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Swine Flu Advice
M&S Travel Insurance covers you for claims relating to cancellation of holidays due to contracting swine flu. If you catch swine flu in the UK and need to cancel your holiday because you or your travel partner can’t travel due to the virus, you can claim under cancellation cover and wouldn’t lose out financially – except for the excess applicable to your policy.
The policy must have been bought before you contracted swine flu, and you would need a medical certificate to validate your claim. If you’re turned away at the airport due to suspected swine flu, you should request written confirmation from the airline that you are suffering from swine flu and then seek a medical certificate.
We highly advise customers not to cancel their holiday if they are not genuinely ill as their claim would not be valid.
At present, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not advised against travelling to a country because of swine flu, but we advise customers to check the FCO website before they travel. Customers that travel against FCO advice will have their policy invalidated.
We are constantly monitoring the situation and will be updating our advice as necessary.
Please refer to our Q&A section below or telephone M&S Travel Insurance customer services on 0800 068 3918 for additional travel advice.
Your Swine Flu Questions Answered
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What is swine Flu?
Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus known as H1N1. This latest version of H1N1 is different in that it contains genetic material that is typically found in strains of the virus that affect humans, birds and swine.
I am ill with swine flu and need to cancel my holiday, am I covered?
Yes, M&S Travel Insurance provides cancellation cover when you are ill. In order to make a claim you must provide a valid medical certificate from a medical practitioner. If you cannot obtain a medical certificate we will accept as swine flu diagnosis the unique ID number from the National Pandemic Flu Service, together with the label on prescribed anti-flu drugs which will include your name and date of issue. You need to keep all original documentation to validate your claim. If you need to make a claim, you should call the M&S Travel Insurance claims team as soon as possible on 0845 602 5510.
What happens if I go on holiday and am put in quarantine due to swine flu?
If you are placed into compulsory quarantine for more than 48 hours during your trip then you can make a curtailment claim. If you need to make a claim, you should call the M&S Travel Insurance claims team as soon as possible on 0845 602 5510.
Will my policy cover my medical expenses for treatment of swine flu?
Your policy includes medical expenses cover should you get ill whilst on holiday. As with all injury and illness claims, you should call the Medical Assistance line on 0845 610 1423, and as long as no exclusion applies then cover would be provided for the treatment given. If you contracted swine flu abroad, and were unable to travel on your planned departure date due to the illness, your policy would cover accommodation costs whilst abroad beyond your departure date and travel expenses for returning home once fit to travel.
What if the FCO advise against travel to any country due to swine flu?
If the FCO advises against travel to any specific country because of swine flu there is no cover provided with M&S Travel Insurance, unless your policy includes Independent Traveller cover. When the FCO takes such action, tour operators and travel agents are obliged to rearrange holidays or send customers elsewhere.
Disclaimer
The information contained within this website is intended as a general guide only and is not necessarily comprehensive. You should seek appropriate professional advice when travelling abroad. M&S Travel Insurance will not be liable for loss or damages arising, in contract, tort or otherwise, directly or indirectly from the use or reliance upon any information contained in this website.
