Insurance & Travel Warnings: What's Covered & What's Not

Sometimes a travel warning advising you not to go to a certain location may be issued by a government body.

Your policy is not designed to cover you for needless risks or expected or known events, which includes travelling to or in areas where your government expects something to happen that may impact your health, safety or travels.

What’s covered

If the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has issued a travel warning ‘against all travel’ or ‘against all but essential travel’ to a country or specific region before you buy your policy or book your trip, we can’t insure you to travel there or to stay there. Travellers with the Explorer Plan may have cover if such a directive is issued after you purchased your policy before departure (cancellation cover) or while you’re away (curtailment cover).

Travel Insurance Tip: Some exclusions will apply for epidemics, pandemics, and World Health Organization (WHO) declarations of a public health emergency of international concern. Please be sure to read the Policy Wording carefully as these are outlined in specific sections. Make sure you keep up to date on the travel warnings and health advice. Information from the FCDO is available at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, and get the latest from WHO by visiting who.int.

Please note:warnings may be issued or changed at any time. Please make sure you check your travel status before you buy a policy and invest in any travel arrangements.

Travel advice for UK residents can be obtained from the FCDO:

Website: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice  or

Phone: (+44) (0)20 7008 1500 for further information on the status of a region or country.

What’s not covered

There is no cover for any expenses incurred due to:

  • Any consequence whether direct or indirect of war, invasion, act of foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), discharge, explosion or use of a weapon of mass destruction, whether or not employing nuclear fission or fusion or chemical, biological, radioactive or similar agents by any party at any time for any reason, civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, blockade, military or usurped power;
  • Any consequence whether direct or indirect of a terrorist activity;
  • Failure to follow a travel warning issued by the FCDO advising against ‘all travel’ or ‘all but essential travel’ to a specific region or country and you not taking any reasonable steps to avoid or minimise any potential claim or expenses under your policy.  

For UK residents:

UK FCDO advising against all travel or all but essential travel

Policy conditions

Directive issued before you buy a policy or before you booked your trip

No cover for any loss or claim arising because you choose to travel to or remain at a destination for which this travel advice is already issued

Directive issued after you purchased the policy or booked the trip and incurred expenses (whichever is the later) and before departure from the UK

Cancellation cover applicable – Explorer Plan only 

Please note: some exclusions, including for epidemics and pandemics, apply to this part of the Explorer Plan.

Directive issued after you purchased the policy and after you have left the UK to commence your trip (whichever is the later)

Curtailment cover applicable – Explorer Plan only

Please note: some exclusions, including for epidemics and pandemics, apply to this part of the Explorer Plan.


The policy isn’t designed to cover everything, so take the time to read the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions in the Policy Wording for full details so that there are no surprises if you need to use it. If you’re not sure if something is covered get in touch.


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We’re here to help if you have a question about travel insurance.

  • Monday to Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm (UTC/UTC+1) (For policies purchase on or after 1 November 2018)
  • Monday to Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm (GMT/BST) (For policies purchased before 1 November 2018)

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Phone

For policies purchased on or after 1 November 2018:


0800 260 5081


+353 21 237 8000

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For policies purchased before 1 November 2018:


0330 660 0738


+44 (0) 330 660 0738