Is COVID-19 covered on Howden travel policies?

Yes, our policy includes cover for COVID-19 medical expenses while abroad. Therefore, if you were to contract COVID-19 while on holiday, you'd be covered for up to €10 million for medical treatment and reasonable additional expenses such as amended flights home and accommodation for an extended stay if required. Cancellation and curtailment due to Covid-19 aren't covered by this policy. If you contract COVID-19 before departure and need to cancel the holiday because of this, that wouldn't be covered.

Are trips within the Republic of Ireland covered?

Travel within the Republic of Ireland is covered, provided that the trip involves an overnight stay of a minimum of two nights in pre-booked accommodation. Please note that medical expense coverage is not provided for trips undertaken in the Republic of Ireland.

Does worldwide insurance cover me for anywhere in the world?

Yes, you are covered to travel to anywhere in the world if you have selected worldwide cover unless that country has a 'Do Not Travel' alert in place on the DFA website. To check the status of the country you are travelling to, please visit www.dfa.ie.

What is considered Europe?

Europe – the continent of Europe west of the Ural Mountains, Madeira, Iceland and Azores, Mediterranean Islands and non-European countries bordering the Mediterranean (except Algeria, Canary Islands, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Lebanon, Libya & Albania).

Is there an age limit on Howden travel insurance policies?

We cover customers up to 79 years of age. Once you have taken the policy out with us prior to turning 80 years of age, you will be covered for the full year on the policy.

What happens if you have a pre-existing medical condition?

The underwriters shall not be liable for any claim resulting from any pre-existing condition for which the insured person is receiving regular medical treatment, advice or consultation at the time of effecting this insurance or at the commencement of the covered trip, whichever is the later. Also excluded is the cost of continuing regular medication for any condition in respect of which medical advice or treatment is being followed at the time of booking. Please note that if you have a medical condition, it is advisable to carry with you a physician’s letter confirming your fitness to travel.

Does a Howden travel policy provide medical cover during pregnancy?

The underwriters shall not be liable for claims resulting from childbirth, pregnancy or resulting from medical complications occurring after the seventh month of pregnancy. In any case, pregnant women should obtain a letter confirming their fitness to travel from a registered qualified medical practitioner.

I want to bring my grandchild on holiday with me, can I add them to my policy?

Yes, you absolutely can! In order to get a quote for this, you will need to contact us with your grandchild’s name, date of birth, destination and the departure and return date of the holiday you are taking them on and we will get a price to add them on for a single trip with you.

Can my adult children be covered under my policy?

Yes, we can cover children 18-23years of age on the family policy provided they are in full-time education. However, they would only be covered while travelling with one or both parents – they would not be covered if they were travelling independently.

Do I need to take my policy with me when travelling?

Yes, this documentation provides you with information and emergency telephone numbers that you may need in the event of making a claim whilst travelling.

If something is stolen from me while on holiday, what should I do?

File a police report within 24 hours. Also, report the theft to your travel rep., if applicable. Retain copies of all reports and phone the designated claims telephone number through Sedgwick +353 1 2611 540 for a claim form on your return from holidays.

What should I do if I have to see a doctor or be admitted to hospital during my holiday?

Telephone the pre-advised phone number which will advise you of the claim procedures and provide immediate access to the 24-hour multi-lingual Medical Services department – Healix +44 203 823 1435.

Please retain all medical bills and prescription receipts. 

Claim forms for medical costs can be found here, or please contact: Sedgwick Travel Claims, Merrion Hall, Strand Road, Sandymount, Dublin 2. Telephone: +353 1 2611 540.

What is the maximum duration of a trip covered on an annual multi-trip travel policy?

Cover is provided for up to 30 days per trip on the annual multi-trip policy, up to a maximum of 180 days travel in one year.  If you require extended cover, you can contact us, and we will try to accommodate you if at all possible.

Cover benefits

Private health insurance discount available

We offer a discount on our travel insurance products to clients who hold private health insurance plans that provide over €55,000 overseas in-patient medical expenses cover. You must ensure that your healthcare policy is valid and when you plan to take a trip, you must ensure that your health insurance cover is in force up until and including your return date. All persons included on a multi-trip policy must also be covered by the healthcare policy. This healthcare policy must include up to €55,000 worth of medical expenses cover for all insured persons on the policy whilst overseas to include repatriation to your home country.

Unfortunately, the following schemes are not eligible as they do not provide adequate overseas medical cover:

• Garda Medical Aid
• ESB Provident Medical Fund
• Prison Officers Association – Medical Plan
• European Health Insurance Card (E111)
• Hospital Saturday Fund
• State Medical Card

We provide the above information for reference only. We accept no responsibility for inaccurate details. The amounts outlined are approximations only. The exact amount of overseas cover depends on precisely what plan, level and amount you are paying for. For full details you should contact the relevant company to confirm benefits. Please note this is your responsibility and we are not providing advice to you in this regard.

What activities are included on a Howden travel insurance policy?

The following activities are automatically included:

• Angling
• Archery
• Athletics
• Badminton
• Banana boating
• Baseball
• Boardsailing
• Boating (inside 12-mile limit)
• Bowling
• Bowls
• Camel riding
• Canoeing (up to grade 2 rivers only)
• Catamaran sailing (inside 12-mile limit)
• Clay pigeon shooting
• Climbing (on a climbing wall – indoor only)
• Cricket
• Croquet
• Cycling (for leisure only)
• Deep-sea fishing
• Dinghy sailing
• Fell walking
• Fives
• Gliding as a passenger (no cover for crewing or piloting),
• Glacier walking
• Golf
• Gymnastics
• Handball
• Hiking/trekking/walking/rambling (up to 4000 metres)
• Hill walking
• Horse riding (excluding competition, racing, jumping, hunting, eventing, polo and rodeo)
• Hot air ballooning (organised pleasure rides only)
• Ice skating
• Jet skiing
• Kayaking (up to grade 2 rivers only)
• Kite flying (traction)
• Netball
• Orienteering
• Paint balling (providing that you wear eye protection)
• Parascending over water only
• Pony trekking
• Racket ball
• Rifle range shooting
• Roller skating/blading (providing that you wear pads and helmet)
• Rounders
• Rowing
• Safari trips (organised by a bona fide tour operator and without the use of guns)
• Sail boarding
• Sailing (inside 12-mile limit)
• Scuba diving (30 metres or 50 metres if qualified/instructed)
• Skateboarding (provided that you wear pads and helmet)
• Snooker
• Snorkelling
• Softball
• Squash
• Table tennis
• Ten-pin bowling
• Tennis
• Trampolining
• Volleyball
• Water polo
• Water skiing
• White water rafting (up to grade 4)
• Windsurfing
• Yachting (inside 12-mile limit)      

What activities can be added to a Howden travel insurance policy for an additional premium?

• Abseiling
• American Football
• Fencing
• Football
• Go-Karting
• Hockey
• Judo
• Lacrosse
• Mountain Biking
• Martial Arts
• Rafting
• Weightlifting
• Wrestling

If you don't see a specific activity listed, get in touch with us on 01 9131077. We may still be able to provide cover. .

What activities are covered under the Winter Sports endorsement?

You are covered for the following winter sports activities unless specifically excluded under Section 7 – Personal Liability (please refer to your policy booklet) and provided that you are not participating for monetary gain and/or in a professional capacity, and that the appropriate additional premium has been paid for Winter Sports cover:

• Big foot skiing
• Cross country skiing
• Curling
• Dog sledging
• Dry slope skiing
• Heli skiing (with a qualified guide)
• Ice skating
• Mono skiing
• Off piste skiing/snowboarding (see General Exclusion 8)
• Sledging
• Snow-boarding
• Snow mobiling
• Tobogganing

In consideration of the additional premium, which has been included in the premium stated in the Certificate, this insurance is extended to cover you whilst engaged in Winter Sports (as defined) on a covered trip, but only in accordance with the following amendments to Sections 1, 8 and 9 (please refer to your policy booklet).

Winter sports shall mean dry-slope skiing, alpine skiing, glacier skiing, snow skiing, snow boarding, langlauf or Nordic skiing, bobsleighing, luge, mono-skiing, skibobbing/ski doo, ice skating, ice hockey, curling, and tobogganing, and shall include such activities being undertaken off piste, provided such activity is not undertaken alone and/or against local authoritative warning or advice.

No other winter sports will be covered unless specifically agreed by us and endorsed on the Certificate.