The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the US government have both now advised all travellers not to travel to Mexico unless the trip is essential. The UK Department of Health has advised against non-essential travel to Mexico.
Most insurance polices will not cover trips against FCO advice – on any section of the policy. Even if not a specific policy condition, every traveller has to act as prudently and carefully as they would if uninsured. So if you recklessly ignore advice or put yourself deliberately at risk-then insurers are normally entitled to decline any claim.
The World Health Organisation has considered available data on confirmed outbreaks of A/H1N1 swine influenza in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada. The WHO has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 3 to phase 4. The change to a higher phase of pandemic alert indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased, but not that a pandemic is inevitable. Given the widespread presence of the virus, the WHO considers that containment of the outbreak is not feasible. The WHO has not yet recommended countries to close borders or to restrict international travel.
Although concentrated in Mexico City, the number of cases in other parts of the country is growing and 149 deaths have been confirmed. The Mexican government has extended the existing order closing nurseries, schools and universities in the metropolitan area to the whole country.
If you must travel to Mexico, check with your insurer first. Do not rely on the telephone- there will be no record of your conversation and the company can deny any conversation. Get any advice in writing signed by a named person at management level.
