Where you can go, What you can do and What you should remember when travelling this Easter.

It has been a long 2 years for many people who haven’t been able to travel abroad for one reason or another, but as of the 18^th of March 2022, the UK government has lifted travelling restrictions making it easier than ever to finally get back to travelling! However, we are fully aware that many of you may be looking for inspiration about where to go, what to do or what you need to remember when travelling at Easter. As such, here at Voyager Plus Travel Insurance, we have put together a series of guides that will help you answer those questions and hopefully give you some great ideas for your travels.

What do you need to remember when travelling this Easter?

When travelling abroad, there are always certain things you MUST remember, whether it is making sure you’ve locked the doors and windows at home, checking you have packed enough clothes for your trip or remembering your tickets, passports and booking confirmations, we know you’ve got a lot to remember. It is also a fair assumption that the COVID-19 pandemic has only added to that long list of things to consider. Therefore, we have put together a handy “Things to Remember” guide to help you travel with confidence.

Insurance

As an award-winning Travel Insurance company, we know just how important it is for you to get Travel Insurance to protect yourself and your trip should something unexpected happen. What is possibly the most important part of taking out any Travel Insurance product is make sure you check your policy wording so that you know exactly what you are and are not covered for by the policy. For example, under many policies, you would not be covered if you travel to a country the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has advised against ‘all travel or ‘all but essential travel’. Similarly, you would also not be covered if you were travelling for the purpose of receiving medical treatment abroad as these are exclusions from most policies. Another thing to bear in mind is that you should make sure that you are not underinsuring yourself on your travel insurance policy. For example, if the cost of replacing your Baggage for your trip, if it is lost or stolen is £2,000 but your insurance only covers £1,500 worth of Baggage then you will not be able to claim for the full £2,000, regardless of the circumstances!

In summary, 1) Make sure you thoroughly check your policy wording. Make sure you read all the sections of cover, so you know what you are and are not covered for, 2) Ensure the level of cover you have selected and purchased meets your requirements. Pay close attention to the sums insured on each section of the policy, making sure, for example, your cancellation cover amount meets the value of the holidays you have booked, and 3) Enjoy your holiday with the peace of mind that you are covered!

Currency

Checking the currency that the country you are visiting uses before you exchange your money, could also be a wise move and potentially save you from some embarrassment on your trip. Granted, many credit and debit card providers are offering more attractive exchange rates and lower fees nowadays and there has been a growth in popularity in getting pre-paid currency cards, but it is still highly likely that you will exchange cash to take with you even if it is just as a backup whilst you are abroad, so please check that you are exchanging your money for the correct Currency.

For example, if you decide to travel to Switzerland this Easter, you may be forgiven for thinking they accept Euros being in Europe… unfortunately for you, Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc as it is not a member of the EU, so please, before you travel this Easter, check what Currency you need to avoid having to change it twice.

Something else to consider is where you are going to exchange your money. If you plan on waiting until you get to the airport, you are likely to be offered less than favourable exchange rates compared to those you would get if you had exchanged your money somewhere else beforehand. The best plan is to shop around before you go, find yourself the best exchange rate for where you are going to get the most for your money, and exchange your money there.

Travel Restrictions

We did mention earlier that travel restrictions are easing… but this is specifically with regards to the UK. It is still imperative that you take the time to check any entry requirements for the country you intend on travelling to. There would be nothing worse than trying to board the plane and being turned away at the airport, or worse, arriving at your destination and being put straight back on a plane home, as this would not be covered under any travel insurance policy.

It is worth noting again that practically all Travel Insurance policies will exclude travel to any countries that the FCDO has advised against ‘all travel’ or ‘all but essential travel’ to, which back in 2020 was essentially every single holiday destination… so just make sure that the FCDO has not placed any restrictions on travel to your intended destination.

Please feel free to click the links below which will help you find out where still has travel restrictions and what these restrictions are:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

https://www.kayak.co.uk/travel-restrictions

We hope wherever you choose to go and whatever you decide to do, that you have a superb Easter and enjoy finally being able to travel again!

*This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute advice in any way. The information provided here is correct at the time of writing however please check the latest policy wording for the latest terms, conditions, and exclusions.