Travel Insurance Solutions

Travel insurance costs are affected by many factors, including the following:

• The severity of a medical condition. The more serious a condition, the higher the risk of a claim.
• Your age. The older you are, the higher the probability of your need for medical treatment abroad.
• The number of travellers – the more travellers covered, the higher the cost.
• The destination. The USA and Canada remain expensive for medical treatment, and the cost of medical treatment across Europe is also rising.
• The length of your trip. The longer your trip, the longer the time you are away and the higher the chance of an unforeseen event occurring abroad.
• Your level of cover. The higher the cancellation limit and the broader the benefits on the policy, the higher the cost of the policy.
• Rising claims cost. The price of medical care, inflation, transportation, accommodation, and holiday costs have increased. So, the premiums have risen to keep up.
• Market conditions. Global conflicts such as the war in Ukraine continue to impact global supply chains and energy prices, which increases the already high medical prices.
• The further in advance the insurance is purchased, the more time you have cancellation cover in place for, and the more chance of a cancellation claim being made.
• Activities you are taking part in. If you are planning on taking part in a higher risk activity on your trip, a standard activity pack might not cover you, so you’ll need to consider paying for an additional activity pack which is likely to cost more.

Learn more.

You can buy travel insurance if you’ve already travelled but it’ll need to be through a specialist provider. P J Hayman can assist using one of our product partners. If you are abroad and need cover for a specific activity, we may be able to cover you under our Adventures policy.  Contact us on 02392 419 070 for more information.

Refer to Already Travelled travel cover (in partnership with P J Hayman Worldwide).

Cancellation Cover is designed to cover you when your trip has to be cancelled unexpectedly due to unforeseen circumstances. It provides compensation for any prepaid costs you can’t claim back elsewhere such as, flights, transfers, accommodation, and excursions.

No one plans to cancel a trip before they go, but it can be costly when it happens. So, cancellation cover can assist in covering the unexpected and giving you peace of mind when you are looking forward to a well-deserved break.

Unexpected Reasons for Cancelling a trip:

• A family bereavement or death of someone you are due to travel with
• Being called for Jury service - it can also be uncertain when your summons may finish
• Emergency medical treatment or an accident which means you can’t go on your trip
• Compulsory redundancy
• Pregnancy complications
• You’ve been advised not to visit your destination by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) because it is no longer safe
• Your accommodation has been impacted due to fire, flood or theft.
• A destination has been affected by a natural disaster, like a hurricane
• Having previously approved leave withdrawn within certain professions such as the armed forces or emergency services

Please note: Cancellation cover will not cover disinclination to travel, i.e. if you decide you just don’t want to go.

Remember to read your policy wording for the full terms and conditions.

Learn more about cancellation cover.

Most standard travel insurance policies won’t cover war, acts of terrorism, hostilities or nuclear risks. It is important that you check the FCDO (Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office) travel advice website and research your chosen destination before booking a trip.

You may find that the war exclusion doesn’t apply to emergency medical expenses, as long as it’s not an act of terrorism of a nuclear nature, and you aren’t travelling against FCDO advice. This means if you were caught up in an active war and required emergency medical treatment, you could still claim under this section.

The exclusions around war, hostilities and terrorism are usually within the general exclusions section of the policy wording, so be sure to check this when looking at your cover options.

If you need to visit a high-risk country as part of your job, for example, if you’re a journalist, P J Hayman can assist with P J Hayman Worldwide. This policy provides specialist travel insurance for high-risk countries and territorial zones. These include areas the FCDO has advised against travel to. Plus, hazardous areas in countries such as Egypt, Thailand, Pakistan, and India. 

This will depend on the price you’ve paid for your trip. You might want cancellation cover to cover that figure. This will include the price of all flights, transfers, accommodation and excursions for you and each of your travelling companions.

Cancellation cover on your travel insurance is usually per person, so be sure to check that your policy covers the correct amount per person and you aren’t paying for more cover than you need.

If you need additional cover for your trip (on top of your main policy), consider Top Up My Cover or High Value Cancellation Cover, which offers cancellation cover for luxurious trips of up to £500,000. Your underlying policy doesn’t need to be with P J Hayman to purchase the top up cover. Speak to one of our team for more information on this.

P J Hayman’s Adventures policy covers over 400 adventurous and high-risk activities. Adventures Travel Insurance can provide cover for just the activity, or for the whole trip - giving you multiple options.

Most activities and occupations are covered, such as amateur sports, manual work, and hazardous pursuits for individuals and groups, as long as you aren’t participating in the sport or activity on a professional basis.

Specialist travel insurance is optional. However, consider the type of trip you’re planning, the destination, the risks involved, and if you live with a pre-existing medical condition. If you’re off on a luxurious trip, gap year, have pre-existing medical conditions or have any adventurous activities in mind, specialist travel insurance can provide you with a range of cover you need.

It might be tempting to go for the cheapest policy you can find to save money for your trip, however, costs such as emergency medical treatment and repatriation can be as much as the cost of a house, so it’s worth investing in a specialist policy which will adequately cover you.

You’ll also get the peace of mind that you are covered should you need to make a claim.

If you’re unsure, contact P J Hayman’s team of travel insurance specialists who have over 30 years of experience.  

If your trip is suddenly cancelled due to war your first step would be to check whether the costs you’ve paid can be refunded via your travel provider, airline, or credit card provider. You should also read the terms and conditions in your travel insurance policy wording.

Most standard travel insurance policies won’t cover risks such as war. However, reach out to your holiday provider to see what options you have available for booking an alternative destination or getting a refund. If you booked a package holiday, you may be entitled to some compensation.

To avoid visiting an area or region where there is a likelihood of war or conflict, refer to the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) travel advice website and research your chosen destination before booking a trip.

The common medical emergencies we could face abroad include slips, trips, dehydration, or road accidents.

To be prepared for a medical emergency abroad:

• Make a note of your policy number that appears on your travel insurance policy.
• Let someone know where you are travelling to and your contact details in case of emergency
• Pack your EHIC or GHIC card if you are travelling within Europe
• If you have minor health problems and want some advice, your policy might have a GP on Demand benefit which gives you access to a GP 24/7. They can advise on the best course of action and may avoid you needing to wait in an emergency room for hours.
• Save the equivalent 999 number for the destination/s you’re visiting on your mobile to dial in an emergency.
• Add the medical assistance number that appears on your travel insurance policy on your phone too. Call this number, and you’ll be provided with the nearest medical facility. The medical assistance team will liaise with the medical facility to arrange appropriate treatment and payment.
• Don’t share any credit/debit card details or your passport with the medical facility before treatment, unless you’re paying for outpatient treatment below £500 and claiming this back.
• For outpatient treatment under £500, keep all receipts and documents to claim the costs after returning home.
• The medical assistance team will organise your return home if you need to be medically repatriated.

For more details, follow our simple guide.

Worldwide travel insurance is a specialist flexible travel insurance policy that covers expatriates, UK nationals, and Global Citizens, as well as those who have already travelled. Cover is provided for a wide range of international trips and expatriate travel medical healthcare outside their home country.

It is advisable to take out travel insurance as soon as you book a trip. Depending on the type of work you will be doing, you can insure through our Adventures or Longstay & Gay Year policy!

However, if you are currently working abroad and require travel insurance when working abroad, you’ll need specialist travel cover. Refer to Already Travelled. A policy specifically for clients who have already travelled.