Travel News » July 2013 » The latest Egypt Travel Advice and your travel insurance
The latest Egypt Travel Advice and your travel insurance
03/07/2013
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is advising against all but essential travel to Egypt, apart from the resorts on the red sea as detailed on their website.
The FCO advice has been strengthened as a result of rising tensions between the Egyptian army and President Morsi.
Egypt travel advice and your travel insurance
It is important to get the latest FCO advice before you travel to Egypt; you can view the Egypt travel advice page on their website for the latest information or find them on Facebook and twitter.
If the FCO advises against travel to the area in Egypt where you plan to visit, your travel insurance will not provide cover if you travel against their advice.
If your tour operator is unable to operate your holiday to Egypt due to FCO advice they have a duty to offer an alternative holiday (at a later date or different destination) or provide a refund.
If you do have to rearrange your holiday you can transfer your Insurewithease.com travel insurance policy to your new holiday. There won't be an administration charge, although there could be an additional premium if your new trip is for a longer duration or to a more expensive destination.
If you are already in Egypt and the civil unrest has broken out during your trip, you will be covered as normal under the medical and personal accident sections of your policy, so long as you follow the latest FCO advice for British nationals already in Egypt. If you are travelling to one of the popular Red Sea resorts, as the FCO website, your travel insurance will be unaffected as the FCO is not currently advising against travel to these areas.
The current crisis in Egypt is very unpredictable and things can change very quickly. You should keep up to date with the latest travel advice from the FCO and follow any instructions given to you by the local authorities or your tour operator.
The FCO advice currently states (03/07/2013):
In view of the continued unrest in Egypt, the FCO recommends against all but essential travel to Egypt except for resorts on the Red Sea in South Sinai and those resorts on the Egyptian mainland in Red Sea governorate.
In the governorate of South Sinai the FCO advise against all but essential travel, with the exception of (i) the Red Sea Resorts including those in the entire region of Sharm el Sheikh, Taba, Nuweiba and Dahab; (ii) the St Catherine's Monastery World Heritage Site; (iii) road travel between the Red Sea resorts; (iv) road travel from the Red Sea resorts to St Catherine's Monastery approaching from the east; and (v) transfers between the resorts and the airports of Taba and Sharm el Sheikh.
We are not advising against the use of Cairo airport as a transit stop providing you do not leave the airport grounds.
British nationals already in Egypt:
Although we are not recommending immediate departure at the moment, British Nationals already in Egypt in areas where we advise against all but essential travel should consider whether they have a pressing need to remain. While in Egypt they should stay at or close to home or a place of safety (e.g. their hotel), keep a low profile and pay close attention to their personal safety, particularly in the larger cities. They should take particular care to avoid crowds. The situation is changeable and they should continue to watch our travel advice closely.
Check the latest FCO Egypt Travel Advice