Travelling to Thailand? Your travel insurance may be voided

Thailand is a popular holiday destination for many Aussies but the recent political unrest could leave thousands of travel insurance policies void, as some insurers refuse to cover anyone travelling to the country.

The Federal Government’s SmartTraveller website warns travellers to carefully consider their safety and exercise a high degree of caution in Thailand due to the civil unrest and the threat of terrorist attack. “You should pay close attention to your personal security at all times and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.”

Generally, all travel insurance policies exclude cover for claims as a result of martial law. InsureandGo, one of Australia’s biggest insurers is refusing to cover anyone travelling to Thailand and CoverMore and Medibank Private will exclude claims arising from the result of war, according to smh.com.au.

The news broke earlier this week on 20 May that the Army chief had declared martial law across Thailand and on the 22 May the military took control of the administration of the country. A curfew has been put in place across Thailand from 10pm until 5am, this includes all travellers in the area.

However, this does not apply to those flying in and out of Thailand. SmartTraveller advises Australians in Thailand to keep their passports and tickets with them when travelling to and from the airport.

If you're planning to travel to Thailand in the coming weeks, Mozo recommends before taking out any travel insurance policies to read the fine print and check to make sure you'll be adequately covered. To find further advisory warnings about visiting Thailand visit smartraveller.gov.au.