Major insurers 'pulling out of travel insurance market'

Which? contacted 75 insurance providers in the UK to ask if they were amending provision of travel insurance in light of the crisis, or halting sales altogether.

In total, 31 insurers said they had temporarily suspended sales of travel insurance policies to new customers, while a further 13 had made their policies more restrictive.

According to Which?, those who booked trips and purchased insurance before the outbreak, or before insurers amended their terms to exclude coronavirus-related claims, should still be able to make claims.

However, those looking for coverage for future holidays that includes provision for the effects of the coronavirus pandemic have a much smaller pool to choose from.

Firms that have suspended sale of travel insurance to new customers include Aviva, LV= and Direct Line, while Axa, Saga and Staysure are among those to tighten up their policies.

Which? also raised concerns over the disparity with which insurers have reacted to the crisis, with some using “little-known exclusions” to reject claims.