All Policies Include Coronavirus Cover
Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30
Coronavirus FAQs
Questions about cover for coronavirus? Read our FAQs and find out what our policies can do for you. If you would like to contact us, please note we are currently only available 09:00 to 17:30 Monday to Friday due to reduced operational capacity. Thank you.
10 June 2014 10:04
Half a million people face ruined summer holidays as a result of the passport backlog.
A backlog of passport applications is threatening to cause chaos for thousands of holidaymakers this summer.
Half a million people are currently waiting for new documents, according to some estimates, and it is feared the total could swell even more in the coming months as travellers look to soak up the rays in sunnier climes.
Reports even suggest that staff from outside the Passport Office have been drafted in to help deal with the escalating issue as applications are taking as long as two months to process in the most extreme cases.
Hundreds of holidaymakers have already missed out on pre-booked trips overseas after their passports failed to arrive before they were due to depart, leaving them out of pocket to the tune of hundreds of pounds.
Travel insurance can protect against cancellation and curtailment, so make sure you take out adequate cover when booking holidays.
The passport problems are understood to be most serious for those applying for children's passports, but Paul Pugh, the chief executive of the Passport Office, has strongly denied claims of a backlog.
He declared that more than 97% of straightforward passport renewal and child applications are being processed within the three-week target turnaround time, while more than 99% of straightforward applications are being processed within four weeks.
This is despite a period of "exceptional early summer demand" due to the improving economy and a rise in holiday bookings.
Mike Jones, from the Public and Commercial Services Union, recently wrote to Mr Pugh to demand urgent negotiations regarding pay and conditions for workers after reports emerged that staff are being forced to "paper over the cracks" of a passport backlog by working overtime.
Unions claim officials only acted when the backlog reached 350,000, by which time it was too late to make a significant impact.
17 March 2020
Escape it all with a visit to one of the world's hidden island gems.
[more...]
02 July 2021
It's time for some Mediterranean sun and unforgettable sights. Here are five of our favourite must-sees in Malta.
Take your pick of the best beaches in Portugal, spanning more than 500 miles of the Portuguese coastline.
Holidays are back but not quite as we know them. Here's a quick guide to what to expect when travelling to and from green list countries.
28 February 2020
From tulip-filled trips to rose-tinged rests, these destinations are the perfect way to see in the new season.
04 January 2021
Join us on a journey to Ancient Greece to discover more about history's most revered statue.
Head north for a light show like no other. Discover how you can see the Northern Lights for yourself.
Discover more about the magnificent waterfall perched on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
10 December 2020
Don't sleep on the world's most impressive dormant volcano.
A destination that stands head and shoulders above the rest.
19 November 2020
Take a tour of one of South America's most captivating natural landscapes.
Discover the hidden depths of the world's most recognisable desert gorge.