Who and what is covered

The University of York business travel insurance policy covers staff and students (aged 85 and under) undertaking authorised overseas trips of up to 12 months duration for University business purposes. UK travel which includes an overnight stay is covered and does not need to be registered on the Travel Log.

Travellers with pre-existing medical conditions are covered, however, they must confirm with their doctor/medical practitioner that they are not travelling against medical advice. The cover includes emergency medical treatment for their pre-existing condition and not for routine treatment or prescriptions, so travellers must ensure they have sufficient supplies of routine medication.

Cover for returning to your country of domicile is included, however, this will not include medical expenses or repatriation cover if you have not resided in the UK for the last 12 months or more.

The University of York's business travel insurance is provided by Aviva. Staff and students are advised to:

Staff travel

This includes trips that are deemed the business of the University and are undertaken by a member of staff who have been authorised by the department. The main purpose of the trip must be for business. However, a period of holiday not exceeding four days may be taken at the start or end of the business trip.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate travel

This includes trips that have a direct relationship with a University of York student's studies. Overseas study and work placements are covered for the full period of the placement, including any institution or workplace vacation time.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Travel Advice

The University does not permit travel to any country where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel.  Travel, employers and public liability cover will not be in force for anyone travelling to countries where Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel.

Where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advise against all but essential travel, then travel, employers and public liability cover can be requested upon referral to insurance-enquiries@york.ac.uk.

Additionally, the following countries require written referral to insurers for further consideration before cover can be confirmed.

  • Afghanistan
  • Belarus
  • Cuba
  • Ethiopia
  • Haiti
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Israel
  • Libya
  • Mali
  • Myanmar
  • Nigeria
  • North Korea
  • Occupied Palestinian Territories (Gaza and West Bank)
  • Russia
  • Somalia
  • Syria
  • Ukraine
  • Venezuela
  • Yemen

Please contact insurance-enquiries@york.ac.uk if a trip to any of these countries is planned at least 4 weeks prior to departure. 

Hazardous activities

Some hazardous activities are excluded from the cover, unless they are a core part of your work or course.

Please note that recreational diving is not included under the business travel cover. Business travel cover is not provided for trips that include diving as part of work, research or study unless authorised by the Director of Health & Safety Services Department.

The following hazardous activities are excluded from the cover, unless they are a core part of your work or course:

  • American football
  • Assault courses
  • Battle re-enactment
  • Bobsleighing
  • Breathing observation bubble diving
  • Bungee jumps
  • Canyoning
  • Cascading
  • Coasteering
  • Flying (piloting private or small aircraft or a helicopter)
  • Gliding
  • Gorge swinging
  • Gorge walking
  • Hang-gliding
  • High diving
  • Horse jumping
  • Hydrospeeding
  • Ice hockey
  • Jet boating
  • Jet skiing
  • Kite surfing (over land)
  • Lugeing
  • Manual labour (at ground level, no machinery)
  • Martial arts (training only)
  • Microlighting
  • Motorcycling (over 125cc - not racing)
  • Mountain biking
  • Mountain boarding
  • Ostrich riding or racing
  • Parachuting
  • Paragliding
  • Parapenting
  • Parasailing
  • Parascending (over land, snow or water)
  • Quad biking
  • Rock climbing
  • Rock scrambling
  • Rugby
  • Sand yachting
  • Scuba diving
  • Sea canoeing
  • Sea kayaking
  • Shark diving
  • Skiing
  • Sky diving
  • Snowmobiling
  • Tall-ship crewing
  • Via ferrata
  • White or black water rafting
  • Yachting (racing or crewing) outside territorial waters
  • Zorbing