British holidaymakers planning to travel this summer are being advised to review their travel insurance and know their rights, following multiple wildfires in parts of Europe that have destroyed property, disrupted transport, and caused mass evacuations.
Wildfires Across Europe
High temperatures, dry conditions, and strong winds have caused major wildfires across Europe, including in the Landes region of southwest France, High Fens-Eifel Nature Park in Belgium, and Germany's Eifel region.
The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued wildfire warnings for several destinations and urges travellers to stay alert throughout the summer.
"There is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October. Ensure that your mobile phone is registered to receive emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near your location. Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly," the FCDO warns.
What to Do If Your Holiday Is Disrupted
The advice has prompted questions from travellers over what happens if wildfires or other extreme weather disrupt holiday plans.
Anna-Marie Duthie, a travel insurance expert at Defaqto, says that if your flight or holiday is cancelled because of wildfires, you should contact your travel provider and check with your insurance company to see what is covered.
"If your airline cancels your flight due to wildfires, they should offer you the chance to rebook, or provide a full refund. If your holiday was booked as a package, this refund should cover all elements, flights, accommodation and transfers. But if you've booked everything separately, you'll need to deal with each provider independently."
Future of Travel Insurance
Looking ahead, Duthie says climate change will likely bring new challenges for travel insurance. Major policy changes are not expected soon, but she warned that some destinations could become harder to insure and premiums could rise.
"Whilst it’s difficult to know exactly how travel insurance may change over the next decade, longer term there is a chance that we may end up seeing less insurable destinations and increased premiums. What we do know, however, is that travel insurers are used to having to adapt to an ever-changing world."
She explained that policies may already refer to severe or extreme weather, but wildfire-related claims depend on the insurer’s definitions and level of cover.
"Current clauses may refer to 'severe' or 'extreme' weather, but the definitions for these can vary, and currently no providers go as far as to specify criteria such as maximum temperatures. Where the heat causes events such as the current wildfires, this is a separate consideration and would be classed as a catastrophe or natural disaster. Cover for this will all depend on your insurer's definitions and extent of benefits."
Travellers whose holidays are affected by changes to government advice may also have cover depending on their policy.
"If government advice changes, advising against travel to the area after you have booked your trip, then you may be covered for cancellation or curtailment. You may also be covered for additional travel and accommodation costs should your trip be disrupted due to a catastrophic event, if your insurer offers this cover or you've paid to include it."
Safety Tips and Insurance Coverage
Holidaymakers heading to wildfire-risk destinations are being advised to check their insurance terms before travelling and ensure they understand what support is available if extreme weather disrupts their plans.
If you are travelling near an area affected by wildfires, your immediate priority is to call 112 for any emergency and strictly follow all instructions from local emergency services and civil protection authorities. Avoid travelling into or through the affected area, and monitor media reports and updates from local emergency services on wildfires.
British citizens should follow all FCDO advice, and if evacuated, carry only the essentials: water, documents, medication, and a phone.
Whether your UK travel insurance covers you depends on when you bought the policy, the exact wording of your contract, and official UK government advice. According to insurer Go Compare, wildfire protection varies by policy. Some standard policies offer no cover at all, while more comprehensive ones may provide limited protection.
If your travel insurance offers protection against wildfires, it will fall under the policy’s ‘catastrophe cover’. Catastrophe cover, or natural disasters cover, protects you against costs or damages caused by, or related to, an unforeseen natural disaster like a wildfire, flood or earthquake.
According to Defaqto, only 50% of single-trip and 52% of annual travel insurance policies offer catastrophe cover. Some insurers might offer it as an optional add-on, while others require you to upgrade to one of their more comprehensive (and more expensive) policies. The most important thing is to check your policy before you travel to see exactly what you are covered for.
