The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have amended their advice to say that no travel should take place to Tunisia unless essential.
Read their latest travel advice here.
Currently tour operators are flying customers home, and cancelling further trips to Tunisia. Airlines are also engaged in bringing their customers home.
- Thomson: All flights/holidays cancelled for the rest of the summer season
- First Choice: All flights/holidays cancelled for the rest of the summer season
- Thomas Cook: All flights/holidays cancelled until 31st October 2015
- Easyjet: Additional flights being arranged to bring customers home
- Monarch: Additional flights being arranged to bring customers home
The following applies to policies purchased prior to 6pm on July 9, 2015.
Am I covered if I wish to cancel my forthcoming holiday to Tunisia?
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have advised against travel for security reasons and in this instance your travel insurance policy will not normally offer any compensation as it only provides cancellation cover for specific reasons. In the first instance you should contact your airline and travel provider to cancel and obtain a refund or discuss alternative arrangements.
Where a travel provider will not provide a refund we will consider cancellation claims on a case by case basis.
Am I covered if I am abroad and wish to return home immediately?
The travel insurance policy will only provide curtailment cover for specific reasons and a change in the advice by the FCO is not one of these.
After such a serious incident, the first contact should be made with the airline or travel provider for them to decide whether they can or will arrange for your return to the UK. As the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against travel to the region where you are staying, it is likely that the travel provider will make arrangements for your immediate return. If this is not possible, and you are directly affected by the incident, we will make every effort to assist our customers and advise how best to return home on a case-by-case basis.
Am I covered if my flight has been cancelled when I am due to return home?
This is a situation where you have contracted with an airline or travel provider for a service that they have been unable to fulfil. As such, it is their legal obligation to assist and support you in getting home.
As the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have advised against travel to the region where you are staying, it is likely that the travel provider will make arrangements for your immediate return. If this is not possible, and you are directly affected by the incident, we will make every effort to assist our customers and advise how best to return home on a case-by-case basis.
Am I covered if my flight has been delayed when I am due to return home?
The travel insurance policy will only provide travel delay cover for specific reasons, and delays due to increased security risk is not one of these. Again, this is a situation where you have contracted with an airline or travel provider for a service that they have been unable to fulfil. As such, it is their legal obligation to assist and support you in getting home.
As the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have advised against travel to the region where you are staying, it is likely that the travel provider will make arrangements for your immediate return. If this is not possible, and you are directly affected by the incident, we will make every effort to assist our customers and advise how best to return home on a case-by-case basis.
I have rescheduled my travel arrangements; can I transfer my insurance to my new travel arrangements?
Due to the recent Tunisian attacks and the change in travel advise by the FCO, some travel providers have offered customers the option to change their travel destination and/or dates of travel. Provided that there is no impact in the travel insurance policy premium, an administration cost will not be charged for any amendments. If there is a change that alters the premium due to a change in destination or duration, we will adjust the cost of the policy and either refund any monies due or make a charge for the additional premium. However, there will be no administration charge.
I am stranded abroad and unable to return immediately due to the change in FCO advice, is my cover still in force?
Where customers are stranded abroad, due to helping the authorities, lost documentation, no available flights or other consequent circumstances as a result of the change in advice by the FCO, your travel insurance policy will be extended until you can return home, provided you do so at the earliest possible opportunity.
If you do not return at the first available opportunity provided to you by your travel provider, then ALL cover will cease at the time you were advised to return by the travel provider.
The cost of additional accommodation whilst abroad as a result of this incident is not covered although, where directly affected by the events, we will review each case on its merits.
Am I covered if I am injured in a terrorist incident such as in Tunisia?
Any customer that is injured or killed in a terrorist incident will be covered under the travel insurance policy for medical expenses and personal accident cover, as long as you have not been provided an opportunity to return home by you travel provider.
If you do not return back to the UK at the first available opportunity provided by your travel provider, then ALL cover will cease at the time you were advised to return by the travel provider.
Our 24-hour emergency team will be available for immediate care for you and for arranging all necessary treatment and return to the UK, as well as close liaison with relatives and travelling companions.
My Tour Operator has cancelled my holiday, so can I cancel my insurance and have a refund?
If the policy is a Single Trip policy purchased directly with Columbus, then a full refund will be offered but we cannot offer policy refunds for Annual Multi-Trip policyholders.
I haven’t been able to complete my holiday due to the FCO advice to leave the country – can I claim for loss of holiday?
A travel insurance policy will not provide any cover for loss of services or loss of enjoyment following an incident. However, we would advise contacting your travel provider and asking their advice.
Useful phone numbers:
BRITISH EMBASSY:
Address: Rue du Lac Windermere, Les Berges Du Lac Walkway, Tunis 1053, Tunisia
Phone:+216 71 108 700
FOREIGN OFFICE NUMBERS FOR RELATIVES OF THOSE IN TUNISIA:
Phone number in the UK: 0207 208 1500
Other important notes:
- All claims considered are subject to normal terms and conditions of the policy.
- All other claims which are not directly or indirectly related to the terrorist attacks in Tunisia will be processed as normal, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.
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