Travel Insurance Guidelines
How to Apply For Cover
If you are a staff member please use our online travel application
Instructions on how to use the system can be found in the Help Guide attached to the application.
If you are student please contact a Departmental Administrator to make the application on your behalf.
If you encounter any difficulties with using the system please contact us: by e-mail insurance-enquiries@bristol.ac.uk or by telephone 0117 331 7030.
Annual cover
Please note if you have annual multi-trip cover you must inform the Insurance Office if you are travelling to any countries where there are warnings on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website or have political sanctions in place as we do not have automatic cover in place for travel to these regions. Please check the following websites:
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
N.B. This is also the case with single trip cover - but the travel application will prompt you to inform the Insurance Office before completing the application.
Year Abroad Students
Erasmus and Year Abroad students can request to be covered by the University's group travel insurance policy during their placement period. Information on the cover available, the cost involved and how to apply for this will be given in the briefings organised by the International Office in the spring of each year.
Cover is provided under the University's group insurance policy for staff and students. A summary of cover can be found on our website. The cost involved in requesting cover for Year Abroad students will vary from year to year dependant on the overall cost of the University's group insurance policy for that year.
Year Abroad students are under no obligation to choose the University’s insurance option and should investigate and compare other policies and prices. They should ensure that whichever policy they choose (including the University’s insurance policy) meets their own personal needs.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Please ensure you read the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice on the region you are travelling to.
We would recommend that you register with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office LOCATE service, particularly for travel to regions where the FCO have issued advisory warnings.
Who can be covered?
All University employees and students (under the age of 85) who are travelling on University business for at least part of their trip and can also include their spouse/ partner/ children if they accompany the employee. Non-University employees must meet the cost of the travel insurance themselves - it cannot be met from University funds.
Premiums
Are charged per person regardless of age.
Charge code
You will need to use your departmental charge code to apply for cover. If you do not know your code please contact your Departmental Administrator.
The code is composed of three elements:
- the Department code (4 alphabetical characters)
- the budget or grant code (2 alphabetical characters and 4 numeric characters)
- type of travel code
Travel outside the EU: 6306
Travel within the EU: 6309
EU Members
Current EU members are as follows:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Irish Republic
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
Assistance line
If you require assistance the contact number is shown below:
+44 (0) 207 173 7796 (from outside the UK) or 0207 173 7796 (from inside the UK)
Please quote the policy number: 55 UK453160
For security advice (including topics such as terrorism, kidnap and cultural threats) please see www.ace-red24.com - log-on 7796.
Advice regarding stolen bank cards
In the event of losing your debit or credit card abroad, please contact your own bank immediately for assistance. They should be able to transfer money to a local bank so that you can access funds for your immediate use.
If you are unable to secure assistance from your own bank the University may be able to assist by telegraphing emergency funds to you. Please contact the Insurance Office or your departmental administrator in office hours for help.
Outside University office hours, you can contact ACE insurance company's emergency assistance line +44 (0)207 173 7796. Please note there may be some delay in the transfer of money via this route because the assistance service will require details of a UK credit card to guarantee a temporary loan of funds.
Please see the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website for guidance on how to ensure that you do not get into a situation where you have no funds for your immediate needs.
It is particularly advisable to make sure that you have access to two sources of funds whilst you are abroad - your debit or credit card and some traveller's cheques that you store separately from your cards, so that you have access to an alternative source of funding in an emergency.
Please also ensure that you have left details of your passport, bank card details and traveller's cheque numbers with someone trustworthy in the UK so that they can provide you with this information if needed.
Summary of Cover
The summary of travel insurance cover is available from this site.
If you have any queries please contact: insurance-enquiries@bristol.ac.uk
Please note it is your responsibility to check that the cover provided is suitable for your needs.
Guarantors for Medical Treatment
If the medical facility you are using for treatment requires a guarantee for the payment of their fees, please contact Ace Insurance on the telephone numbers above and they will be able to get one their local agents to provide urgent assistance with this.
Tips for Travellers
- Leave a copy of your travel itinerary and a photocopy of your passport with a colleague in your department or with a friend or family member if you are a student.
- Leave contact details such as your mobile phone number and accommodation address with this person.
- Research the area you are travelling to before you go and make yourself aware of where to find alternative accommodation and medical facilities if necessary. Plan your travel route to your accommodation from your arrival point in advance.
- Arrange to make regular contact with a colleague or family member in the UK so that they will investigate and make sure you are safe if you don't make contact with them.
- Keep a paper copy of your insurance documents and emergency phone numbers (the insurance company, local police, local embassy and your accommodation provider) in case you lose your mobile phone.
- Take some emergency cash with you in case your bank card is stolen or does not work, store it separately from your bank card.
- Learn some phrases from the local language or have them written down in case you need to talk to the local police or seek medical help.
- In an unfamiliar city if you are arriving at night it is useful to pre-arrange a transfer to your accommodation.
- Familiarise yourself with local rules and customs to avoid causing offence, e.g. customs for dress.
- Put contact details inside your luggage in case it gets lost but do not use tags which show your identity or nationality to a casual observer.
- Read the details on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website for the country you are travelling to. Consider registering with the FCO's LOCATE service so that they can assist you in an emergency.