What does Gold, Gold Plus and Platinum cutting your trip short cover?

What this article helps you do

This article explains when cutting your trip short may apply for Gold, Gold Plus and Platinum policies for the returning to the UK early for a listed reason. It also explains when Zurich Assist must be contacted, what costs may be included, and what is not included.

Applies to

• Applicable policies: Gold, Gold Plus and Platinum
• Trip type: Single Trip and Annual Multi-Trips.
• Who it applies to: People insured under the policy
• Region: Trips where you return to your home country earlier than planned
• Important: Zurich Assist must be contacted immediately if serious injury, illness or hospitalisation means repatriation may be needed
• Not included if: You do not return to your home country earlier than planned

Quick answer

• Cutting your trip short only applies if you return to your home country earlier than planned.
• Zurich Assist only helps with early return home for medical reasons.
• You must get permission if you need to cut your holiday short and return early to your home area for an insured reason.
• The benefit can include your share of unused travel or accommodation costs paid before departure.
• For winter sports trips, unused ski hire, ski school and lift passes can be included if the relevant winter sports premium has been paid.
• Extra return travel costs must be reasonable, economy class, and for a listed reason.

The standard cutting your trip short limits

Policy breakdown:

• Gold: £2,000, with a £250 excess.
• Gold Plus: £5,000, with a £75 excess.
• Platinum: £10,000, with Nil excess.

Only Gold Plus and Platinum policy customers can buy extra cover for cutting your trip short in £1,000 increments, up to £15,000 for Gold Plus and £25,000 for Platinum. This only applies if the extra cover has been selected and is shown on the policy schedule, so always check the schedule to confirm the cover level chosen.

When cutting your trip short can apply

Cutting your trip short can apply if you, or someone you are travelling with who is covered by the policy, has to return home earlier than planned because of one of the listed reasons below.

Medical or pregnancy-related reasons

• For pregnancy reasons, See here
• For Medical related reasons, See here

Cutting your trip short can apply because of:

• The death, severe injury of you or any person you are travelling with, an immediate relative, or close business associate living in your home country.
• Complications of pregnancy and childbirth.

Cutting your trip short can apply if your home becomes uninhabitable, or your place of business becomes unusable, because of:

• Fire.
• Lightning.
• Explosion.
• Earthquake.
• Subsidence.
• Storm.
• Flood.
• Falling trees.
• Riot or civil commotion.
• Malicious damage.
• Burst pipes.
• Impact by aircraft.

Cutting your trip short can also apply if the police request your presence after a burglary or attempted burglary at your home or place of business.

• Your insured carer has to return early

If your carer is insured on your policy and has to cut their journey short for a listed reason, the policy can include up to £1,000 in total for extra accommodation and transport to replace your original carer.

• Return to duty

Cutting your trip short can apply if you, or someone you are travelling with, is ordered to return to duty as a member of the armed forces, emergency services or administrative government employees.

• FCDO or WHO travel advice changes

Cutting your trip short can apply if FCDO or WHO advice changes to advise against all travel, or all but essential travel, to your destination.

This does not apply where the advice changes because of a medical epidemic or pandemic, or anything listed in the general exclusions.

What costs can be included

Cutting your trip short can include:

Your share only of unused travel or accommodation arrangements paid for before leaving your home country.
Reasonable additional economy-class travel costs to return to your home country earlier than planned for a listed reason.
Unused ski hire, ski school and lift passes for winter sports trips, if the appropriate additional premium has been paid.

What is not included

Cutting your trip short does not include:

• Anything listed in the General exclusions. General conditions also apply.
• The policy excess shown for your level of cover and selected options.
• Claims that Zurich Assist has not confirmed as medically necessary.
• Medical curtailment claims where you do not have a medical certificate from the attending medical practitioner abroad confirming it was necessary to cut the trip short.
  Additional travel costs not authorised by AllClear or Zurich Assist.
• Claims for a stolen passport where the theft has not been reported to the necessary authorities and you have not obtained a written report.
• Claims due to childbirth at or after the 32nd week for a single pregnancy, or the 24th week for a multiple pregnancy.
• Cutting short your trip because of restrictions introduced by any government or administration.
• Claims due to a medical epidemic or pandemic, except for the Coronavirus-related cover described in the policy wording.

What you need to do

If you may need to return home early, contact Zurich Assist immediately where serious injury, illness or hospitalisation means repatriation may be needed.

Before cutting your trip short, you should:

• Contact Zurich Assist straight away if medical repatriation may be needed. See article
• Get permission to return early for an insured reason.
• Get a medical certificate from the attending medical practitioner abroad if the reason is medical.
• Make sure any additional travel costs are authorised by AllClear or Zurich Assist.
• Keep written reports and evidence, especially if a passport is lost or stolen.