Easyjet's new Covid cover insurance is not currently valid for France
The low-cost airline has included the cover as standard in all its optional £19 travel insurance policies but those booking should note the fine print
Covid insurance has been added as standard to all easyJet’s optional travel insurance policies – but the policies are not currently valid for UK to France travel.
The low-cost airline has announced a new partnership with Collinson Insurance, for a standard insurance option which includes Covid cover as part of the basic deal. You can not remove it from the insurance option.
The insurance is for UK residents only and is part of all insurance deals offered if booking a trip to France, among other destinations.
As part of a trial booking we made for a week’s holiday in June, flying from London Gatwick to Nice and back, the insurance was offered at £19 for a single traveller.
However the fine print of the policy states that no claims are paid out if you travel against FCDO – the new name of the UK’s foreign office – advice.
To find this you have to scroll down to a section marked ‘fine print’ below what is visible on the main screen as part of the purchase process, and then click ‘policy wording’ at the bottom of the screen. The information is on page 20 of the full policy document.
At present the FCDO advice for France states it is illegal to travel to the country and, below that, wording states that the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to France.
The wording about travel being ‘illegal’ is expected to be removed on May 17, when the UK’s ‘Stay in the UK’ regulation ends and residents of England can again travel abroad for holidays.
However as France has been classified amber and not green in England’s new traffic light travel scheme which will start on May 17, it is expected that the ‘advice’ against travel to the country will remain, based on the UK government’s assessment of the Covid situation in France.
It is thus advisable that any UK residents looking to book flights to France bear in mind the potential invalidity of insurance. The UK has stated it will review countries’ traffic light colours on a three-weekly basis, meaning it is possible, but not certain, that France will be classed as ‘green’ by June 7.
So far details of the ‘traffic light’ scheme have only been announced by England with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales yet to say when they might start to ease their current strict travel restrictions.
However the UK’s transport minister has stated that the chief medical officers of the other UK nations have agreed on the ‘principles’ of the traffic light scheme.
Where valid EasyJet’s new Covid insurance will cover people who are diagnosed ahead of a trip, covering rearrangements or refunds, as well as people who need medical care for Covid during a trip. Those unable to return due to a diagnosis are covered for extra accommodation and the cost of returning home.
The Connexion asked several other airlines if they have similar cover in their standard policies.
BA replied that its standard policies do include Covid insurance. Its website states this is for medical costs, repatriation or cancellation if you contract Covid either before or after the trip.
BA’s most basic policy for a week’s trip in June is quoted at £14. It is booked separately from the trip on the firm’s website via page which includes a prominent note regarding invalidity in the case of travel against FCDO advice.
Air France stated it has an option for Covid insurnace, notably including extra costs if you are obliged to quarantine. We have not so far received a reply from Ryanair.
Read more
France is on England’s amber travel list
Returning to UK from France: How to get a french Covid test
France to use traffic light system for foreign travel by month end
