People who make a non-essential trip to a country that the Department of Foreign Affairs advises against visiting will not be covered for any Covid-related medical costs.

This is despite travel insurance policies being improved in the last year with some now offering some cover for costs incurred for catching Covid-19.

The situation has not been helped by the confusion caused by mixed messages on travel from the Government and health experts.

Chief medical officer Tony Holohan has strongly advised those not fully vaccinated to stay at home.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said it is all right for them to travel. He did, however, stress that they will need a digital cert and they will need to get a PCR test before they return to the country.

However, the main yardstick being used by travel insurers to determine if they will cover Covid-related costs continues to be the Department of Foreign Affairs’ advice on which countries people should not make a non-essential trip to, experts said.

Travel insurers continue to insist that they will not cover any Covid-related medical expenses where people make a non-essential trip to a country that the Department of Foreign Affairs advises against visiting.

The department is not advising against travel to countries such as France and Spain. However, it says Irish people who are travelling to these countries should exercise a “high degree of caution”.

But travel is advised against for countries such as Turkey and the US.

This is despite the fact it is now possible to get a policy to cover other travel insurance expenses, such as an accident, if someone travels against Government advice, from the likes of Blue Insurance, whose brand is Multitrip.com.

Jason Whelan of Mutlitrip.com explained: “ If you travel to a country like France or Spain you will have full cover, including Covid medical.

“It you travel to a country like the USA you will have full cover, excluding Covid medical.”

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