Coronavirus and travel

To enable us to help those customers who most urgently need assistance, please use our online tool to register your claim. Unfortunately, we currently cannot accept claims via the phone.

The only exceptions are if you are currently abroad and need to speak to someone, or if you do not have access to the internet. In that case, please do phone us and please bear with us as waiting times may be longer than normal.

Help and support with your travel insurance

I have an upcoming trip
I'm looking to buy travel insurance
I need to make a claim
I am currently on a trip

For the latest information regarding our opening times, please visit AXA Insurance on Twitter or Facebook.

I have an upcoming trip

I am unable to travel due to the most recent update from the government. What should I do?

You should first ask your airline or travel provider to postpone your trip or arrange a refund, this applies for both trips abroad and in the UK. If you have booked a package holiday under the Package Tour Regulations your rights are legally protected. If your flights were not booked as part of a package, you are still legally entitled to a full refund under the EU Air Passenger Rights.

For accommodation, excursions, car hire and other pre-paid charges that were not purchased as part of a package, you should contact the provider. If you paid by credit card, contact the card issuer or PayPal for advice on how to claim a refund. If you can’t obtain a refund from any other source then please log your claim online for any unrecovered costs.

Can I make a claim on my travel insurance if my operator is only offering to reschedule trips or a voucher rather than a refund?

Your insurance is there to protect you if you are not due a refund from your operator.

If your flight or holiday been cancelled, then you are due a full refund, however we understand some companies are providing these through rescheduling or vouchers or credit notes.

If you are unhappy with these alternatives, then you will need to discuss this with your operator or airline. You are legally entitled to a refund rather than a voucher.

I am due to make my next payment on my holiday, should I make the payment?

You need to go back to your provider as your contract of payment is with them – only they can advise.

If I postpone my trip or change my destination will my insurance still cover me?

If your transport provider or tour operator moves your trip destination or dates due to the outbreak, then we will class your original booking date as your booking date, therefore the exclusion for new trips booked will not apply. You will need to amend your insurance to reflect your new dates and there may be an additional premium due for doing this. If your trip is cancelled and you book a new/alternative trip, then your policy will not cover cancellation relating to coronavirus. Also remember that the general rules regarding FCO advice and travel restrictions will continue to apply.

I have been advised to stay at home for 12 weeks due to my medical conditions and now can’t travel. What should I do?

You should first ask your airline or travel provider to postpone your trip or arrange a refund. Once you have done this please log your claim online for any unrecovered costs.

I have a trip planned and bought travel insurance prior to coronavirus being declared as a pandemic. Will I be covered if I contract coronavirus while on that trip?

Yes - AXA will cover emergency medical claims for customers who contracted coronavirus abroad, provided you didn’t travel against government advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

I have a trip planned and bought insurance after coronavirus was declared as a pandemic. Will I be covered if I contract coronavirus while on that trip?

Yes - AXA will cover emergency medical claims for customers who contracted coronavirus abroad, provided you didn’t travel against government advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Exceptional travel advisory notice

As countries respond to the coronavirus pandemic, including travel and border restrictions, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. This advice is being kept under constant review.

Find out more

I'm looking to buy travel insurance

If I buy a travel policy now, does it cover me for coronavirus?

If you purchase a new policy now, it will not cover any trip cancellation or disruption in relation to coronavirus.

If you already have an annual multi-trip policy and you book a new trip now, you may not be covered to cancel that trip, or for any disruption you experience.

The coronavirus exclusion only applies to cancellation or disruption claims.

We will continue to cover medical costs if customers become ill in a country or region the FCO hasn’t advised against visiting.

When can I buy travel insurance for my upcoming trip?

It is often recommended that you buy your policy when you book your trip. If you purchase insurance in the knowledge you will need to claim, the policy will not pay for that scenario.

I need to make a claim

Things to check before submitting a claim to help us resolve it more swiftly:

Have you contacted your package holiday provider?: It is the responsibility of your tour operator to provide refunds on trips they have cancelled.
If not a package holiday, have you contacted your flight/accommodation provider?: If the transport provider cancelled your travel arrangement, they have an obligation to refund your costs. You must seek a refund of all costs.

Once you’ve completed these and you still have a reason to claim under your travel insurance, please read our instructions on making a claim online.

What do I need to make a claim?

For your claim to be dealt with as quickly as possible, you need to contact your travel provider or tour operator first. They may be able to move your trip to different dates or provide you with a refund. By doing this first, it will speed up the processing of your claim should you have any out of pocket expenses.

Only once you have exhausted all options can you make a claim online.

How can I make a claim?

You can register your claim online once you have contacted all providers for any refunds or options available to you via tour operators or flight/accommodation providers.

We strongly recommend using the online form as our colleagues in the contact centres are receiving a high volume of calls.

Registering online is quick and easy, and this will enable our staff to manage your claim as efficiently as possible.

I would prefer to speak to you, what can I do?

We are experiencing an unprecedented number of calls at this time. We are doing all that we can to minimise the impact to our customers as well as look after our employee’s well-being at this uncertain time.

For new claims, please read our instructions on how to do this online.

I have an existing claim and would like an update

Our teams are working hard to deal with your claim, but please note that we are receiving an unprecedented volume of calls. One of our team will contact you as soon as they have assessed your existing claim.

How long will my claim take to be settled?

The time it takes for us to resolve your claim will depend on the nature of the claim and the information we require to process it.

Our team are working extremely hard to be available for our customers and resolve claims in a timely fashion, but please bear with us as the volume of claims being made is unprecedented.

Please ensure you read our required documents laid out in your claim pack to help evidence your claim. Sending these in together will help us to reduce requests for further documentation. Requests for further documentation could result in a delay to your claim.

Submitting your claim

Once you've read the information above and are ready to make a claim under your travel insurance, please click on the following links depending on who you purchased the policy through.

We are working as quickly as possible, prioritising customers stuck abroad and customers due to travel up to and including 29^thJune 2020.

AXA Direct customers

If you have an AXA Direct Travel Insurance policy fill in your claim online.

Other customers

Select the company from the list below that you purchased the insurance from to begin making your claim:

I am currently on a trip

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises British people travelling abroad to return to the UK now, if commercial flights are still available.

International travel is becoming very limited as air routes close, land borders close and new restrictions are put in place that prevent flights from leaving.

If you’re travelling abroad, you should:

Contact your airline or travel company now
Keep up-to-date with the Government’s travel advice pages
For real-time updates, follow the FCO's embassy or high commision's social media for the country you're in.

I am abroad and my flight back has been cancelled. What should I do?

Please follow the FCO advice above and first check if there are commercial routes available by contacting your airline or tour operator and checking the FCO travel advice pages for the country you are in and the local British embassy social media.

If you have travel disruption cover, you may be able to claim on your travel insurance to recover some of the costs you incur (for instance, if you need to extend your accommodation to your new departure date), but your cover will depend on your policy, its limits, and the refund from your providers. The government announced on 30^th March a new partnership with the airline industry to help British people travelling abroad to return to the UK. Where commercial routes remain feasible airlines will be responsible for getting their passengers with pre-booked tickets home.

Where commercial routes do not exist, government will provide up to £75 million to enable special charter flights to priority countries to bring back UK residents. To see if you are eligible, and to find out how to book and sign up to email alerts, see the ‘Return to the UK’ section of the Government’s travel advice page of the country that you are in. When special return flights become available, these will be advertised by the embassy and British nationals on Travel Advice Pages and Embassy social media and those who have registered for updates will be contacted via email.

If you are in real need, you can contact the FCOs consular assistance helpline on 020 7008 1500.

Am I covered if I contract coronavirus on holiday?

If you become ill while on holiday, your travel insurance covers your medical expenses abroad – unless you travelled to a location the FCO advised against.

If I’m quarantined in a hotel, do I have to pay for the room?

If you are confined to your hotel under doctor’s orders for at least 48 hours, we will pay for the room, up to the policy limit. And if you paid in advance for excursions or activities that you can’t do because of your quarantine, we will cover that, up to a certain amount.

What if I miss my flight because of quarantine?

If your airline or travel provider cannot book you on a later flight, we will cover an alternate flight.

Why do I have to wait for someone to pick up the phone?

Our customer service and claims colleagues are experiencing higher volumes than usual.

We are working as quickly as possible, prioritising customers stuck abroad and customers due to travel up to and including 29^th June 2020.

We recommend you read our ‘Making a claim’ section below so we can assist you more quickly.

I do not want to return home, am I covered to stay where I am?

No, as the FCO are advising you return you home you must. We will extend cover whilst you are attempting to return however if you are not making best endeavors to return cover will cease.

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