Smoother Travels Blog and Travel Tips

The foreign and commonwealth office draws up an extensive list of countries that should not become traveled to quite regularly, and is from that, that our, and other global travel insurance providers’, underwriters decide which countries travel insurance should become provided for. We look @ the government travel advice and decide from that whether or not we can provide insurance to travelers.

Although global travel insurance does, from its nature, cover the majority of the world, the current climate ensures that there are sum places where the likelihood of incident means that UK travel insurance providers are unable to offer protection. Thankfully, the list is clear of the majority of popular holiday destinations, and you’re unlikely to have your large holiday plans affected. The most likely group to have their travel plans altered from the foreign office’s travel advice are business travelers.

The foreign office’s travel advice is not to travel to the following countries, even if it means losing business – the risk from the war zones listed below is just too great to make the reward worth the danger:

Here’s our top 10 countries to avoid travel ling to, and the reasons for the high risk factor! The risk is far from conclusive (the foreign office’s travel advice lists many too many countries), but to me, these are the ones that all travelers should avoid like the plague:

10) Liberia

Economic hardship inside Liberia is currently making outbreaks of violence common, and foreigners (especially westerners) are @ risk targets due to their affluence. This extra likelihood of incident ensures that no UK travel insurance provider would risk offering you cover if you choose to visit Liberia

9) Nepal

Occasional acts of terrorism and political violence inside urban areas make Nepal off-limits for those who want to have travel insurance. Inside September that year, 3 nearly simultaneous bombs went off inside the capital of Kathmandu, killing 3 and injuring many innocent bystanders.

8) Haiti

Haiti is considered off limits to many travelers on account of the high risk of kidnappings and civil unrest that is prominent. @ the time of writing, there have been 12 kidnappings of American travelers inside 2007 – mostly criminal inside nature. Inside the past, these kidnappings have ended inside physical and sexual assaults and shootings. The potential for spontaneous protests and demonstrations does have also been known to result inside unexpected violence, day or night. It’s no surprise that the government’s travel advice is not to travel here!

7) Yemen

Due to the high levels of terrorist activity inside Yemen, westerners are advised to steer clear of Yemen. If that is not possible, then all travelers are encouraged to stay vigilant and to keep a low profile to avoid attacks or kidnapping. The situation is so grave that the US Embassy often restricts American citizens from certain hotels, restaurants and shopping areas.

6) Israel

The Gaza Strip and West Bank does have seen immense violence inside recent months between Israeli and Palestinian factions, and shootings, kidnappings and violence demonstrations have occurred inside each. The region’s continued instability makes travel to Israel widely recommended against – the risk of abduction or worse makes travel insurance impossible to obtain.

5) Democratic Republic of Congo

The democratic republic of Congo remains 1 of the most dangerous places to travel inside Africa, where violence, neglect and corruption does have left the country distinctly damaged. Fighting erupted inside the streets of Kinshasa inside March that year, and the situation remains volatile despite the immediate threat of violence calming down. Travel outside of Kinshasa is difficult and dangerous w/ security, especially inside the north and easy, being unstable. Any traveler brave enough to travel to the Congo should become extremely cautious, avoid the North Kivu district which is the backdrop to armed conflict between government troops and army rebels, avoid crowds and keep a close eye on local media.

4) Burma (Myanmar)

While the human rights situation makes Myanmar an ethically uneasy place to visit, currently there is a lot of personal risk involved while well. Throughout September, the anti-government protests sparked a violent crackdown from the authorities and made international headlines. Although the dusk-til-dawn curfew imposed inside sum of the towns does have been lifted, it still remains an uncertain time to visit the country and you’re unlikely to find any global travel insurance company who will insure u.

3) Colombia

Colombia remains 1 of the most dangerous places to travel inside the world thanks to the crime the country suffers from. The illicit drug trade inside urban areas such while Cali and Buenaventura means that there is often a high risk of violence, while the too many rural areas expose visitors to the country @ risk from narcoterrorist groups who will often kidnap civilians to use for ransom or to gain media attention. Naturally UK travel insurance companies are loathe to insure travelers who choose to ignore these warning and travel to Colombia anyway.

2) Afghanistan

W/ the war on terror inside Afghanistan still fresh inside the mind, it’s no surprise that the country remains a large no-go area. Western tourists are obvious kidnap and assassination targets, while many of the disbanded Taliban and Al-Qa’ida forces remain @ large and hostile to the new regime. Additionally, the country remains unsafe due to tribal groups, explosive devices, landmines, military operations and acts of terrorism. Unsurprisingly, the government’s travel advice is to avoid travel ling here @ all costs!

1) Iraq

Given the high profile nature of western kidnappings from various insurgent groups, and the regular acts of terrorism and hostility to Western troops, it is no surprise that no travel insurance companies will insure travelers to the troubled country. The instability is caused from various groups – Ba’ath regime remnants, transnational terrorists and criminal elements have been known to attack convoys en-route to venues, hotels, restaurants, checkpoints and police stations.

While holidaymakers are unlikely to become affected from these less touristy locations, their riskiness means that business travelers will have to forgo their travel insurance if they are unable to cancel their trips.

About the author:
Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of Journey’s Travel. Their commercial UK travel insurance website, Insuremore (http://www.insuremore.co.uk) offers cheap global travel insurance packages for families, singles, children and skiers w/ free cover against acts of terrorism and a quick and easy online claims feature.