Packaged Bank Account Benefit Changes - Frequently Asked Questions

AXA Insurance UK plc (AXA) underwrite the travel insurance that comes with your account and, in line with policy general condition 1, we are now giving you notice on their behalf that the policy will be cancelled at midnight on 20 November 2021 and immediately replaced on 21 November by travel insurance provided by AWP Assistance UK Ltd (Allianz Assistance) which is underwritten by AWP P&C SA (the new insurer). There’ll be no break in insurance cover but some of the changes may affect your cover.

If you have a Silver account, currently to be eligible for cover you must live in the United Kingdom for at least 6 months during each 12-month period. This requirement will be removed and from 21 November 2021, cover will only be available if you are a UK resident and your home country is in the UK. Trips still need to start and end in the UK.

The maximum single trip duration of 45 consecutive days will reduce to 31 consecutive days. It’s important to remember this if you book a trip before 21st November 2021. If you’ve already booked or intend to book a trip lasting more than 31 consecutive days that begins on or after 21 November 2021 and haven't already purchased a trip extension upgrade, you will need to contact Allianz Assistance to extend your cover, an additional premium will be payable. If your trip starts before 21st November 2021, for this trip only, you will continue to be covered for up to 45 consecutive days from the date of travel.

If you claim for incidents which occur on or after 21st November 2021, where an excess applies, it’ll increase from £75 per claim per incident to £75 per adult per incident.

There will be changes to the medical screening process. If your health, or the health of anyone covered by the policy, changes before you book a trip, you need to let Allianz Assistance know. They may ask you to pay a premium or could refuse cover for those medical conditions. This will also apply to any new upgrade for medical conditions that you purchase from the new insurer on or after 21st November 2021.

If you purchase an upgrade with AXA for risks which are not covered under the policy as standard before 21 November 2021, your upgrade will continue to be underwritten by AXA until the expiry date stated in your upgrade schedule and will not be cancelled. All claims will be managed by Allianz Assistance for incident dates on or after 21 November 2021. You will receive confirmation letters separately from AXA and Allianz Assistance which include guidance on who to contact, you do not need to take any action.

From 21st November 2021 there won’t be cover if you’re abroad and you are instructed to return home or choose to leave early to avoid having to quarantine when you get home because of an epidemic or pandemic. Instead, you should seek reimbursement from the travel provider or any other alternative source, such as your credit card issuer.

There is still cover for emergency medical expenses. Cover for cancellation will also still be in place if a booked trip needs to be cancelled because you or someone else covered under the policy are asked to quarantine on an individual basis. From 21 November your cancellation cover will also cover you if a companion you are travelling with is asked to quarantine on an individual basis.

There will be additional cancellation cover for you or anyone you are travelling with who is covered under the policy, if you’ve booked to travel and either the carrier or a Government authority will not let you travel, because at the point of boarding, you are showing symptoms of a contagious disease.

You’ll have access to a remote UK GP telephone and video consultation service if you want medical advice when you’re overseas.

There will also be some changes to cover levels, for example for Ski and Golf cover. In particular, the cover limit for hired golf equipment is reducing from £50 a day, up to a maximum of £400, to £35 a day up to a maximum of £175.

Card Cancellation will no longer be a service provided with the account. Once the Card Cancellation benefit ends, the data will be destroyed within a reasonable period of time and in line with our policy requirements.

There will be some changes to the AA Breakdown cover and the Home Emergency cover. There will also be a change to the Mobile Phone Insurance. For full details of the changes, please refer to the Guide to Changes document.

The new travel insurance will be provided by AWP Assistance UK Ltd (Allianz Assistance) and is underwritten by AWP P&C SA.

Allianz Assistance is part of the Allianz Group, one of the world’s largest insurers and leading financial services companies. They specialise in assistance, international health & life, automotive and travel insurance. Their global family is present in 76 countries handling over 44 million cases a year, protecting and caring for their customers and employees on all continents, 24/7.

You’ll still be able to log or manage any claims for any incidents that happened before the 21st November 2021 online through your Online banking. 

No, there will be no change to your monthly maintaining the account fee as part of these changes.

You can downgrade your account to a non-packaged account at any time. This can be done through your online banking; by going into a branch or through telephone banking.

I’m sorry you’ve received this information, at the time we sent the letter our records showed you still held a packaged bank account. If you have recently closed or converted your packaged bank account to an account that does not have a monthly maintaining the account fee and insurance benefits, you do not need to take any action as these changes will not affect you.

The insurance benefits associated with the packaged bank account you previously had are removed immediately when you closed or converted your account.

These changes may mean your account no longer meets your needs. You can choose to move to another account without a monthly maintaining the account fee.

You can find a full range of current accounts that we offer here. Alternatively, you can review and move accounts through your internet banking or mobile banking app.

If we don’t hear from you before 21 November 2021, we’ll take it to mean you accept the changes. 

The changes will impact you. The Guides to Changes sets out in detail all of the changes that will be made to the travel insurance benefit and you should read this document carefully.

Look at some of the frequently asked questions on this page, as they may help you understand some of the changes and may answer some of your questions. 

For any questions relating to your new Allianz Assistance cover from 21st November 2021, visit the Allianz Assistance Hub which can be access through online banking or contact Membership services

For questions relating to your existing cover up to 21st November 2021, contact AXA via the Membership Services number in your terms and conditions.

You will not be able to claim against your travel policy if you’re able to claim elsewhere. You can’t claim against the policy if the costs are recoverable from accommodation providers, booking or travel agents, travel compensations schemes such as ATOL or ABTA or your credit / debit card provider and PayPal. Please check these first before contacting the insurer.

You might find the guidance here useful

If you need to make claim for an incident that happened before 21st November 2021, you make these claims in the same way as today. You should contact AXA Insurance UK plc through either the membership services telephone number or by making a claim online via their portal. 

If you need to make a claim for incident that happened on or after 21st November 2021 will need to contact Allianz Assistance. You will be able to contact them through the membership services telephone number, or if you’re registered for mobile or Internet or online banking, you can make a claim online using Allianz Assistance Hub.

If you're abroad and need medical assistance, you can call Allianz Assistance on +44 (0) 208 239 3931. 

If, while you are overseas, you have a medical issue that you would like to speak to a qualified GP about, you can book an appointment through HealthHero Solutions Ltd by using the Allianz Assistance Hub, to receive GP advice by telephone or video. The telephone service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The video service is available daily between 8am and 10pm (UK time), except for Christmas Day.

Any claims for incidents occurring before 21st November 2021 will continue to be managed by AXA Insurance UK plc until their conclusion. 

The maximum single trip duration of 45 consecutive days will reduce to 31 consecutive days. It’s important to remember this if you book a trip before the change date.

If you’ve already booked or intend to book a trip lasting more than 31 consecutive days that begins on or after 21st November 2021 and haven't already purchased a trip extension upgrade, you will need to contact Allianz Assistance to extend your cover, an additional premium will be payable.

If your trip starts before 21st November 2021, for this trip only, you will continue to be covered for up to 45 consecutive days from the date of travel.

For example

• You’ve booked a trip abroad in October 2021 that will last 40 days, and you are due to travel on 1st December 2021. Because the maximum single trip duration will be reducing to 31 consecutive days, you’ll need to contact Allianz Assistance to extend your cover, an additional premium will be payable.
• if you’ve booked a trip abroad in October 2021 that will last 40 days, and you are due to travel on the 1st November 2021. As this trip starts before the change date you will continue to be covered for 45 days under the Allianz Assistance policy.

If you have a Premier, Private Banking Account Premier or Mayfair High Interest Cheque Account, your policy will continue to cover trips of up to 62 days and this will not change.

There will be a new portal called the ‘Allianz Assistance Hub’. You will be able to access this through your internet banking or the mobile banking app from 21st November 2021. If you prefer, you will still be able to call Allianz Assistance on +44 (0) 208 239 3931. 

The ‘Allianz Assistance Hub’ will allow you to log a claim, check your cover or purchase some upgrades e.g. trip extension. You’ll also be able to receive an automated payment if your flight delay qualifies and you have pre-registered your details.

In addition, there will be a new service to provide a video telephone appointment with a UK GP whilst you are overseas, subject to terms and conditions.

For a full list of changes, please visit the Guide to Changes (PDF, 2.6 MB).

Please remember, all upgrades and medical endorsements are sold and administered by Allianz Assistance.  

There are some changes that will impact the travel insurance policy and cover provided in the event of an epidemic or pandemic e.g. COVID-19.

The following cover will be removed from 21^st November 2021:

• There won’t be cover if you’re abroad and you are instructed to return home or choose to leave early to avoid having to quarantine when you get home due to an epidemic or pandemic declared by the World Health Organization or an official government authority like the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The instruction to return home could be from the UK Government or from the government of the country you’re visiting.

The following cover will be added from 21^st November 2021:

• There will be additional cancellation cover if you or anyone you are travelling with, have booked to travel and either the carrier or a Government authority will not let you travel, because at the point of boarding, you or they are showing symptoms of a contagious disease.
• Cover will be extended if your travelling companion is asked to quarantine on an individual basis because of a government or public authority order, based on their suspicion of exposure to a contagious disease like COVID-19. This does not include quarantine which applies to some or all of a population or geographical area for example local lockdown.

The following are examples of cover that will remain in place from 21^st November 2021 (same cover as today):

• There is still cover for emergency medical expenses. Cover for cancellation will also still be in place if a booked trip needs to be cancelled because you or someone else covered under the policy are asked to quarantine on an individual basis. From 21 November your cancellation cover will also cover you if a companion you are travelling with is asked to quarantine on an individual basis.
• There will be additional cancellation cover for you or anyone you are travelling with who is covered under the policy, if you’ve booked to travel and either the carrier or a Government authority will not let you travel, because at the point of boarding, you are showing symptoms of a contagious disease.

Below are examples of when cover for a pandemic or epidemic is and isn’t available from 21^st November 2021:

Cover available:

• You’ve booked a trip and are due to travel on the 1 December 2021. Two days before your trip starts you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace / NHS Test and Protect (Scotland) and you need to self-isolate. Because of this you have to cancel your trip. You can raise a claim with Allianz Assistance under Cancellation – Section 1 of the policy. 

No cover available:

• You’ve booked a trip abroad and are due to travel on the 1 December 2021. At the time you booked there were no restrictions on travelling to your destination. Two days before your trip starts the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office change their travel advice to that destination due to an epidemic or pandemic and advise against all but essential travel. Because of this you have to cancel your trip. You will not be covered by your Allianz Assistance travel insurance for any cancellation costs, but should instead seek reimbursement from the travel provider or any other alternative source, such as your credit card issuer.

It’s important you read the travel insurance terms and conditions to ensure the policy continues to meet your needs. 

If you’ve been affected by COVID-19, we have a dedicated page of frequently asked questions. This page includes information if your trip is disrupted, which may be able to help resolve any questions you may have.    

Medical conditions that you and anyone to be covered have, or have had, will need to be declared to the new insurer:

• prior to booking a trip
• when renewing your medical screening declaration on your health check date; or
• when there are changes in your health, or prescribed medication between making your declaration and booking a trip

Following any medical screening with the new insurer, cover for medical conditions may be subject to you paying an additional premium or you may be refused cover for the medical condition(s). This will be confirmed when you contact the new insurer.

This additional cover purchased is known as a medical endorsement.

if you’ve been offered cover with a high premium, been refused, or have had cover cancelled due to medical conditions, you might want to visit the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) directory which lists firms offering travel insurance for people with medical conditions. Think about what might suit your needs best and who you need specialist cover for. For more information access this directory here or phone MaPS on 0800 138 7777 (Mon-Fri 8am to 6pm). If this is relevant to you, please consider whether the travel insurance that comes with this account is the right one for you.

Upgrades and medical screenings are sold, underwritten and administered directly with the insurers.

A new general exclusion will be introduced that will apply to all sections of the new travel policy. All pre-existing medical conditions, regardless of their nature, are excluded under the general exclusions, unless declared and agreed with the new insurer as described in the “Health declaration and health exclusions” section of the policy.

For example, you are worried about an illness before you book a trip and have informed a doctor as you have experienced some symptoms. You have not yet had a diagnosis, and you were not told by your doctor that you couldn’t travel.  You go on holiday to Spain the next day and you fall ill because of your health condition and need to attend hospital, and you are provided a bill for medical costs. You will not be covered under the new policy as you did not declare your “undiagnosed condition” to the new insurer, as per the terms and conditions described in the “Health declaration and health exclusions” section of the policy.

You do not need to take any action. Any upgrades purchased before 21 November 2021 directly from AXA Insurance UK plc will continue until the expiry date in your upgrade schedule and will not be cancelled. All claims will be managed by Allianz Assistance for incident dates on or after 21 November 2021. You will receive confirmation letters separately from both AXA and Allianz Assistance, please read these letters carefully, which include guidance on who to contact.

At your next renewal you will be subject to the terms and conditions of the new insurer.  For medical upgrades with the new insurer you will need to declare any changes in health before booking a trip and upgraded cover for the changes to the medical conditions may be subject to an additional premium or cover may be refused.  This will be confirmed when you contact the new insurer.

If you have a single trip medical upgrade purchased through AXA Insurance UK plc you will still have this cover until the expiry date in your upgrade schedule. You will not be able to take out any new single trip medical cover with the new insurer as they do not offer this service.

Upgrades and medical screenings are sold, underwritten and administered directly with the insurers.

There will be an ongoing requirement to tell the insurer about all pre-existing medical conditions in the following circumstances:

• When opening your account
• When renewing any medical conditions upgrades you have
• If there are any changes in your health or to the health of anyone to be covered by the policy before booking a trip.

For any medical screening, cover for medical conditions may be subject to an additional premium or you may be refused cover for the medical condition(s). This will be confirmed when you contact the insurer.

Upgrades and medical screening endorsements are sold, underwritten and administered directly with the insurers.

No, the cover provided by these services is exactly the same. Please note that not all accounts come with all of these services. Please check the terms and conditions for your account.

From 21 November 2021, the AA have a new email address for their customer relations team as called out in your Guide to Changes. This is customer.solutions@theAA.com.

All card and document data held will be securely deleted within a reasonable time period after the 21st November 2021 when the service ends.

No, this service is ending on the 21st November. Please your contact card providers to cancel cards and request replacements.

You should contact your Card Provider directly for an update on the whereabouts of the replacement card. 

No, Card Cancellation is not offered online. If you wish to view your data stored you will need to contact Card Cancellation through your membership benefits line.

You can contact Card Cancellation on your membership phone line to request a copy of your details. If you wish to do this, you must do it before the service is removed on 21st November 2021.

Please contact your card or document providers to advise them of your loss and request replacement cards. 

The insurer is making it clearer that replacement mobile phones are not on a new for old basis. You will receive a refurbished device which has been through a comprehensive checking process to ensure it’s in full working order. All mobile phones will come with a 1-year warranty from the insurer.