How does FCO Travel Advice affect travel insurance cover?

To help ensure the safety of British National abroad, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) publishes continually updated travel advice for every country in the world. You should check the latest travel advice before you travel, every time you travel.

When you are planning a trip abroad, here's one thing to keep in mind:

‘Just because you can buy a flight to a particular destination, doesn't mean that it's safe to go there'

Travelling to a country or specific area of a country against Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice is likely to make your travel insurance void, whoever you buy your travel insurance from.

This may sound harsh, but it is fair. Travel insurance is designed to provide protection against unexpected and unforeseen risks, travelling to a country or area that the FCO has advised against going to because it is dangerous, is a very different risk from taking a holiday in a country that is considered generally safe.

British Airways announced this week that they will be resuming flights to Tripoli, the Libyan capital from 1st May. Flights were suspended almost a year ago amid rising tensions in the North African country. From 1st May there will be three flights a week from London Heathrow to Tripoli.

This is quite an extreme example, as I'm sure that not many of you are planning a trip to Libya for your summer holiday this year, but it does illustrate the point well. It will be easy to book a flight direct from Heathrow to Libya, but the FCO are currently advising against all but essential travel to some areas of the country, and against all travel to other areas. If you chose to travel to Libya against this advice, a standard travel insurance policy would not provide cover.

Recent events in Kenya and the revolution in Egypt last year highlight the need to check travel advice before you travel, wherever you're going. Both these countries are popular with UK tourists and although the FCO didn't advise against all travel, they did and do advise against travel to specific regions, so if you are travelling to these countries you should be aware of which areas should be avoided.

In addition to advising against travel to countries or areas that are deemed dangerous the FCO advice by country also includes information on customs and laws as well as any planned strikes or industrial action which could affect your travel plans - so it's well worth a look before you travel.

Digg    Reddit    Facebook    Tweet This