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Generally, political and civil uprisings are not covered by standard travel insurance.

For travelers going to Egypt, this news may be to late. But, for the millions of other travelers out there who use travel insurance as a net to protect their budgets, I decided to explain some options about travel insurance as it relates to political disorder.

While most policies do not include cancellation and/or interruption coverage for civil unrest, there are a few exceptions. It's also important to read your policy carefully, because some insurances cover expenses if you are delayed as a result of an uprising; though, very few let you cancel your trip because of a country's instability (terrorist attacks are generally an exclusion to this rule).

Carol Pucci, a travel writer for the Seattle Times, explains that travelers who want the extra protection from civil uprisings have a couple of options, including "Cancel for Any Reason" policies. However, these policies are pricey, normally tacking on 50 percent or more to the cost of a trip with a reimbursement of only 50 to 75 percent of your prepaid travel costs. Thats pretty pricey, especially when you consider standard insurance usually only adds 8 percent or less to the cost of your travels.

A more budget-friendly option for travelers looking for political upheaval coverage may be the American Express Global Travel Shield classic plan. "It's coverage, broader than most companies offer, is something to consider for trips to other destinations," Pucci explains, adding that the policies coverage relating to Egypt's protest is no longer offered, because the company views the country's unrest as a "foreseeable event."

Do you have any advice for travel insurance or how to navigate a political uprising? If so, please leave your tips in the comments below.