The over-50s insurance provider has announced that these changes have been introduced to provide customers with much-needed certainty about their policies and future travel plans as the UK eases out of lockdown. Saga asserts this is also a response to increased customer demand for suitable cover – 74 per cent of Saga customers (all aged 50+) say that they would be unlikely to take out travel insurance if it didn’t cover Covid-19 risks.

“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,” said Kevin McMullan, Head of Product, Saga Health and Travel Insurance.

The cover offering 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.

“We’re continuing to review and innovate our products to ensure they work as well as they can for our customers,” said McMullan. “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.”