# Extra insurance for risk of volcanic ash disruption



## thedaras (5 May 2010)

Have any of the posters on AAM, had a good experience with your insurance company's regarding the volcanic ash disruptions yet?

I have booked flights and a gite, but am concerned about the ash situation as there is talk of it continuing throughout the summer.

I'm in the process of getting insurance and would love some recommendations .
Are insurance company's claiming an act of God?
If this is the case ,and we couldn't travel,would we lose all the money for flights car hire and the house?
Or does anyone know of an insurance policy I  could get that would cover this somewhat?
Thanks in advance


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## Locke (5 May 2010)

I'm just waiting for someone to sue God.

I'm meant to be heading to Barcelona for the F1 on Friday morning at 6:40. Very nervous about whether this is going to happen.

Heading through The Travel Department so there will be a group of people all on the one flight. Not sure what the situation is regarding Insurance.

I got BOI Single Trip Gold Insurance. It mentions in Catastrophy about fire, flood, earthquake etc but nothing about God and his terrible good for nothing antics and Volcanoes.

Will have to wait and see. Hope you get to go where you are booked for!


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## thedaras (5 May 2010)

What happens if you don't believe in God

Just wonder what experiences people have had with their insurance company's in situations where they have booked privately a house/flight ie;not though a travel agent.


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## oldnick (5 May 2010)

I have yet to hear of anyone succesfully claiming from an insurance company a refund of monies lost as a result of the April volcanic crisis. I gather from my travel insurance contacts that many clients and brokers are fighting the insurance companies but to what avail i don't know.

However, regardless of what success people may have with policies issued before the volcanic ash thing,  its now too late to buy any policy that covers you for something that is actually happening. 

If any insurance company today is selling a policy that covers one for losses because of volcanic ash I'd be amazed.

Stick to a tour operators package holiday -you won't lose a cent. 

..and as for God , who caused the problem,well ask her !


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## jpd (5 May 2010)

oldnick said:


> ..and as for God , who caused the problem,well ask her !



You mean Him, or at least Her. Honestly, people have no respect these days!


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## Chocks away (5 May 2010)

Heard on the radio today that one of the English carriers are giving ash insurance for €7 per trip. That should give their balance sheet a nice spike


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## oldnick (5 May 2010)

Yes, flyBe are selling at £7 per per person insurance that covers board and lodging and travel expenses up to ,I think, 150 quid per day up to a maximum of a grand.

Clever really - perhaps a bit sneaky - because by law they have to cover "reasonable" board and lodging anyway. 

What the airline is saying is..
"If you don't pay this £7 you'll have to wait ages to get your money back in case you're stranded , and we'll probably argue what's reasonable;  so just pay seven quid now and we'll refund a 150 quid a day no argument"

However, as per OP's question,  this insurance does not cover the cost of losses incurred because you cant get a refund from that hotel,cruise,villa etc that one does not book with a tour operator.

As regards suing God -you can't even sue her representative on Earth Mr Pope.
Better to do what i'm doing and work with her rather than sue her. 
I am presently arranging with her and, just in case, the Devil an all-risks policy that covers anything those girls do over the next few millenia -there's even an Armageddon pay out.
Details to follow but in the meantime watch out for that asteroid.

(Gosh, am I going to get banned from this site again ?)


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## divadsnilloc (6 May 2010)

*Travel Insurance*

Just checked my own Annual Travel policy today with multitrip.com and discovered my policy doesn't cover flight cancellations. I asked to upgrade the policy to include this and was told it would cost €29. No problem with that, except that it's not available until the "current" situation ends. I asked about taking out additional insurance to cover the possibility of losing out on hotel accommodation in case your flight was cancelled and guess what, this cover is not available. What is the point in taking out travel insurance at all if these basic requirements are not available?

Also, if anybody is booking with Alpharooms, don't opt for the insurance cover as it is only available to UK or NI citizens.


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## thedaras (6 May 2010)

Thats just typical!!
I will just have to take the risk,by the looks of things.
I understood that the last volcano eruption lasted for a year,so looks like if they apply the above criteria,we will all have to take the risk.


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## oldnick (6 May 2010)

If the volcanic ash problem affects flights to and from this island for much longer then it is not just a question of one's own travel problems . Forget the insurance thing -it may be a question of national survival.

Ireland without reliable regular air connections -even for a few months - will greatly suffer.
Most people don't seem to have grasped that fact yet -and that includes our government.


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## muffinsda (7 May 2010)

Looks like there is something out there or will be there (not sure!): 
[broken link removed]


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## oldnick (7 May 2010)

That site is a bit misleading.
At present no insurance company will cover one for loss of money incurred by the ash problem E.G. to recover money for cost of hotel, cruise, villa etc that one is unable to get to (not a problem if booked with tour operator in which case you get every cent back)
Nor can you claim for loss of earnings, distress etc.

BUT you can claim with some insurance companies the cost of getting to and from your destination. Different policies have different wordings such as "MISSED DEPARTUE COVER"   "FLIGHT DISRUPTION/CANCELLATION COVER" -
-sometimes these cost a bit extra but at present they do NOT exclude the ash problem, so one can claim "reasonable accommodation expenses (room only) and travel expences getting to and from your destination/home".

...however...

..most policies then state "you must first make your claim under EU legislation from the airline"  -which means that these policies are best if you have not travelled with an EU airline.
There are often various other caveats  so one must be careful.


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## Leper (8 May 2010)

Nick,

Perhaps you can throw some light on my forthcoming questions?

In terms of value, what insurance company offers the best deal in yearly travel insurance?

Why?

By the way your posts are informative and helpful.


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## oldnick (8 May 2010)

Dear leper

i have to say that at present I'd recommend multi-trip.com as the best value -and its worth paying for the added value supplements (missed cruise connection ,ski accidents etc).
they are a strong irish based company BUT...

..I still dont like or trust any insurance company and even with multi-trip I've had fights on behalf of clients.

At the end of the day the really only good thing about travel insurance is in case of  bad accident and illness in a country where public health services are bad, or where it would be difficult and dear to get one home.

But -of course -if one has a preexisting condition none of the health aspect in the insurance polcies mean much except if you are a VHI customer and you have a preexisting condition .In that case stick to VHI annual worldwide insurance -good value for VHI subscribers.
I've a heart condition and if I had a heart attack abroad then most insurance companies may not cover me , so i stick to VHI.

Incidentally, I cant find a satisfacory insurance policy that covers people for MENTAL illness. Its not funny - in nearly 40 yrs of this business I've seen clients clients suffer a nervous breakdown, depression etc whilst on holiday -often teenagers as much as old people like me - and insurance companies dont want to know.

the health insurance covers nonmental illness. A small point -until it happens to you.

=============

I'm off to UK in an hour and am making plans for the ferry/train back next midweek as it seems we'll all be affected again in a couple of days. Had to cancel my last trip -real drag with sick daughters appointment in London hospital. Oops getting personal here. Mild hysteria due to this crisis which is exhausting us.....
Once again i've got clients stuck abroad and others who cant get out -mainly Spain and Portugal today, with a few  USA passengers.
Frankly, few travel agencies/tour operators/airlines could withstand this disruption if it continues much longer -and the same for hotels and others in tourism related businesses.
it's a mess. And the Irish don't get it yet .
 Ten pages on a DJ's death -a few lines about this crisis !

i waffle. Rgds Old Nick


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## Leper (9 May 2010)

Thanks Nick,

Lep


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## riddles (17 May 2010)

*Flight cancellation*

Hi,

If you are flying out on a monday and there is a no fly restriction - do the airline automatically put you on the next available flight or offer a refund?

If as I have booked a non refundable car and paid up front accomadation in France in June - if there are flight restrictions on the flight date - would I be better to request a refund straight away and choose a ferry?

I presuming if my flight date faces restrictions and the carrier is booked up all week then there is no alternative?

Thanks,

R


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## Pique318 (25 May 2010)

oldnick said:


> (not a problem if booked with tour operator in which case you get every cent back)


How does this work if you use a UK Operator (eg, Thomson, flying from NI) and have your own insurance for the usual things, but not theirs (as not a UK resident)?

If, for example, you're at your destination and the volcano burps again and the flights home are delayed, does the operator HAVE to provide you with accommodation free of charge until you can get home ??


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## oldnick (25 May 2010)

Forget the insurance thing as regards costs due to the ash crisis -which is over anyway. Otherwise I see no problem for you as resident in ireland using your insurance for the travel you describe. Indeed, i think -but am not sure - you must use a policy issued in your country of residence. 

Certainly for tour operators bonded and licensed in Ireland -under Commission for Aviation Regulation -or the U.K. -under ATOL license -clients must be accommodated free of charge until they can get back to the airport whence they departed.

Problem arises if the tour operator goes bust when clients are stuck. Past experience tells me the Irish system is stronger and more efficient than the UK system when it comes to rescuing clients stranded abroad for whatever reason -or for refunding monies paid for a holiday when tour operator goes bust.
The Irish protection system for clients of tour operators and travel agents is perhaps the strongest in Europe....

(..which seems not to impress most members of Irish public who happily book direct with unprotected property owners abroad).

Anyway, volcanic ash problem has gone.
for now.


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## Pique318 (25 May 2010)

Good answer, oldnick, thanks !

You work in the travel industry by any chance ?


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## oldnick (25 May 2010)

Yes - do you want to buy a travel agency -cheap ? 
It's a great business if you forget about the recession, the internet, discount airlines, the recent introduction oF VAT to our business, the heavy licensing, bonding and auditing requirements- and consumer worries about volcanic ash.

As one of only twenty independent retail travel agencies in the whole of Dublin you'll make a killing,
- probably of yourself.


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## LDFerguson (26 May 2010)

I see Paddy Power came up with a novel solution for those who couldn't get ash disruption insurance.


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## oldnick (26 May 2010)

gosh it's worth considering. Tks Ferguson for that info.... 

August peak dates at 20/1 would make it worth it for someone to put down say 20 euros - and get back 400 euros (-plus a refund of tickets which one gets anyway).

Obviously far less of a risk now volcano has subsided- but if one still has a real concern about booking a flight due to the ash thing then a small flutter may be worth it.


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