For many South African travellers, the Middle East is not just a destination but also a major global transit hub. Cities like Dubai and Doha serve as key stopovers for flights between South Africa and Europe, Asia, and North America.
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According to The South African, with the ongoing conflict in parts of the Middle East disrupting flights and forcing airport closures in key hubs, travellers are suddenly asking a question many people rarely think about until something goes wrong: what exactly does travel insurance cover when war breaks out?
South Africa’s major insurers have been quick to clarify. The answer, in most cases, is not what travellers expect.
Why war is almost always excluded
Travel insurance is designed to protect against personal mishaps during a trip. Think lost luggage, sudden illness, or a medical emergency far from home.
War is a very different type of risk.
Insurers explain that large-scale armed conflict is considered a systemic event. In simple terms, it affects entire regions and millions of people at once, making it impossible to predict the scale of disruption or financial losses.
Because of this, most travel insurance policies exclude claims linked to war or war-like events. This includes situations such as invasion, civil war, rebellion, or military action.
In practical terms, that means travellers usually cannot claim for cancelled trips, missed flights, delays, or other travel disruptions caused directly or indirectly by war.
What Santam says about war-related claims
Santam Travel Insurance has clarified that while war-related disruptions are excluded, there is still a limited level of protection for travellers caught in dangerous situations.
If someone is injured as an innocent bystander in a war situation, emergency medical treatment and related expenses may still be covered. The condition is that the traveller was not participating in the conflict in any way.
However, cancellations or travel interruptions caused by war remain outside the scope of cover.
Santam explains that war is simply too unpredictable for insurers to calculate risk in a traditional insurance model.
Some policies may include cover for terrorism-related incidents, but these are typically isolated events rather than prolonged armed conflict.
Hollard: Travel insurance protects individuals, not global crises
Hollard Travel Insurance shares a similar position.
The insurer describes travel insurance as protection against unexpected personal events, not global disruptions. Illness, injury, and accidents are the types of risks policies are designed to handle.
The current situation in the Middle East is categorised as an armed conflict rather than a single terror incident. As a result, any cancellations, travel delays, or losses connected to the conflict are excluded.
Travellers affected by suspended flights are encouraged to contact their airlines directly to arrange refunds or rebooking options.
However, travellers already in affected areas may still receive emergency medical cover according to their policy terms.
Hollard also confirmed that customers who cancel a trip due to the conflict can cancel their travel insurance policy and receive a full refund of the premium, provided they have not made any claims.
Bryte offers short-term cover extensions
Bryte Insurance has taken a similar approach.
The company also excludes losses caused by war or war-like events, meaning cancellations or postponements linked to the conflict will not be paid out.
However, travellers who were already abroad when the conflict escalated received an automatic extension of cover for seven days from 28 February. During this period, emergency medical assistance remains available.
For travellers who have not yet departed, Bryte advises speaking with airlines or travel providers to explore available alternatives.
What travellers should do now
For South Africans with upcoming international trips, the situation highlights an important lesson that seasoned travellers often repeat: always read the fine print of your policy before departure.
Insurance can help in many situations, especially medical emergencies overseas, which can be extremely costly. But it cannot eliminate every travel risk, particularly those tied to global events.
With the Middle East remaining one of the busiest transit corridors for South African travellers, airlines and airports are likely to remain under close watch.
For now, insurers say the best course of action is simple: monitor official travel advisories, stay in contact with airlines, and keep a close eye on route changes or flight suspensions.
Travel insurance can provide peace of mind in many situations. When it comes to war, however, it offers only limited protection.
Source: The South African
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