodation can have an effect on the type of cover you need.
John Brady, Head of Commercial at John Lewis Insurance tells us why you need Independent Traveller Cover if you’re booking your travel and accommodation separately and what it can protect against.
“Many people don't realise that if you book travel and accommodation separately you might not benefit from the financial protection that usually covers a package holiday.”
John Brady, Head of Commercial at John Lewis Insurance.
Q & A with John Brady
Q. What’s your background and what experience do you have in providing advice about Travel Insurance?
A. I've worked in financial services for 20 years, including banking, credit cards and insurance. The last five have been spent at the John Lewis Partnership, where I’ve helped to launch and develop John Lewis Insurance, including our personal insurance cover for cars, weddings, pets, homes, events and of course, travel.
Q. What is Independent Traveller Cover?
A. Many people don't realise that if you book travel and accommodation separately you might not benefit from the financial protection that usually covers a package holiday.
Independent Traveller Cover is an optional extra that can be added to our Single and Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance policies. If you book your travel and accommodation independently, rather than as part of a package holiday, it provides important additional cover.
Q. What does Independent Traveller Cover include?
A. If you book elements of your trip separately, our Independent Traveller Cover will cover you for the following:
Delayed departure
If you need to abandon your trip because your flight from the UK is cancelled or delayed by more than 12 hours and no reasonable alternative flight is offered by the airline.
- Claim up to £6,000 per person for lost accommodation costs
- Claim up to £6,000 per person for the reasonable additional travel and accommodation costs you have to make to rearrange your trip.
Missed departure
If you miss a connecting flight due to a delay.
- Claim up to £500 per person for additional accommodation and travel expenses to return home to the UK.
Extended cancellation
If the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) or the World Health Organisation (WHO) advise against travelling to a certain area, Independent Traveller Cover would pay your cancellation costs for up to £6,000 per person.
Natural disasters or fire
Up to £6,000 per person if you need to move accommodation due to a natural disaster or fire during your trip. This includes disruption caused by a volcano.
Q. What about ATOL protection – doesn’t that cover me?
A. When you book a package holiday (arranging your travel and accommodation at the same time), you're protected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) under the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL).
£1 per person of the cost of your air holiday package is paid to the CAA to provide ATOL protection for you.
However, if you book your flight and hotel separately, or book through a company which isn’t protected by ATOL, at different points in time, you might not be protected. This is when you could need additional Independent Traveller Cover.
Q. Can I add Independent Traveller to my existing John Lewis Travel Insurance policy?
A. Yes. If you have any questions or would like to add this to your existing policy just give us a call on 0800 916 6810.
Q. When should I arrange travel insurance?
A. It’s really important that you take out adequate travel insurance as soon as you book your trip.
For single trip policies your cover starts as soon as you've paid your premium so that you're protected against problems that mean you have to cancel your pre-booked holiday. For annual policies your cover begins on the policy start date you’ve selected.
Q. What kind of insurance would a couple getting married abroad need?
A. If you’re going abroad, you should always have travel insurance, but if you’re getting married overseas then it’s doubly important to make sure you’re covered. John Lewis Travel Insurance will cover your wedding trip and your honeymoon but you will need separate wedding insurance to ensure that all parts of your wedding are fully protected. John Lewis Wedding Insurance can cover weddings and civil ceremonies anywhere in the world, including the dress, gifts, suppliers and caterers.
In addition, if you’re booking your travel and accommodation separately, then you may still need to add Independent Traveller Cover to make sure you’re fully covered.
Expert’s tips
Q. Have you got any tips on the things you should look out for when buying travel insurance?
A. As well as Independent Traveller, there’s a lot to choose from when it comes to buying Travel Insurance. To make sure you get the right cover, you should think about the following before you buy:
- Single trip vs annual multi-trip
If you’re taking one holiday in a year then a single-trip policy may be the best option but if you’re planning more than one holiday in a year then it may be more economical to buy an annual multi-trip policy.
- Sporting holidays
If you’re planning on doing any hazardous activities, winter sports or even a golfing holiday then you need to have the right kind of insurance.
- Emergency assistance
Some insurance providers offer an emergency service to help you with anything from a lost passport to a medical emergency. John Lewis Travel Insurance provides a worldwide network of English-speaking agents – covering over 200 countries.
- Pre-existing medical conditions
Many policies won’t cover you for a pre-existing medical condition so it's important to check your cover before you travel.
- Business Travel
If you’re travelling on business then additional cover for valuable items like your laptop is a good idea.
- Cover for your family
If you’re heading abroad with your family, they can often be added to your travel insurance policy.
Read more
> Discover the features and benefits of John Lewis Travel Insurance