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If your passport is lost or stolen it can be expensive to replace - find out what your travel insurance will and won't offer compensation for.
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Losing your passport abroad can be expensive and stressful, but your travel insurance is there to help.
Most policies offer cover for the cost of getting an emergency travel document (ETD) you can use in place of a passport to get home. Every policy is different though, so it's best to see what's included before taking it out.
Applying for an emergency travel document costs £100, while replacing an adult passport when you get home costs from £82.50 online and £93 by post.[1]
When applying for an ETD, you’ll need to go to the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate to collect it when it’s ready – you may need to make an appointment. It could be a long drive, train trip or even a flight away. So, you’ll have to pay for transportation to get there, plus for new passport photos and any replacement visas you might need.
An ETD allows you to travel home through a maximum of five countries. The countries you’re travelling from and to, plus dates, are printed on the emergency travel document.
According to Defaqto, 98% of 1,046 annual travel insurance policies include cover for loss of passports, and 79% of polices have cover of £250 or more[1]
Typically, you’ll be covered for the costs you incur to get an ETD, up to the maximum amount stated in your policy.
Costs you can typically claim for include expenses like extra travel, communication and administration costs. And even new flights and accommodation if you have to lengthen your stay. Plus, the cost of the temporary ETD itself.
Some providers have 24-hour helplines which can advise you on how to get your ETD and complete the replacement passport forms.
Not all travel insurance providers cover the cost of replacing your passport when you return to the UK. Those that do might pay a proportion of the cost, depending on the amount of time that was left on your passport when it was stolen, lost or destroyed.
For claims to be paid, you’ll have needed to have kept your passport safe. You won’t be covered if your passport gets stolen when left unattended. Unless it’s in a safe, safety deposit box or in locked accommodation.
You may not be covered if you leave your passport in a locked, parked car, though there might be an exception if the passport was well hidden.
Some, but not all providers waive the excess claim fee in a lost or stolen passport claim - read your policy documents to check.
If your passport is lost or stolen when you’re abroad, you’ll need to:
If your flight tickets have also been lost or stolen with your passport, call the airline or your holiday provider to see if they can reissue your tickets. They might do this for free or you may have to pay an admin charge.
And if your wallet and money have been stolen, report it to the police. You’ll need to demonstrate that you did this if you want to make a claim on your travel insurance.
Typically, you’ll need:
No. Although the term is commonly used to refer to an ETD, there’s no such thing as an ‘emergency passport’.
An ETD is not a substitute for an actual passport - it’s only valid to get you to a specified destination. UK border staff usually keep your ETD so it can’t be used again.
If you lose your passport while you’re in the UK, you can apply for a passport urgently, as long as you have a valid reason why you need to get your passport faster than normal.
You can’t apply for a passport urgently if you’re outside the UK.
If your passport has been badly damaged on holiday and details on it are indecipherable, then you won’t be able to use it. Your travel insurance should help cover the costs of getting an ETD.
If you lose your passport or it’s stolen, report the loss or theft online.
You’ll need to apply for a replacement passport. But if your trip is less than a month away, you’ll have to use a fast-track service. You can find out how to get a passport urgently here.
You’ll need to attend an appointment at your nearest passport office. There are passport customer service centres at Belfast, Birmingham, Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport and Peterborough.
Your travel insurance provider may help with some of the costs of getting a replacement passport. Things like transport, accommodation, and any administration expenses.
Some providers will pay towards cancellation costs, or alternative travel, if you were unable to get a replacement passport in time for your scheduled travel. Check your policy documents and always keep receipts.
Here are some top tips:
You must check your passport validity well in advance of travelling and renew it as soon as possible, if you need to.
On the day you travel, your passport will need to:
If you don’t renew your passport to meet these criteria, you won’t be allowed to travel to European Union countries, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
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[1]Last checked 11 May 2023