Connections Puzzle #328 Sat 4 May
Quizzes & Puzzles15 mins ago
What A Con!
Mr Bs travel insurance is only five days outside of cooling off period so I’ve asked for a refund ,it’s a European one costing over £360 annual trips, saying as we can’t travel anywhere in Europe ( we can if we’re prepared to travel in Amber but now Jet2 aren’t flying on our dates anyway)
Staysure are offering vouchers only, I asked about their pro rata which I’d expect, Nope, a voucher for when he does travel!
Staysure are offering vouchers only, I asked about their pro rata which I’d expect, Nope, a voucher for when he does travel!
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If it’s five days outside of the cooling off period then they are within their rights. Anyone planning to travel abroad must surely be aware that things are likely to change at short notice and should have factored this into their plans. The travel insurance sector must have taken a hammering lately and they are trying to recoup as much money as they can. Just going to have to suck it up.
//...saying as we can’t travel anywhere in Europe ( we can if we’re prepared to travel in Amber but now Jet2 aren’t flying on our dates anyway)//
You need to be aware, Bobbie, that by travelling to an "amber" country you will, almost without doubt, be travelling without travel insurance. With the exception of the Greek islands of Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos, Corfu and Crete, the Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to "amber" countries. Virtually all insurers will provide no cover for trips to countries where such advice is in place. As I've pointed out previously, this is what makes the amber category all but useless. Of course it does mean that if you do choose to travel to such a place you need not bother with insurance because it would be invalid anyway!
You need to be aware, Bobbie, that by travelling to an "amber" country you will, almost without doubt, be travelling without travel insurance. With the exception of the Greek islands of Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos, Corfu and Crete, the Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to "amber" countries. Virtually all insurers will provide no cover for trips to countries where such advice is in place. As I've pointed out previously, this is what makes the amber category all but useless. Of course it does mean that if you do choose to travel to such a place you need not bother with insurance because it would be invalid anyway!
You might take it out, Bobbi, but if you go to a country where the Foreign Office is advising against travel, it will not be valid. This is where many people have a problem with "amber" countries. Airlines (and some tour operators) will not provide refunds because travel to them is not banned but if they go they are travelling without insurance.
As I understand it, insurers follow the guidance issued by the FCDO which might differ from the traffic-lights system.
The FCDO site currently states,
"Summary
Still current at:
4 June 2021
Updated:
4 June 2021
Latest update:
Update to information under ‘Requirements for UK nationals resident in Spain’ (‘Entry requirements’ page). No changes have been made to the level of FCDO travel advice for any regions of Spain. We continue to advise against all but essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic Islands, ***but excluding the Canary Islands***
The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic Islands ***but excluding the Canary Islands,*** based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks."
The Amber list, last updated yesterday, currently shows for Spain,
"Spain (including the Balearics and Canary Islands)"
So then, conflicting advice...
The FCDO site currently states,
"Summary
Still current at:
4 June 2021
Updated:
4 June 2021
Latest update:
Update to information under ‘Requirements for UK nationals resident in Spain’ (‘Entry requirements’ page). No changes have been made to the level of FCDO travel advice for any regions of Spain. We continue to advise against all but essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic Islands, ***but excluding the Canary Islands***
The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic Islands ***but excluding the Canary Islands,*** based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks."
The Amber list, last updated yesterday, currently shows for Spain,
"Spain (including the Balearics and Canary Islands)"
So then, conflicting advice...
Yes Corby, not unusually for matters Covid, a complete dog's breakfast.
Spain (mainland) is an "amber" country (which dictates what people have to do upon return) but the FO advice against all but essential travel (which dictates whether most travel insurance policies would be valid) does not include the Canaries. The same applies to Greece but with exceptions for the five Greek islands I mentioned. Portugal (due to change to amber on Tuesday) remains, at present, off the list of FO "do not travel" advice. The same situation is true for Malta.
Meanwhile, the FO's overarching advice is "To prevent new COVID variants from entering the UK, you should not travel to amber or red list countries." Then when you visit a country-specific page for those amber countries or territories I have mentioned it tells you what to do when you get there and when you return.
It is an utter shambles, presided over by people who believe that everybody either is or can employ a solicitor to go through and interpret all this bilge. If they don't want people to travel abroad simply ban it. They've banned just about everything else over the past fifteen months so I don't know why they should be overly concerned about foreign travel.
Spain (mainland) is an "amber" country (which dictates what people have to do upon return) but the FO advice against all but essential travel (which dictates whether most travel insurance policies would be valid) does not include the Canaries. The same applies to Greece but with exceptions for the five Greek islands I mentioned. Portugal (due to change to amber on Tuesday) remains, at present, off the list of FO "do not travel" advice. The same situation is true for Malta.
Meanwhile, the FO's overarching advice is "To prevent new COVID variants from entering the UK, you should not travel to amber or red list countries." Then when you visit a country-specific page for those amber countries or territories I have mentioned it tells you what to do when you get there and when you return.
It is an utter shambles, presided over by people who believe that everybody either is or can employ a solicitor to go through and interpret all this bilge. If they don't want people to travel abroad simply ban it. They've banned just about everything else over the past fifteen months so I don't know why they should be overly concerned about foreign travel.
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