What happens to my travel insurance if the FCDO advice changes?

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) offers useful travel advice for those travelling abroad from the UK. In some circumstances, your travel insurance may still cover you even if the FCDO advises against travel.

Will travel insurance still cover me if the FCDO advise against “all but essential travel”?

The most common reason for this change in recent years has been due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you are travelling to a country where the FCDO advice IS against all or all but essential travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic:

• InsureandGo will provide cover for non-Covid-19 related incidents, including Emergency Medical Costs, Baggage, Passports, Money and Personal Accident claims, as usual during your trip. This is included at no additional cost.
• InsureandGo will not provide emergency medical cover for claims as a direct result of Covid-19.

If the FCDO does NOT advise against all, or all but essential, travel to your destination, our Coronavirus travel insurance policies will provide the following cover for Covid-19: 

If you have had and are up to date with the Covid-19 vaccination(s) recommended by the UK NHS (or were medically unable to have the vaccinations as evidenced by your medical records) you will be covered for

• Cancellation of your trip because you or a member of your family or travelling party are either

– medically diagnosed with Coronavirus within 14-days of your planned departure date, as certified by a medical practitioner or independent authority following completion and physical analysis of a UK Government approved test;

– in quarantine on the date you are due to commence your trip, on the orders of a treating medical practitioner due to Coronavirus, suspected Coronavirus or exposure to someone who has been diagnosed with Coronavirus;

• Returning to your home earlier than planned due to the hospitalisation or death of an immediate relative, as a result of them having contracted Coronavirus.
• Medical treatment for Coronavirus while abroad or having to extend your trip because you have contracted Coronavirus or are quarantined on the orders of the treating medical practitioner due to Coronavirus, suspected Coronavirus or exposure to someone who has been diagnosed with Coronavirus.

Please note that cover for cancellation depends on the cancellation of your trip being both necessary and unavoidable. InsureandGo do not provide any cover for disinclination to travel.

Our Coronavirus travel insurance has been rated Superior by a leading UK consumer champion.

We are unable to offer cover if the reason for the FCDO advising against all but essential travel is something other than Covid-19, such as war or ongoing disasters.

We also cannot consider any claims where:

• You choose not to travel because the FCDO or any other equivalent government body in another country advises against travel due to a pandemic.
• You’re legally entitled to a refund in the form of cash or voucher from your airline and/or travel provider.
• Cancellation is due to restrictions implemented by any government or administration or actions taken by a transport or accommodation provider because of, or measure to control, Coronavirus.
• Claims relating to any fear or threat concerning these viruses which leads to a disinclination to travel.