Schengen Travel Insurance FAQs

This insurance is administered by Voyager Insurance Services Ltd. All sections are underwritten by:

1. For residents of the UK (including the Channel Islands and Isle of Man): Starr International (Europe) Limited. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Member of the Association of British Insurers.
2. For residents of the EEA: Starr Europe Insurance Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA).

Voyager Insurance Services Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FRN 305814.

You can check these details on the Financial Services Register by visiting the FCA's website on www.fca.org.uk/register or by contacting them on (Freephone) 0800 111 6768.

These vary from section to section depending on the level of cover you have paid the appropriate premium for. Please refer to the benefits schedule in the policy wording for the relevant product.

Cover under this insurance starts when you leave your home or place of business in your home country at the start of your trip and finishes immediately upon your return to your home or place of business in your home country for any reason.

The maximum duration is 90 days per trip, and the maximum trip duration for winter sports is 31 days providing the appropriate additional premium has been made.

Yes, so long as it is not heavy or hazardous manual work such as building work. Bar work and grape picking, for example, would be covered. However the insurance will not provide any cover under Personal Liability (Section 10) for any claim arising out of or in connection with any work of any nature, or Personal Accident (section 4) on the policy for claims arising out of or in connection with manual work.

Manual work means work that involves

• hands-on use, installation, assembly, maintenance or repair of electrical, mechanical or hydraulic plant, heavy power tools and industrial machinery
• hands-on electrical and construction work or work above two storeys or 3 metres above ground level (whichever is the lower), building sites, any occupation involving heavy lifting.

Manual work does not include work that is purely managerial/supervisory, sales or administrative capacity, bar, restaurant and catering trade staff, musicians and singers, fruit pickers (who do not use heavy machinery), casual light work, light agricultural work, supervised conservation work, voluntary charity work labour where there is no financial gain and supervised animal sanctuary work. Cover excludes interaction with dangerous wild animals such as lions, tigers or big cats of any kind.

Please telephone Voyager Insurance Services Ltd on 01483 806 681 if you are unsure whether a particular type of work will be covered.

For both tiers of cover of our Voyager Europa Travel Insurance, the age limit at date of departure is 79 years.

In the policy wording, family is defined as two adults and all of their children (including foster children) aged 17 and under (20 and under if in full time education). All persons must live at the same address.

Single Parent family definition - One adult and their dependent children (including foster children) aged 17 and under (20 and under if in full time education) at the date of departure. All persons must live at the same address.

Under Voyager Europa Policy, you are covered for trips to the following countries in the Schengen Area providing that you have paid the appropriate premium:

A:

Aland Islands, Albania, Andorra, Austria, Balearic Isands,

B:

Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria

C:

Canary Islands, Channel Islands (Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney and Sark), Corsica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic

D:

Denmark (including Faroe Islands)

E:

Estonia

F:

Finland, France

G:

Germany, Gibraltar, Greece (including Greek Islands)

H:

Hungary

I:

Iceland, Italy

K:

Kosovo

L:

Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg

M:

Madeira, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montengro

N:

Netherlands (Holland), Norway

P:

Poland, Portugal (including Azores)

R:

Republic of Ireland, Romania

S:

San Marino, Sardinia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

V:

Vatican City

Our Voyager Europa Travel Insurance policy meets these requirements needed for applying a Schengen Visa:

• Minimum coverage of at least €30,000 (equivalent to $33,000 or £26,000 approximately) for Emergency Medical Expenses.
• It should cover all member states of the Schengen Area.
• Cover any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent health attention and/or emergency hospital treatment or death.

Most of the countries in the EU will require a Schengen VISA, if you are not an EU resident of a country with a Visa Waiver, and therefore a suitable Schengen Travel Insurance. The following countries are all part of the Schengen Area: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland*, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein*, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway*, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland*.

Please note: Romania, Bulgaria, and Cyprus will soon be members of the Schengen Area.

*For these countries, even though they are not an EU member, they are part of the Schengen area, therefore you would still need a Schengen Visa and Schengen Approved Travel Insurance.

In the unlikely event that you are not satisfied with the level of service provided, we would ask you to then follow the procedure laid out under the heading Complaints Procedure within the policy wording.

Yes. The rating bands have been designed to take in the majority of travel periods, e.g. the average 2 week holiday comes under the 17 day rating band allowing for one or two extra days either side.

We regret that we are no longer able to offer the choice to remove any policy sections.

Please read the 'Important Health Requirements' section shown in the policy wording. If during your application you answer No to any of the conditions under the 'Important Health Requirements” section, you have no cover for any claim directly or indirectly related to your Pre-Existing Medical Condition(s), in accordance with the policy terms, conditions and exclusions (irrespective of if they could have been covered had you chosen to answer Yes and they could have been subsequently covered).

For all claims other than medical emergencies the fastest and simplest way to make a claim is by using our online claims system at www.submitaclaim.co.uk/voyager. Alternatively, please request the appropriate claim form by telephoning Claims Settlement Agencies Ltd on +44 (0) 01702 427 172 or emailing admin@csal-claims.co.uk or via their website at www.csal.co.uk. Please quote the reference in your policy wording when submitting a claim - See Policy Wordings here.

In the case of medical emergency please contact Global Response on telephone +44 (0) 2920 468 794 or emailing operations@global-response.co.uk. Please quote Voyager Europa 2023/24 in all correspondence.

If at the time of purchasing your policy, you have any pre-existing medical conditions, you should discuss the travel plans in advance with your medical practitioner, and ensure you are fit to travel.

Important:

You must tell us if, at any time since you purchased this policy or at any time you make/alter arrangements to travel, there is a change in circumstances and the answer any of the Important health requirements differently by contacting Voyager Europa on UK +44 (0) 1483 806 681 or as soon as possible so that we may reassess your coverage. Please refer to General Conditions 1 & 2 in the policy wording.

No, this cannot be covered under any travel insurance policy that we are aware of.

Yes, providing the appropriate winter sports premium has been paid on Voyager Europa Policies. Also, there is 31 days when winter sports cover has been added onto your travel insurance policy. Cover is provided for winter sports equipment, ski pack and piste closure.

Yes, but they must be locked on to the rack and must have been forcibly removed. There is no cover for skis left in a vehicle overnight.

Yes, you have purchased Tier 2 cover and there is a road traffic accident or vehicle breakdown delaying the vehicle you are travelling in so that you arrive at the departure point in your itinerary too late to board the public transport you have booked.

Yes, for necessary additional accommodation and travel expenses up to the policy limit, provided you have left sufficient time between the two flights, i.e. planned to arrive at your departure point at the earliest scheduled check-in time.

Please refer to the policy wording section headed 'Important Information'.

No. Loss, theft or damage to contact lenses is specifically excluded by the policy

A deduction from the amount paid for the item to reflect its age and likely condition at the time of the loss. The policy is one of indemnity, not "new for old".

Assuming the items are in a locked roof box, the insurance will pay up to the policy limits. The policy limit for items stolen from an unattended vehicle between 8pm and 8am is £/€100. This limit does not apply at other time of days providing you are between points of overnight accommodation. However, valuable items, passports and money are not covered when left in a car at any time.

You should report the incident immediately and obtain a "Property Irregularity Report" from the airline.

Also, in the event that the airline loses your luggage, you can also utilise our 'Voyager Bag Back Recovery Service' as explained in the policy wording. Providing you remembered to insert one of the slips, you received with your policy documents at the time of purchase, into the lost item of luggage.

You should obtain a report from your holiday representative, hotelier or local tourist office wherever possible, confirming the loss and reasons why the police would not help.

Notify Claims Settlement Agencies by calling 01702 427 172 and the carrier if you believe it happened whilst in transit. Also inform your tour operator and hotel where relevant.

It is covered for Loss, theft or damage, under the valuables sub-section within the overall baggage section, up to the single item limit of £/€250 if you opted for Voyager Europe Tier 2 Policy.

Personal money and valuable items are not covered whilst unattended unless locked in a hotel safe or your private accommodation. If necessary, ask someone YOU KNOW to look after your belongings. The policy will not cover more than £/€100 for items left unattended in a public place including on a beach.

Yes this is a common practice for most classes of insurance and helps keep the overall premium down. It will not prejudice any No Claims Bonus on your household insurance.

Yes, up to the policy limit, but subject to the excess (See section 10 Personal liability in the policy wording).

Travel insurance policies are not designed to provide this sort of cover. We would strongly recommend the purchase of a third party liability top-up policy.

Yes, subject to the policy terms and conditions relating to the health of travelling companions and others on whom the journey may depend. The insurance will pay your cancellation costs if your husband or wife (or partner with whom you are living at the same address), parent, grandparent, parent-in-law, brother, sister, child, grandchild, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, or fiancé(e) are taken ill before you are due to go away necessitating you to cancel the trip.

In some circumstances it may be possible, please contact Voyager Insurance on 01483 806 681.

Yes, provided that you are entitled to payment under the current redundancy payment legislation and at the time of booking your trip you had no reason to believe that you would be made redundant, and must have had 2 years continuous employment with that employer.

Curtailment means cutting your planned trip short by early return to your home country or admission to hospital as an in-patient so that you lose the benefit of accommodation you have paid for or being confined to your accommodation. The insurance will pay on the basis of the number of complete nights accommodation lost. In respect of travel expenses, the insurance will pay for any additional costs, but not for the loss of pre-booked arrangements.

Yes, if your outbound flight from your home country has been delayed for 12 hours or more. Please refer to section 5 - Travel delay and Abandonment for the specific terms and exclusions. This cover is only available on Tier 2 of this policy.

The personal accident payment is reduced for those aged under 16. The policy excludes Permanent Total Disablement claims for those over statutory retirement age who are not in full time paid employment. This is because the benefit is designed to compensate the insured's family in the event that the insured is unable to work.

This policy automatically covers you to undertake the activities listed below on an amateur basis. *Please note: there is no cover available for Scuba Diving in Cyprus.

Yes, the policy limit is £/€300 (£/€50 for under 18's) for Voyager Europa Tier 2 policy, but on Tier 1 there are no cover for cash.

Yes. You will be covered under all sections except personal liability and personal accident. Please refer to manual work notes and the definition of manual work within the policy wording.

Yes, if you meet the medical declaration, you can cancel your trip subject to the terms and conditions of the policy, if you've already booked your trip and are forced to cancel. For any future bookings if there is a change in your circumstances and you answer the any of the important health requirements differently, please contact Voyager Europa on 01483 806 681. This policy does not cover the cost of medical treatment in your home country.

This policy will ONLY provide cover for claims directly or indirectly related to a pandemic and/or epidemic, including but not limited to Coronavirus (Covid-19) within the following sections:

Section 1.2 - Cancellation cover as a result of COVID-19

Section 2 - Emergency Medical Expenses & Repatriation - Additional Travel and Accommodation Expenses in respect of COVID-19

Please be aware that the coverage provided under Section 1.2 - Cancellation cover as a result of COVID-19, applies if it is necessary and unavoidable to cancel your planned trip. You are covered, notwithstanding General Exclusions 30 and 31, for cancellation as a result of an insured person testing positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of the trip departure date, or an insured person being admitted to hospital due to testing positive for COVID-19 within 28 days of the trip departure date.

Section 1.2 - Cancellation cover as a result of COVID-19 does not provide cover for any claim relating to coronavirus (Covid-19):

1. for any claims for curtailment of the trip due to COVID-19;
2. if you are advised to quarantine or you choose to self-isolate due to a person you have come into contact with having COVID-19;
3. if a medical professional advises you not to travel as you have underlying health conditions that place you ‘at a higher risk’ from COVID-19;
4. if the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office(FCDO) advise against all (or all but essential) travel to your intended destination;
5. if local government restrictions or directives prohibiting or restricting entry (for example, self isolation, quarantine or lockdown measures) to your intended
6. destination or on your return home;
7. for any costs of COVID-19 testing;
8. for any claim where a relative, travelling companion or close business colleague not insured on the policy contracts or shows symptoms of COVID-19.

For Section 2 - Emergency Medical Expenses, cover is now available for your chosen level of cover for the necessary costs incurred as a result of you sustaining unexpected symptoms of or testing positive for COVID-19 or death during your trip in respect of; additional travel and accommodation expenses (on a bed & breakfast basis) to enable you to return home if you are unable to travel as originally planned. A maximum amount of £2,000 per insured person applies if you have to extend your trip because you have tested positive for COVID-19 as well as additional travel and accommodation expenses (on a bed & breakfast basis) for a travelling companion to stay with you and accompany you home, or a relative or friend to travel from your home country to stay with you and accompany you home.

There is no cover under ALL other sections of cover for any claims directly or indirectly related to a pandemic and/or epidemic including but not limited to Coronavirus (Covid-19).

For full policy terms, conditions and exclusions please see your policy wording.