Check holiday insurance before visiting danger zones

As airlines prepare to re-launch flights to Iraq and Afghanistan, holidaymakers tempted to book trips to the former war zones are being urged to check they would be covered by their travel insurance.

The Foreign Office is still warning Britons to avoid all but essential travel to much of Iraq including the capital Baghdad, and it continues to urge tourists to avoid much of Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul.

As the threat of terrorist activity in both countries remains high, visitors may find that their travel insurance may not cover them if they are caught up in a terrorist attack. They should check that they can obtain adequate travel insurance before booking a trip and read the small print for exclusions.

British carrier Bmi has said it is trying to re-establish flights between London and Baghdad, though for the time being the UK government will not allow British airlines to fly in and out of Iraq.

Afghan carrier Ariana says it hopes to resume flights between London and Kabul next spring. It is currently banned from operating to the UK after failing spot safety checks, but it is planning to buy 2 new aircraft next month, which will be flown by crew trained in Europe.

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