Amber list chaos puts families at risk of travelling without insurance cover, industry expert warns
Amber list chaos puts families at risk of travelling without insurance cover as industry expert warns holidaymakers not to be ‘seduced’ by the traffic light system
- Spain will accept British tourists without a negative Covid test from today but their travel insurance is likely to be void if they visit the county, experts warned
- Families may be hit with bills of thousands of pounds if they are ill or have an accident while abroad
- The risk also applies to the United States, Italy and most of Greece, experts said
Holidaymakers visiting amber list countries risk invalidating their travel insurance amid confusion over government advice, experts warned last night.
Spain will accept British tourists without a negative Covid test from today but their travel cover is likely to be void if they visit the country, they said.
It means families could be hit with bills of thousands of pounds if they suffer illness or an accident while abroad. The risk also applies to the United States, Italy and most of Greece.
The validity of policies is governed by travel advice from the Foreign Office and not the ‘traffic light system’ introduced a week ago, said Malcolm Tarling of the Association of British Insurers.
Spain will accept British tourists without a negative Covid test from today but their travel cover is likely to be void if they visit the country, experts said. Pictured: Stock image of Malaga, Spain
And he said the parallel systems had lulled holidaymakers into a false sense of security: ‘If you travel to a country against Foreign Office advice then you are likely to invalidate your travel insurance.
‘There has been some confusion around the perception of the Government’s travel advice. What is important is not whether a country is on the amber list, it’s whether the UK Government advises against all but essential travel. Don’t be seduced by the traffic light system.’
Data shows 1,841 flights have been scheduled from the UK to France, Spain, Italy and Greece in the first two weeks of the traffic light system.
Despite Spain welcoming UK tourists the Foreign Office warns against ‘all but essential travel’ to the country, apart from to the Canaries.
Families could be hit with bills of thousands of pounds if they suffer illness or an accident while abroad. The risk also applies to the United States, Italy and most of Greece. Pictured, Monterosso al Mare, Italy, in 2019
International travel appears to be picking up across Europe, with Airbnb bookings across the continent only four per cent below 2019 levels, according to holiday market monitors AirDNA.
Last week the UK’s traffic light policy descended into farce, with ministers accused of sowing ‘mass confusion’.
On Tuesday, the system’s second day in force, Environment Secretary George Eustice suggested trips to amber countries to see friends and family were acceptable.
But hours later the PM insisted such travel was off limits, and later hardened his stance by saying trips to amber nations should only take place in ‘extreme circumstances’.
Meanwhile, health minister Lord Bethell claimed holidays anywhere abroad were ‘dangerous’, bringing even tourism to green list destinations into doubt.
