Fiji travel advisory: no more insurance dramas
DFAT has updated its advisory and it's good news for Australians planning on visiting Fiji.
Just days after Fiji was crippled by Cyclone Winston, which swept through the Pacific Islands, the Australian Government has updated its warning for Australians planning on braving travel to the region.
The DFAT run Smartraveller website lowered its advisory for Fiji, which was previously "reconsider your need to travel" to "exercise normal safety precautions".
The previous "reconsider your need for travel" designation was issued after Tropical Cyclone Winston caused significant and widespread damage across Fiji. The cyclone has caused considerable damage to the country's infrastructure. The Fijian Government issued a 30 day national sate of disaster.
DFAT has warned would-be travellers to check that local resorts are fully operational before making any travel arrangements.
"Reconsider your need to travel" is the second highest-warning designation that DFAT issues, which meant that travellers wanting to visit the area would have been hard pressed to find cover from most travel insurance brands in Australia. The lowering of this rating means that Australians who are looking at getting cover for a trip to Fiji will generally be able to do from 26 February 2016, as most insurer base their cover moratoriums on warnings issued by DFAT.
While most travel insurance brands have issued or are issuing moratoriums on claims related to Cyclone Winston (e.g. no cover for claims related to Cyclone Winston if the policy was purchased after 17 February 2016), the change from reconsider your need to travel to exercise normal safety precautions means that travellers to the region will once again be able to find cover.
Picture: Shutterstock
