I have a euro biking trip to France – flying to Marseille – planned in mid march.
It looks like this coronavirus thing is growing.
Soothsayers, futurologists, and anyone with any actual knowledge:
a) Do you think flights in and out of Gatwick will be affected, or even cancelled?
b) If flights are cancelled will I be able to drive/tunnel/ferry instead?
c) Is it too late to get holiday insurance to cover this if it does get cancelled?

I understand nobody really knows the answer but it would be useful to get some insights..

Just had a look at my travel insurance for upcoming holiday and it will only pay out if government advises against travel to that area (and the insurance was taken out before that announcement was made)

Is it too late to get holiday insurance to cover this if it does get cancelled

You were considering going away without travel insurance?

Insurance only valid if government say no travel to area

yes
yes
yes

The problem is that we are in the ‘inbetween’ stage at the moment. The virus is not widespread enough in Europe to render all attempts to contain/slow it useless. So in the next couple of weeks we could conceivably get more hotspots like Lombardy popping up and getting quarantined, including your destination region.

I can’t see France shutting borders with the UK in your timescale, and if it were that rampant in either country, then it would most likely be rampant in both.

You need to check the t&cs of your insurance, and probably speak to your insurer to confirm.

It’s also possible, if you are very unlucky, that you could get stuck there, or even subject to quarantine on your return, if the region you’re visiting has an outbreak while you’re there.

a) Do you think flights in and out of Gatwick will be affected, or even cancelled?
Not unless the UK government or the French close borders or implement travel bans to infected zones, the UK gov are falling behind everyone else in banning flights and travel so you’ll probably be fine even if everyone else stops flights to France, you might have the plane to yourself…

b) If flights are cancelled will I be able to drive/tunnel/ferry instead?
See above, closed borders are closed borders. I guess the Tories might get their wish…

c) Is it too late to get holiday insurance to cover this if it does get cancelled?
Don’t be a numpty, get travel insurance right now.

Don’t be a numpty, get travel insurance right now.

I read the question as asking not “is it too late to get travel insurance” but “is it too late to get travel insurance that will cover me for cancellations resulting from attempts to stop the coronavirus spreading”. I would guess the answer is yes, it’s too late, nobody will insure you for that risk now.

We booked a holiday in Mallorca in april, bought insurance last week, it says cancellation cost on it so I’d hope it would cover us, not sure though.

We booked a holiday in Mallorca in april, bought insurance last week, it says cancellation cost on it so I’d hope it would cover us, not sure though

Read p89 of the t&c’s. That’s where the pandemic exclusion clause was for the lady on the radio the other day….

Hmmm – I have been pondering a european trip in march. Got to be bargains to be had! Or is it a really stupid idea. I can’t make my mind up

Last minute booking possible so I shall continue to ponder

I’m going skiing next week in France. I’m not worried about it. Insurance companies will try and wiggle out of any ” natural catastrophe”…. Which is kind of the reason for insurance in the first place!

Transcript from an online insurer that I’ve just had:

[Agent] One moment while we check for an available agent.
[Pramidha] Good morning, how can I help you today?
[STWer]: Hi, I’m looking at booking a trip for Portugal in May and was looking at your single trip cover.
[STWer]: If the holiday is cancelled as a result of the coronavirus before the departure day, would we be covered? The reason I ask is the single trip insurance seems to ask for a start date of the holiday and states that as the start of the policy
[Pramidha] You will be covered for the cancellation from the date of purchase, For corona virus you do not travel the areas which are restricted by FCO in order to cover under the policy.

I’m (hopefully!) going skiing end of March. Just checked with my insurer: If the FCO or WHO advise against travel then I’m covered for cancellation (and conversely if I ignore the advice and travel anyway, I would not be covered). If my wife has a panic and decides not to go, we’re SOL it would seem.

I’ve had the policy for months and the trip was also booked weeks ago. The above transcript is interesting, though – Insurers are still happy to cover Coronavirus-related cancellations for new policies, it seems. They’re obviously not thinking there will be any travel bans imminently (or at least haven’t (yet) adjusted for that possibility).

First case in southern Germany announced today…

Worth pointing out also that your travel insurance may not pay out if you travel to an area that the Foreign Office advice against travelling to and to get ill whilst you’re there.

Indeed @dooosuk transcript, if you read it properly confirms this. The agent doesn’t seem to be saying it’ll pay to cover the cost of a cancellation because of coronavirus, rather that you must not travel to affected areas that you’re told not to for the policy to pay out.

You will be covered for the cancellation from the date of purchase, For corona virus you do not travel the areas which are restricted by FCO in order to cover under the policy.

It’s vague enough to make me suspicious!

If the government advise you not to travel to the area you’re booked at then your insurance will pay. If you decide not travel as you don’t want to risk abs there’s no such advice they won’t.

would guess the answer is yes, it’s too late, nobody will insure you for that risk now.

Just got travel insurance for a trip to africa mid April & paid extra for the travel disruption clause covering pandemic and fco travel advice, added less than 20% to overall cost 👍

Insurers are still happy to cover Coronavirus-related cancellations for new policies, it seems. They’re obviously not thinking there will be any travel bans imminently (or at least haven’t (yet) adjusted for that possibility).

but are they still charging the same as a few days/weeks ago or has it gone up?

Edit:

paid extra for the travel disruption clause covering pandemic and fco travel advice, added less than 20% to overall cost

I guess that answers my question actually 😂

If it helps, flights to Italy are somewhat ‘value’ orientated at the moment… I’ve a work trip originally destined for Italy this weekend, but its been shifted to France last minute.
I’m meant to be cycling round Spain and France for 7 weeks this spring 🤔

This just prompted me to sort out my insurance for Spain in March too cheers!

Used Snowcard as usual and they’ve got a fairly clear looking statement on it

https://www.snowcard.co.uk/content/coronavirus-covid-19-information

If the government advise you not to travel to the area you’re booked at then your insurance will pay. If you decide not travel as you don’t want to risk abs there’s no such advice they won’t.

There’s two types of FCO advice – either don’t travel at all or avoid non-essential travel. The latter may not be covered under standard holiday insurance policies.

I also have concerns about the coronavirus in Europe. My friends and I booked a Chernobyl day tour a few months ago, we already bought tickets to Kiev for March and I really want to visit this place. Here on this site https://chernobyl-from-kyiv.com/ there is a description of the tour, if you are interested. But I’m worried that the trip will have to be rescheduled, although at this moment there are no official statements that the coronavirus is in Ukraine. I constantly monitor European news sites and look at the map of the distribution of coronavirus. It seems to me that in March it will be safe in Europe. I’m not an epidemiologist, so I can’t give any guarantees, but so far I see no reason to cancel my trip.

but are they still charging the same as a few days/weeks ago or has it gone up?

I’d looked on Monday as mine expires today, annual policy around £100 for two worldwide with decent cover no sports per se. With competition sports 160 from yellow Jersey.

Bought Wednesday at 190 from yellow Jersey, the non sports cover was up to £140 with the same insurer as Monday (not yj)

rasle , my bro and his gf are also heading to kiev/chernobyl at the end of march and have heard nothing from the operators, he’s going to contact them later

Due to go to Milan in two weeks. Now cancelled the hotel and waiting to see if we can get our money back from Ryan Air if they cancel the flight (fat chance!)

Hmmm – I have been pondering a european trip in march. Got to be bargains to be had! Or is it a really stupid idea. I can’t make my mind up

Chap on bbc breakfast (one of the correspondents, not a travel industry rep) the other day was saying it’s a great time to go on holiday, with a vanishingly small risk of any issues. Pointed to a deal BA were offering, £140 for 3 nights in Venice, including flights and 3* hotel.

I also have concerns about the coronavirus in Europe. My friends and I booked a Chernobyl day tour a few months ago,

In for a penny, in for a pound eh?

Just cancelled next weekends trip to Harry Potter world and all associated flights, hotel bookings etc. All straightforward with only a minorish penalty from BA.

We’ve flights booked to Bologna on the 9th. We’ll make our minds up next week whether to actually go or not but I’ve cancelled our B&B (booking.com) reservation at no cost. If we decide to go we should actually save money on accomodation as prices have dropped. Don’t expect to get anything back from Ryanair if we cancel but it’s not the end of the world.

Probably.

had Mallorca flights booked for ages now (beginning of April).
Travel insurance through bank account so should be covered if the are not allowing flights.
TBH I’d be quite happy to get there and then be force into 2 weeks of quarantine on the island 😀

Mallorca end of next week, no intention of cancelling anything and looking forward to some warmer/drier weather!

Flew out to Costa Blanca today for 2 weeks from Glasgow. Not a single mask in sight and quite a few folk couging their guts up on the flight yet no one seemed bothered. May be a different story on the return flight. Dont cancel, the sun and getting away from little Britain is worth it 🙂

All events of 5000+ people banned in France from today.

My company, sodexo, not allowing international travel, and limiting national air travel for all employees.

I was due to fly into Milan between 15-18th March for a couple days training but Flybe rang me yesterday to confirm that its been cancelled. No idea when it will be possible.

We are cancelling our trip to Bologna next week and writing off the cost of the Ryanair tickets.

We’ve got Gent Wevelgem sportive in 3 weeks or so. The cost isn’t ridiculous as it’s just a tunnel and hotel we’ll have lost, but we’ve been very much looking forward to the trip

Im going to Italy in a couple of weeks and I still intend on going. Im going to Rome and all the affected areas are in the North so unless it reaches Rome before I go Im going.

you realise skiing in the Alps is one of the biggest ‘spreaders’ at the moment right?

It is probably already in Rome, just as it is probably in the area where you live. The problem with going on holiday is that you may get caught up in it while there (which could be okay if you don’t need to get back or like being quarantined in a hotel)

London Milan flight
Twitter link