Volcanic Ash advice
This page tells you about the protection your travel cover will give you
during the current Icelandic volcano crisis.
The volcanic ash cloud has been declared by the insurers, Fortis, as an
'Ongoing Situation', which means that there is no definite end in sight. Though
flights may be currently running without problem, the threat of disruption is
still present.
Single Trip Cover
If you arranged your Single Trip travel cover and booked your trip prior
to 15th April (the date of the first closure of British airspace), the insurer
will provide protection for abandonment and delay up to your policy limits.
Customers arranging Single Trip travel insurance since 15th
April will find that they are NOT covered for problems arising due to volcanic
ash.
There is a possible silver lining to the volcanic ash cloud for customers who
(sometimes unknowingly) have annual multi-trip travel insurance provided free by
their Bank as one of the benefits of their Bank Account. If you have this cover
and you booked your trip in good faith before 15th April, your
Bank should honour your cover.
Annual or Multi-trip Cover
If you have an annual travel policy which was in force prior to
15th April (the date of the first closure of British airspace) and is
still in force - even through renewal, providing there has been no gap
in cover - the insurer will provide protection for abandonment and delay up to
your policy limit for any trips you booked prior to 15th April.
Customers arranging Annual travel insurance since 15th April or
who booked a trip since 15th April will find that they are NOT
covered for problems arising due to volcanic ash.
It is worth contacting your Bank though as it is possible that customers
(sometimes unknowingly) have annual multi-trip travel insurance provided free by
their Bank as one of the benefits of their Bank Account. If you have this cover
and you booked your trip in good faith before 15th April, your
Bank should honour your cover.
PLEASE NOTE: To be covered for abandonment or delay you MUST
go to the airport with the intention of travelling. If, after a delay of more
than 12 hours you decide to cancel the trip, you can do so and claim under the
abandonment section of your policy. You CANNOT claim abandonment or delay
if you simply stay at home and decide to cancel the trip because you hear on the
News, for example, that flights are being cancelled or delayed.
Needless to say, all the other benefits of travel cover - cancellation,
medical costs, personal belongings, lost passport, etc - will continue to apply.
So the best advice is still to arrange travel cover to protect yourself from
these remaining perils.
|
