All new Post Office Travel Insurance policies include a range of cover for disruption or difficulties relating to Covid-19. We’ve included this base layer of protection to help holidaymakers travel more confidently in the time of coronavirus.

This includes cancellation cover for a number of scenarios relating to Covid-19, reimbursing you for the missed part of your trip if you cut it short in the event that you test positive on your trip and self isolation is required, and cover for medical and repatriation costs if your fall ill with the virus while away.

Everyone’s needs are different, though, so you may want the extra reassurance of additional protection over and above the standard cover, for other scenarios in which the virus might affect your travel plans.

The Covid-19 Cover option provides cover for curtailment (cutting your trip short) in more scenarios than the standard cover. It also provides additional protection in the event of you missing a scheduled departure or connection due to the virus in certain situations. You’ll find all of these listed in the policy wording.

It’s important to check the latest travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) regularly. There’s no cover on our policies if the FCDO has current advice in place against all travel and where any of the UK governments – for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland – have implemented travel bans against travel within the UK or internationally. If the FCDO have advised to only undertake essential travel to a destination and your trip is not essential and you choose to travel, we’ll only cover a claim if the cause is not linked to the reason for the FCDO advice.

This limitation applies even if you’ve purchased an optional Trip Disruption or Covid-19 upgrade. You may be able to travel with full cover if we authorise in writing that your trip is essential before you depart. Should you like to request this, please email travelinsurancefeedback@postoffice.co.uk We’ve prepared a guide on where you can go on holiday that summarises and links out to official sources of advice on where you can travel to and you must do in order to go.

Your vaccination status won’t affect whether you can buy Post office Travel Insurance or our policy add-ons like Covid-19 Cover. What it may affect, though, is where you can travel to or what’s needed to return to the UK once you’ve been. Some countries may only allow access to UK nationals if they’ve been double vaccinated, for instance. And you may need to take more or different kinds of Covid-19 test on your outward or return journey if you’re not fully vaccinated against the virus.

Check the latest FCDO advice and requirements for overseas travel.

If you buy our optional Covid-19 upgrade and if a Covid-19 test you take while still overseas comes back positive and you’re required to self-isolate there rather than return home, you’ll be covered for any additional travel and accommodation costs you incur during this unexpected extended stay up to the limits of your chosen policy.

You’ll get the same cover if someone you’re travelling with or staying with tests positive for the virus, meaning you have to self-isolate and can’t return home on your original scheduled journeys.

If you buy our optional Covid-19 upgrade, you’ll be covered for the cost of the following if testing or quarantine requirements for returning to the UK change while you’re away:

• Unexpected but mandatory quarantine accommodation back in the UK (up to the sum insured for) if you don’t return before the rule that requires them comes into force
• Covid-19 tests the UK government now requires that you weren’t liable for when you booked your trip or bought your policy – whichever was most recent