News

Saga today announces that treatment abroad for Covid-19 and repatriation to the UK will be included as standard as part of its travel insurance policies for all trips from 1^st June. Saga has added the cover to help customers feel more comfortable travelling once the government advice changes to say that it is safe to do so.

The cover has been added across both standalone travel insurance products and the optional cover offered to all Saga holiday and cruise customers. The policy update will compensate and care for customers should they fall ill with coronavirus while travelling outside the UK, including those with underlying health conditions.

As the UK eases out of lockdown, these changes have been introduced to provide customers with much-needed certainty about how these unprecedented times may impact their policy and plans for future travel. It is also in response to increasing customer demand - 74%¹ of Saga customers say that they would be unlikely to take out travel insurance if it didn’t cover Covid-19 risks.

These changes are the latest innovation for Saga’s comprehensive insurance and travel offering, which was one of the first to offer cover to customers stranded due to volcanic ash clouds, pay claims as result of scheduled airline failure, and offer cover for laptops when they had to be stored in the hold on certain flights.

As the external environment continues to change, Saga will continue to review its policy to ensure customers receive significant value from the cover. Customer feedback will be central to further Saga policy updates.

Kevin McMullan, Head of Product, Saga Health and Travel Insurance said: “Understandably, the current crisis has put travel plans on hold for many people. However, with the UK’s strict lockdown measures beginning to lift, more people may be planning both exciting and much needed trips away over the coming months. We recognise that this may be a daunting process, particularly for customers with underlying health concerns. We want to give people the confidence and reassurance that if they were to fall ill abroad, we’re there to help and get them back home safely.

“We’re continuing to review and innovate our products to ensure they work as well as they can for our customers. However, we know the impact of coronavirus is far-reaching. We’d encourage customers to contact us directly if they’d like to discuss their individual circumstances and how we can best support them through these uncertain times.”

ENDS

Editors notes:

¹ Populus interviewed 7949 Saga respondents, all aged 50+, online between 21 and 26 May 2020

Saga’s Travel Insurance policies are underwritten by Collinson, providing Saga with a full-service solution from underwriting through to claims, assistance and medical screening for optional included travel insurance on Saga Holidays.

About Saga

Saga is a leading provider of products and services primarily tailored for customers over the age of 50 in the UK. The Saga brand has been carefully developed over the past 60 years to become one of the most recognised and trusted brands among UK consumers aged over 50. Saga is synonymous in the UK with the over 50s market and is recognised for its high quality products and services. These include cruises and holidays, home and motor insurance, savings and share dealing and the UK’s award winning Saga Magazine.

About Collinson

Collinson, is a global leader in influencing customer behaviour to drive revenue and value for its clients. The group offers a unique blend of industry and sector specialists who together provide market-leading experience in delivering products and services across four core capabilities: Loyalty, Lifestyle Benefits, Insurance and Assistance. Collinson provides unrivalled insight and expertise around affluent consumers and frequent travellers, creating and delivering products and services that increase engagement, loyalty and value for customers