FAQs for staff travelling abroad and Quarantining on return

COVID-19 may have had an impact on local public health overseas and we advise that you stay aware of other travel-related infectious diseases. Specifically, take care to stay up to date with travel health recommendations (including immunisations) relevant to your destination.

The FCDO recommend that before you travel, you should check your destination’s current entry restrictions and requirements. These may change with little warning so you should monitor this advice for the latest updates and stay in contact with your travel provider.

Although England has removed all restrictions related to COVID-19, restrictions may remain in other countries. Please check what COVID-19 test you need to take, and the self-isolation rules may be in place for your destinations.

Dependent on individual circumstances, the policy may cover the costs of additional accommodation and travel should you become stranded, however the governmental regulation exclusion under the cancellation/curtailment section explains that if your circumstances are a result of your travel destination or the UK government closing borders then this would not be covered.  

Any claims would need to be submitted to RSA for review.

Please visit the following page for the latest England travel guidance https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-england-from-another-country-during-coronavirus-covid-19

If I book travel to a country and the government reinstates travel restrictions before I travel, will I be able to cancel the booking and make an insurance claim to recover the costs?

Yes. The insurance policy would cover you in circumstances where the government has announced a change before you travel. However, the insurance provider would expect the College to use its best endeavours to recover the costs from the airlines and other travel providers before settling any claim.

The cover is unaffected provided there are no changes to your travel arrangements. If you are abroad and decide to return early to the UK or your Country of Residence, then the insurance policy would only consider the pre-booked return flight cost.

If a new ticket is purchased to return to the UK early, then claims will only be considered by insurers for the additional expenses incurred if there was evidence that efforts were made with the Airline to try and move the original booking.

The policy will continue to cover emergency medical expenses incurred including those resulting from COVID-19, regardless of FCDO guidance.

If a traveller contracts COVID-19, cover is in place to respond to Medical Expenses that were reasonably incurred during a journey outside an Insured Person’s Country of Domicile. If a traveller feels unwell during a trip, they should contact Healix on +44 (0)208 608 4100.

Further guidance from Healix can be found here

Please follow the latest government requirements and advice when entering the UK following a trip from abroad. If you make any stopovers or interchanges the requirements for those apply in addition, even if you don’t leave the airport or rail station.

• At present you must complete a government form, known as the passenger location form, online before you arrive in the UK from any country. This includes if you’re travelling from a country or territory where you do not have to self-isolate when you arrive in the UK. You must complete this form even if you’ve already completed a different form to enter another country. Please bear in mind you may also need to consider the regulations within the country you are leaving or if there are any other special considerations such as local restrictions at a stop-over destination on your journey home.
• If you do not complete the form before you arrive in the UK, it might take you longer to enter the UK.
• You cannot submit the form until 48 hours before you’re due to arrive in the UK.
• This is a free service. You do not need to pay another website or business to provide your contact details for you.
• You must complete the form online. Do not print out the form and fill it in by hand.
• When you arrive at the UK border you’ll need to show either:

       - a printed copy of your confirmation email
       - the confirmation email on your phone

The government will use this information to contact you if you or someone you’ve travelled with develops coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms.

• If you need to self-isolate after you arrive in the UK, the government will also use the information to check that you’re self-isolating.

Please follow the latest information found on the COVID-19 webpage

No. The travel insurance policy does not provide cover for self-isolation or quarantine and is intended to assist with returning to the UK or Country of Residence. Please make sure you have fully considered self-isolation when undertaking your pre-travel risk assessment.

If it is deemed medically necessary (by Healix or a medical practitioner) to self-isolate and additional costs are incurred, our insurer will review and consider the claim.