Click to get a quoteCall us on 0800 170 7704

What is medical screening and why do I have to go through it?

Medical screening provides the insurer with all the relevant facts to make a decision on whether they can offer travel insurance.

It is used to calculate a risk score, which is determined from the questions you answer during medical screening. There will be a score for each of your medical conditions. The total score may also be affected by where you are travelling to. This is then used by the insurer to determine whether they will cover you and on what terms.

All of this may sound daunting. However, you will just need to answer a series of multiple-choice questions that takes a few minutes. Some of them might seem personal, but your answers are completely confidential. It is very important that you answer the questions as accurately as you can to ensure that you are covered. If you do not answer the questions, correctly, it may affect any claim.

The ETIAS Travel Authorisation – How does it affect me?

ETIAS stands for: European Travel Information and Authorisation System.

ETIAS acronym

From mid 2025, the European Commission plans to launch a US style electronic travel authorisation system (ETIAS). It was first announced in 2016 by the European Commission. Although negotiations are ongoing, it’s important to note that an ETIAS is not a visa. It’s a visa-waiver.

The ETIAS will be like the USA’s ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). However, the ETIAS will be the EU’s, travel authorisation. Each traveller who doesn’t need a visa can explore Europe – for up to 90 days within a 180-day period at their leisure.

It will be for travellers arriving to EU countries and Schengen Area countries from another country – that isn’t part of the European Union.

What’s the difference between an EU country and a Schengen Area country?

An EU country is one of 27 European countries/states that cover the majority of Europe. Together, they form the European Union.

The Schengen Area (from Estonia in the east and Portugal in the west) is border free. It covers 1,664,911 square miles and 27 European countries who allow passport-free movement of people. These countries also have a common visa policy, where you can stay in one of the states for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Overall, the ETIAS will be a requirement for UK passport holders who wish to travel from the UK to parts of Europe (all European countries and the Schengen Area).

Subscription added successfully!
Error: Subscription could not be added.

Which UK passport holders must apply for an ETIAS?

Anyone of any age needs to apply for an ETIAS. This includes British Nationals (Overseas), British Overseas Territories Citizens (BOTC), British Overseas Citizens (BOC), British Protected Persons (BPP) or British Subjects (BS).

Also, any individual with a criminal record must apply too.

An ETIAS for British Citizens

Although most British Citizens aren’t a threat to EU security, the EU is introducing an ETIAS to strengthen the border security of the Schengen area. The ETIAS system will collect, check data and security credentials of each visitor. This will occur before their visit whether they’re visiting for business, pleasure, or transit purposes.

Alongside digitally screening and tracking each visitor who arrives/ departs from each EU country – when travelling by car, coach, ferry, or airplane.

Overall, the ETIAS will form a central pool of data of all non-Europeans visiting the Schengen area. Also, there will be a fee required to obtain one.

the cost of an ETIAS

How much will an ETIAS cost?

An ETIAS costs nothing to people under 18 and over 70. On the other hand, the price of an ETIAS for everyone else will be €7 each. Either way, all travellers will require one.

However, each ETIAS will work for three years from the date issued to you – or until the date your passport expires. Therefore, it may be wise to check the expiry date on your passport before going through the application process.

How to apply for an ETIAS

Visit the ETIAS official website . Your application should then be approved within minutes of submitting the online form.

Your data will be checked, by the following:

Plus, the ETIAS screening rules and ETIAS watchlist.

Although the ETIAS won’t go live until mid 2025 apply for yours before arriving in your chosen EU country. If more checks are needed, the process will take 96 hours. So, don’t leave applying for one until the night before your trip – just in case!

time is money

Can you apply now?

UK citizens can apply for an ETIAS in 2025. Submit your name and email on the ETIAS website to receive the exact launch date.

However, there may be a short hiatus between three-six months when an ETIAS might not even be mandatory for EU travel. This will allow for any system issues to be refigured. Plus, a lesser impact upon travellers during the EITAS’s initial roll-out stage.

Travelling to Europe in 2025?

If you’re in the process of planning a European holiday for next year don’t forget to add an ETIAS to your kit list.

When your application is approved, you’ll have the freedom to plan a cultural trip, city break, beach holiday across 27 EU countries!

To learn more about the EU’s visa-waiver visit the Schengen Visa Info Website.

To travel, with confidence add Free Spirit Travel Insurance to your kit list. Free Spirit provides cover for anyone of any age living with a medical condition and/or disability. Plus, their travelling companions!

So, get ready for your trip to Europe and travel, with confidence.

Croatia

How Free Spirit Maintains Customer Loyalty

customer loyalty banner

At a time when we’re all looking for the best prices, customer loyalty can grow thin. When looking for the best travel insurance provider – it’s important to seek advice from someone you trust. Or stick with a company that you know will give you peace of mind.

Happily, at Free Spirit we have many loyal customers. We spoke to one of them about their travels, needs, and how Free Spirit gave them the confidence to travel.

Steven has been a Free Spirit for ten years. Here’s his story…

Stephen and his wife Ann enjoy wonderful holidays, as a couple and also with their family. Recently they visited South Africa with one of their grandsons. Next, they’ll be off on a cruise to Iceland and Greenland. In the last ten years, Free Spirit has provided Stephen and his family with peace of mind to pursue their adventures.

robben island

Back in 2013

After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, Stephen knew he’d need travel insurance to cover his medical condition. He asked a Broker for advice and they suggested Free Spirit – who they knew provided specialist travel insurance for medical conditions. Stephen phoned Free Spirit and spoke to a friendly and helpful member of the team.

While going through the medical questionnaire, Stephen began to understand why it was (and is) important to declare all your medical conditions when taking out travel insurance. He knew he’d have to declare the prostate cancer but wasn’t aware his wife’s asthma should – or could – be covered as well.

After the call, Stephen was happy his medical condition was approved and covered. He was also impressed with how helpful and friendly the call handler was. The process itself was very easy overall.

Ten years as a loyal Free Spirit customer

In the last ten years Stephen’s cancer has been treated and he’s in remission. Also, by continuing to purchase an annual muti-trip policy he’s learned a lot from the Free Spirit team, such as why it’s a good idea to take travel insurance on holiday. Today, he feels more knowledgeable about what travel insurance can provide – peace of mind.

cape of good hope

A quote from Stephen

“I’m paying for peace of mind because I know it’s an easy process… I also had to make a claim in 2015 because my father died, and we needed to cancel the trip. However, it was an easy and helpful process.

That’s why I’d recommend Free Spirit to a good friend because getting a quote and applying for a claim is easy to do. All the people are very helpful and friendly and the questions are asked in a professional manner… I appreciate the medical questionnaire and know what to expect now – familiarity.

I know Free Spirit and P J Hayman is an excellent service and have not looked anywhere else”.

A quote from our Chief Operating Officer

“At Free Spirit, we pride ourselves on providing peace of mind and exceptional service. Stephen’s story showcases our commitment to our customers.

With specialist travel insurance for medical conditions, we ensure an easy, helpful, and friendly experience. Our team follows regulatory guidelines, and our clear approach to medical screening promotes confidence.

Stephen’s recommendation speaks volumes about our trusted service over the past decade. Join Free Spirit for the freedom to travel, with confidence. We deliver peace of mind and excellent service, making us your go-to travel insurance provider.”

More positive reviews from loyal customers

Customer Loyalty example

quote

Customer Loyalty quote

 

Become a Free Spirit customer – tell us how we’ve been helpful

Would you like the freedom to travel with peace of mind?

No matter your age, disability, or health condition get a quote from our friendly and knowledgeable team. Or, if we’ve helped you travel with confidence and you were happy with our customer service team, leave us a review on Trustpilot.

 

How Free Spirit Provides Helpful Customer Service

helpful customer service banner

Helpful customer service is something we focus upon during our training and when we interact with each customer. Here’s a case study to illustrate how the Free Spirit team provides helpful customer service…

Mr. Elliot is enjoying life in his early 20’s. He lives with learning disabilities and some health issues.

With a UK holiday planned for this summer, his mother sought out a travel insurance company, which would cover people with disabilities. When looking for the best policy, they required cover for special needs, a range of disabilities, and health issues. By using Google Search, she soon found Free Spirit Travel Insurance, which could cover all of her son’s disabilities and health conditions.

Free Spirit was able to give Mr. Elliot and his family the freedom to travel on holiday because the UK Free Spirit Policy covered all the basics. Plus, they had the security that they’d all be covered if there was a problem. A bonus was that the policy was very reasonably priced.

Subscription added successfully!
Error: Subscription could not be added.

Quote from Mr. Elliot’s mother

“My adult son has learning disabilities plus health issues. I have got holiday insurance from this company for a few years now for him. Easy to use online services for quotes and purchasing insurance…Very reasonably priced insurance. Plus, they’re always helpful if you have to speak to them. I have had to claim once, and it was all very smooth and easy to claim – a fast turnaround as well. Thank you.”

Sue, Free Spirit’s Customer Service Supervisor explained:

“Our scripts and training process are compliant with the rules and regulations of the Financial Conduct Authority. We help our customers through the medical screening process by removing the insurance jargon from our scripts to ensure they understand what they’re being asked. This ensures the customer journey is smooth and provides clarity.

We’re real people who listen to and engage with a number of customers each day, who may have a number of health conditions. It’s our job to be patient, pinpoint their requirements, and find a way to give them the freedom to travel.  We aim to treat customers fairly and provide them with a specialised policy in line with their health conditions or disabilities.”

In essence, we were able to help Mr. Elliot because our Free Spirit UK travel insurance policy provides cover for people with a range of disabilities and health conditions – whatever their age. Overall, Free Spirit gives everyone the protection to travel with confidence.

You can view all the key features and benefits of taking out a Free Spirit policy here.

helpful customer service

Here are a few more reviews which illustrate our helpful customer service

“Really helpful agent who walked me through the whole process – always more challenging with an adult with disabilities. It is great that I have been able to secure reasonable insurance for my special needs daughter.” By Julia Marson.

“Helpful, listened to our questions, explained how we had to answer all the questions. Found what we needed. Very pleasant and understanding. Will be happy to use Free Spirit again.” Mrs. Edna Mansfield.

“Customer service was very good. Phone response was prompt and patient understanding of the medical conditions when they didn’t exactly fit the ‘tick box’ and computer say ‘no’, meant everything was logged honestly…” By Richard Charsley.

To view all the reviews our customers have left us, visit our page on Trustpilot.

 

Become a Free Spirit customer – tell us how we’ve provided helpful customer service

If you would like the freedom to travel, no matter your age, disability, or health condition get a quote now.

Or, if we have helped you travel with confidence and/or you were happy with the service you received from the Free Spirit team, leave us a review on Trustpilot.

 

Tips for travelling with hypertension

Blood pressure test being carried out so that customers understand the sorts of checks that are carried out for those that suffer with high blood pressure.

Hypertension – known as high blood pressure – may or may not be something that crosses your mind daily.

Yet, on World Hypertension Day (WHD) 17th of May, the aim of The World Hypertension League is to increase awareness of hypertension. The date also falls within May Measure Month. May Measure is a global blood pressure screening awareness campaign. Its mission is to help people get their blood pressure checked.

If you notice these two awareness campaigns and are concerned about your blood pressure, it’s understandable to feel anxious. After learning about them at Free Spirit, we wanted to share some positive advice and tips if you’ll be travelling with hypertension soon.

While a relaxing holiday can have positive health benefits for hypertension, it’s vital to be aware that some elements of travelling can potentially raise already high blood pressure levels. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have some strategies up your sleeve to alleviate them when they occur, to ensure that you can make the most of your holiday and your health.

Here are our top tips for you to travel happily and healthily…

swimming with hypertension

10 Tips for travelling with hypertension

If your doctor has diagnosed you with high blood pressure, you’ll probably be controlling it with lifestyle changes and/or medication. Nevertheless, it’s important to be aware of your condition when outside of your usual routine. Ensure you have a happy and healthy holiday by keeping these tips in mind ahead of your holiday.

1: Speak to your doctor first. It’s a good idea to get their go-ahead on your travel plans before making any bookings, just to make sure they are happy.

2: Ask your GP for a prescription for extra medication to cover your trip if needed, as well as a copy of it.

3: If required, request a doctor’s letter that gives you permission to take your medicine with you to your chosen destination.

Subscription added successfully!
Error: Subscription could not be added.

4: If you’re flying, get an up-to-date blood pressure reading as close to the date you fly as possible.

There should be no reason why you can’t travel by air. However, it’s a good idea to check your blood pressure with your doctor before you go – especially if you haven’t had a blood pressure test for over a year.

5: When you’re travelling by air move around the cabin regularly. Do gentle leg exercises while in your seat.

6: Avoid salty snacks and alcohol throughout your trip. A break from your usual routine can affect your blood pressure.

7: Plan when to take your medication.

If you’ll be travelling to a different time zone, make sure you factor in the time difference. Most medicine for high blood pressure is taken daily. If that’s the case for you, the most important thing is to stick to one dose within a 24-hour period. It’s better to have a slight gap between doses than to take two too close together.

8: Be aware of how activities may affect you.

You should be able to take part in most activities while you’re away. Although, anything that could include sudden changes in pressure is best avoided, such as scuba diving.

On the other hand, using saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs shouldn’t be a problem. However, make sure you’re well-hydrated beforehand. Also, limit your time within one and take someone with you. Remember that the heat can lower your blood pressure, making you feel faint and light-headed, especially if you take blood pressure medication.

9: Know how to recognise the signs of high blood pressure, even if your condition is under control.

A spike in your blood pressure can cause symptoms such as dizziness, chest pains, an erratic heartbeat, confusion, headaches, and problems with your vision.

10: Arrange medical travel insurance for high blood pressure. It’s vital that your travel insurance provider both knows about and can provide cover for your condition.

 

Travel insurance and hypertension

At Free Spirit, we specialise in offering high blood pressure travel insurance and hypertension travel insurance for people of any age, with a wealth of medical and non-medical benefits. Simply contact us to find out more about our travel insurance for high blood pressure, or apply for a quote online.

Also, download and view our top 10 tips, to travel with confidence with hypertension.

 

Specialist Travel Insurance for Veterans

Specialist Travel Insurance for WW2 Veterans

WW2 veterans across the UK often go on trips to catch up with comrades. They go to concerts, fundraising events, as well as commemoration ceremonies held in Holland, Belgium, and France. To do so they receive help from The Taxi Charity For Military Veterans.

Flowers at a war memorial site after remembrance day in The Netherlands

One commemoration ceremony, which has been held every year since 1945 is the Liberation of Arnhem in the Netherlands. From September 17th– 26th, the people of Arnhem commemorate the allied Polish and British soldiers on the first Friday of this period, who fell during the Battle of Arnhem. Together, they meet at the foot of John Frost Bridge.

In 2015, 120 veterans wanted to travel from London to the Netherlands, for the 70th commemoration ceremony.  They also needed travel insurance to attend, which Free Spirit was happy to provide.

The problem was, it would be a challenge to provide the WW2 veterans with a “one size fits all” standard policy. This was because 100 of the veterans were over 90 (one is 97) and each had varying medical conditions.

Therefore, Mary Holt stepped outside of the usual medical screening ‘box’ to provide the Taxi Charity with a tailor-made policy. The policy included blanket cover for the medical risks of the travelling group, from London to Arnhem and back again.

Taking an innovative approach to travel insurance, ensured all the veteran’s committee members, carers, drivers, medical support team members, and guests, were each delighted to attend the historical observance.

Learn more about the Taxi Charity here.

Specialist Travel Insurance for Veterans to travel

View some of the photos from the veteran’s trip to the Netherlands here.

Mary Holt, Free Spirit Manager explained: “It would have been an impossible task to medically screen each person. Providing insurance wasn’t just about ages and medical risks. It was about giving the veterans the peace of mind, that should something happen to them on their trip, they would be covered.”

In 2017, Free Spirit provided specialist cover for the charity’s trip to Normandy again. This time, 306 veterans’ committee members, carers, drivers, medical support team members, and guests attended a remembrance service, which was held at the Pegasus Bridge Museum. The trip also included visits to Bayeux and the beach at Arromanches. Mary Holt also joined them.

Post lockdown, in 2022, the charity continues to organise trips to northwest Europe with Free Spirit’s Specialist Travel Insurance for Veterans. Below is a recent Trustpilot review from one of the organisers.

Specialist Travel Insurance for Veterans Review

 

Become a partner or tell us about a charity that has helped you

Free Spirit supports and works alongside different charities across the UK. Some have become our partners, where we provide specialist travel insurance to their customers/members. To view all the charities we support, visit our charities page.

Or, if you are passionate about a charity that has made a difference in your life or to someone you know, tell us about them by emailing: marketing@freespirittravelinsurance.com.

If you would like to become a partner/affiliate visit our partner page.

Travel Insurance for Blood Cancer

Travel Insurance for Blood Cancer

Everyone deserves a holiday or even just a city break now and then. However, if you’ve just been diagnosed with blood cancer, have recently finished treatment, or are in remission you may find it challenging to get the specialist cancer travel insurance you need.

As some blood cancer patients may require emergency medical treatment while away, or may even need to be brought home early due to their condition, it is understandable why so many people struggle to get cover for cancer on their standard travel insurance.

Having a severe medical condition such as blood cancer shouldn’t stop you from travelling, as long as you find the correct travel insurance for your specific health and travel needs. Blood cancer holiday insurance is essential, as becoming ill abroad can be expensive without the right insurance cover and you could be left out of pocket!

Free Spirit has helped thousands of blood cancer patients enjoy a much-needed holiday. Whether you’re considering an active holiday, a Caribbean cruise with loved ones, a spiritual adventure, or just relaxing by a hotel pool, our blood cancer travel insurance can provide you with the cover you and your travelling companions need.

Polaroid images

How to apply

We know that there are many types of blood cancer, with each one having different symptoms, treatments, and prognoses from the other, depending on the severity of the blood cancer.

Some of the blood cancers Free Spirit Travel Insurance covers:

Whichever blood cancer you’re living with, if you have received medical treatment, complementary and alternative therapies (or not), we’ll look at each case individually to provide you with the best cover available.

Obtaining an instant quote for blood cancer travel insurance could not be easier than our fully interactive website includes online medical screening.

Please note we understand these conditions vary greatly, therefore you will only be asked questions that are appropriate to your condition.

We’ll ask you some questions about your type of blood cancer so you can get the cover that’s right for you:

  • Within the last 5 years, have you been treated (including prescribed medication) for any type of cancer?
  • How long ago was the initial diagnosis of blood cancer made?
  • How long ago was your last cancer treatment for this condition?
  • Was the blood cancer completely surgically removed after the diagnosis?
  • Are you currently having any treatment and/or is any planned?

Some people prefer to talk to us

Free Spirit has a dedicated UK-based customer service team to answer any questions you may have. We understand that some medical conditions can be complicated and you may prefer to talk to a friendly voice instead. You can call us on 02392 419 080 and your call will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Why choose Free Spirit blood cancer travel insurance?

  • No upper age limit on Single Trip and Annual Multi-trip
  • Choice of two cover options – Super and Super Duper
  • Single trips covered up to 94 days*
  • Annual Multi-trip provides an unlimited number of trips – travel up to 32 days per trip (Super) and 45 days (Super Duper)*
  • Journey disruption / Airspace closure cover
  • Loss or damage to medical aids and prescribed blood cancer medications

*Terms and conditions may apply

Why cover your blood cancer before you travel?

What would you do if you had to cancel your holiday because of your blood cancer? How would you feel if you hadn’t purchased adequate insurance to cover your medical condition and you were unable to claim back any pre-paid costs? Some standard travel policies may offer cover for cancer and they may seem like a good deal, however, do not be fooled! It is unlikely they will include the insurance protection you need so it is always worth checking your Insurance Policy to make sure.

Another great idea is to add travelling companions to your policy; they could be your friends, family members, or even your carer. They too can claim if you needed to cancel your holiday because of your medical condition or if it had to be cut short while away because you became unwell.

Get a professional medical opinion

Your doctor or treating consultant should be able to advise on the best time to head off for a holiday, perhaps because of a gap in blood cancer treatment or before chemotherapy is due to start. They can also discuss how you’re likely to feel at the time and advise against countries that may not be suitable. Time differences can affect when you need to take your medication, so you can put a plan together to ensure you won’t be left feeling unwell. You may also need a letter from your doctor advising you are fit for travel but remember to speak to them well in advance, don’t leave it until the last minute.

Getting your EHIC and UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) ready

If you decide to travel within the EU, carry an up-to-date European Health Insurance Card or apply for a GHIC card. This allows you to get state healthcare at a reduced cost, or even for free, should you fall ill or have an accident abroad. The card is free through the NHS website. However, EHIC and GHIC cards do not replace travel insurance so it’s important to have blood cancer travel insurance too.

Air travel and blood cancer

If you are happy to let the airline carrier know of your condition a few weeks beforehand they may allow you to check in early and offer you priority boarding. Perhaps see if you can get access to the airline’s lounge to relax before the flight if you’re travelling long haul. Also, discuss any blood cancer medication you may need to take in your hand luggage. If you need to keep your medication cool explain you’ll have a cool pack, and talk about any security issues that may arise from carrying your medication.

Documents and medication

Always keep your travel insurance documents with you wherever you go. It’ll make life easier should you need emergency medical assistance. Take enough medication for your trip, as well as a few days extra too just in case you have any delays on your return trip. Also, consider keeping a list of any blood cancer medications you are on including their generic and brand name in case you need emergency supplies.

For advice on how to pack your medication and more travel tips to choose a holiday that shouldn’t provoke any symptoms view this informative blog on the Blood Cancer UK website.

Keeping fit and well on holiday.

Try to make sure you eat a good diet and drink plenty of bottled water to avoid any travel bugs. Avoid ice in drinks if it’s made using tap water, and steer well clear of food left out – flies carry all manner of bacteria. Make sure your meals are cooked properly and are hot right through in the case of meat and fish. As tempting as lazing on a sun lounger can seem, try to keep out of the sun, especially during the heat of the day between 11:00 and 15:00 in most European countries. A stroll along the beach while the sun is setting can be just as good for the body as it is for the mind.

Peace of mind

Here at Free Spirit, we are dedicated to offering you not just an excellent standard of service but an insurance cover that will ensure you have immediate peace of mind protection. We are one of the UK’s largest specialist travel insurance providers for people with medical conditions including all types of cancer. We pride ourselves on helping people that have not been able to get cover elsewhere.

Please read the Insurance Policy for the full terms and conditions of this specialist medical travel insurance cover to make sure it’s suitable for your needs.

Travelling soon?

For more travel tips and advice when travelling abroad, refer to the Anthony Nolan website.

Get a quote

  • Testimonials

    I wanted to thank Free Spirit for dealing with my travel insurance quote quickly and efficiently. It’s lovely to deal with someone who phones you ba…
    S. WoodBasingstoke
  • Read Reviews


Making a Claim Policies purchased prior to March 2023

Making a Claim Policies purchased prior to March 2023

To make claiming on your travel insurance policy easier and quicker, you can download and print the relevant claim form using the links below.

We have also included some information to help you complete your claim form and identify the correct documents you will need to send to us.

Once you have fully completed the necessary forms, if applicable, please send them to the relevant address in the corresponding section below.

Please click the type of claim you wish to make against your Free Spirit policy. This will expand to show the information and documents you require.

 

Cancellation

Curtailment, Medical and Other Expenses

Baggage, Personal Money and documents

Delayed Departure, Missed Departure/Missed Connection

Legal Expenses & Advice

Gadget Cover

If your type of claim is not listed above, or if you would like to speak to the Travel Claims Department, please call 02392 419 020. We are open Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm, closed Bank Holidays.

Alternatively, email: claims@pjhayman.com

 

Frequently asked questions about making a claim

Contact Us

If you would like to speak to the Travel Claims Department, please call 023 9241 9020. We are open Monday to Friday 9 am – 5 pm, closed Bank Holidays.

Alternatively, email claims@pjhayman.com

When do I notify you?

The notification must be made within 31 days or as soon as possible thereafter following any bodily injury, illness, incident, event, redundancy, or the discovery of any loss or damage which may give rise to a claim under this policy.

Free Spirit Privacy Policy

Free Spirit Privacy Policy

Free Spirit is arranged by travel insurance specialist, P J Hayman & Company Limited who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services (FS) Register Number: 497103. Registered Office: Stansted House, Rowlands Castle, Hampshire PO9 6DX. Registered in England – No. 2534965.

P J Hayman Privacy notice policy

Definitions
“We”, “us”, “our” means P J Hayman & Company Limited.
“You” means a visitor to our website and/or customer of our product(s).
“Product” means a product that we may sell from time to time on our website.
“Personal or Sensitive information” means the information you provide us when registering, obtaining a quote and/or buying a product.

This Privacy Policy sets out how we process and protect any personal data that we collect from you, or you provide to us, when you use our websites, email us or telephone our customer service centre. We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected and respected. Should we ask you to provide information (by which you can be identified) when using our website, corresponding by email or speaking to us on the telephone you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Please read the following carefully to understand our views and practices regarding your personal data and how we will treat it.

We may change this Privacy Policy from time-to-time by updating this page and, where appropriate, notifying you by
email. You should check this page periodically to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This Privacy Policy is
effective from 01/05/2018

Data Protection & the exchange of information

In accordance with Data Protection legislation, including General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we are advising you that any data requested from you will be stored securely and will only be used in order to manage the contract of business, including insurance requirements, we are arranging for you or have a legitimate interest in handling your data. This information will only be made available to third parties, such as insurers or their claims handling agents, in order to further manage and service your insurance policy.

We will retain your information for a period of time which is necessary to ensure no further liability, such as any insurance claims, exists. This period will normally be 7 years from expiry of the policy but may be extended for certain types of business.

For certain types of business we may require certain sensitive information from you in order to arrange your insurance requirements or service any claims, for example, medical records. By providing this information to us you will have given explicit consent for us to use it for the above purpose, which may involve passing such information to insurers or their claims handling agents.

Information you give us. You may give us information by filling in forms on our website or by corresponding with us by phone, email or otherwise. This includes information you provide when you register to use the customer area of our site, seek a quote, participate in our medical screening process, take out a policy with us, leave a testimonial and/or star rating on our site, enter a competition, participate in a promotion or survey, update or change your policy, submit a claim, cancel your policy and when you report a problem with our site.
The information you give us may include your;

  • Name and date of birth
  • Contact information including postal and email address and phone number
  • Details of your travel plans and arrangements
  • Other information you give us in response to a survey relevant to advertisements and/or offers
  • Information about any medical conditions you may have
  • Payment card details were required to process purchases

If you provide data to us about other people you must provide this notice to them before you pass their data to us. You must obtain their consent if this includes sensitive data such as their health.

You have the right to:

  • See a copy of the personal information we hold about you, free of charge
  • Ask us to delete any of your personal data where there is no legitimate reason for continuing to hold it.
  • To have any inaccurate or misleading data corrected or deleted
  • Restrict the processing of your data

We have to provide you with the information without delay and at the latest within one month of receiving your
request. However, if your request is unfounded or excessive, we are entitled to charge a fee or refuse to act on the
request.

We exchange personal information with other approved organisations for underwriting and fraud prevention purposes and we may provide such information to others where required or permitted by law.

We will use and analyse your personal information for the following purposes:

– managing and administering products and services that are supplied. In the case of insurance products this will
include underwriting reinsurance and claims handling purposes and this may include disclosing it to other
insurers, reinsurers, regulatory authorities or to our agents who provide services on our behalf;
– considering any applications for products you may make and to help in making credit-related decisions about
you where appropriate;
– servicing other relationships you may have with us;
– financial risk assessment, money laundering checks, compliance and regulatory reporting and fraud prevention;
assisting in making decisions on insurance proposals, other products and any claim made by you, members of
your household, and others connected with your insurance proposals and claims;
– helping us to understand and develop new and innovative products and services.

Your personal information will only be disclosed to third parties outside of us if:

– it is necessary for the performance of your agreement with us; or
– you have given your consent; or
– such disclosure is required or permitted by law; or
– we are entitled to transfer rights and/or obligations as provided under the terms of any policy you may
purchase; or
– any such third party provides benefits or services to you under or in connection with our agreement with you; or
– it is a credit reference agency or fraud prevention agency; and any such third party has agreed to keep your
personal information strictly confidential and use it for the purpose for which we provide it to them.

Because of the nature of our products and the destination of your travel, it may be necessary for us to transfer your
personal details to third parties in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Such countries may not have laws to protect your information. By purchasing a policy that includes the possibility of travel outside the EEA, you consent to us so transferring your information.

In future the way in which your personal information is viewed, recorded and used may change. In most cases these
changes will result from enhancements in technology. Where we believe the changes may be to your disadvantage, we will give you at least 30 day notice of them by posting notice of such an amendment on this website. If you continue to use a product or service for a further 30 days after notification, we will consider that you have consented to that change (unless you write to us to inform us otherwise).

If you would like a copy of the information held on you, have any queries or if you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, we will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

Mrs Nicky Blakey
P J Hayman & Company Limited,
Stansted House,
Rowlands Castle,
Hampshire
PO9 6DX

Email: Customerservices@pjhayman.com

If you are unhappy with the manner in which we store or handle your data you may contact the Information
Commissioners Office at any time.

Call recording

We record telephone calls for monitoring and training purposes and to assist us in preventing and detecting fraud. When you call the P J Hayman Customer services lines we collect Calling Line Identification (CLI) information. We use this information to help improve its efficiency and effectiveness.

Representation by other people

At the request of many of our insurance policyholders and to make managing your policy more convenient, it is our policy to deal with a policyholder’s spouse or partner (if named on the policy where applicable) who calls on your behalf. Only in some exceptional circumstances will we deal with someone other than the policyholder or spouse. If you would like someone else to be able to deal with your policy for you on a regular basis we must have your consent to do so. Please note we can only accept credit or debit card payments from the cardholder and we will not reveal any credit or debit card numbers that we hold to anyone other than the cardholder.

Fraud prevention

In order to prevent fraud we may at any time:

– share personal information about you between us and with other insurers or financial institutions;
– check your details with fraud prevention agencies.

If you give us false or inaccurate information and we suspect fraud, we will record this and pass this information to fraud prevention agencies.

We and other organisations may also search and use fraud prevention and credit reference agency records to:

– help make decisions in connection to insurance proposals, insurance claims and other products for you and
members of your household;
– trace debtors, recover debt, prevent fraud and manage your insurance policies.

Personal information for the purpose of marketing

Where you have given consent and opted in, personal information held may be used by us to carry out research and to inform you by letter, telephone, SMS or email of other products we believe may interest you. We may also contact you by e-mail, post, telephone or other electronic media with news items or latest offers that may interest you. We shall only do so if you have provided your consent to such contact. If you are contacted by such means in future we shall on each occasion ensure you will always be given the option to unsubscribe to any further such communication. If you no longer wish to receive such information, please write to our Marketing department at:

P J Hayman & Company Limited,
Stansted House, Rowlands Castle,
Hampshire
PO9 6DX

Social Media Advertising

From time to time we run an advertisement through Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. The advert aims to promote a
number of products we have. We target users using the ‘Core Audience’ options. We have selected certain demographics to determine the audience we want to target. This data is native to the platform used – no third party or imported data has been used.
People who contact us via social media: If you send us a private or direct message via social media the message will be stored by us for 3 months. It will not be shared with any other organisation.

Our Website

Our website, in its entirety, is provided by P J Hayman & Company Limited and is the property of P J Hayman & Company Limited and Socrates Systems Limited. It is protected by the copyright laws of the United Kingdom. All company names, logos and trademarks included in this website are the property of, but not limited to, P J Hayman & Company Limited and Socrates Systems Limited.

Our website must not be used for any reason other than the purposes of purchasing, obtaining a quotation for or
obtaining information about the insurance products and services offered.

Our website and the insurance products and services offered within are intended for use and purchase by residents of the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands or companies and organisations registered in the United Kingdom or the Channel Islands.

All insurance products and services offered on our websites are subject to individual terms and conditions that are
readily available for inspection before a purchase is made. You should refer to the terms and conditions relating to a
product or service before undertaking a purchase. We retain the right to modify these terms and conditions when
necessary so you should review them each time you use our websites.

If we are unable to provide you with a quotation due to a new or existing medical condition(s), or age considerations,
you will be given the option of an alternative product and quotation which may be able to offer you cover. You will then need to make your own choice on how to proceed.

We offer a range of travel insurance products and travel insurance-related services for sale on our websites. You are
entirely responsible for deciding whether or not to purchase any of these products or services. Whilst our websites will often offer advice on travel insurance matters it does not seek to advise you on which particular products and services to purchase. If you are in doubt as to whether a travel insurance product or service offered for purchase on our website is suitable for your needs or specific requirements please contact us prior to making a purchase. Contact details can be found on the contact us page.

We reserve the right to modify the content or format of our websites at any time. We also reserve the right to change
the information on this page if necessary. Please read the contents of this page each time you view our website. We do not guarantee the availability of this site nor does it guarantee that the code which constitutes this website or the
material contained within it will operate either fully or in part on any specific computer equipment or in any specific
software. There are no elements within this website that alter any of the configuration or other settings on any
machinery used to view the site. We accept no liability whatsoever for any damage, either temporary or permanent,
occurring to either electronic equipment or software that might occur whilst using this site as any such damage will be deemed to be coincidental. We advise against any individual attempting to service, repair or reconfigure electronic equipment or computer software unless they are fully qualified to do so.

Intellectual Property Rights

The content of our websites may not be retrieved, displayed, modified, copied, printed, sold, downloaded, hired,
reverse-engineered or transmitted in any way without the prior written consent of P J Hayman & Company Limited.

You may retrieve, display, copy, print or download the content on this site for legitimate personal use only and not for commercial exploitation.

You may not link to our website or include this website in part or in whole within another external web site without first obtaining written permission from us. We reserve the right to remove links to this site without notice at our discretion.

Data transfer

There are no devices or items contained within the code of this site that extract information from your computer, other than information required to make a connection and transfer website content between your computer and the host server. We will from time to time analyse the number and nature of connections made between external sources and the host server specifically for traffic analysis reporting. None of this information will contain any personal or private information relating to you other than the IP address used to make the connection with our host server and the type of browser used to view the website.

When requesting quotes, purchasing insurance products and services, engaging in online contact or registering on our database all items of information requested will be clearly and unambiguously labelled and will be submitted securely to our host server. Where we are legally obliged to provide information to official bodies such as the Police, the Courts or other insurance companies investigating potentially fraudulent claims your details will be passed on, without notice to you.

Use of cookies by P J Hayman

When you visit our website we use cookies and other similar technologies to collect information so that we can improve your experience when you use our services. Please click here for a link to our Cookie Policy which has more information about why and how we use them.

WordPress

We use a third-party service, WordPress, to produce and manage our brochure sites. This is a website, blog and content management system provided by Automattic Inc. Automattic Inc. collects no data or information on visitors to any P J Hayman website.

We may use third-party plugins to add functionality to our Word Press websites. These are securely managed and again collect no data or information on visitors to any P J Hayman website.

Trustpilot

On certain products, when a purchase has been made we will send an invite to the customer requesting a rating and
review via Trustpilot. To do so we need to share with them the following personal data about you:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Policy number

This information is mandatory, which means that it will not be possible to write a verified review on the website without it.

Trustpilot is an open customer review platform. Reviewers will use the Trustpilot website to leave their feedback, where it will then be viewed. We reserve the right to display the rating and review you leave us on our website and other marketing assets and materials so that interested parties can benefit from genuine feedback on our products. By use of the personal data above, visitors can have the confidence that the reviewer has been verified as a true customer.

People can also show that they find the review useful, by “liking” it, or they can choose to share it with others on social media. Trustpilot will also collect information about visitors on their website; therefore customers are advised to read their privacy policy.

If you do not want to receive further review requests you can unsubscribe at any time from all Trustpilot review
invitations by clicking the relevant link on the invitation. If you have already unsubscribed an email address prior to
purchase you will not receive the invitation.

Links to other sites

On our websites, you may be offered links to other sites which we hope will be of interest. However, please be aware
that we have no control over such sites and do not endorse them. You agree that we are not responsible for the
availability or content of, or products and services available on those websites. You are advised to read the privacy
policy of other sites before disclosing any personal information.

Remember the risks whenever you use the internet

Other Internet sites or services that may be accessible through our website will have separate data and privacy practices independent of us, and therefore we disclaim any responsibility or liability for their policies or actions.

Making a claim

making a claim

Making a claim

To make claiming on your travel insurance policy easier and quicker, you can download and print the relevant claim form using the links below. We have also included some information to help you complete your claim form and let you know what documents you will need to send to us.

To navigate to the correct section of the page, please click the policy you have from the list below, then the type of claim you wish to make.

Once you have fully completed the necessary forms, please send them to us. You can find our address at the bottom of the page.

Please click the type of claim you wish to make against your Free Spirit policy. This will navigate you to the section and documents you require.

Cancellation

Curtailment, Medical and Other Expenses

Baggage, Personal Money and Documents

Delayed Departure, Missed Departure or Missed Connection

 

Cancellation

What should I do?

Notify the travel agent/tour operator immediately you need to cancel and obtain a cancellation invoice. If you delay we will only pay for those that you would have had to pay on the date it would have been reasonable for you to cancel.

What documentation do I need to back up my claim?

Please complete and return the form to Travel Claims Department ensuring the following original documentation is included:

  • Schedule of Insurance (if Annual Multi-trip insurance a copy would be sufficient)
  • Medical Screening Confirmation (where applicable)
  • Booking Confirmation
  • Cancellation Invoice
  • Medical Certificate (completed by the usual GP of the person whose condition gives rise to the claim)

To download a Cancellation Claim Form click here.

 

Curtailment, Medical and Other Expenses

What should I do?

  • Emergency Medical

Contact the 24-hour Medical Emergency Assistance provider immediately if you are admitted as an inpatient.

  • Curtailment/cutting short your trip

Contact the 24-hour Medical Emergency Assistance provider to confirm that the reason for cutting short your trip will be covered and that your expected additional expenses are reasonable.

What documentation do I need to back up my claim?

Please complete and return the form to Travel Claims Department ensuring the following original documentation is included:

  • Schedule of Insurance (if Annual Multi-trip insurance a copy would be sufficient)
  • Medical Screening Confirmation (where applicable)
  • Holiday Booking invoice showing the date the holiday/trip was booked to travel, travel dates, destination, the amount paid and purchase of your travel insurance (if applicable)
  • All Medical Receipts and Invoices (French medical accounts should be signed by you in the ‘signature de l’assure’ box before submitting them)
  • A Medical Report from the treating doctor
  • We are unable to accept costs which are not supported by proof of payment.

Ski Pack Claims

  • Written confirmation from the treating doctor that you were unable to use the remaining proportion of your ski pack
  • Original Receipts/Invoices for the Ski Pack items showing how many days they were booked for and the amount paid

For Curtailment Claims

  • The Medical Certificate completed by the usual treating GP of the person causing the claim
  • The Tour Operator’s report into the incident which caused the curtailment (where available)
  • Any flight tickets/boarding passes etc. which confirms the return home journey

To download a Medical and Curltailment form click here.

To download a Medical Certificate click here.

Baggage, Personal Money and Documents

Damage to Baggage/Ski Equipment during your trip

Retain the items in case we wish to see them (note: You may not abandon any property to us). You will need to obtain an estimate for repair or a letter confirming that the damage is irreparable.

Delay of Baggage / Ski Equipment in transit

Retain your tickets/luggage tags and report the matter to the carrier and obtain a Property Irregularity Report form or its equivalent. If your personal baggage is delayed for more than 8 hours on your outward journey and you need to buy or hire essential items, ensure that you keep all receipts.

Loss of Baggage / Ski Equipment, Personal Money and Travel Documents during your trip

Notify the police as soon as possible (within 24 hours of discovery or as soon as possible after that) and obtain a written report and reference number from them. Also, report the loss to your tour operator’s representative or hotel/accommodation manager and if possible obtain a written report. You will be expected to provide proof of purchase/ownership and/or receipts or pre-loss valuations.

What documentation do I need to back up my claim?

Please complete and return the form to Travel Claims Department with the original documentation to support your claim including:

For all claims

  • Schedule of Insurance (if Annual Multi-trip insurance a copy would be sufficient)
  • Booking Confirmation
  • The original receipts/proof of pre-loss purchase for the items you are claiming for, in the event you are claiming for delayed luggage please forward all the original receipts for the emergency purchases (we are unable to return the receipts for the emergency purchases)

Claims for damaged items

  • Written confirmation from a trade’s person to confirm the cost to repair the item or to confirm the item is beyond economical repair

Claims where an airline/carrier is involved

  • Incident report to confirm loss/damage or delay has been reported to the carrier (as required) in the event the incident involves an airline this document is a Property Irregularity Report or PIR (we are unable to return this document)
  • Baggage delivery report/proof of delivery which will confirm the length of the delay to your baggage (we are unable to return this document)
  • Baggage tags and tickets

If your baggage has been irretrievably lost by the airline please forward

  • Written confirmation from the Airline to confirm the baggage has been irretrievably lost
  • Written confirmation from the Airline to confirm the amount of compensation due to you from them as a result of the loss of your baggage

If you have suffered a theft or lost items during your trip please forward

  • The original police report to confirm you have reported the loss (as required)
  • The local tour operator’s representatives report into the incident (where available)
  • Proof of the pre-loss drawings/currency exchange for the money you are claiming for

To download a Baggage, Personal Money and Documents Claim Form click here.

 

Delayed Departure, Missed Departure/Missed Connection

What should I do?

You need to obtain a letter from the airline, railway company or shipping line (or their handling agents) which shows the scheduled departure time, actual departure time and the reason for the delay. If You are delayed getting to Your Departure Point, You must provide proof of the delay (e.g. a Police or motoring organisation report) and provide receipts for necessary expenses incurred.

What documentation do I need to back up my claim?

Please complete and return the form to Travel Claims Department with the original documentation to support your claim including:

  • Schedule of Insurance (if Annual Multi-trip insurance a copy would be sufficient)
  • Booking Confirmation
  • A written report from the appropriate authorities confirming the disruption to your pre-planned travel arrangements
  • Letter from the Airline/Carrier confirming the duration of the delay and the reason for the delay
  • In the event of your Planned Travel Arrangements being disrupted please forward the Original Receipts/Proof of Payment for the incurred additional travel expenses (only)

Click here to download a Travel Delay/Disruption Claim Form

Send the original completed form & original supporting documentation to:

Travel Claims Department
P J Hayman & Company Ltd
Stansted House
Rowlands Castle
Hampshire
PO9 6DX

If your type of claim is not listed above, or if you would like to speak to the Travel Claims Department, please call 02392 419 020.

Alternatively, email claims@pjhayman.com

 

  • Testimonials

    I wanted to thank Free Spirit for dealing with my travel insurance quote quickly and efficiently. It’s lovely to deal with someone who phones you ba…
    S. WoodBasingstoke
  • Read Reviews


Subscription added successfully!
Error: Subscription could not be added.

Stay in touch

Our newsletter gives you the freedom to travel with confidence. Tips, hints and guides – along with the occasional special offer – straight into your inbox. Sign up today!