MARTIN Lewis warned holidaymakers which trips won’t be refunded as he presented on Good Morning Britain today.
The money-saving expert explained on the program, that if a country has quarantine rules in place, it doesn’t mean you will get an automatic refund.
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As Portugal has been added to the government’s Amber travel list, co-host Suzanna Reid pointed out on the show that it is “legal to go, but the government keep saying, please don’t.”
From today, travellers who aren’t fully vaccinated against coronavirus must quarantine for 14 days when they arrive in the country, as well as the 10 days of quarantine they must undergo when they come home.
Martin went on to say how the new rules will not be “feasible for most people”, but that the change won’t trigger a cancellation or money-back on your booking.
The traffic light system shows holidaymakers where is safe to book a trip abroad.
Travel: What are your rights to a refund?
MILLIONS of Brits have had holiday plans cancelled. Here’s what to do if you’re affected.
Firstly, speak to your airline or holiday firm about a refund or rearranging your plans.
You are entitled to a cash refund if it’s cancelled your holiday but many have large delays processing cash or may offer vouchers instead.
If the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to countries or regions, you may also be covered for cancellations by your travel insurance if the holiday provider or airline is not helping you.
Keep in mind travel insurance must have been taken out before the FCDO advice changed, otherwise you won’t be covered.
If you don’t have travel insurance or the excess on your insurance is so high it’s not worth claiming, you may be able to claim your money back through your credit or debit card provider.
Credit card payments between £100 and £30,000 are covered under Section 75 of the Consumer Rights Act.
To start a claim, you need to contact your credit card provider directly – Which? has a free tool that can help you do this.
Debit card claims or credit card claims of under £100 may be covered under similar Chargeback guarantees.
Brits don’t have to quarantine from “green” countries as long as they can show a negative Covid test when they arrive back in the UK, but they have to spend 10 days quarantining returning from “Amber” countries.
Plus, “Red” countries mean a 10-day stay in managed quarantine in a hotel which can cost around £1,750 per person.
Martin said: “Anyone booking a holiday right now should be cautious.
“If you get covid you’ll generally be covered, but if you can’t go because of covid rule changes, you won’t be covered.”
“Even if you had to go to Portugal, quarantine for 14 days, and quarantine for 10 days when you got back, because it’s an Amber country, that in itself, is not a reason for cancellation or triggering a refund.”
He did say that if the Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel or travel altogether, then that would be cause for cancellation of trips and you could get a payout if you couldn’t go.
He warned that is not definite though, and instead up to the Competition and Markets Authority.
Martin’s advice was to was to book holidays with tour operators that have cancelation or amendment policies in place, because otherwise you won’t be covered.
Package holidays are protected by the Package Holiday Regulations, so firms are legally required to refund customers if part or all of the trip is cancelled by the provider, including if there is a full travel ban.
That’s not for quarantining periods however, which is why Martin said the process was a “minefield.”
He said: “I do wish the government would homogenise the rules, wrap them all into one so there was clear indication of when you should get a cancelation payout and when you shouldn’t.”
What should you look for in a good travel insurance policy?
TRAVEL insurance policies can vary a great deal, but here are some “must have
- Medical expenses – A good policy will give cover of £1million or more for travel in Europe and £2million or more for the USA
- Repatriation service – The costs of getting you back to the UK for medical reasons should be covered automatically by your policy
- Cancellation and curtailment – A good policy will cover you for £2,000 or more if you have to cancel or shorten your holiday
- Missed departure – Covers additional accommodation costs and travel expenses up to £500 or more if you miss your flight due to circumstances out of your control
- Delay – You’ll usually be covered for £250 or more if your travel plans are delayed due to circumstances out of your control
- Baggage cover – Covers you if your baggage is lost, damaged or stolen. Look for policies that have cover of £1,500 or more.
There are other ways you can make sure you’re booking is safely covered too.
The best thing to do is to check if your holiday provider is ABTA or ATOL protected too as this will protect your cash if the holiday provider goes into administration as well.
You can also usually get extra protections when paying by credit card if the airline happens to go bust.
Then if you’re struggling to get a refund for a cancelled trip, you may also be able to claim your money back through your credit or debit card provider
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Martin Lewis has previously revealed why you should stop worrying over your credit score.
Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert has also explained how renters can slash their bills by hundreds of pounds.
But the expert savings site has warned card users to check their details or face having payments declined.
