Compare Travel Insurance Quotes
Compare from our range of over 100 policies
If you’re planning to travel abroad, it’s important to check the government Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice on travel to your destination and any countries you may transit through on your journey there or coming back to the UK.
The FCDO sometimes issues advice against “all but essential travel” or “all travel” to certain countries or parts of countries because of the threats posed by coups d’etat, civil unrest, disease, natural disasters and terrorism.
Where such advice is in place, the majority of travel insurance policies cease to operate and you would not be covered if you travelled against formal FCDO advice.
However, a number of niche operators will provide varying levels of cover in some circumstances if you travel against the advice issued by the UK government. These include Avanti Travel Insurance, battleface, Cedar Tree, CoverForYou, Outbacker, Staysure and Voyager Insurance.
Other insurers may cover out-of-pocket expenses if you decide to cancel your holiday due to changes in FCDO advice. The change in advice must occur within a set number of days before your booked departure.
Each insurer sets out the scope of cover provided in its policy literature. For example, if the FCDO advice is against all but essential travel but only for a specific reason, such as an epidemic, then claims arising due to that reason might not be paid if the trip was made for non-essential purposes.
However, if the advice was against all but essential travel and the purpose of the trip was deemed essential, then cover might be provided in all situations.
If the advice was against all travel, then no cover whatsoever might be available.
The FCDO says essential travel includes travelling for work, weddings, education, charity work and to provide care. More information can be found at gov.uk.
Remember, it’s best to check your individual policy for any limitations and restrictions. Here is an outline of what the main providers offer:
Insurance for change in FCDO advice
Avanti Travel Insurance – Essentials Cover
battleface – Travel insurance
Cedar Tree – Silver
Churchill – Single Trip
CoverForYou – Silver
Direct Line – Single Trip
Outbacker – Silver
Staysure – Basic Cover
Voyager Insurance – Standard Single Trip High Risk Voyager
*Data based on a single trip for 7 days for a single person (December 2021)
Red list advice
The government’s red list of countries to which UK citizens should not travel because of Covid-19 risks currently has 10 countries on it following the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. At its peak earlier this year it contained over 60 countries.
The red list and the FCDO list have different criteria and are not managed in the same way, although there will be times, such as the present, when they align.
An example of them diverging came earlier this year, when the Maldives was removed from the red list but remained on the FCDO list for a brief period. And when the red list was reduced to zero countries in October, there were still a number of countries on the FCDO list.
What will my travel insurance cover?
Your travel insurance policy will cover your medical bills and repatriation costs as standard should you fall ill or have an accident while away and need to return to the UK early. You will also have cover for lost, stolen or damaged luggage and possessions.
It will also cover the costs incurred if your holiday is cancelled due to an emergency, such as if you or another member of your party fall ill with the coronavirus, you suffer a bereavement, or you lose your passport shortly before departure.
Your policy should also have liability cover in case you are deemed at fault for injury, death or damage while on your trip.
Policies will otherwise differ on what they cover as standard. For example, Avanti offers valuables cover and pet care cover, while High Risk Voyager offers cover ranging from emergency dental care to the cost of pre-booked excursions.
It’s important to check the details of your policy carefully for limitations and exclusions before purchasing.
How can I get insurance for travel to a red list country?
The easiest way to get travel insurance for a red list country is to use an online travel insurance comparison tool such as ours.
Enter a few details, including the country to which you are travelling, to find policies that will cover your trip. You can compare policies based on a range of factors, including price and levels of cover, before purchasing.
Compare Travel Insurance Quotes
Compare from our range of over 100 policies
