Q I am due to fly out on holiday in a few weeks. My annual travel insurance normally auto-renews around now, but I think the rules around that have changed. How do I ensure my travel insurance renews in time for my holiday?
A Under new Central Bank rules which came into force on March 24, 2026, consumers will no longer have their policies for travel insurance automatically renewed, unless they have provided their explicit consent for the automatic renewal in advance.
So, if as appears to be the case with you, an annual travel insurance policy expires after March 24, 2026, that policy will not auto-renew unless the policyholder has already given their consent for auto-renewal, says Michael Kavanagh, chief executive of the Compliance Institute.
It is quite likely that your insurer or broker will contact you before your policy is due to expire and outline your renewal options. At that point, your insurer may offer you the choice of renewing your policy manually each year or opting in to automatic renewal going forward.
As you wish to renew your policy, he says that if your insurer or broker hasn’t been in touch, it is important that you engage with them prior to the expiry date, to ensure your policy is renewed on time.