More than 1 in 4 brits say they’d travel abroad with covid

• Not worth the risk: Despite very limited regulations now surrounding the virus, 1 in 10 (11%) UK adults have cancelled a holiday due to them personally having, or someone they’re travelling with having COVID
• Almost 1 in 4 (23%) lost money on their trip, of around £313, on average. But some lost more than £500.
• More than 1 in 4 (28%) would wear a mask on transport if they knew they had COVID, but that’s a minority.
• Confused.com’s travel insurance expert, Alvaro Inturmendi, explains more about the current rules when it comes to travelling with COVID, and how travel insurance can help holiday makers - even if they feel well enough to travel.

More than 1 in 4 (28%) Brits admit they would travel abroad if they had COVID and felt well, new research reveals.

With the holiday season in full swing, and rising reports of COVID cases in the UK, travellers risk falling ill before their long-awaited trip. However, research from Confused.com has found that this wouldn’t hold many people back from travelling.

While many would still travel if they felt well despite having COVID, the research also found that 1 in 7 (13%) are likely to travel abroad if they tested positive and felt unwell. And people are just as likely to travel with someone who has tested positive, with 1 in 4 (24%) claiming they’d still go ahead with the trip if the person felt well.

With COVID no longer considered a global emergency¹, holidaymakers aren’t required to test before travelling. They also don’t need to cancel if they test positive for the virus. So it’s no surprise that many people would still go ahead with their holiday. However, in the past, having COVID has impacted many people’s travel plans. The research shows that about 1 in 10 (11%) travellers since 2020 have had to cancel a trip due to COVID. A further 10% have had to rearrange their trip. And for another 5%, they have experienced both a cancellation and postponement of their holiday due to a positive test.

While many could rearrange their trip through their holiday provider (45%) or claim it back through insurance (28%), 1 in 4 (23%) lost money, averaging £313. But around 1 in 5 (18%) lost more than £500 on their holiday.

With a lot of money at stake, it’s no wonder many people would take the risk to travel despite having COVID. However, worryingly, many people wouldn’t take precautions to stop the virus from spreading. In fact, only 28% of Brits claim they would wear a mask on transport if they knew they had COVID. This is concerning given the risk of illness spreading, especially on planes where air is recycled throughout the cabins. This could be due to the fact that 1 in 5 (21%) claim travelling with COVID is like travelling with any other illness.

However, it seems COVID is very much still around. Since the outbreak, more than half (58%) of Brits say they have tested positive at least once, according to Confused.com research. Almost 1 in 10 (9%) of these positive cases have occurred this year. It seems the summer months so far have been the most prolific, with 20% of cases this year reported in June, and a further 20% in July. And when looking at official COVID data², it appears that trends are similar. So far this year, there have been 81,002 reported cases of COVID in England. June and July were the worst months for cases following outbreaks in January. That’s as data shows how there were 11,401 COVID cases reported in June and 11,201 reported cases in July, accounting for a quarter (25%) of all made so far this year.

Many might not know that they may be able to rearrange to a later date through their travel insurance, without the possibility of losing money. During the pandemic, COVID cover was outlined as a special feature within travel insurance policies. This type of cover generally covered people for cancellations if they tested positive and were unable to travel, or if travel to a specific country was prohibited. Since the virus has been downgraded in severity, this is no longer called out within policies, but in some cases is still included as standard.

Many travel insurance providers will cover positive COVID cases alongside other medical emergencies. This means people could cancel or rearrange their trip without losing any money on their holiday. However, medical evidence is most likely required for them to do this. But according to Confused.com, having travel insurance isn’t just handy for rearranging trips. COVID travel insurance can also cover you for:

• Repatriation if you’re unwell due to COVID while you’re away
• Accommodation or travel costs if you need to stay longer or isolate as a result of COVID
• Medical expenses and emergencies as a result of contracting COVID or treatment required

But this isn’t always the case for general illnesses. Medical emergency cover usually only allows people to claim if they’ve been advised by a professional not to travel, or they have medical evidence. And because of this, many people will still go ahead with their holiday plans if they are unwell in many ways. In fact, almost 1 in 3 (64%) would travel with a cold, and 17% with the flu. But like COVID, illnesses have gotten in the way of holidays in the past. 1 in 10 (10%) have had to cancel a holiday due to an illness, and a further 10% had to rearrange. In these cases, 1 in 5 (19%) lost money on their trip, of around £424, on average.

But more than 1 in 10 (12%) people have been advised not to travel in the past due to an illness. In this case, they would likely be able to claim any costs lost if they had travel insurance. And this could potentially save people hundreds, if not more, if they’re able to claim for their families too.

Travel insurance isn’t just important for medical emergencies, but it can financially help people if they lose their luggage or can’t travel for other emergencies. For as little as £2.93³, the money saved could be worth the investment.

Alvaro Inturmendi, travel insurance expert at Confused.com comments, “COVID is very much still around with a lot of cases reported across the UK this summer. And this is likely to have impacted a lot of people’s travel plans.

“While many still feel comfortable travelling with the virus, many will also feel too unwell to travel. If you have a travel insurance policy, chances are you could cancel or rearrange through your provider. This means you won’t lose any money and can go ahead with your plans when you’re feeling better!

“If this is the case, you’ll probably need to provide evidence to your insurer. A positive test should be enough, but if you’re unsure then it’s best to check with them directly.

“Not all policies will include COVID cover, and if it’s something you’re concerned about, then you will need to check the conditions before you buy. Like many illnesses, the chances of needing to cancel may seem small. But this cover will let you claim back any costs for medical treatment you may need while you’re away. It will also cover your accommodation if you need to stay longer. For a small cost, it could potentially save you hundreds of pounds, especially if your family is affected too.”

ENDS

Notes to editors