The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) publishes travel advice for countries around the world. This advice can affect your travel insurance in two important ways: whether you can claim if you cancel, and whether you’re covered at all if you travel.
Types of FCDO advice
The FCDO may advise against all travel, or all but essential travel, to a country or region, or give warnings about specific risks. The most serious are “advise against all travel” and “advise against all but essential travel”. Check the FCDO website for the latest advice on your destination.
If FCDO advice changes after you buy
Many policies cover cancellation if the FCDO advises against travel to your destination after you bought the policy and booked your trip. The exact wording varies, so check whether it applies to the whole country or only specific areas, and what level of advice triggers cover. See cancellation cover.
If FCDO advice was already in place when you bought
If the advice against travel was already in place when you bought your policy, a claim is likely to be excluded because the risk was known. Insurers may also decline to cover travel to those places at all.
If you travel against FCDO advice
Many policies don’t cover trips to places the FCDO advises against, or exclude claims arising from them. That may include medical costs. Check the policy wording on travelling against government advice. Some specialist insurers cover higher-risk destinations, but they’re rare and costly.
What to do
- Check the FCDO advice before you book and again before you travel.
- Read the policy wording about government advice and cancellation.
- If advice changes, tell your insurer and your travel provider promptly.
- Keep records of the advice, such as screenshots with dates.
- Ask your airline or tour operator about refunds. See flight cancellations.
Related risks
FCDO advice often relates to other risks, such as unrest, terrorism or extreme weather. See natural disasters and extreme weather and common exclusions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cancel if the FCDO advises against travel?
Often yes, if the advice came after you bought your policy and booked, but check the wording and what level of advice applies.
Am I covered if I travel against FCDO advice?
Many policies exclude claims from travelling against FCDO advice, so check before you go.
What if the advice was already in place when I bought?
Claims are likely to be excluded as the risk was known. Check the policy terms.
Does FCDO advice apply to part of a country?
It can. Check whether the advice covers a region or the whole country, and what your policy says.
Related travel insurance guides
- Travel Insurance Cancellation Cover: What Reasons Are Accepted?
- What Is Curtailment Cover on Travel Insurance?
- Does Travel Insurance Cover Natural Disasters and Extreme Weather?
- What Does Travel Insurance Cover? A Plain-English UK Guide
- How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost in the UK in 2026?
This article is general information, not financial or insurance advice. Always read the policy documents before you buy.
