Most travel insurance commonly excludes war and military action, and cover can shrink or disappear as Smartraveller's advice level rises, so read your policy's exclusions and buy early, before trouble reaches the news.
As at 8 October 2026, Smartraveller had 12 Middle East countries at Level 3 or Level 4. At those two levels, its own guidance says your travel insurance may not cover you, or might be void. That is our count: six countries at Level 3 and six at Level 4 on Smartraveller's Middle East conflict page.
The short answer, then: war itself is a common exclusion, and the higher the advice level, the less you can count on your policy. Whether a particular trip is covered depends on your policy's wording and on when you bought it. Nobody can answer that for you without reading your Product Disclosure Statement.
The Middle East page puts it bluntly for Level 4 destinations: if you go anyway, "Travel insurance may not cover you." It also tells every traveller to check their policy for "flight delays, cancellations and changes to travel advice levels."
Does travel insurance cover war?
| Cause of cancellation | What policies commonly do |
|---|---|
| Military action (war, civil war, rebellion, insurrection) | Commonly excluded |
| Terrorism | Most insurers cover medical expenses, very few cover cancellation expenses |
| Pandemic or epidemic | Commonly excluded |
| Travel provider insolvency | Commonly excluded |
| Cover varies between policies. Check your PDS. | |
Usually not as a reason to cancel. The CHOICE buying guide published on Smartraveller says "Actions such as war, civil war, rebellion or insurrection are commonly excluded."
Terrorism is treated differently. "Most insurers cover medical expenses but very few cover cancellation expenses." So you might be treated for an injury but still lose the cost of the trip you could not take. Pandemics and travel provider insolvency are commonly excluded too.
Each of these sits in the exclusions section of your PDS. Smartraveller says the PDS sets out inclusions, exclusions, word definitions and the claims process, and that you should read it before you buy. The definitions matter. "War" and "military action" mean what your policy says they mean.
What does each Smartraveller level mean for my insurance?
Source: Smartraveller
Smartraveller rates destinations on four levels: Level 1 "Exercise normal safety precautions", Level 2 "Exercise a high degree of caution", Level 3 "Reconsider your need to travel" and Level 4 "Do not travel". The insurance warning gets sharper at each step.
- Level 2: "Check your travel insurance policy. Particularly if there is a travel disruption or a change in travel advice."
- Level 3: "It may not cover level 3 locations." Smartraveller adds that you should check that your insurer will cover you.
- Level 4: "Your travel insurance policy might be void." It also warns that most standard policies won't cover Level 4 destinations, that medical help or evacuation could be costly, and that the Australian Government won't pay those costs.
Level 4 has a harder edge still. Smartraveller says "It's unlikely your travel insurance will cover you if you die in a level 4 location", which would leave your family to arrange the funeral and the return of your remains. At that level its ability to provide consular assistance may be limited as well.
As at 8 October 2026, the Middle East page listed Qatar and the UAE at Level 2. Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia were at Level 3, and Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Yemen were at Level 4. Treat that list as a snapshot. On 12 October, the Saudi Arabia page was updated again. It kept "reconsider your need to travel" overall, but now says "do not travel to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh due to recent security incidents that have disrupted airport operations." One airport in a Level 3 country now carries "do not travel" advice. Check the live page before you pay and again before you leave.
Why does buying early matter? The known event trap
Source: Smartraveller
The cover you buy is only for the unexpected. Buying a policy before you leave Australia does not cover an event that was already public when you bought it, because "unforeseen" means not publicised in the media or official government websites at the time of purchase.
The guide's worked example is a volcano, not a conflict, but the rule is the same. A traveller bought a Bali flight and insurance after Smartraveller issued a volcano alert and the story was in the news. The flight was later cancelled, and the claim was declined.
Source: Smartraveller
The lesson is timing. "The earlier you buy travel insurance, the more likely you are to be covered if something unexpected happens at your destination before your trip." In the ICA and DFAT 2022 survey the guide cites, 62% of insured overseas travellers bought on or before the day of booking. What matters is the date on your policy: the guide says an event "publicised in the media or official government websites when you bought the policy" is not unforeseen.
What if the advice level changes after I book?
"Travel warnings can work in your favour."
This is where early cover can help. The guide says "Travel warnings can work in your favour." Even when an insurer excludes a known event, it may still cover you to change your plans in response to updated Smartraveller advice. Cover varies between policies, so look for the wording.
Smartraveller's insurance page tells you to check whether a policy covers cancellations "if the advice level goes up after you've booked." Find that clause before you pay, not after the level moves.
Refunds from airlines and booking sites follow a separate logic. Whether you get one usually depends on whether you or the provider made the change. If you cancel yourself, it may be treated as "change of mind". Before you cancel anything, ask your airline or agent what they will do if they cancel instead.
Can a conflict disrupt a trip that isn't to the Middle East?
Source: Smartraveller
Yes. Smartraveller warns your plans can be affected "even if your destination is not in the Middle East." Airspace can close with little to no warning, and airlines may cancel or limit flights because of fuel shortages. Level 2 does not rule this out either: the UAE page warns that UAE airspace may open or close at short notice, affecting flights at Abu Dhabi and Dubai International Airports.
Stopovers count. Smartraveller's Level 3 advice applies "including transit", and if you travel or transit through a place at risk of armed conflict, you may be unable to leave if the security situation gets worse. When you buy a policy, choose one that covers every country on the ticket: "Include stopovers and transit points."
Source: Smartraveller
Read the delay clause closely too. Transport delay cover usually starts after about six hours, sometimes 12. Its limits are typically lower than other limits and often capped per 24 hours. Insurers also often exclude rescheduling caused by the transport provider.
Going to a Level 3 or Level 4 place anyway?
Some people have to go, for family or for work. For travel to or through a "Do not travel" or "Reconsider your need to travel" destination, the guide suggests you look for a provider that specialises in high-risk or war-zone travel insurance and check its policies carefully. For Level 4, Smartraveller is blunt: "Most standard policies won't cover level 4 destinations."
Smartraveller's insurance page also lists being in a 'Do not travel' destination among the situations where you usually won't be covered. If you choose to go, Smartraveller's own words are to "ensure you understand the risks."
What should I check before I book or pay?
Credit card travel insurance is not automatic: Smartraveller says you usually have to activate it, and "Don't assume it's activated." It also often covers fewer situations, with lower item limits than a comprehensive policy.
Declare everything when you buy. Smartraveller warns that if you don't, you may void it. Then work through the list above, and recheck the live advice before each payment.
Source: Smartraveller
Your next step with Travel Times
Before you pay a deposit on a trip that flies through or near the Middle East, do three things. Check the live Smartraveller page. Read the war, military action and terrorism exclusions in your PDS. Buy your cover early, before any trouble on your route is in the news. Travel Times is a travel magazine, so we cannot tell you whether a particular policy covers your trip: put that question to your insurer before you pay. For anything else about this guide, use our contact page. If you are still choosing where to go, our destination guides are a good place to start.
Sources
- https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/news-and-updates/travel-and-security-impacts-conflict-middle-east
- https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/advice-explained
- https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/before-you-go/the-basics/travel-insurance
- https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/choice-travel-insurance-buying-guide/what-are-you-covered-for
- https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/middle-east/saudi-arabia
- https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/middle-east/united-arab-emirates