What to do if your passport is stolen
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Having your passport stolen really sucks. Thankfully World Nomads’ policies may help cover your extra costs while you arrange an emergency replacement passport. Here’s how...
1. Report the incident ASAP
Report the incident to the relevant authorities and get a report from them. This may include:
- The local police
- Your nearest embassy, diplomatic or consular mission for your country of citizenship
- For visas and passports from other countries – contact the relevant embassy
- Any other relevant authorities, such as the airline, hotel or tour operator
Travel Insurance tip: for certain countries, it is an offence not to report the loss or theft or your passport as soon as you learn of the loss. It may also affect your travel insurance cover if you don't report it as soon as reasonably possible. Contact our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team if you need help with this.
2. Arrange a replacement or emergency passport
Carefully check the process to apply for an emergency or replacement passport with the British/Irish embassy. You may need to attend an appointment at your nearest British embassy, High Commission or consulate after you’ve applied online on the FCDO website. You must provide us with copies of all documentation provided by the foreign government agency and the UK government. You will also need a written police report when your passport has been stolen.
If you need to travel to a different location to apply in person or collect your emergency passport, you should arrange to do this.
Travel Insurance tip: emergency passports do not permanently replace your passport. They can be issued quickly with limited validity so you can return back to the UK or continue with your trip.
3. Rearrange or cancel any affected travel arrangements
Once you’ve confirmed that any travel arrangements are going to be affected, contact any accommodation, tour, transport and other providers to rearrange or cancel any arrangements you may have. Make sure you get confirmation from them in writing of the changes or cancellation, and details of any refunds or extra fees paid.
4. Keep your receipts
If you think you'll need to claim, make sure you keep the official reports you were given and all original receipts as evidence to support your claim including your itineraries, booking and cancellation confirmations for any affected transport, accommodation and additional expenses.
5.Need to know more?
This information may help you when things go wrong and you want to make a claim. All travel insurance plans are different and cover will vary, depending on what's happened, your country of residence, the plan you choose and any options or upgrades you buy. Your policy will always have the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions that apply.
If you have questions about what's covered and not covered, just ask us.
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Protect your trip from unexpected cancellation.
- Explorer Plan: £5,000
- Standard Plan: £3,000
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalised?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Abroad Medical Expenses
Take the pain out of medical costs while traveling abroad.
- Explorer Plan: £10 million
- Standard Plan: £5 million
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Need meds quick?
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Transport
Expenses included in Emergency Medical limits.
Evacuation and Repatriation
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medivac home?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Cover your lost, stolen or damaged gear and tech.
- Explorer Plan: £2,000
- Standard Plan: £1,000
Protect your gear
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Medical Expenses
- Baggage & Personal Belongings
- Cancellation
- Trip Curtailment
- Personal Accident
- Loss of Passport or travel documents
- Personal Liability
- Legal Expenses
You can still purchase a World Nomads policy if you have a Pre-Existing Medical Condition (PEMC) – whether it is serious or not – but we won’t cover any claim/s made by any traveller under the policy as a result of this condition (this includes if you’re on separate or joint policies). This exclusion can’t be removed from the policy.
The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) has a travel insurance directory on its Money Advice Service website, or you can contact the service on 0800 138 7777. This service provides details on what may be considered a PEMC, and travel insurance providers that may cover serious PEMCs, which may assist travellers wanting cover for these conditions.
24/7 emergency assistance
If you need medical assistance or emergency medical evacuation our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?
For policies purchased on or after 1 September 2021:
+44 (0) 2030931750 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
For policies purchased before 1 September 2021:
Phone: +353 21 237 8005 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
Phone: +61 2 8263 0470 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
Wherever you are, whatever has happened, our multi-lingual assistance teams are here to help you and your family.
Emergency Assistance, World Nomads
Travel insurance. Simple & flexible.
Travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families. Nobody wants to think about all the things that could go wrong on their trip, but these things can and do happen. So be prepared and get your travel insurance today.