Should you cancel your trip to Europe because of terrorism?

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The frightening series of terror attacks in recent months has prompted countless travellers to question their travel plans to Europe.

The events in Nice, Munich, Istanbul, Brussels and Paris along with the military coup in Turkey have left travellers feeling vulnerable and full of fear.

With tensions running high, it's completely reasonable to feel apprehensive about any possible travel plans you may have on the horizon. However, before you put your trip on hold, be sure to research your options and find out if you're covered by your travel insurance policy.

cancel your trip to europe terrorism

To begin with it's important to understand that every travel insurer will handle a terrorist incident differently and will have varying cover exclusions. Although most insurers will exclude benefits like cancellation under terrorism, many will offer medical cover if you are injured in the event of an act of terror.

Terrorism cover & travel warnings

As soon as a terrorist attack occurs the government will issue travel warnings for that region or country.

Restrictions will now apply to those destinations and you would generally not be covered to travel to regions with a level 4 or 5 government warning. Should you choose to travel to a country against government warnings your cover benefits may be rendered void.

Medical expenses & terror attacks

In the event of a terrorist attack or political unrest many insurers will still provide medical and expatriation cover.

1Cover, American Express, Columbus Direct, Cover-More, Fast Cover, Southern Cross Travel Insurance, TID and Virgin Money WILL provide cover for medical expenses, including the cost to get you back home as a result of an injury resulting from a terrorist attack. However, very few insurers cover cancellation fees, travel delays, or lost deposit expenses that arise from a terrorist attack.

Cancellation cover & terrorism

Companies such as Travel Insuranz and Insure4less do give travellers provision to claim for cancellation subject to certain terms and conditions. For instance, you could claim for cancellation in the event that a governmental "do not travel" warning was issued after you had purchased your policy.

There are few experiences more exciting than international travel. Getting out of your comfort zone and exploring the world can be truly life-changing. While travelling in times of uncertainty can be nerve-wracking, it can be helpful to have some perspective. Statistically speaking, the risk of being affected by an act of terrorism abroad are minimal.

While we encourage travellers to keep heading abroad, it's simply smart practice to protect your travel plans against the impact of an attack. Although you may not be able to rely on travel insurance for all terrorism related claims, it is vital to be properly insured.

Your health insurance might not offer you cover for some international destinations. The risk of being exposed to illness or injury is simply not worth taking considering the enormity of overseas medical and hospital expenses.

Insurer Cover Excess Medical Cancellation Luggage Price
Fast Cover Comprehensive $200 unlimited unlimited $7500 $76.40
Virgin Money Comprehensive $250 unlimited unlimited $10,000 $77.29
1Cover Comprehensive $100 unlimited unlimited $15,000 $89.85
Columbus Direct Single trip premier $125 $20,000,000 $15,000 $7500 $90
American Express International comprehensive $250 unlimited unlimited $15,000 $111.42

Comprehensive insurance quotes for a single trip to France for a 25yo single person from August 13-27. Source: Compare Insurance.

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Natalie Ball is a travel and money writer, and director of travel insurance comparison site Comparetravelinsurance.com.au. With 20 years of experience in the financial services and digital tech spaces, she is a financial literacy campaigner passionate about making insurance clear and customer-friendly.