Not many people will have been aware that, up until the end of
February, Madagascar was the only country in the world, apart from
Somalia, that the Foreign Office were advising Britions not to travel
to, giving it a higher risk factor than Afghanistan, Iraq and the
Democratic Republic of Congo. Although Madagascar is not on most
tourist routes, the recent political turmoil on the Island does show
that, whilst most holiday destinations are generally strife free, it
still pays to check out where you are going before you travel.
The best place to do this is by checking with the Foreign Office
which has up to date advice on all countries and to log on to
www.fco.gov.uk/travel is a wise precaution, particularly if you plan to
travel to parts of the world off the beaten track. Should you become
caught up in what is neatly termed, civil commotion or civil unrest,
you need to be aware that most travel insurance
providers include this as a general exclusion in their policies. The
impact of this is that you may not be as well insured as you think you
are. If in doubt, do check with your travel insurance
company before you travel and look at your policy wording. Generally,
medical expenses and medical repatriation will be included but if you
want to be covered for all eventualities then you will have to pay an
increased premium on your travel insurance
policy. Thankfully the chances of being caught up in these types of
incidents are still very slight, and even when they do strike, they
tend to be away from the main tourist destinations. So if you do plan
to travel abroad, do look at your itinerary and check with your tour
operator beforehand who may be able to offer alternative destinations
away from the troubled areas. For the independent traveller, be wise
and avoid those areas where a heightened tension exists.
