Travel Insurance

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who are Chubb?

  Travel Insurance is underwritten by Chubb European Group SE. The Chubb Group is one of the world’s largest providers of insurance and reinsurance. Since its inception in 1985, Chubb has expanded rapidly and now operates in 50 countries around the world.

• Can I get instant cover and policy documents - I’m travelling today?

  Yes! As soon as your payment is validated, your cover will be confirmed and documents will be available immediately within your Insurance Wallet. You will be required to set up an online account to access your policy documents. Setting up an account for the Wallet can be done in minutes from your device.

• What happens if my flight is delayed beyond the insurance period?

  If your flight is delayed on your return journey and you do not get back into the country until after your policy has expired, your cover will continue until your airline can get you home provided that you have a valid claim on the policy.

• Can I change my policy?

  Yes, If your circumstances change or if you need to make a change to your policy, call Chubb on 1800 719 086 or +353 (0) 1440 2787.

• Do I have to pay medical expenses and claim them back or will you pay them directly?

  If it’s a medical emergency and you are admitted to hospital, you must contact Chubb assistance or your private medical insurance depending on which product you have chosen. Chubb assistance can liaise with hospitals and guarantee payment. In cases where the expenses are small, you may opt to pay, or be asked to pay, and claim the money back.

• How many times can I go away if I have a Multitrip policy?

  There is no restriction on the number of times you can go away during the period of this insurance on a Multitrip Insurance policy. The annual multi-trip policy covers you for individual trips of up to 31 consecutive days. You can take as many individual trips as you like provided that you don’t spend more than 90 days abroad in any insurance period. If you select the winter sports option, you will be covered for up to 21 days in any period of insurance whilst you participate in winter sports.

• Do the limits under the policy apply per person or per policy?

  Each person on a policy is covered separately up to the limits shown in the policy. The policy limits apply in the same way as they would if you had each taken two separate policies. This is true for each person insured under the policy, although some benefits are restricted for children under 16 years of age – please refer to the policy document for full details.

• Am I covered for holidays in Ireland?

  Yes, provided you have bought an annual policy. You must spend at least two nights in accommodation you booked before your departure. So a weekend break involving two nights in a hotel would be covered, but a day out and overnight stop wouldn’t. If you have bought a trip policy you will not be covered for holidays in the Republic of Ireland. Whichever policy you buy, some benefits are not payable for holidays in the Republic of Ireland. See the Policy Document for full details.

• I have a medical condition, can I get Travel Insurance?

  Before you buy a policy, we ask you to confirm that you are NOT:

  • receiving or on a waiting list for treatment in a hospital or nursing home.
  • waiting for investigation or referral, or the results of any investigation, medical treatment or surgical procedure, for any condition, whether diagnosed or undiagnosed
  • choosing not to take prescribed medication, or the correct dose of prescribed medicine
  • travelling against the advice of a medically qualified doctor
  • travelling to obtain medical, dental or cosmetic treatment
  • travelling with a terminal condition

  If you can confirm that all of the above are not applicable to you, you can purchase this cover.

• I am pregnant - will I be covered?

  Yes, but only if you are at least 28 weeks pregnant and not over 35 weeks pregnant. You will not be covered while travelling outside of this if you are pregnant. You must you provide a medical certificate issued by a doctor or midwife confirming the number of weeks of pregnancy and that you are fit to travel to your Holiday Abroad. The certificate must be dated no earlier than 5 days before the outbound travel date during a Holiday Abroad.

• Can Children travel on their own if they are insured on a policy?

  Yes, but only if you have bought the annual policy. If the child is named on your annual policy they are covered whilst they are travelling on their own in the following circumstances:

  • in the company of an adult (i.e. someone not defined as a child under this insurance) you or your partner know on an organised school, college or university trip
  • travelling on a scheduled air service as an unaccompanied minor, but only if that air service operates an unaccompanied minor scheme, and only if they are travelling with the intention of joining, or being subsequently joined by, another adult insured under the policy.

  They are not covered whilst travelling on their own in any other circumstances.

• Will I be covered for terrorist activity?

  Yes, provided it does not involve nuclear, chemical or biological weapons or agents.

• Can I buy this insurance if I am not a permanent resident of Ireland?

  Only Irish residents can buy insurance from this website.

• What is Car Hire Excess Cover?

  When you hire a car in Europe or the UK, your rental agreement should include a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and cover for Third Party Liability and Theft. There is normally an excess applicable to the CDW and Third Party Liability and Theft part of the agreements which you would be liable to pay in the event of a claim. This excess in most cases can range from €100 – €2000. The Car Hire Excess cover is designed to allow you to claim back the costs of this excess (in full).

• What is policy excess?

  Excess is the sum of money which the policy holder is responsible for paying in the event of a claim.

• Who do I contact if I have a question on my insurance policy?

  If you have any questions please call us on 1800 719 086 from within Ireland or +353 (0) 1440 2787 from outside Ireland or email: boi.travelinsurance@chubb.com

• Where can I find a copy of my Travel Insurance Policy?

  Your policy documentation is sent to your digital Insurance Wallet. You can register for the Wallet here.

• What is the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act (CICA)?

  The Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019 (the “Act”), came into effect on September 1st, 2020 and reforms the law applicable to consumer insurance contracts. The main aim of the Act is to strengthen your rights and improve your protection as a consumer. The Act also amends the duties of Insurers and your duties as a consumer. Bank of Ireland Insurance Services welcomes the changes brought about by the Act.

  We have worked with our Insurance Partners to review our policy wordings and documentation and have updated them to ensure that they are compliant with the Act.

  The changes came into effect in two phases; the first from 1st September 2020 and the second on 1st September 2021. We have outlined below the key changes for each effective date.

  Who does the Act apply to?

  The Act applies to consumers. For the purposes of CICA, a consumer is defined in the Financial Services Pensions Ombudsman Act 2017 and includes personal consumers and businesses with an annual turnover of €3m or less in the previous financial year.

  Key Changes from 1st September 2020

  Your Policy

  • Where the Insurer alters the terms and conditions of your policy, you will be notified no later than 20 working days before your renewal date.
  • Where the Insurer cancels your policy, you will be refunded the balance of the premium that you have paid, for the unexpired term of your contract.

  Duties in Relation to Claims

  The Insurer will continue to handle your claims in compliance with the Central Bank of Ireland Consumer Protection Code 2012. However, if the Consumer Insurance Contacts Act applies to your policy, the following will also apply:

  • Your Insurer is under a duty to handle claims promptly and fairly, notify you of a third-party claim as soon as possible and inform you when a claim is settled or closed. Your Insurer will continue to process claims quickly and fairly and to keep you informed throughout the process.
  • The Act reminds you of your duty to report claims within a reasonable time and requires you to respond to reasonable requests for information in an honest and reasonably careful manner.
  • Where it is not possible to quantify the total value of the claim within a reasonable time, but where part of the total value has been quantified, your Insurer will pay that part to you within a reasonable time.
  • Your Insurer will also disclose any information of which they become aware that supports or prejudices the validity of your claim and you will also be required to disclose such information to them.
  • In the event of a claim, your insurer will advise you of any policy conditions under which they are not obliged to pay the full amount of the claim unless and until repair, replacement or re-instatement works have been completed and any required documentation has been provided. Where such conditions apply, the amount of the “claim settlement amount” as defined by the Act, that can be deferred are –
    1. 5% of the claim settlement amount in a case in which the claim settlement amount is less than €40,000 or
    2. 10% in a case in which the claim settlement amount is €40,000 or more.
  • Where a claim contains information that is false or misleading and you know, or you consciously disregard whether it is false or misleading, your Insurer may refuse to pay the claim and may cancel the contract of insurance.
  • The Act also allows third parties to make a claim directly against your insurance policy where –
    1. the person insured under a contract of insurance has died, cannot be found or is insolvent and
    2. where the person insured under a contract of insurance lacks capacity or fails or refuses to communicate with the third-party who suffered injury or loss.

  Key Changes from 1st September 2021

  Your Policy

  • From the 1st of September 2021 the onus will be on the Insurer to ask you all relevant questions when you are buying or renewing a policy.
  • You are required to be honest and not hide any information that would affect the contract and the Insurer is required to do the same. You’re also required to answer any questions asked, honestly and with reasonable care. Where this has not happened, your Insurer may use one of the remedies available under the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019 including, cancel the policy, reject a claim or limit the amount paid in the event of a claim.
  • You are not obliged to offer any more information than you are asked for, however there are changes that you will need to tell your Insurer about if they occur as they may affect your policy e.g. if you build an extension onto your home or your business premises/if you modify your car etc.
  • You will be advised of the changes you need to notify your Insurer of before you enter into a contract.
  • 5 years claims information document will be included with your policy documents.
  • From the 1st of September, as part of the renewal process, you will be provided with a list of claims on your policy for the previous 5 years (or for less than 5 years where you have held a policy with the Insurer for a shorter period).
  • As part of the renewal process you will also be provided with your previous 5 years premium or an annualised version of your premium if you made a change to your policy within any year.

  If you require more information, a full copy of the Act is available at www.oireachtas.ie

• How do I register an account for the Bank of Ireland Insurance digital Wallet?

  Following the purchase of a Bank of Ireland Insurance product you can register an account on our digital Wallet. We will send you a link to set up your account. Use it to verify your email address and choose a password to create your account.

• I am having issues logging into the Wallet, what should I do?

  1)Forgot your user ID

  • Go to Bank of Ireland Insurance login page. Your user ID is the email address you used to set up your Bank of Ireland Insurance account. If you cannot remember the email you registered with please contact our support team on 01 488 4062.

  2) Verify your email address

  • Go to Bank of Ireland Insurance login page. Select ‘Reset Password’. When you verify your email address we’ll send instructions to reset your password. If you are still having issues please contact our support team on 01 488 4062.

  3) Verification code expired

  • Once you register for our digital Wallet a verification code will be sent to your email address. Verification codes are valid for 24hrs. If your code has expired or you are experiencing issues please contact our support team on 01 488 4062.