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Overseas Business Travel Insurance

Claims Reporting

Insurer: Aviva
Policy Number: 100782764GPA
Policy Dates: 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024
Policy Type:

IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE - This is a business travel insurance policy only – cover is for travel for the University of Warwick business purposes only (this includes PGR students or students going on a study abroad placement arranged through the University of Warwick). This policy does not cover any holidays or personal travel and therefore if there is any personal travel individuals will need to arrange their own personal insurance. It is important you check your personal travel insurance carefully as often it only covers trips that start and finish in the same place. Please declare this fact to your insurer to ensure your insurance cover is not invalidated.

Those on a study abroad placement should arrange their own travel insurance from the date their study/placement ends if they choose to remain overseas. Leisure time during the placement will be insured however.

Family members are not covered.

Risk Assessment requirement in advance of travel:

For countries the University permits overseas travel to i.e. countries not on the FCDO Red List, subject to sanctions or restricted due to FCDO advice (see below) (University Covid guidelines can be found here) please ensure you complete a risk assessment in advance. The risk assessment only needs completing for the trip so if there is more than one person on the same trip, then only one risk assessment is needed. Details can be found here Travel Risk ManagementLink opens in a new window and Field WorkLink opens in a new window and Field Work Risk Assessment FormLink opens in a new window. The risk assessment form can be found here Travel Risk AssessmentLink opens in a new window 

Travel Card:

Please download and take this with you on your trip - Travel Card

Emergencies:

Medical

Only emergency medical treatment is covered under this policy. In the event of an emergency please call:

24 hour Emergency Medical Assistance Helpline +44 (0)1243 621066

Quote reference NUBT 0105 and policy number 100782764GPA

Please note that there is no emergency medical cover if you are a national in the country you need medical attention unless you have been resident in the UK for more than 12 months..

Security Assistance

If there is a risk to your personal safety please call:

24 hour Security Helpline +44 (0)1243 621066

Quote reference NUBT 0105 and policy number 100782764GPA

Flight Changes

All overseas travel ideally should be booked through the University's travel management company, Key Travel no matter what value.

However with effect from 20th April 2022 and for a temporary period the requirement for travel and accommodation bookings to European countries which are under £500 in combined total value do not have to be arranged through Key Travel.

Please contact Key Travel quoting your booking reference number if you need assistance:

In the event of an emergency please call +44 (0)207 843 9602.

You may now also contact your reservations team via WhatsApp message: +44 207 843 9602 and SMS message: +44 7860019411

Full details of Key Travel's services can be found here Key Travel

Please note that only your Department's representative that booked your travel or the traveller themselves (not a third party) can make changes to your travel arrangements with Key Travel.

Policy Summary:

A summary of the travel insurance policy can be found here Summary of Travel Insurance

Claims:

A completed form must be sent to Insurance Services within 50 calendar days of the occurrence/event otherwise your claim may not be paid - please refer to How to make a claim

Any Other Queries/Questions:

Please contact the University Insurance Services Department:

Email insuranceservices@warwick.ac.uk

Telephone 02476 524222 (office hours only)

Please also refer to the business related travel guidelines before any booking is made, details found hereLink opens in a new window

University Guidance and Requirements for Travel

As the FCDO regularly updates its global advice against ‘all but essential’ travel, British travellers University of Warwick staff and PGR students are therefore are at liberty to undertake business travel only to countries where the FCDO essential travel only ban has been lifted subject to conditions relating to insurance cover and subject to the following University guidelines:

  • Any staff and PGR students wishing to undertake business-related travel must seek departmental budget approval, complete a risk assessment and ensure that appropriate travel insurance is in place.
  • If the travel is not being funded by the University of Warwick, staff members and PGR students must still seek departmental approval for the trip, complete risk assessments (both for travel and for any work activity independently) and ensure that appropriate travel insurance is in place to ensure staff and student safety and wellbeing and to take any quarantine implications into account. If the trip is for the benefit of the University, business related and not taken during personal time then travel insurance can be provided, subject to the conditions of the insurance policy and University guidance.
  • If the objectives of any business-related trip could largely be achieved by other means (such as video conferencing/ Microsoft Teams) then travel cannot be justified. This is both to support the University’s planned cost savings in light of Covid-19 and to support the University’s plans to help combat climate change and significantly reduce our direct and indirect carbon emissions.
  • Quarantine periods must be taken into account when planning any business-related travel. If staff members are unable to undertake timetabled teaching commitments upon their return due to quarantine restrictions and alternative teaching arrangements cannot be made, travel approval will be declined.
  • All overseas travel bookings should only be made through the university approved travel management company, Key Travel.

Staff and PGR students should note that the University travel insurance policyLink opens in a new window provides cover for travel for University of Warwick business purposes only. This policy does not cover family members, any holidays or personal travel. 

For trips that start on 1 August 2020 or after, Aviva will no longer cover cancellation/curtailment claims relating to Covid-19.  

Export Control Regulations

Export Control regulations apply to the transfer of physical goods, technology, materials, equipment, or know-how from the University to outside of the UK, whether via verbal, physical or electronic means. Staff and Students travelling overseas must comply with Export Control RegulationsLink opens in a new window. University guidance on this can be found on the Research & Impact Services (R&IS) webpage, here: International Travel GuidanceLink opens in a new window 

If you have any questions about how this applies to your travel, please contact the R&IS on Export-Control@Warwick.ac.uk.


Countries, Areas or Territories Where Insurance Cover Can Be Provided Automatically Without referral to Insurance Services

The FCDO are now reviewing the countries that travel can take place to on a regular basis and current information can be found here FCDO travel advice for individual countries.

Insurance can be provided subject to a travel risk assessment being completed and approved by the Head of Department and complying with the University's Financial Procedures.

If the country returns to the FCDO red Covid list then insurance cover cannot be provided and the trip must not proceed.

    Countries, Areas or Territories Requiring Notification to Insurance Services

    For any deemed essential travel to any countries that are subject to FCDO restrictions i.e. essential or no travel recommended (either stated by the FCDO or shown on a map) please contact the Insurance Office for further guidance and approval r.campbell-kelly@warwick.ac.uk. Insurance cover cannot be guaranteed for these countries. To find out if a country has FCDO restrictions please check here FCDO Restricted CountriesLink opens in a new window

    If you intend to travel Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador Egypt, Republic of Guinea, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Myanmar (Burma), Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine, Venezuela, Yemen, or Zimbabwe you must email r.campbell-kelly@warwick.ac.uk with details of your proposed trip before travel arrangements are confirmed. Insurance cover cannot be guaranteed for these countries.

    Additionally if you are travelling to Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Republic of Guinea, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Myanmar (Burma), Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the occupied regions of Ukraine (Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia), Venezuela, Yemen, or Zimbabwe you must also email FinCompliance@warwick.ac.uk for business critical Finance approval before travel arrangements are confirmed.

    Travel Risk Assessment

    For all travel a risk assessment should be done prior to each overseas trip using the Pre-travel risk assessment form 

    This should be conducted by the traveller in discussion with their line manager/supervisor. Some of the considerations are included on the form however it is up to the traveller/line manager/supervisor to ensure this is appropriate for the trip. Separate guidance is also provided for conducting FieldworkLink opens in a new window in connection with your trip, which incorporates things to consider whilst preparing your risk assessment and whilst contingency planning.

    Please note that Insurance Services do not approve or authorise any risk assessments. This is the responsibility of the department. All submitted risk assessments to Insurance Services must be fully completed and signed by both the traveller and line manager/supervisor otherwise they will returned to the traveller.

    The Covid-19 pandemic and implications can change and you should monitor the position in the country to be visited before travel and during the trip. Valuable information an be found at the following websites:-

    Foreign Commonwealth and Development OfficeLink opens in a new window

    World Health OrganisationLink opens in a new window

    Public Health EnglandLink opens in a new window

    University of Warwick NewsLink opens in a new window

    Covid GuidanceLink opens in a new window

    Letter to Support Visa Applications and Passport Validity

    Our travel insurer Aviva can provide an insurance letter to support a visa application for business travel or for studying abroad only (not personal travel or countries that require referral).

    In order to obtain a letter from the University's travel insurer you will need to download the Solace Secure app found here Solace Secure You will need to provide your University of Warwick email address and quote the policy number 100782764GPA to create an account. Once you have created an account you can enter your travel details (within Documents on the App) to create a letter from Aviva to support your visa application. Some Embassies no longer accept a letter from the University. Further guidance can be found here Aviva Travel Assistance InformationLink opens in a new window

      The Business Travel insurance does not provide cover for the failure to obtain/maintain/renew any necessary documents required for the country you are travelling to (e.g. visas, passports, permits etc).

      Please visit the FCDO website for information concerning visa requirements for the country you plan to visit as this can often change and you should not assume it has not since your last visit to that country. If you are not travelling on a UK passport you will need to check the visa requirements for your nationality. Additionally visas can be linked to your passport number so if the passport number has changed a new visa will be required e.g. an ESTA visa for USA. Shortly you will need to apply for a Visa to travel to EU countries, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. further information can be found here Visa requirements EU and othersLink opens in a new window

      Medical

      Please note that this policy is NOT a health or medical insurance policy and general healthcare is not covered. Travellers may therefore want to consider taking out their own private insurance to cover them for their trip. This can also be a requirement for some types of visas and should be checked by the traveller. Please note that unfortunately the University Insurance Department is unable to provide any advice in relation to the purchase of health/medical insurance, the insurance requirements for other countries or insurance required for visa applications.

      Under this policy, only emergency medical treatment is covered (i.e. that requires immediate treatment) and the Emergency Medical Helpline number should be contacted +44 (0)1243 621066

      EHIC cards continue to be valid until their expiry date. Thereafter travellers should apply for a GHIC Card (Global Health Insurance Card) hereLink opens in a new window