If the FCO advise against travel to a particular country or city, for any reason, including civil unrest it will affect your travel insurance cover.

The civil unrest and political demonstrations that have spread across North Africa and the Middle East in recent weeks, highlights the importance of getting the latest travel advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) before you travel.

Although it is unlikely that many people were planning a holiday to Libya, there were certainly many holiday makers affected by the recent travel bans to Tunisia, Bahrain and parts of Egypt. Morocco is another country where tourists should be alert in the coming weeks and months as political demonstrations take place in Tangier and Marrakesh.

If you are travelling with a pre-existing medical condition which affects your mobility, or are a senior traveller, who may be less able to move around quickly, you should be extra vigilant to ensure that you avoid dangerous situations.

The spread of unrest in countries, which were considered safe tourist destinations, reinforces the importance of checking the latest FCO advice before you travel — no matter where you are going.

So, how does civil unrest affect your travel insurance?

If you are already in resort and something happens whilst you are there (and you travelled before FCO advice changed) you will have full personal accident, medical and repatriation cover if you get caught up in anything, so long as you are following FCO advice and not intentionally getting involved in any demonstrations.

If the foreign office has advised against travel, your travel insurance policy will no longer provide cover if you travel against their advice.

There is no cover for cancellation or curtailment under our policies as it is not one of the causes set out in the Cancellation or Curtailment sections. In addition, there is a general exclusion relating to travel to countries where the FCO have advised against travel to.

If, like the case in Egypt last month, there is civil unrest parts of the country, but the FCO still feels it is safe to travel to your chosen resort, your travel insurance is valid as normal.

If you already have a policy, but have had to rearrange your trip due to the FCO advising against travel, you will be able transfer your policy to the new trip, provided that you are not intending to make a claim on this policy. There will be no administration charge for this, although it will be subject to any additional premium due to a change in destination or duration.

Get the latest advice before you travel

Before you travel you should check the FCO website to see if it’s safe to visit your chosen destination. If the FCO has advised against travel, your travel insurance policy will no longer provide cover if you travel against their advice. In this situation you should contact your tour operator for the latest information.

The FCO has lifted its travel ban for Tunisia and the affected parts of Egypt, however it is still advising people to be alert and avoid public gatherings and demonstrations. This advice is also the same for Morocco.

For the latest travel advice, wherever you are travelling, check the FCO website.