No, Direct Line Home Insurance Plus does not include comprehensive travel insurance.
Home Insurance Plus may protect certain personal possessions while they are temporarily taken abroad. However, this limited overseas belongings protection should not be confused with a travel insurance policy.
Travel insurance normally covers risks such as emergency medical treatment, trip cancellation, curtailment, missed departures and certain travel delays. These benefits are not automatically provided simply because someone holds Direct Line Home Insurance Plus.
Direct Line also states that it is no longer offering new Direct Line travel insurance policies. Existing policyholders remain insured according to their individual travel policy terms.
What Does Direct LINE Home Insurance Plus Include?
Direct Line Home Insurance Plus is an enhanced home insurance product designed primarily to protect a policyholder’s building, household contents and selected risks connected with the home.
Depending on whether buildings cover, contents cover or both have been selected, Home Plus can include benefits such as:
- Accidental damage cover
- Home Emergency cover
- Personal possessions cover
- Higher limits for certain home insurance claims
- Alternative accommodation following an insured event
- Buildings and contents protection against specified risks
For example, Direct Line states that accidental damage and Home Emergency are included with Home Plus. Home Emergency can provide assistance for qualifying urgent problems at the insured home, but it is not an overseas emergency medical service.
The precise cover always depends on the customer’s policy schedule and the version of the policy wording that applies to them.
Why Can Home Plus Appear to Include Travel Cover?
Confusion often arises because Direct Line Home Plus includes personal possessions cover. This can protect eligible belongings when they are taken away from the insured home, including during a temporary trip overseas.
Direct Line’s current home insurance information says Home and Home Plus customers with the relevant personal possessions protection can receive cover for up to 60 days abroad in one policy year.
That could help when an insured item is:
- Stolen while its owner is travelling
- Accidentally lost during a qualifying trip
- Accidentally damaged away from home
- Taken abroad for a temporary period within the policy limit
Home Plus also has specified limits for individual items, bicycles, money and possessions stolen from unattended vehicles. Restrictions, security requirements and excesses may apply.
However, this is overseas personal possessions cover, not complete holiday or travel insurance.
A Practical Example
A Home Plus customer takes an insured camera on a two-week holiday to Spain. If the camera is stolen in circumstances covered by the policy, the customer may be able to make a home insurance personal possessions claim.
The same customer becomes seriously ill and needs hospital treatment in Spain. The medical bill would not normally be covered by the personal possessions section of the home policy. Separate travel insurance would usually be required.
What is Not Covered as Travel Insurance?
Home Insurance Plus should not be relied upon for the main financial risks associated with travelling.
It does not automatically provide the broad range of protection normally found in a dedicated travel policy, such as:
- Emergency medical and hospital expenses abroad
- Medical repatriation to the UK
- Cancellation before departure
- Cutting a holiday short
- Missed or delayed departure
- Travel disruption
- Personal liability while travelling
- Certain costs following lost travel documents
- Additional accommodation caused by a medical emergency
Direct Line’s travel insurance documentation describes travel cover as including areas such as emergency medical and travel expenses, cancellation, curtailment, delayed departures and missed departures. These are separate travel insurance benefits rather than standard Home Plus benefits.
Is Direct LINE Still Selling Travel Insurance?
Direct Line currently states that it is not offering new travel insurance policies.
Customers who already hold a Direct Line travel policy remain covered according to their policy terms and can continue to manage the policy or make an eligible claim. Direct Line’s travel webpage directs people looking for a new policy towards Aviva, following Direct Line becoming part of Aviva.
This means a Home Plus customer preparing for a future trip should not assume that separate Direct Line travel insurance has been added automatically.
They would need to check whether they already have another policy or consider suitable cover from a provider currently offering travel insurance.
What Should Travellers Check Before Going Abroad?
Before relying on any insurance, the policyholder should review the schedule and policy booklet rather than relying only on a product name or general webpage.
Check the Home Plus Schedule
The schedule should confirm:
- Whether buildings, contents or combined cover applies
- Whether personal possessions are covered
- The maximum amount payable
- Individual item limits
- Any specified high-value belongings
- The applicable excess
- Policy endorsements or special conditions
Although personal possessions cover is generally included with Home Plus, the individual schedule remains important because it records the customer’s actual insured cover.
Check the Length of the Trip
The current Home Insurance Plus wording refers to personal possessions protection for travel abroad of up to 60 days, where that cover applies. A longer journey may fall outside the overseas period allowed by the home policy.
The 60-day provision does not mean that medical expenses or cancellation are covered for 60 days. It relates to eligible possessions under the home insurance policy.
Check Valuable Items
A valuable item may need to be individually listed on the schedule, particularly when it exceeds the policy’s unspecified single-item limit.
Travellers should check items such as:
- Engagement rings and jewellery
- Expensive watches
- Cameras and lenses
- Laptops and tablets
- Musical instruments
- Specialist sports equipment
- High-value bicycles
Evidence of ownership, valuations, photographs or receipts may be needed when making a claim.
Arrange Appropriate Travel Insurance
A dedicated travel policy should be considered for risks that home insurance does not address. The appropriate level of protection will depend on the destination, travellers, activities and cost of the holiday.
Important considerations include:
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Destination and geographical region
- Single-trip or annual cover
- Cancellation value
- Cruise or winter sports cover
- Planned activities
- Age limits
- Medical excesses
- Alcohol-related exclusions
- Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice
Travellers should answer medical and eligibility questions accurately. Failing to disclose relevant information could affect a later claim.
Can a Bank Account or Credit Card Already Provide Travel Cover?
Some packaged bank accounts and premium financial products include travel insurance. However, possession of an eligible account does not necessarily mean every trip or traveller is covered.
A customer should verify:
- Whether the policy is active
- Who is insured
- The maximum age
- Whether medical conditions have been declared
- The permitted trip length
- Which countries are included
- Whether cancellation limits are sufficient
- Whether additional activity cover is required
Credit cards may also offer limited purchase or travel-related benefits, but these should not be assumed to provide comprehensive medical travel insurance.
Final Takeaway
Direct Line Home Insurance Plus does not include full travel insurance. Its personal possessions section can provide useful protection for eligible belongings taken abroad, generally for up to 60 days during a policy year, but that protection is limited to the terms of the home policy.
It should not be relied upon for emergency medical expenses, repatriation, cancellation, curtailment or travel disruption. Anyone planning a trip should check their Home Plus schedule and arrange separate travel insurance where appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Direct Line Home Insurance Plus cover holidays?
It may cover eligible personal possessions taken on holiday for up to 60 days abroad in a policy year. It does not provide comprehensive holiday insurance.
Does Direct Line Home Plus cover medical treatment abroad?
No. Overseas emergency medical treatment normally requires a separate travel insurance policy.
Does Direct Line Home Plus cover lost luggage?
Eligible personal belongings may be covered under the personal possessions section, subject to limits, exclusions and the circumstances of the loss. Airline luggage claims and travel policy baggage benefits may operate differently.
Does Home Plus cover a stolen phone overseas?
It may cover an eligible phone if personal possessions cover applies and the theft meets the policy conditions. The single-item limit, excess and security exclusions should be checked.
Does Direct Line Home Plus cover holiday cancellation?
No. Cancellation is normally a travel insurance benefit and is not part of standard Home Plus personal possessions protection.
Does Direct Line Home Plus include worldwide cover?
Its personal possessions protection may apply for up to 60 days abroad in one policy year. “Worldwide” possessions protection should not be interpreted as worldwide medical or cancellation cover.
Can new customers buy Direct Line travel insurance?
Direct Line currently says it is no longer offering new travel insurance policies. Existing travel customers remain covered according to their policy documents.
Is an EHIC or GHIC a replacement for travel insurance?
No. A valid UK Global Health Insurance Card or European Health Insurance Card may provide access to certain state healthcare in eligible countries, but it does not normally cover every medical cost, cancellation, private treatment or repatriation.
How can a policyholder confirm their exact cover?
They should review their policy schedule, endorsements and policy booklet through their Direct Line account or contact the insurer directly before travelling.
Note: This article has been reviewed against official Direct Line home and travel insurance information and policy wording.
