Have you spent hours trying to wrap your head around what’s needed to travel to Europe next year, deal or no deal? Are you as confused as the rest of us with what’s required? We’re here to help.
If you’re concerned about travelling after we leave the EU, we can help protect your holiday against any unforeseen events as a result of Brexit. Our Diamond Single Trip and Multi Trip policies include:
- Cover for any irrecoverable costs to cancel your trip if any unforeseen Brexit issues arise such as, prior to travel, the airline announcing it could no longer fly and offering no alternative options
- If you decide to abandon your travel plans, following a Brexit-related 24-hour delay at your airport or port
- If your trip is disrupted or there is a delay in your departure due to issues stemming from Brexit
- If there are unforeseen strikes or industrial action as a result of Brexit, we would cover you for cancellation of your trip, or trip disruption
- We would also consider claims for missed departure and missed connection, on both outbound and inbound travel, if the delay was Brexit-related
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Our Diamond policies also come with these benefits:
- Cover for Brexit-related claims as standard
- Emergency 24-hour medical helpline
- £10 million cover for medical emergencies, air ambulance and repatriation
- Cover includes cancellation, medical emergencies, personal belongings, cash, travel documents and much more
- £0 Excess in the event of a claim
You can currently cancel for FREE if you’ve only paid your trip deposit, meaning you don’t have to pay any excess if you’re only claiming for the cost of your holiday deposit*.
Why Choose Spectrum Travel Insurance?
24/7 Emergency Helpline
100+Activities Covered FREE
Up to
£10m Medical Cover Per Person
Up to
£10,000 Cancellation Cover Per Person
Will my passport be valid after Brexit?
If you currently have a valid passport, you will be able to continue to travel to Europe until it expires, provided it still has more than six months validity left.
If your passport does not reach the validity needed, you will need to renew your passport before your travel. Please be aware that this can take up to 12 weeks, during busier times. If your passport doesn’t meet the requirements needed to travel, they can stop you from entering the EU country.
To better understand what requirements and validity is needed for each country, the Government has developed a tool that can help travellers understand whether their passport is valid for the country they intend to visit. You can visit that tool here.
These rules do not apply to travel to Ireland. You can continue to use your passport as long as it’s valid for the length of your stay.
Will roaming charges change after Brexit?
Whilst the major UK phone networks have vowed not to reintroduce roaming charges after we leave the EU on the 31st December 2020, the Government has urged British travellers to check with their mobile carriers for any price or tariff changes.
In 2017, the EU got rid of any additional charges for roaming on mobile phone for customers that were travelling throughout Europe. We got used to travelling whilst using our data, minutes and text messages as we would in the UK!
We would always advise checking with your provider before you travel, especially as even the major networks have small print on their sites that state their roaming charges policy could be reviewed if the Government doesn’t reach a trade deal.
How Do I Arrange Cover for the Country I’m Travelling to?
When you click on the ‘Get A Quote’ button anywhere on our site you’ll be taken through to our quick quote journey. Once you select Single Trip as your policy type, you’ll then be asked where you are travelling to. Just type in the country where you are heading to, or if you’re off to visit multiple places then enter all that apply.
At the airport, which passport line do I follow after Brexit?
As part of the EU, we had freedom of movement throughout Europe, which meant that when it came to the passport control gates at ports or airports, we could breeze through easily.
However, as we will no longer be members of the European Union, this freedom of movement will be restricted and there will be more passport and border controls than before. Instead of joining the passport queue for ‘EU’ members, we will need to join the queue for ‘All Other’ countries which could lead to delays in getting through passport control. Be aware of this when you’re making plans.
Will I need a VISA to travel to Europe after Brexit?
Provided you are in Europe for less than 90 days in any 180-day period, you won’t need a VISA. However, if you plan on travelling for longer than 90 days in any 180-day period, you will need a VISA specific to your visit.
It’s not just Europe you may need a VISA for after we leave the EU either – Lichtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland will also require one.
Different rules also apply when visiting Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania. You can make a 90-day trip to any of these countries and not use up you 90-day allowance for other EU countries.
You can visit the Government’s page for your specific destination country for information on how to get a VISA here.
Will Brexit affect your Emergency Assistance service?
Regardless of what happens when we leave the EU, our Emergency Assistance service will always be available to travellers 24/7, 365 days a year.
Given the rules and legislation changing, we would ask you to be aware of any roaming charges you could incur when getting in touch, as this could affect your phone bill and cause additional expenditure you may not have accounted for.
How will Brexit effect medical treatment costs?
The UK government has now reached an agreement on healthcare when travelling to the EU and have confirmed that an individual’s EHIC card will remain valid until it expires for all countries in the EU except Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
The UK government have also advised that once your EHIC expires, you can apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card or GHIC which you can apply for here. Be aware of unofficial websites, which may charge if you apply through them. A GHIC is free of charge.
Please note the EHIC/GHIC will not be accepted in private clinics. Make sure that your travel insurance policy has adequate cover for medical expenses, including repatriation and air ambulance costs, to ensure that they meet your needs. We would also always advise customers to ensure they had declared any and all medical conditions to their travel insurance provider to protect them from having any claim declined.
The government have advised those looking to go to Europe post-Brexit to ensure they have appropriate travel insurance with medical expenses cover. This is even more important if you have an existing medical condition, as you’re more likely to need treatment or medication abroad. Make sure you declare everything to your insurance provider to ensure that any claim is covered.
If you’re abroad and do not have your EHIC/GHIC card with you;
You are able to get a Provisional Replacement Certificate or PRC. This will prove your entitlement to medically necessary healthcare if you are travelling throughout Europe and forget your GHIC/EHIC. This will give you the same cover as an EHIC or GHIC until you return home.
You’ll need to apply for a PRC by calling Overseas Healthcare Services at the NHS Business Services Authority on +44 (0)191 218 1999. They are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
If you are unable to call, someone else can apply on your behalf.
If you need it outside the opening hours stated above, you should call as soon as possible the next working day.
When calling for a PRC, you’ll need to give:
- Your National Insurance number
- Your name
- Your address
- Your date of birth
- The name of the treatment facility
- The email address for the specific department of the organisation providing your treatment
*Disclaimer: All information was correct at the time of writing 14/01/2021. This content will be updated as new information is released