Travel insurance may still provide cover for trips to France, but what is covered depends on your policy, the cause of the disruption, when events occurred and the relevant Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice.
What this article helps you do
This article explains what disruption caused by protests, strikes or civil unrest in France could mean if you are buying a new policy or already have InsureandGo Travel Insurance.
Applies to
- InsureandGo Budget, Silver, Gold and Black policies
- Customers travelling or planning to travel to France
- Cover remains subject to your policy terms, conditions and exclusions
What you need to know about the disruption in France
- Check the latest FCDO advice for the part of France you are travelling to.
- Budget, Silver, Gold and Black policies include cancellation, curtailment (cutting your trip short) and travel-delay cover, subject to policy conditions and exclusions.
- General exclusions include civil unrest, which the policy defines to include organised protests and riots.
- Travel-delay cover includes certain circumstances involving strikes or industrial action, provided the policy conditions are met and the disruption was not reasonably expected to affect your trip when you purchased your policy.
- If the FCDO advises against all travel or all but essential travel, restrictions on cover may apply.
- Changes to FCDO advice caused by civil unrest are excluded from the specific cancellation and curtailment cover provided for certain changes in travel advice.
I’m looking to buy travel insurance for France. Can I get cover?
You may be able to purchase an InsureandGo policy for a trip to France, subject to the applicable eligibility requirements and policy terms.
However, taking out a new policy does not mean disruption connected with protests or civil unrest will be covered. Civil unrest is included within our general policy exclusions.
If strikes or industrial action are already expected to affect your journey when you purchase your policy, this may also affect whether the travel-delay conditions are met.
Before purchasing your policy, check the latest FCDO advice for your destination and review the relevant policy exclusions.
What about delays?
Budget, Silver, Gold and Black policies include travel-delay cover, subject to the relevant terms, conditions and exclusions.
Travel-delay cover applies to qualifying delays at your final international departure point to or from your home country. The policy lists specific causes, including strikes or industrial action, adverse weather and mechanical breakdown or technical faults.
For strikes or industrial action, there must have been no reasonable expectation when you purchased your policy that your trip would be affected. You must also meet the applicable conditions, including obtaining written confirmation of the reason for and duration of the delay from your transport provider.
The general exclusion for civil unrest continues to apply. Do not assume that delays caused by protests, civil unrest or disruption to local transport within France will be covered simply because your journey has been affected.
I already have a policy. What am I covered for?
Your cover depends on your policy terms, the cause of the disruption and when the relevant events or changes in FCDO advice occurred.
Budget, Silver, Gold and Black policies include cancellation and curtailment cover, subject to the relevant conditions and exclusions. However, this does not mean cancellation or cutting your trip short because of protests or civil unrest is automatically covered.
If the FCDO changes its advice to recommend against all travel or all but essential travel after you have purchased your policy or booked your trip, whichever is later, cancellation or curtailment cover may apply in specified circumstances.
However, this provision does not apply where the change in advice is caused by a medical epidemic or pandemic, or anything included in the general exclusions, including war, terrorism and civil unrest.
We do not cover cancellation simply because you no longer wish to travel. Any potential cover must meet the relevant policy conditions and exclusions.
Can I change my travel dates?
If you want to move your trip, contact us to discuss amending your policy before making changes.
You should check that your revised travel dates are reflected in your policy documents and that your cover remains appropriate for your trip.
Changing your travel dates does not automatically mean any additional costs or disruption-related losses will be covered.
Still need help?
Speak to an adviser
Eligibility, policy terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Please refer to your policy wording and policy schedule for full details.
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