With 29 March deadline of Brexit hurtling towards us like a runaway train, an aspect where we might really feel the split with the European Union is in regards travel. With the Easter Bank Holiday weekend occurring not long afterwards, and plenty of summer holidays in the offing, there are still some question marks around the logistics of it all.
While the EU has promised travellers that planes won’t grind to a halt, we’ll all need to make sure we’re more informed to ensure we’re not caught out by some new rule or requirement.
The Flexicover team has done some digging and found some aspects you may want to consider to make sure your European break goes just as swimmingly after 29 March as before. Although in this ever changing world it’s important to check the government’s latest travel advice for its official updates, and that of any travel providers, to ensure you have the most up to date information.
Flexicover's Brexit Promise
With the status of the European International Health Card (EHIC) in doubt and travel disruptions possible, it’s more important than ever to have travel insurance in place. But recent news reports suggest that many insurance providers aren’t clear about whether they will cover any Brexit related issues or not. To that end Flexicover has released the following Brexit Promise:
Any policy already issued for travel post-Brexit will remain in place, and cover will continue from the time you bought your policy. If, over the Brexit period, there are any other interruptions to travel and you’re abroad in an EEA country we will automatically extend your cover at no additional premium. At the same time if you have a policy in place and are unable to travel, we will offer a full refund or give you the option to change your travel dates within the usual terms of the policy.
You can read more about our latest Brexit Promise and travel advice by clicking here.
Leave extra time
Whatever happens, because of the short timeframe to implement any measures that are decided, it’s likely we’ll see more queues than usual. So it may be a good idea to get to airports, ports and international stations both here and abroad earlier than usual. For example, this might mean staying at an airport hotel for red-eye flights rather than cut it fine the next morning. Oh, and have a good book ready for the wait.
Check your passport
While we can travel freely now, post-Brexit, it might well be a different matter. This means you’ll need at least six months left on your passport from when you arrive into an EU country except Ireland, where these rules don’t apply, plus Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania, which have their own rules. But there’s a little detail it’s important to pay attention to: if you had extra months added onto your passport because you renewed it before it expired, the extra months, over the ten years, don’t apply.
Book a package holiday
A good way to protect yourself from any negative effects of Brexit is to book a package holiday. In many cases, the assurances of buying it mean that whatever happens to the flight, the tour operator has to organise you a new one, or refund you in full. But it’s important to check the terms and conditions, as many providers are changing them to avoid this responsibility. Also keep an eye out for clauses that allow operators to impose a surcharge if the cost of providing a post-Brexit holiday goes up. Even if they have this clause, you’re entitled to a refund if the surcharge is over eight per cent.
Get an international driving permit
For those who are hiring a car or taking theirs on the mainland, British driving licenses might not be enough to enable you to get in the driving seat, so find out if the countries you’re driving to or through need you to get an International Driving Permit (IDP). These are available from 2,500 Post Offices – just take your driving license, extra ID, a signed passport photo, plus the £5.50 charge. You might also have to get an International Insurance Card – a ‘Green Card’ - which is free. But these measures won’t be needed if you’re driving from the UK to Ireland.
Wherever you plan to travel this year it’s good to know that Flexicover Travel Insurance is committed to providing you with the highest level of protection to ensure you are safe and secure 24 hours a day when away.
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