FAQ
What are the age limits on these policies?
On both our Silver & Gold policies, the age limits are:
Single trip – 84 years at date of departure
Annual multi-trip – 74 years at date of purchase
Longstay – 64 years at date of departure
Do Navigator Travel policies cover me for working abroad?
Yes – but not for heavy or hazardous manual labour such as building work or using any heaving powered machinery. Bar work and fruit picking, for example, would be covered. However there will be no cover for any personal liability or personal accident compensation claims whilst you are working, these should be covered by the employer. If your trip involves manual work, please contact us and we will approach the insurers for agreement. Please note that there may me additional cost and there will be additional conditions for manual work.
Am I covered for hazardous sports & pursuits?
Please read the following in detail very carefully.
Most hazardous pursuits such as tandem skydiving, bungee jumping, scuba diving, white water rafting, horse riding, surfing, windsurfing and trekking can be covered on these policies (subject to payment of the appropriate additional premium where applicable and to individual terms and conditions).
Wintersports such as skiing or snowboarding are only covered on payment of the appropriate additional wintersports premium for single trip and longstay policies; they are automatically included under annual multi-trip policies (14 days wintersports cover on Silver Annual Multi-Trip policies or 21 days on Gold). Additional premiums are payable for wintersports and Action sports (plus 50% on Gold policies or 75% on Silver) and Action Plus sports (plus 100% on Gold policies or 150% on Silver). Action and Action Plus sports cover excludes personal liability and personal accident compensation and the medical expenses excess is increased to £200 for claims arising from participation. View our Sports and Adventure policy details here
Can I extend the duration of my insurance, after I have commenced travelling?
Yes. You must make any extensions before the original term of your policy has lapsed. Cover must be continuous and we cannot backdate extensions. You must also bear in mind that if you have, for instance, an ongoing medical claim at the time the extension becomes due the insurers can refuse to extend or agree to extend only on condition that no further payments will be made relating to that particular claim. This is the main disadvantage of taking a shorter period at the outset and extending later as you run the risk of having continuing medical bills to pay yourself. Extensions are always subject to the maximum period of insurance available. For Short Stay this is 45 days, for Long Stay this is 15 months.
Are unused periods of insurance refundable, if I return home early?
No – If in doubt, it is better to take a shorter period of cover and extend later, if required.
Am I covered for motorcycling?
Yes, on road and providing you hold an appropriate full licence and are wearing a helmet. On both Silver and Gold policies you are covered under all sections except for personal liability and personal accident compensation. Your medical expenses will be covered under the emergency medical expenses section.
Certain non-competitive off-road motorcycling can be covered at the Action Plus rate (100% supplement on Gold or 150% on Silver policies), but not stunt or jumping. Full licence is still required and conditions apply. Contact us for more information.
Can I drive a car?
Yes, though you will not be covered under the Personal Liability section for driving. This cover should be provided by the car owner or rental company. If you require European Vehicle Assistance or Car Hire Excess Reimbursement cover, we can also provide these. Please contact us for more information.
Is dental treatment covered?
Yes. The cost of emergency dental treatment to natural teeth is covered up to £350 on both Silver & Gold policies provided that it is for the immediate relief of pain only. Cosmetic treatment and the cost of replacing or repairing false teeth or of dental work involving the use of precious metals, is not covered.
Will my contact lenses be covered?
No, spectacles are covered, but contact lenses are not.
I am travelling on a one-way ticket. Does cover cease when I reach my destination?
If you are going on a one-way trip (emigrating, or returning to your original country of residence after residing in the UK), all cover will cease 48 hours after you arrive at your final destination.
If you intend to return to your home in the UK, cover will continue, as long as you want, subject to the total duration limit of 15 months on Navigator Long Stay policies. Travelling on a one-way ticket is not, in itself, an exclusion, but duration of cover depends on your future resident status.
Can non-UK residents buy a policy?
No. You must permanently reside in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands or Isle of Man and be registered with a medical practitioner in your home country.
Can I pay extra to cover valuables, like a camcorder?
No we cannot offer any extra cover on the baggage section. You can try to get named valuables covered on a household or all-risks policy.
Is there a 24-hour emergency phone number?
The nominated emergency service is provided by ONE Assist Ltd. If you or a member of your party are hospitalised during your trip, require medical treatment that will cost more than £250 (or its equivalent in local currency) or need to travel home differently to your original plans, please notify ONE Assist Ltd as soon as possible on +44 (0) 1992 454 276.
I’ve seen policies with unlimited medical cover – the GOLD policy only covers £10,000,000.
Unlimited medical cover is a gimmick and £10,000,000 is more than anyone is likely to need. The largest known medical claim is less than £2,000,000.
Who are the insurers and who handles claims?
Both our Silver and Gold policies are underwritten 100% at Lloyds of London by Syndicates managed by Argo Managing Agency Limited.
For all claims other than medical emergencies, please request an appropriate claim form by telephoning the claims handlers, ONE Claims Ltd, on 01992 708 729.
Does baggage have to be stored in the boot of a car and are my belongings covered if they are on a roof rack?
Yes, don’t leave it unattended or on view in the interior of a car. As a rule of thumb, you are expected to treat yourself and your belongings as if they were uninsured. In other words, do not take extra risks, just because you have your things insured, it may cause a problem with your claim. Please note that, even if your baggage is out of sight in the boot, there is no cover for valuables, passport or money. In other words, never leave valuables, passport or money unattended in a car, whether visible or not. Assuming the items are in a locked roof box, the insurance will pay up to the policy limits. However, valuable items, passport and money are not covered when left in a car at any time.
What are the geographical limitations on this cover? I am travelling to Australia, but are my stopovers in the Far East and USA covered?
On Long Stay policies, Worldwide Excluding USA/Canada/Caribbean rates do permit stopovers in USA/Canada/Caribbean, but these regions must not be the principal destination. Time spent in USA/Canada/Caribbean must not exceed time spent elsewhere. For Long Stay policies, rating is determined by where the majority of time will be spent. As you are spending more time in Australia, you will be covered to travel to America on the lower rate.
Does it cover “new for old” if I have a baggage claim?
No, an amount will be deducted in most cases for wear and tear.
What if I change my mind?
You have a 14 day cooling off period. If you find that the cover is not sufficient for your needs, you may return the policy within 14 days and obtain a full refund. After this period, premiums are non-refundable.
Does this policy cover ambulance and repatriation costs?
Yes, these charges are covered under the Emergency Medical Expenses section.
Do I have to pay the bill if I am taken ill?
You are expected to settle small bills, like prescription charges and doctors call-out fees and keep receipts for a later claim. If you are hospitalised, give your policy to the hospital and they will normally arrange with the insurers to invoice them directly.
If I lose all my baggage, can I start a claim from overseas?
You can, but bear in mind that you will be corresponding with the insurers at long range. Your family back home can deal with the correspondence on your behalf, once they have any relevant original paperwork. These cases of total baggage loss are always traumatic and very inconvenient, however fast the claim can be dealt with, so take extra care if you are carrying all your worldly goods with you.
Does the policy cover airline tickets?
The airlines have excellent systems in place for replacing lost tickets, so insurance cover is not required. At worst, you will have to pay the airline a small administration fee for replacing your tickets.
I am going away for a year, but can I return to the UK for short breaks to visit my family during the duration of my policy?
If you have paid the appropriate longstay travel insurance premium, you are covered to return to your home country for short term visits of up to 2 weeks, as long as they are not subject to a claim. Cover is temporarily suspended for the duration of these visits.
Have I forgotten anything?
Always get a police report if you lose anything.
If you have any pre-existing medical condition, let us know and we can advise you what to do. In most cases, the insurers will give full cover at normal rates and then there will be no danger that your claim is refused because you failed to notify insurers.
Treat yourself and your belongings as if they were uninsured. Negligent treatment of possessions or alcohol and drug abuse, for example, will jeopardize your claim.
If you need to curtail your trip, say, due to your illness or to a family medical emergency back home, get clearance FIRST from the 24 hour assistance company. Do not incur additional expenses without their prior agreement.
Curtailment cover will reimburse additional costs incurred getting home, but NOT for returning abroad to resume the trip where you left off!
If you need to extend your duration of cover, DON’T leave a gap, it is easy to forget to renew, so make a diary note or something!
Always read Foreign Office advice before you leave, on the countries you are visiting. It sometimes seems like obvious commonsense advice, but there can be invaluable tips on which parts of town are the most dangerous etc.
Make sure you read the insurance wording carefully, when you get it. As with all contracts, there are important terms, exclusions and conditions that you should familiarize yourself with. We will be pleased to help with any questions you may have.
Navigator Travel Insurance Services Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) – registration number 305586
