Travel insurance will operate where: the trip includes overnight accommodation and/or involves a rail journey or a flight.  Note: Commuting is excluded. UK travel is included in the University travel insurance but it is not compulsory to request the University travel insurance. The Global Travel Approval system does not apply to UK travel. The University travel insurance must be requested for all overseas trips. The Global Travel Approval System must also be used for all overseas trips.

Who can/cannot apply for University business travel and how to apply?

Students on a trip organised by the Centre for Study Abroad (was Global Opportunities)

You must comply with all steps on the Bristol Abroad / Summer Abroad Blackboard, including completing a risk assessment. You can find the Bristol Abroad / Summer Abroad Blackboards under "my organisations" here.

Students travelling for a university related activity (Research, Conference, Study and fieldwork) excluding trips organised by the Centre for Study Abroad

Please ensure that before you apply for travel insurance, you have sought approval from the Global Travel Approval System.

Students - All students:

The University provides free business travel insurance for students travelling overseas on approved University trips.

Apply here: Student business travel insurance - Worldwide 

Staff

The University provides free business travel insurance for staff travelling overseas on approved University trips

Visiting academics from another University, Emeritus Professors or volunteers assisting on a (field) trip can be covered providing they are travelling on University of Bristol approved business as representatives of the University. They must follow all the University procedures including the Global Travel Approval process and, where appropriate, complete a risk assessment.

• Apply here: Staff business travel insurance – Worldwide
   
• Please ensure that before you apply for travel insurance, you have sought approval from the Global Travel Approval System which can be found at the global travel SharePoint site.

Will the University travel insurance cover my spouse/partner or children? 

No, the University business travel insurance cannot be extended to cover them. You must purchase your own insurance.

I am a member of staff/PHD student returning to my home country to carry out University business/research, is cover available to me? 

Limited cover is available to you:

• Emergency Medical cover is not available. 
• Cancellation/curtailment and rearrangement cover is only available if you are to travel within your home country for the purpose of University business and your trip involves an overnight stay, rail journey or a flight.  Commuting is not covered.

Main conditions of cover for all staff and students travelling on University business

You must meet the following conditions before applying for cover: 

• You know of no reason (including non-medical) why the trip is likely to be cut short or cancelled. 
• You will not be travelling against medical advice.
• You will not be travelling to have medical treatment or to have treatment for a medical condition.
• You are not over 80 years of age. 
• You have never been refused cover for travel insurance. 
• You have received approval from the UOB. This includes where the FCDO advise against all but essential travel / all non-essential travel: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
• Where the FCDO advise against all travel (not all but essential travel) or your trip is particularly hazardous, your trip will require approval from the senior management team.
  Speak to your Head of School to ensure the correct approval is in place.
• You are not travelling to a Country where sanctions have been imposed.  You will require permissions in this circumstance. See sanctions information.
• Your journey will not be for more than 12 months.  If it is to be longer than this, please contact the insurance office for advice. 

Travelling without University approval can result in disciplinary action.‌

Emergencies

Find more information on our Summary of cover and policy wording webpage. 

Safezone App

Our insurers and the University can also be notified via the SafeZone app or by following the instructions on the SafeZone Information page here.

General guidance

You can find guidance on personal holiday, pre-existing medical condition/ pregnancy, how to amend your business travel insurance, visa letters, how to report a travel insurance claim, our summary of cover and policy wording, student placements and field trips.

For travel resources, including country reports that provide guidance around safety and travel issues, please visit: Travel Assistance (access is only available to those who have a UOB email address).

It is important you check any personal travel insurance carefully as often it only covers trips that start and finish in the same place. Please declare this fact to your insurer to ensure your insurance cover is not invalidated.

UK Travel

This is included in the University travel insurance but it is not compulsory to request the University travel insurance. The Global Travel Approval system does not apply to UK travel.

GHIC

All travellers who are eligible must apply for a Global Health Insurance Card. It provides general health care while abroad in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free.

If you have a UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) it will be valid until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you’ll need to apply for a GHIC to replace it.

You can apply for one here. GHIC and EHIC do not replace travel insurance.

Travel to Russia

Any Student or Academic delivering lectures or the like in Russia can be deemed as TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE which is forbidden. A humanities lecture or textbook is not likely to be a problem, but a complex science one (for example a lecture or text book on the maths and physics of aerodynamics and rocket propulsion or military equipment) would be an issue. It is therefore possible that lectures or textbooks could be considered technical assistance.  We should avoid any lecturing unless confident it would not be construed as ‘technical assistance’.