We are sorry, but understand why, The Scout Association (TSA) has decided not to endorse any Scout trips outside the UK before 1 January 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

In this article we clarify how this affects your insurance cover whether you plan to reschedule your trip or cancel it. We also explain how you can get refunds from your travel providers and claim on your insurance policy arranged by Unity.

There is a time limit on the period for which policies taken out in 2020 and prior can be extended, so regrettably we are unable to amend these policies to cover trips that have been rescheduled to take place in 2022 or thereafter. If you will be rescheduling a 2020 or 2021 trip until 2022 and do not need to make a claim under your existing policy, we can offer a credit of a proportion of the premium towards the premium for a new policy to cover the 2022 trip. At the present time we will not be able to offer cover under any new policy for cancellation due to FCO (now known as the FCDO) and/or Scout Association advice against travel resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, in common with other travel insurance providers, as this is an ongoing and known event.

If you are rescheduling your trip to after the end of 2021, please contact Unity to arrange a new travel policy.

If your Scout group has an overseas trip planned for 2021 there will be expenditure associated with your trip that you will want to be refunded. 
  
Following the decision of The Scout Association (TSA) regarding 2021 overseas trips your insurers confirm coverage for irrecoverable deposits, charges, or advance payments for travel and/or accommodation expenses. This may not be the case, if your insurance was not arranged by Unity. In which case you will need to check with your insurer.

Your Cancellation Cover

If you purchased your travel insurance through Unity then your cancellation cover is as follows:
 
'Up to £1,000 for loss of deposits, or charges, or advance payments for travel or accommodation or other charges which have not or will not be used, but which become forfeit or payable under contract for any one Trip if You are forced to cancel any part of a planned Trip prior to the commencement of that Trip as the direct and necessary result of any cause outside Your control or that of the Group Policyholder.'

Please note that you may have purchased   cancellation cover for more than £1,000 per person. Refer to you Schedule of Cover for confirmation of the level of cancellation cover that you have purchased.

Step 1 - Refunds from your travel and accommodation providers

It is your responsibility to exhaust all potential avenues for recovery first before you look to claim from your travel insurance. This includes contacting the travel and accommodation providers in the first instance and request that they provide a refund of the amounts you have paid them. For more details on your rights to recovery of your travel and accommodation expenses please refer to our guidance "How to get refunds on your trips cancelled because of Covid-19 issues"

Step 2 - Claiming on your insurance policy

The policy will cover the irrecoverable portion of your travel and accommodation costs once these amounts have been confirmed  
 
Once you have exhausted all potential avenues of recovery you must complete a claim form. Please find a blank copy of the claim form attached via this link:

Travel Claim Form

The claim form must be completed and returned to: corporateteam@Intana-assist.com.

Included in the subject of the email should be

• your group name
• policy number and
• the name of the cancelled trip 

The email to Intana should include confirmation in writing of your attempts to secure refunds. It should also include copies of your booking confirmations provided by your travel and accommodation providers. 
 
You should submit one claim per policy, not for each individual who was due to travel.  Please refer to page 3 of the claim form which provides Guidance Notes For Cancellation Claims. One payment will be paid to the group for the claim.  The group would then be responsible for reimbursing individuals in their party.  The per individual named policy excess will be deducted from any final claim payment.
 

If you have any questions on how your insurance for a trip you had planned for 2021 is affected, please speak to the team at Unity on 0345 040 7703.