Frequently asked questions
Here are all the answers to the most common questions about our Travel Insurance policies:
Are UK trips included in the policy?
What destination can I choose?
Where can I find travel advice on the country I’m going to?
What's the maximum length of time I'm covered per trip?
Can I extend the period of my cover?
Are business trips included?
What should I do if I or anyone else covered under my policy falls ill abroad?
What happens if my/our money is stolen while we're away?
How do I make a claim?
In the event of a claim will I have to pay any excess?
Can I cancel the insurance and/or is there a cooling off period after my insurance has been booked?
How do I buy Travel Insurance online?
Which policy is best for me?
Am I or anyone else under my policy covered for hazardous sports or activities?
How can I make sure I am protected if my holiday airline or hotel goes out of business?
Are UK trips included in the policy?
Yes, UK holidays can be covered providing they involve two or more nights' stay in pre-booked accommodation on Single policies.
What destination can I choose?
- UK (Single trip only)
- Europe
- Worldwide excluding USA, Canada and all Caribbean Islands
- Worldwide including USA, Canada and all Caribbean Islands
Where can I find travel advice on the country I’m going to?
Check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website – for up-to-date essential travel information or call 0870 606 0290.
What's the maximum length of time I can be covered per trip?
You can choose cover for 31, 45, 60 or 90 days per trip on an Annual policy or up to 120 days on a Single trip.
Can I extend the period of cover?
No. However, business trips (involving administrative or clerical duties) can be added to your standard cover. A maximum of four people can be covered per business trip and cover under the annual policy is limited to five trips per year.
Are business trips included?
No. However, business trips (involving administrative or clerical duties) can be added to your standard cover. A maximum of four people can be covered per business trip and cover under the Annual policy is limited to five trips per year.
What should I do if I or anyone else covered under my policy falls ill abroad?
The emergency medical assistance provider can be contacted 24 hours a day by phone should you have an emergency. There is also a Travel Assistant service, which offers advice on all kinds of travel problems, such as how to cancel credit cards if they are lost or stolen; or how you can transfer emergency funds whilst abroad. It also includes a facility to send emergency messages to friends and relatives.
Additional charges may be payable by you in connection with the Travel Assistance service.
Medical Emergencies:
Telephone: +44 (0)1243 621064
Fax: +44 (0)1243 773169
To help us continually improve our service and in the interests of security, we may monitor and/or record your telephone call with us.
What happens if my/our money is stolen while we're away?
If you need emergency money while you are away (and you cannot obtain replacement travellers cheques), our Travel Assistant service can help arrange to transfer emergency money from the UK.
Additional charges may be payable by you in connection with the Travel Assistance service.
How do I make a claim?
If you need to make a claim for curtailment (cutting short your trip), or for emergency medical treatment while on holiday, you can call our medical emergency line on +44 (0)1243 621064, which is manned 24 hours a day.
For all other claims you should contact our Claims Unit, on 0207 662 4012, which is manned between 8am and 6pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 5:30pm Friday.
To help us continually improve our service and in the interests of security, we may monitor and/or record your telephone call with us.
In the event of a claim, will I have to pay any excess?
Yes. You will have to pay an excess under most sections of the policy. This means that each person covered under the policy will be responsible for paying the first part of the claim for each incident.
Can I cancel the insurance and/or is there a cooling off period after the insurance has been booked?
The policy provides a 14 day cooling-off period, during which time, if you find that the terms and conditions do not meet your needs and you have not travelled or made a claim, you can cancel the policy and obtain a refund of any premium you have paid. You can cancel your policy at any time outside of the 14 day cooling-off period, however, no refund of premium will be available.
How do I buy Travel Insurance online?
Visit HSBC insurance and follow the online instructions. You can enter your travel details into the instant quote generator for an immediate price.
Which policy is best for me?
HSBC offer two types of Travel Insurance:
Single trip Travel Insurance
This is likely to be the best value for a holiday or business trip if you only travel once a year.
Annual Travel Insurance
This covers you for as many journeys as you like during a full year. The maximum length of one stay is 31 days (you can increase your trip length to 45, 60 or 90 days subject to an additional premium). This is likely to be the best value plan for you if you travel more than once in any 12-month period.
Am I, or is anyone else under my policy, covered for hazardous sports or activities?
Our policy provides cover for the following leisure activities if you take part in them on a recreational basis during the trip:
Archery (under supervision), Badminton, Beach Cricket, Football and Volleyball, Body Boarding+, Bowls, Canoeing, Kayaking and Rafting (Grades 1 and 2 only), Clay-pigeon shooting (under supervision), Curling, Cycling (no BMX, mountain biking or racing), Dinghy sailing*+ (inland or coastal waters only and no racing), Fell walking, Fencing (protective gear must be worn), Fishing (no deep sea fishing), Go karting+ (crash helmet must be worn), Golf, Hiking (up to 2,000 metres altitude), Hill walking (up to 2,000 metres altitude), Horse riding/hacking (no hunting, jumping or Polo), Hot Air Ballooning (passenger only and organised through your tour operator), Ice skating (no hockey or speed skating), Jet skiing+, Motorcycling up to 125cc (see Important Information), Parascending (over water), Pony trekking, Racquetball, Rambling (up to 2,000 metres altitude), Roller blading or Skating (protective gear must be worn), Rounders, Rowing (inland waters only), Safari (camera only and organised through your tour operator), Sail boarding+, Scuba diving (only applies if shown on your policy schedule)o, Snorkelling, Squash, Surfing+, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Trampolining, Trekking (up to 2,000 metres altitude), Tug of War, Water Polo, Water Skiing+, Wind Surfing+, Yachting*+ (inland or coastal waters only and no racing).
Winter sports activities are covered if you have selected this option and it is shown on your policy schedule. Cross-country skiing (on recognised paths), Dry slope skiing, Off-piste skiing#, Off-piste snowboarding#, Skiing (on recognised pistes), Sledging, Snowboarding (on recognised pistes), Snow mobiling+, Snow shoeing.
+ No Personal Liability cover
* Coastal waters are defined as within a 5 mile limit of the coastline for dinghy sailing and within a 12 mile limit for yachting
o No Personal Accident or Personal Liability cover
# With a qualified guide in areas that resort management consider to be safe
How can I make sure I am protected if my holiday airline or hotel goes out of business?
Where a package or flight was booked through an ATOL tour operator or travel firm, the protection available can be viewed via this website: www.caa.co.uk/passengers
†Lines are open 8am – 10pm everyday (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day).
