Wildfires have been savaging parts of Spain and France as locals and tourists were forced to evacuate. Massive forest fires have forced the evacuation of 200,000 people in south-western France as well as central Spain. 141,000 people in the Gironde and Landes departments of France were forced to evacuate. Meanwhile, in Bordeaux, authorities ordered the evacuation of another 55,000 people on the outskirts of the city.
In Spain, a total of 60,000 people were evacuated due to the blazes, the Spanish Interior Ministry said. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said: “My thoughts are with everyone affected by the wildfires in Europe. I am in touch with my French and Spanish counterparts about the situation. British nationals should follow the advice of local authorities in the area, alongside FCDO travel advice.”
A travel expert has warned British tourists who plan to travel to or near affected areas to check their travel insurance to make sure they have the right kind of coverage.
Rhys Jones, travel insurance expert at Go.Compare said: “Wildfires can move quickly and cause serious disruption, so if you’re due to travel to an affected destination, the first thing to do is check the latest Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice for that country and your specific resort or region.”
He explained that your travel insurance provider might be able to help you, depending on what policy you have. “Some include cover for natural disasters under ‘catastrophe cover’, but this is not always included as standard and not every insurer will define wildfires in the same way,” the expert said.
“Look at whether your policy covers cancellation, travel disruption, alternative accommodation, emergency medical treatment and repatriation, and contact the insurer directly if anything is unclear.”
He added: “Don’t wait until you are in the middle of an emergency to understand your cover.
“Check your policy wording before you go, know your insurer’s emergency contact details, and make sure your documents are easy to access online and offline.”
He also urged Brits to speak with their travel provider or insurer before cancelling a trip to make sure they will actually be able to get a refund. “If you cancel simply because you no longer want to go, rather than because official advice has changed or the holiday provider has cancelled, you could lose the money you’ve paid and may not be able to claim it back,” he warned.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
