The Great (half-term holiday) Travel Debate

“Are we nearly there yet?” Usually words wailed by small children in the back of the car, but currently words which run through the minds of most of the holiday-hungry population. The government-led TV broadcasts aren’t the daily occurrence that they once were, so the UK is back to bracing itself for the next Covid-induced restrictions whilst left wondering if we are nearly there yet with finding a vaccine so life can return to some sort of normal.

Certain areas of the country are currently in localised lockdown, we’ve got a 10pm curfew down the pub and we’re trying to fathom the latest slogans of “The Rule of Six” along with “Hands Face Space”. How does all this affect your holiday plans and what is the latest travel advice from your insurer?

What are your holiday options?

With October half-term holidays just around the corner potential holidaymakers are left wondering if they should chance a flight through an air corridor, bundle children and camping paraphernalia in the back of the car and head for the hills, or whether it’s just best to batten down the hatches and stay at home. Despite the Coronavirus restrictions, you do have options and you’ll be relieved to know that there is insurance available too.

Leaving on a jet plane

With nearly half of UK travellers (47%) flying less¹post-lockdown, and London City Airport pausing their £500 million expansion plans² , the airline industry is facing a huge crisis. Bigger players such as Etihad and Emirates have taken to offering passengers their own Coronavirus insurance policies³ , covering medical and quarantine expenses. Incredibly if you contract the disease within 31 days of flying with the airline they will cover medical costs up to 150,000 Euros.⁴ With airlines desperate to stimulate demand these companies are now offering pre-flight Covid-19 testing, as standard.

Brits may not be welcome on US soil at present, but that’s not to say we’re not interested in how the other half live. There have been claims that American billionaires are using private jets⁵to flit off to other areas in the country where Covid-19 isn’t so prevalent. There are even reports of high net worth individuals spending as much as $2.6 million⁶ on citizenship-by-investment programmes. These big investors jet off to other Covid-free lands where they can secure citizenship if they invest in that particular country’s economy. Confirming that famous saying, ‘Money isn’t everything but it gives you choices’!

Setting sail

With the majority of the lockdown period blessing us with such a warm spring and summer, many of us turned into sea-faring water babies. Whilst cruise liners were off the agenda, anchored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for months, yachts have seen a 30% increase in sales compared to last year.⁷ “About half of recent boat buyers are first-timers”, said Paul Flannery, executive director of the International Yacht Brokers Association, “They’re being lured by the chance to get out of the house and on the water in a socially distanced manner”⁸ .

On a similar tack, for those of us that chose to stay closer to the coastline, sales of Stand Up Paddleboards boomed across the UK, with Emma Jones from SUP Inflatables confirming how demand has completely outstripped supply. “It’s been absolutely mental! We have a pre-order waiting list until March 2021, it’s been a really good summer but it’s been very hard work. There just isn’t the stock available.”⁹

If you’ve been fortunate enough to nab either a yacht (or a SUP or two!), insurance options are available and can be tailor-made to suit your nautical requirements.

The Loco-motion

With the daily commute now consisting of a plod down the stairs to your home office, perhaps the option of taking the train to your holiday destination may be more appealing? It’s worth noting that many providers have a limited service with just 50% of trains currently running. However, if you are keen to hop aboard for your holiday, it’s worth knowing that should you need to alter your plans, many tickets are refundable¹⁰.

Sadly though, as of September, The Orient Express has had to suspend its service, postponing all luxury travel until 2021. With the UK’s ‘two-week isolation on arrival’ rule it meant that many passengers simply couldn’t stick to their holiday plans, but Belmond are thankful that 60% of the passengers have re-booked for next year, “We are really lucky that people want to travel on that train. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a wonderful experience to be savoured at a slow pace. The romance of travel will return!” said Gary Franklin, the Vice President of Trains & Cruises at Belmond.¹¹

The green, green car of home

With more of us opting to staycation, sales of green cars have beaten diesels for the first time. The Department for Transport (DfT) said it was the first time that more alternative fuel cars had been registered.¹² The most popular eco-friendly models were the Tesla Model 3, the BMW 3 Series plug-in hybrid, the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi Outlander hybrid.

Whilst you don’t need travel insurance for driving your car around the UK, it’s worth checking that your home insurance includes (worldwide) contents cover. This means that the possessions you take with you on holiday can still be covered if they are lost, damaged or stolen. You may also want to double check that the breakdown cover of your motor insurance policy has national recovery.

Should you stay or should you go?

The decision is tricky and with government advice changing on a daily basis, booking a holiday can turn into a bit of a debate. If you’d like advice on home, travel or motor insurance you can give us a call at any time. We won’t make the decision for you but we will be happy to discuss the different insurance options available to you. Likewise, we are happy to help your friends or family who may need assistance. Lloyd & Whyte, What matters to you, matters to us.

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