Due to the recency of the situation, the following information is the only information we’re able to provide about the situation in the Middle East. We’ll be adding to this page further as more information becomes available.
Please note that this information is valid for policies purchased on, or after the 15th May 2025, if you purchased prior to this, different rules apply, and you should contact us for clarification.
On Saturday 28 February 2026, multiple countries in the Middle East (UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain) experienced attacks after a US–Israel military operation against Iran.
FCDO and DFA now advise against all but essential travel in certain areas.
Some countries have closed airspace, causing flight cancellations, diversions, and travel disruption.
2nd March 2026 at 11:45
What you should do first
If you are currently stuck abroad in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and United Arab Emirates you should register your presence to receive direct updates from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
· tell the UK government you’re in Bahrain
· tell the UK government you’re in Israel
· tell the UK government you’re in Kuwait
· tell the UK government you’re in Palestine
· tell the UK government you’re in Qatar
· tell the UK government you’re in the United Arab Emirates
You should also read their guidance on being affected by a crisis abroad.
You should follow all advice from local authorities.
Emergency medical expenses (Automatic Cover Extension)
The cover under your policy will automatically extend at no cost to you, so long as you take the first available flight offered to you, either by your airline, or by the UK government, to get you home.
If you are unable to contact your airline
As airspace in the above countries is currently closed your airline will be unable to offer you alternative flights at this time. Once airspace is open your airline will start offering you options for return flights.
Costs while you wait
If you were already checked in to fly home, or in transit through an airport in the affected countries, your airline should provide you with food, drink, access to communications and accommodation.
If you are mid stay, you’ll need extend your stay at your current hotel. In several countries such as United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi), the government has already confirmed that they will be covering the costs of these extensions if a guest cannot afford to cover the extended stay.
If you are returning early then the following applies
Package trips You should speak to your tour operator. You are protected under ‘The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018,’ and ‘The European Package Travel Directive’, and your package provider will arrange alterative accommodation, new flights etc.
Non-package trips You may also be able to claim under the section ‘Cutting short your trip’ once you return to the UK.
If you were due to transit through a closed airport
In the event that your flight is disrupted, rerouted, or cancelled due to conflict in the region, your airline has an obligation to provide alternative routing, along with food, drink, access to communications and accommodation.
If you were planning to travel to the countries listed above, the following applies
Package trips You should speak to your tour operator. You are protected under ‘The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018,’ and ‘The European Package Travel Directive’, you are entitled to a full refund.
Non-package trips As long as the FCDO Travel advice continues to advise against all, or all essential travel in the 21 days prior to your trip, you’ll be covered for unrecoverable cancelation costs, subject to the terms and conditions of your policy. You should contact your travel providers for a refund prior to making a claim.
If you are planning to travel to popular destinations near to the affected countries, for example Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Saudi Arabia or Oman please be aware that cover under your policy relies on the FCDO Travel Advice for your destination country.
If you’d like to continue your trip
Your policy covers you to travel to any part of any country in your chosen area of cover, except where the FCDO advises against all, or all but essential travel.
If there is no advice against travelling to your destination, you’ll have full cover, without notifying us, subject to the terms and conditions of your policy.
If you’d like to cancel your trip
So long as the FCDO Travel advice was not already advising against travel to your destination when you purchased your policy, or booked your trip then the following applies:
If the FCDO Travel advice changes and in the 21 days prior to your trip, is advising against all, or all but essential travel to your destination. You’ll be covered for unrecoverable cancelation costs, subject to the terms and conditions of your policy.
If the FCDO Travel advice does not change and travel is allowed, you’ll have no cover under our policies if you choose to cancel your trip, or pay to change to a different destination. Our policies do not cover disinclination to travel.
Please note that if you are worried that you may need to cancel your trip and are due to pay an instalment payment, you should make the payment as normal. If you fail to make payment of an instalment when the advice hadn’t yet changed, this would count as disinclination to travel, which is not covered.
If you’ve changed your trip, then so long as you havn’t had any changes in health and are not intending to make a claim under your policy, you can update your dates online using our customer zone as follows:
If you are delaying your trip by up to 60 days, to the same area of cover and for the same duration
You can make the change free of charge.
If you are delaying your trip by more than 60 days, are changing the area of cover, or are increasing the duration
Additional costs may apply to make the change.
If you are no longer travelling
You can cancel your policy at any time, your refund amount will depend on the amount of time you’ve spent on cover. Click here to see more.
Please note, if you need to claim under your policy for cancellation costs related to changing your trip, you won’t be able to reuse your policy for your new trip, as you’re making a claim. To make a claim click here.
