The protests in Egypt have entered their seventh day today, with rioters ignoring curfews imposed by officials to try and restore stability.

The message from the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) is clear: they have advised against all but essential travel to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Suez. They also recommend that all British nationals currently in Cairo, Alexandria or Suez without a pressing need to be there to leave by commercial means where it is safe to do so.

Rioting and civil unrest in the country you’re travelling to can wreak havoc with your travel plans. And the validity of your travel insurance can get a little complicated. Here’s the information you need to help make sure you don’t get caught out.

1. Keep updated with travel advice from the FCO.

This is extremely important. If you travel to a dangerous area against the advice of the FCO then you will not be compensated if you make a travel insurance claim. In effect, your entire policy will be invalidated unless you can provide proof that your reason for travel was essential. If you have already booked your holiday before the FCO advises against travel, you will not be able to claim under your travel insurance and instead will need to speak directly to your travel agent or tour operator.

Get the latest Egyptian travel advice from the FCO now.

2. Check with your tour operator or airline.

It’s important to stay in touch with your tour operator or airline too. If they cancel all flights to your destination they are obliged to compensate you. But if travel is still operating, and the FCO have not advised against it, you should be aware that if you take the decision not to travel then World First, as well as most other insurers, will not compensate you for the loss of your holiday costs. This would be considered “disinclination to travel”, which is excluded under policy terms.

3. If the FCO aren’t advising against it, your travel insurance is still valid.

If trouble develops while you are on holiday and your destination becomes somewhere the FCO are advising against travelling to, your travel insurance policy will still be valid. But, if this should happen, you should remain vigilant. Follow all official security advice such as curfews and recommended travel routes. Failure to do so could invalidate your policy.

The main message is to keep in touch with the FCO and your tour operator for the latest travel developments. Stay savvy and you’ll ensure that you won’t be left out of pocket, whatever happens.

Finally, remember to keep an eye on Travel Rants for the latest topical travel advice.

Related posts:

1. Foreign Office issues insurance warning over shark attacks in Egypt
2. Violent protests break out in Greece. Where do you stand with your travel insurance?
3. UK snow disrupts thousands of travellers. Where do you stand with travel insurance?
4. Where you stand if the UK Border Agency walkout affects your travel plans
5. FCO update advice for travel to Kenya following another deadly attack. Where do travellers stand?

This entry was posted on Monday, January 31st, 2011 at 11:45 am and is filed under Travel, Travel insurance, Travel Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.