BLUE BEAR TRAVEL INSURANCE FAQS

If you have purchased a Gold, Silver or Bronze Policy on or after 01 June 2021:

1. If you receive a Track and Trace notification and subsequently have to self-isolate, or if you test positive for coronavirus up to 14 days prior to your departure and therefore need to stay at home to self-isolate, then we can cover you for trip cancellation. We can pay towards some pre-paid costs, be it accommodation, transportation or unused excursions that you are unable to get back from anyone else, up to the limit listed on your policy.
2. If you catch Covid-19 whilst you are away, then we can pay you a benefit towards the cost of your pre-paid unused excursions that you are unable to go on during your trip due to having to isolate. As well as that, we can pay for additional accommodation should you not be able to return home as planned, due to isolating. When you are able to return home, we can pay towards the cost of returning back home at the earliest possible date based on medical or local authority advice and with guidance from our assistance team.

If you have purchased a Gold, Silver or Bronze Policy on or after 01 June 2021, your policy provides cover for you cancelling your trip should you be denied boarding at the airport on your outward journey.

Please see the policy issue date as the level of cover may vary.

Some of our policies provide cover for COVID-19 but the level of cover may vary depending on the policy type, and the date on which your policy was issued:

For all Blue Bear policies issued prior to 17 March 2020:

1. Cancellation and curtailment claims will be considered if you are unable to travel due to a new or declared existing medical condition or have been diagnosed with Covid-19 by a medical professional for trips booked prior to the declared pandemic.
2. Cover will be provided for Emergency Medical Expenses if you contract Covid-19 whilst abroad, provided passengers have not travelled against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
3. The policy will not provide any cover for trip cancellation or curtailment or denial of boarding on either the outbound flight or the return flight.

For all Blue Bear policies issued from to 17 March 2020 to 9 September 2020:

1. Cancellation claims will not be considered if you are unable to travel as a result of the Coronavirus, COVID-19, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-COV-2), any mutation of Coronavirus, COVID-19 or SARs-COV-2 or any pandemic or fear or threat of any of these.
2. Cover will be provided for Emergency Medical Expenses if you contract Covid-19 or SARS-COV-2, whilst abroad, provided passengers have not travelled against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
3. The policy will not provide any cover for trip cancellation or denial of boarding on either the outbound flight or the return flight.

Gold, Silver or Bronze policies issued between 17 March 2020 and 9 September 2020, can be upgraded at an additional charge to include cover for:

1. Cancellation - if you or anyone named on the policy becomes ill with an infectious disease (including contracting Covid-19) within 14 days of your trip starting, and you are able to provide evidence from a medical professional confirming your illness.
2. Cover will be provided for Emergency Medical Expenses if you contract Covid-19, whilst abroad, provided passengers have not travelled against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
3. Denial of boarding on your return journey (inbound flight) if you show symptoms.

Please note the above also applies to Gold, Silver or Bronze policies with Winter Sports.

If you would like to discuss your options, please contact a member of the Customer Services Team on 0344 482 3404 or email enquiries@bluebeartravelinsurance.co.uk.

Yes. From 10th September 2020 you will be able to upgrade your existing policy by using the customer hub and following the instructions or by contacting a member of our UK based Customer Services Team by email at enquiries@bluebeartravelinsurance.co.uk or call on 0344 482 3404.

No, the policy does not provide cover for local geographical quarantine. However, if you are positively diagnosed with Covid-19 and you can provide the appropriate medical evidence, your policy will provide cover for trip cancellation.

If you show symptoms of Covid-19 at the UK airport and are denied boarding, the policy will cover you for Cancellation risks if you subsequently receive a confirmed diagnosis, however, you will need to obtain the appropriate documentary evidence from your Doctor as well as the carrier to confirm you have been denied boarding and that your airline or tour operator did not reimburse you or offer alternative dates.

No cover is provided on Blue Bear Policies if you are travelling to a country or specific area that is classified as ‘Advice against all Travel’ or ‘Advice against all but essential Travel’ by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). In the first instance, we would suggest you contact your airline, travel agent or tour operator to ensure your flights and accommodation are available for your intended trip. If you do wish to travel to a country against the advice of the FCDO, you may require a specialist travel insurance provider. Blue Bear have partnered with battleface, a provider of flexible insurance plans for travellers going to unconventional locations, including those under FCDO "essential only" travel advisories.

For more information and to obtain a battleface quote please click here.

The policy will provide cover under the Cancellation section and will include cover for the proportion of prepaid transport, accommodation & additional travel expenses, and pre-paid excursions booked before you travel, which cannot be recovered from any other source.

These claims will be considered on a case by case basis, and you will be required to provide evidence from a medical professional confirming your/their illness or infectious disease.

If you or a member of your travelling party are refused entry, you are required to follow local authority procedures and contact the Assistance Team on +44 (0) 203 829 6639 or +44 (0) 203 829 6745.

The policy provides no cover for trip cancellation where you choose to change your travel plans due to the quarantine requirements, which may apply on your return to the UK. This is classed as disinclination to travel, which is an exclusion on our policy.

The policy provides no cover for trip curtailment where you choose to change your travel plans due to the quarantine requirements which may apply on your return to the UK. This is classed as disinclination to travel, which is an exclusion on our policy.

The policy provides no cover for loss of earnings if you are required to quarantine for any period on your return to the UK.

Yes. Cover applies if you, or anyone named on your policy, becomes ill with an infectious disease during your trip (including contracting Covid-19). You will be required to call and seek approval from the Assistance Team on +44 (0) 203 829 6639 or +44 (0) 203 829 6745 and follow all local authority procedures.

Curtailment cover is included and will provide a pro-rata refund of pre-paid trip costs, from the day you return home, if you or anyone named on your policy becomes ill with an infectious disease during your trip (including contracting Covid-19). You will be required to call and seek approval from the Assistance Team on +44 (0) 203 829 6639 or +44 (0) 203 829 6745 and follow all local authority procedures.

The Denial of Boarding extension will provide cover for extra accommodation and return transport at the earliest possible date based on medical or local authority advice, up to the limits stated in the Policy wording, due to having or being suspected of having an infectious disease (including Covid-19).

Click on the following link www.bluebear.protectif.co.uk and complete the questions with details of your condition and medication. Alternatively, you should make a medical declaration to the Sales Team by calling them on 0203 829 3846.
You may be required to pay an additional premium to cover your declared medical conditions when they have been considered by tifgroup medical screening. If you are happy with the terms offered, you should pay the additional premium directly to the Sales Team.
IMPORTANT The main policy must be purchased with Blue Bear and a top up policy arranged through the Sales Team in respect of pre-existing medical conditions. The two policies will run concurrently.

You (or your representative) should call an ambulance using the local equivalent of a 999 number, or alternatively by dialling 112 within the EU, and then contact the Assistance Team on +44 (0)203 829 6745 for advice.

Prices vary depending on certain factors, such as age, destination, the trip duration and the level of cover chosen. To obtain a quote, simply click here Get A Quote

You can buy a policy online using one of the following debit or credit cards: Mastercard and Visa. Enter your trip details and follow the process outlined.

Blue Bear Travel Insurance uses a secure payment gateway that makes the debit/credit card transaction directly and securely through the bank. We do not have any access to your card details as the payment will be approved or declined by your banking institution. The connection through to your bank uses a 40bit encrypted SSL Web Server Certificate so that the information is encrypted or scrambled making it impossible to intercept or steal. Once the payment has been made your Travel Policy will be instantly confirmed by email.

A policy must start before leaving the UK. You cannot purchase a Blue Bear policy if you have already started your travels.

Single Trip & Longstay Policies – The start date and end date of the policy should correspond with the dates of travel. Cancellation cover will become effective on the date the premium is paid and the policy is issued.

Annual Multi Trip Policy – Unlike the Single Trip and Long Stay policy, an Annual policy should start when a holiday is booked (and not the start date of the first trip) so that the pre-travel cancellation cover is in force, as detailed in section A1 of the policy wording. These policies will terminate on the expiry date of your policy, as detailed on your certificate of insurance.

Our insurance policies are only available to residents of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or British Forces Posted Overseas.

We define UK Residents as people who have their main home in the United Kingdom or the Channel Islands and who have not spent more than six months overseas in the year before buying this policy.

Our Annual Multi-Trip Policy provides cover for trips up to 31 days as standard. Trips of up to 45 days and 60 days can be purchased upon payment of an additional premium. We also offer Single Trip policies of up to 365 days, and a Long Stay Policy of up to 548 days trip duration.

Age restrictions apply to the Blue Bear policies. Details are given under Criteria for Purchase on page 1 of the policy wording, and are as follows:

• SINGLE TRIP POLICIES: There is no maximum age.
• ANNUAL MULTI-TRIP POLICIES: Maximum Age 79

No cover is provided on our policies for Permanent Disablement if you are under 18 or over aged 75.
Accidental Death payment is reduced to £3,500 if under 18 or over 75.

No cover operates if you have deliberately exposed yourself to danger and that the incident is due to an accident and not illness, intoxication or infection.

• LONG STAY POLICIES: Maximum Age 64

No cover is provided on our policies for Permanent Disablement if you are under 18.
Accidental Death payment is reduced to £1,000 if under 18.

No cover operates if you have deliberately exposed yourself to danger and that the incident is due to an accident and not illness, intoxication or infection.

Cancellation cover on our standard Policies range from £500 to £5,000.
Bronze £500
Silver £1,500
Gold £5,000
Long Stay £3,000

Click here to compare our policies.

Higher valued trips can be considered. To obtain a tailored quote, please email us at enquiries@bluebeartravelinsurance.co.uk providing full details of the trip, including the following information:
Passenger ages
Dates of the trip (Single Trip or Annual)
Territory
Trip Value (per person)
Also include other relevant information such as Sporting Activities

Yes. Our Annual Multi-Trip Policy provides cover for trips up to 31 days as standard. Trips of up to 45 days and 60 days can be purchased upon payment of an additional premium. Longer durations may be considered.

Find out which Geographical area you need by clicking here to access the list of countries covered by our policies. Then simply type in the area to which you are travelling, and this will display which geographical area you should choose.

There are a number of conditions and exclusions which apply to all our policies. These can be found in the relevant Policy wordings.

Yes - The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) allows you to access state-provided healthcare in all European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland at a reduced cost and in many cases free of charge, provided you are a UK or BFPO resident.
It does not provide any other benefits. Remember to check your EHIC is still valid before you travel.

Our policies contain a Cooling Off period of 14 days from the purchase date of the policy. You will be entitled to a full refund during this period provided you have not travelled, claimed on the policy, or there are any circumstances which may lead to a claim.

Outside of the Cooling Off period, a refund will only be considered if you have not travelled on the policy, made a claim, or there are any circumstances which may lead to a claim, as follows:

Single Trip policies – 50% premium refund.
Annual Multi Trip policies - 5% for each full calendar month remaining on the policy.

An administration fee of £15 applies to policies cancelled outside if the 14 day’ cooling off period, subject to policy terms and conditions.

Please refer to your policy wording for full details on how to cancel your policy.

Yes. Blue Bear Travel Insurance is an independent insurance provider and a policy may be purchased independently.

This facility is not currently available. Please contact our friendly Customer Services Team on 0344 482 7755 for assistance.

Inclusive holidays are where a flight is purchased with other component parts of the trip e.g. through a tour operator. Where one or more components are booked at the same time. These trips are usually covered under the Air Travel Organisers License (ATOL) arranged by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The Holiday Financial Failure cover has been designed to include everything outside the ATOL e.g. flight only bookings or where policyholders build up their holidays themselves by booking the end suppliers directly (e.g. arrange flight, then book directly with hotel and arrange taxi from airport etc)

Our policies are designed to cover a wide range of trips and activities. However, we understand that ‘once in a lifetime’ trips are booked from time to time and we work very closely with our insurers to try to cover these eventualities.

Please email enquiries@bluebeartravelinsurance.co.uk providing full details of the trip for a tailored quote to be requested.

Please include the following information:

• Passenger ages
• Dates of the trip (Single Trip or Annual)
• Territory
• Trip Value (per person)

Also include other relevant information such as Activities, Cruise Cover, Excess Waiver, or Winter Sports extensions. If the activity you intend to do is not listed in the Policy wording, please supply a web link to provide more details and to assist our Insurers.

You should request to go to the nearest public/state medical facility. If in Europe, you should show your EHIC card, as medical treatment will be free or at a reduced cost.

IMPORTANT: The Policy does not provide cover for private healthcare.

Some hotels will urge people to seek private treatment, however, these facilities vary greatly and are not necessarily equipped to deal with all emergencies. They may also give medical attention at over inflated prices.

Yes, providing that this section is covered under your policy. Refer to section B5. There is also a sub-limit within the personal money section for cash. Please refer to the policy wording for details on the cover limit for loss of cash.

All the relevant contact numbers are summarised on the second page of your policy document. These can also be found by clicking the 'Contact Us’ tab on the website.

You may contact our friendly Blue Bear Sales Team on 0344 482 3404 for a quote or with any queries prior to purchasing a Policy.

If you have already purchased a Blue Bear Travel policy and wish to discuss any aspect of your policy, or enquire about upgrades or amendments, please get in touch with our After Sales Team via email at enquiries@bluebeartravelinsurance.co.uk or call us on 0344 482 3404 for assistance.
We are open from 9AM-5.30PM on Monday to Friday.
An Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) is available for each of our products and can be viewed by clicking on the links below:
Bronze Policy - Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) – Click here
Silver Policy - Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) – Click here
Gold Policy - Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) – Click here
Long Stay Policy - Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) – Click here

The Winter Sports extension is available at an additional cost and provides cover for Ski equipment, Delayed ski equipment, Loss of ski pack, Piste closure and closure due to Avalanche, PLUS all activities detailed in Activity Packs 1–3.
Click here to access the Policy Wordings for Single and Annual Multi-Trip Policies.
Click here to access the Policy Wordings for a Blue Bear Long Stay Policy.

This can be added by searching for the activity on the quote form, then select which activity / activities you need.
You can also search for your activity here.

When you buy a policy, we will send you an email confirming your purchase of cover immediately. Please note that some email providers do place our Confirmation emails into SPAM/JUNK folders, due to their automated nature.

Please email enquiries@bluebeartravelinsurance.co.uk with full details of the changes required. It is our aim to respond to you within 48 hours.

The Blue Bear Travel Sales Team will be delighted to assist you and can be contacted on our Customer Service line, 0344 482 3404. We are available to answer queries Monday – Friday, 9am – 5.30pm, or simply email us at enquiries@bluebeartravelinsurance.co.uk

Claims forms can be found at www.policyholderclaims.co.uk

The Claims Department
1 Tower View
Kings Hill
West Malling
KENT
ME19 4UY

Refer to the claim form which relates to your situation. A detailed list of the supporting documentation will be given on the claim form. Claims forms can be obtained from www.policyholderclaims.co.uk

the Claims Department can be contacted by telephone on 0203 829 6761

These claims will still be considered, but please be aware that you will still be asked to provide proof of ownership for the lost or stolen items. We understand you might not be able to produce receipts for every item, but we do expect that you provide some evidence of ownership. Typically, the insurers may accept photographic evidence in conjunction with warranty cards, manuals, receipts, bank or credit card statements as proof of ownership. In the end, common sense prevails, and you should ask yourself, "Do these documents conclusively prove I have owned this item?". If not, restrictions may apply.