Will insurers cover travellers who test positive for Covid while abroad?

Q What happens in terms of insurance for someone who tests positive prior to travelling back from abroad, even though they have no symptoms? They will presumably need to quarantine locally. Will the insurer cover the resulting costs?

Ian J via the latest “Ask Me Anything” at independent.co.uk/travel

A Cases when a passenger tests positive for coronavirus while abroad are likely to increase as the summer progresses and more people travel. It is a messy situation, with many moving parts, including the policy of the country that you happen to be in when you are diagnosed with a case of Covid. In Greece, for example, you will be transferred to “a specific self-isolation hotel” for two weeks, with the costs covered by the Greek government. In this event there would be no significant travel insurance implication – airlines will typically allow you to change flights home without penalty in the event of a positive Covid test. If you are on a package holiday, talk to the tour operator and see if they will cover the costs involved.

In most circumstances, though, there will be significant costs to a traveller who gets a diagnosis of coronavirus while abroad – including accommodation, meals, medical expenses and any additional testing requirements. Some travel insurance companies have specific Covid-19 exclusions, and inevitably they will decline such claims. But otherwise you are likely to be regarded as any other person who falls ill abroad – even if you are symptomless and feel fine.

Another aspect: anyone delayed abroad beyond the expiry of their travel insurance policy will need to talk to the insurer and ask for cover to be extended. Remember that travel insurance does not cover your failure to comply with the many complex border restrictions in place at destinations around the world. Finally, for travellers who fear finding themselves unexpectedly in a “red list” country from which hotel quarantine is required, I do not know of any travel insurance that will cover the cost.

Q When do you anticipate the Greek islands will appear on the green list for safe travel? Also is it correct that you only need your vaccination card to enter the country?

Jc73  via the latest “Ask Me Anything”

A On the basis of what we know about the UK government’s criteria for membership of the green list, there are undoubtedly some candidates among the Greek islands that deserve to be rated “green” because of their low prevalence of cases and absence of “variants of concern”. Whatever happens, bear in mind also that not all Greek islands are accessible directly from the UK. Suppose you are aiming for the little-known island of Mythos*, accessible only via the mainland port of Retsina*: if the island is green but the mainland is amber, the more onerous restrictions prevail. So if you pass through the mainland on your way home, that implies 10 days of self-isolation on your return to the UK.

In terms of entry rules for Greece: the government in Athens says British arrivals who want to skip the default week of quarantine must produce either a negative result from a PCR Covid test taken within 72 hours of arrival or “a certificate of vaccination against Covid-19, issued by a national authority in the English language” that indicates you had your second Covid jab at least two weeks earlier. The enquiries I have made suggest that the flimsy handwritten piece of card that many vaccinees are given by the NHS is sufficient. The UK government has promised a sturdier form of proof before international leisure travel resumes on 17 May, but don’t hold your breath.

* Mythos is my favourite Greek brand of beer, and retsina is best served ice-cold

Q I have booked a flight for 27 June to Bordeaux. I have had both jabs. Can I get the pre-departure PCR test for France from anywhere? They are free near me. Or must I have one booked and paid for at the airport, which seems a huge rip-off?

Linda T

A France is one of many countries that require arriving travellers to have a negative PCR Covid test, taken in the 72 hours before departing for (or, sometimes, arriving in) the destination. You may have heard of some travellers who have used an NHS test to gain access to a foreign country, but this should simply not be happening. As the health service in the UK says: “Covid-19 testing for the purposes of international travel is not available on the NHS.” So anyone needing a test will need to investigate paid options in the private sector, from your local pharmacy to an online service with courier collection. Airports have also set up testing operations. But because of the nature of PCR test analysis, which is a tricky and time-consuming business, waiting until you get to the airport is not a viable option.

Having said all that, with almost eight weeks remaining before your departure day, I advise you to bide your time. France has recently seen high numbers of coronavirus cases, combined with the inevitable hospitalisations and deaths. But its vaccination programme now appears to be progressing smoothly and infection rates are falling. By late June, I imagine that the country will be doing all it can to attract holidaymakers, especially from well-jabbed Britain. There’s a good chance that proof of vaccination (whatever form that turns out to be) will act as an alternative to a PCR test. Coming home will also involve testing, and currently there is no prospect of the UK accepting vaccination instead.

Q A question that I haven’t see answered anywhere but that would surely be helpful for many of your readers: have you heard anything about when the UK will relax quarantine rules for vaccinated travellers arriving from Europe?

My fully vaccinated husband is a UK citizen here in Paris. Our daughter (a 14-year-old UK citizen) will be going to boarding school next year. We can’t for the life of us find any information about when/if they will be able to hop on the Eurostar and spend 24 to 48 hours in the UK to visit the school she will be attending in September. Clearly she, at the very least, would need PCR tests. But we are hoping that vaccination passes will be granted to non-resident UK citizens. Surely we aren’t the only ones on the other side of the Channel with this question?

Katherine

A Sadly for your family, vaccination status is irrelevant when heading for the UK. The government appears committed to keeping that position, even though many people argue that a proportionate public-health approach would be to ease travel restrictions for people who have had both jabs. To make matters worse, I cannot see much chance of your daughter and your husband being able to visit the school in the coming weeks. As UK citizens you are perfectly entitled to return whenever you wish – but you will need to go straight into self-isolation on arrival. That could conceivably be in a self-contained location at the school, but you certainly would not be permitted to look around because of the quarantine rules.

As you no doubt know, things will change significantly for residents of England on 17 May, when we are finally allowed to venture abroad. From locations on the so-called “green list” the current requirement to self-isolate will be lifted. But I have just checked the Covid infection rates for France and I really can’t see the nation making the initial green list: its numbers are way ahead of other popular European destinations such as Italy, Greece and Spain. It will be rated amber. All I can suggest is that you wait for France to be admitted to the green list. Based on the current vaccination rollout and trend in infection data, I predict that will happen in late June or July. When, hopefully, the whole European picture will be looking brighter, and the school will be able to welcome your daughter for a visit.

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