How AllClear gave Philip the confidence to keep cruising

After living in lockdown for more than a year, Philip Jolly, his wife (Barbara) and their son (Daniel) took the plunge to book a cruise around the UK this summer. Starting in Dover, the family expect to travel right round the British Isles with many other hopeful holidaymakers – marking their first holiday since the outbreak of Coronavirus.

Philip’s plan for a post-lockdown cruise around the UK

This last year has been a struggle for people globally and not least for the Jolly family.

Not only did their life – like most other people – change thanks to lockdown but Philip’s health began to deteriorate over the recent months – making the desire for a break-even greater. After assessing whether Philip was well enough to plan for a trip, the family decided that an August cruise with the Fred Olsen Line would be the safest option for the three to enjoy a well-deserved holiday.

Philip felt that by the time the ship was set to sail, most people on the ship, including himself and his wife, would have already been vaccinated while the cruise company is also taking considerable precautions to protect both crew and passengers from Covid-19. Safety is of huge concern to the family, which is why making the environment of this holiday as safe and risk-free as possible was so important.

Rejected by his usual travel insurance provider

After deciding on the best and safest trip to take, Philip went to his usual travel insurance provider to take out a policy that would protect the whole family on their 5-day break. However, due to Philip’s recent health complications, he was told he could not be insured. After a tough few months, this was a severe blow to Philip’s family, threatening the holiday. Despite the Jolly family having always been committed to taking out travel insurance, Philip said he was now more aware than ever that having travel insurance on holiday was essential and a deal-breaker.

Discovered Specialist Medical Travel Insurance by AllClear

After being turned away by other providers, Philip found AllClear Travel Insurance for pre existing conditions which specialises in policies for the over 50s and those with pre-existing medical conditions. AllClear accepted the application and the family opted for their Gold Plus policy that would cover them for up to £15m of emergency medical expenses, £15k cancellation fees and £50k legal cover amongst other benefits.

After the turbulence of finding the correct insurance provider, the Jolly family were delighted and relieved that, after all, their cruise could go ahead.

Philip said:  “We were certainly nervous about committing to book this trip. After the few months that we have gone through – not just lockdown but my own health problems, this is something we have been really looking forward to.”

“It was a chance to put all our recent worries behind us for a trip of a lifetime.  And whilst we were hopeful for a fun family break, we were still aware of the importance of being covered and, ultimately, being safe.

“When my insurer turned me away it was a real blow.  Especially as it quickly dawned on me that I might never be able to take a holiday again thanks to my medical conditions.”

“I can’t tell you how relieved we are that AllClear was happy to cover us.  They may not realise it, but they have given us huge reassurance and made this much-anticipated trip possible.  Knowing we will be covered for all eventualities has given us huge peace of mind!”

How AllClear Can Help You

If you’re looking for travel insurance for your next post-lockdown trip and have a pre-existing medical condition, AllClear can help.

AllClear offers enhanced Covid cover, which has been rated ‘Superior’ by a leading independent UK Consumer Champion so that you can travel with peace of mind.

Before booking, always remember to check the latest travel advice and entry requirements from the FCDO.

Author notes

Edited by Lydia Crispin, MA. Content Creator at AllClear and Letitia Smith, M.Sc. Content Manager at AllClear.