Battleface to provide travel cover to six African countries

The UK insurtech battleface Insurance Services has announced it is providing cover to six African countries that are currently on the UK’s red list.

The company is offering reassurance to travellers that all battleface travel insurance products will continue to be valid and cover them if they need to travel to any of the six Southern African countries currently considered Covid hotspots. Battleface is a full-stack global travel insurance company enabling customers and partners to easily select custom-built products and services that perfectly fit their needs. 

Travel insurance to red list countries

Katie Crowe, Director of Communications at battleface explained, “There will still be travellers, who for family or other reasons still need to travel to the Southern African region. battleface travel insurance still provides valid travel insurance to protect them. Our products protect travellers regardless of traffic light colour and FCDO advisories and are available and accessible for all. In addition, travellers currently in the region can purchase a policy on the move.”  

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, battleface has continued to provide relevant travel insurance policies to people who both need to and want to travel and as the travel landscape continues to be complex, we will continue to offer travel insurance that fit travellers’ needs.”  

The new Botswana variant is, according to reports, far more virulent and vaccine immune. It has emerged in 56 cases across several African nations and has resulted in the UK halting flights from Botswana and other nations to the UK. 

Speaking to press, Penny Moore, a virologist at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, whose lab is investigating the new variant, “We’re flying at warp speed. At this stage it’s too early to tell anything." 

As well as adding six countries to the UK’s red list, the UK government has announced that flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Eswatini will be banned until noon on Sunday so that there is time to reinstate the quarantine system.   

The FCDO has also advised against all but essential travel to these countries based on concerns around a new COVID-19 variant.