Insurance

Fill in the online application form to receive confirmation of your cover and how to use the insurance if needed. The current Travel insurance year is from 1st August 2025 to 31st July 2026.

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• Travel Insurance online application (requires University login)

If you do not have a University login, please email insurance-helpdesk@abdn.ac.uk for advice

Persons who can be insured are:

• All employees of the University
• Students of the University
• Any other person travelling under the auspices and on behalf of the University

Travel insurance applies only for journeys in connection with University business.

• This includes conferences, field trips, teaching, research, demonstrations at other institutions, and language/exchange students on their year abroad
• The cover applies to journeys anywhere in the world, but excluding countries which the Foreign Office have advised against. There is a 'reasonable care' condition within the policy. The Foreign Office website should be consulted for current government advice on foreign travel.
• For journeys within the UK, cover applies only if there is an overnight stay or a flight in an aircraft
• Cover applies for a maximum 12 months continuous period - any period beyond this has to be referred to the insurers

• First check that your travel is eligible for cover, using the information provided below and in the separate notes relating to field trips and expeditions. If it is, complete an application form, which is submitted on the web to the insurance section.
• When the information has been processed, a cover-note will be issued to each member of a group.
• Students and staff travelling to an EU country are advised to obtain an GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card). The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA), and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay. You can apply for one here: Get healthcare cover for travelling abroad - NHSBSA

• Emergency Medical Expenses incurred outside of UK as a result of Bodily Injury or Sickness up to £10,000,000
• Supplementary Travel Expenses up to £15,000
• Funeral Expenses up to £10,000 and Repatriation of Remains up to £50,000
• Search and Rescue Expenses up to £25,000
• In-patient supplementary benefit outside UK - £50 each 24 hours for up to 1 year
• Medical Expenses in UK for necessary follow-up hospital in-patient treatment up to £50,000 where such treatment is not otherwise available from the NHS and with the prior approval of IMG (maximum 3 months)
• Dental/optical treatment for immediate relief of pain only (limit £500)

• £100 deductible for first claim in any Covered Journey increasing to £200 for any further claims during the same Covered Journey. For claimants using an EHIC/GHIC to reduce the cost of treatment the deductible will be waived
• Travel against medical advice or for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment
• Expenses incurred as a consequence of the use of alcohol or drugs or arising out of any sexually transmitted disease
• Intentional self-injury or death by suicide (or attempt thereat)
• Any Medical Expenses in excess of £300 and any repatriation expenses incurred without the prior approval of IMG
• Dental/optical treatment other than for immediate relief of pain
• Routine management or monitoring of pre-existing medical conditions
• Air travel other than as a passenger

• Personal Belongings up to £10,000
• Business Equipment up to £5,000
• Emergency Purchases (clothing and toiletries) – up to £2,000
• Loss of keys/replacement locks – up to £1,000
• Single Article Limit - £2,500
• Accidental Damage to Laptops, tablets or iPads Limit - £250

Personal Belongings and Business Equipment are limited to items that are intended specifically to be worn or carried by a person

• Personal Belongings Deductible - £50
• Business Equipment Deductible - £100
• Laptop, tablet or iPad Deductible - 10% of claim (min £50 for Personal Belongings, £100 for Business Equipment)
• Mobile phones or accessories (other than Business Equipment) sunglasses, spectacles, drones or micromobility devices
• Valuable items in checked-in luggage when in transit
• Any loss or damage not reported to either the local Police or, where appropriate, the airline (or other carrier) within 24 hours and a written report obtained
• Loss or damage to property left overnight in or on a vehicle or at any other time unless in a locked garage or kept out of sight in a locked boot
• Property left unattended or unsupervised in the open or any public space
• Losses from restaurants bars public houses nightclubs or similar venues
• Unsubstantiated or unexplained losses 

• Money up to £5,000 (Cash limit £2,500)
• Credit Card Misuse following loss/theft of credit card – up to £3,000 (payable in addition to Money limit)
• Loss of Travel Documents – up to £2,000 (payable in addition to Money limit

• £50 Deductible
• Any loss or damage not reported to the local Police within 24 hours and a written report obtained
• Loss or damage from any unattended vehicle or unaccompanied baggage
• Money or Travel Documents left unattended or unsupervised in the open or any public space
• Losses from restaurants bars public houses nightclubs or similar venues
• Unsubstantiated or unexplained losses 

• Cancellation up to £20,000 - Any reasonable cause outside the control of the travelling Person (prior to departure)
• Curtailment up to £20,000 – Specified causes
• Rearrangement up to £10,000 – Any reasonable cause occurring outside the control of the travelling Person (after departure)
• Travel Delay - £50 for each full consecutive period of 6 hours, up to a maximum of £500, if strike, weather conditions, or breakdown causes delayed departure of your aircraft or other public transport
• Hi-Jack - £100 for each day you are detained (maximum 50 days)
• Includes Domestic Travel Expenses up to £5,000 and Replacement Expenses up to £10,000

• Anything arising out of Covid-19 for journeys booked after 18/3/2020 other than Cancellation or Rearrangement solely due to the Person Covered contracting Covid-19 and being unable to depart on the Journey or return home at the end of the Journey (limit £1,000, deductible £100). Proof of positive PCR test will be required.
• Travel against medical advice or to obtain medical treatment
• Disinclination to travel or disruption or cancellation due to financial circumstances
• Financial failure of airline or other transport or accommodation supplier or any agent or organiser
• Curtailment for medical reasons unless authorised by IMG

• Up to £50,000 payable in the event of accidental death, loss of limb or eye or permanent inability to work again
• Includes Disability Assistance, Moving Costs, Retraining Expenses and Coma Benefit

• Gradually operating causes
• Criminal acts civil commotion or riot
• Intentional self-injury or death by suicide (or attempt thereat).
• Use of alcohol or drugs
• Engaging in military naval or air services
• Air travel other than as a passenger
• Travel against medical advice or to obtain medical treatment

• up to £5,000,000 if you become legally liable to pay damages in respect of accidental bodily injury (which includes death illness and disease) to a person and/or accidental loss of or damage to material property

• Liability to your family or anyone employed by you
• Ownership possession or use of any land or building (other than temporary rented accommodation) or the ownership of any animal
• Ownership possession or use of any mechanically propelled vehicle aircraft hovercraft or watercraft
• Criminal wilful or malicious acts or omissions
• Use of alcohol or drugs
• Arising out of the Person Covered’s trade business or profession
• Contractual liability
• Punitive or exemplary damages

• Reimbursement of evacuation expenses up to £50,000 following Formal Advice to leave the destination country

• Evacuation more than 10 days after Formal Advice to leave the country
• Dishonest or criminal acts committed or attempted by the Person Covered or alleged violation of the laws of the destination country unless we deem such allegations to be fraudulent
• Failure to maintain required documents or visas

• up to £25,000 to help you recover damages or compensation from a third party following an event which results in Bodily Injury to you or financial loss suffered resulting from the breach of any travel or accommodation contract
• up to £25,000 to help you in the defence of Criminal Proceedings brought against you

• Legal Proceedings entered into in the USA or Canada
• Defence of Criminal Proceedings for parking offences assault sexual offences or alleged illegal use of drink or drugs
• Any disputes or legal proceedings in relation to any vehicle hire or rental
• Defence of Criminal Proceedings for fraud dishonesty or criminal damage (unless a not guilty plea is maintained throughout)

• Take a common-sense approach to identify potential hazards by using your knowledge and experience.
• Ask your other people what they think. They may have thought about things that are not immediately obvious to you.
• Make use of information from reliable sources - the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website provides advice on overseas travel, including risks and restrictions.The University's Occupation Health Services and Key Travel can provide similar assistance. There is also a wealth of information available on insurers' GlobeCover website.
• Check manufacturers' instructions or data sheets for chemicals and equipment as they can be helpful in spelling out the hazards and putting them in their true perspective.
• Remember to think about long-term hazards to health (e.g. extreme cold/heat or exposure to viruses and insect or animal bites) as well as physical safety hazards.

• For each hazard be clear about who might be harmed and how - it will help you identify the best way of managing risk. That doesn't mean listing everyone by name, but identifying groups of people by activity or job type.
• Remember that some people may have particular requirements, e.g. new and young workers, migrant workers, locally hired staff, new or expectant mothers and people with disabilities. Extra thought will be needed for some hazards that are unusual and may only be very occasional e.g. a particular type of insect, plant or virus.
• In each case, think through how they might be harmed, i.e. what type of injury or ill health might occur? For example, some may suffer back injury from repeated lifting of equipment across unfamiliar terrain.

• Having identified the hazards, decide what to do about them. The law requires you to do everything 'reasonably practicable' to protect people from harm. The best way to do this is to compare what you are doing with good practice.
• Look at what you're already doing and think about what controls you have in place and how it is organised.Compare this with good practice and consider what more you can do. Ask yourself:
  • Can I get rid of the hazard altogether?
  • If not, how can I control the risks so that harm is unlikely?
  • When controlling risks, apply these principles:
  • Try a less risky option (e.g. switch to using a less hazardous chemical)
  • Prevent access to the hazard (eg by guarding)
  • Organise work to reduce exposure to the hazard (e.g. put barriers between pedestrians and traffic)
  • Issue personal protective equipment (e.g. clothing, footwear, goggles etc)
  • Provide welfare facilities (e.g. first aid and washing facilities for removal of contamination)
• Improving health and safety need not cost a lot. For instance, placing a mirror on a dangerous blind corner to help prevent vehicle accidents is a low-cost precaution considering the risks. Failure to take simple precautions can cost you a lot more if an accident happens.

• Putting the results of your risk assessment into practice will make a difference when looking after people.Writing down the results of your risk assessment, and sharing them, encourages you to do this.
• When writing down your results, keep it simple. For example 'tripping over rubbish - bins provided, staff instructed to carry out weekly housekeeping checks'.
• We do not expect a risk assessment to be perfect, but it must be suitable and sufficient. You need to be able to show that:
  • A proper check was made; you asked who might be affected
  • You dealt with all the obvious significant hazards, taking into account the number of people who could be involved
  • The precautions are reasonable, and the remaining risk is low
  • You involved your staff or their representatives in the process.

• Things are likely to change between first conducting your risk assessment and your field trip/travel. It makes sense to review what you are doing on an ongoing basis.
• Look at your risk assessment and ask yourself if there have been any changes.Are there improvements you still need to make? Have other people spotted a problem? Have you learnt anything from accidents or near misses? Make sure your risk assessment stays up to date.