In line with government directions, advising against all but essential travel to Tunisia, the Nationwide Building Society is similarly advising against its customers travelling to the country at this time.

Supporting the work being done by tour operators to both repatriate travellers and reimburse them for cancelled trips, the Nationwide is temporarily extending the standard travel insurance cover attached to its FlexAccount current account to include cancellation. This would normally require an upgrade to the account. For FlexPlus, packaged account customers, this is covered as standard.

The change means the society is committed to considering all cases where FlexAccount customers are unable to apply for a refund or alternative holiday from their travel provider, regardless of whether they are travelling on a package holiday or an independent traveller.

Nationwide current account customers with a FlexAccount, which provides free UK and European Travel Insurance, and FlexPlus packaged account, providing worldwide family travel insurance, are automatically covered for curtailment of their trip, this means anyone unable to be repatriated by their travel provider will have their claim considered in the usual way.

The mutual said it urges all travellers to keep up to date with the situation in Tunisia and to consider cancelling their trip in light of the latest advice.

Nationwide last week temporarily extended personal money limits for travellers to Greece. The news follows government advice, issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, that while banks are closed in Greece and some withdrawals are limited, travellers should take sufficient euros in cash to cover the duration of their stay.

Nationwide FlexAccount and FlexPlus customers will now temporarily covered up to £1,000 per insured adult (previously £250 per insured adult) and £100 for children under the age of 16.