Covid - Travel Insurance Claims

Muscles Schultz

Hi - not sure if there is a thread for this. But I would be interest in hearing people’s experiences - especially claiming due to the government advisory on not travelling.

biko

What is your question?
If you can claim because you had travel planned but cannot go now?

Muscles Schultz

biko wrote: »

What is your question?
If you can claim because you had travel planned but cannot go now?

Well flights and going and hotel is open but what if you do not want to travel due to govt advice not to?

Have people claimed on their travel insurance in this case?

Also do you have cover abroad if you travel against govt advice ?

scrips

My annual multi-trip insurance policy lists the following EXCLUSION: travel to a country or specific area to which a government agency in RoI, DoFA or WHO has advised against all or all but essential travel.

So, a government advisory against non-essential travel basically invalidates the insurance. But you would need to check the wording of your own insurance policy as it could be different.

Also NOT COVERED in my policy is 'any claim resulting from the delay or amendment of your trip because of Government action or restrictive regulations'.

diggerdigger

You should also check with your health insurance provider. Many travel policies are taken additionally to cover provided by you health insurance ,and priced lower if you would rely on another policy for travel health cover.

Muscles Schultz

scrips wrote: »

My annual multi-trip insurance policy lists the following EXCLUSION: travel to a country or specific area to which a government agency in RoI, DoFA or WHO has advised against all or all but essential travel.

So, a government advisory against non-essential travel basically invalidates the insurance. But you would need to check the wording of your own insurance policy as it could be different.

Also NOT COVERED in my policy is 'any claim resulting from the delay or amendment of your trip because of Government action or restrictive regulations'.

Therefore they should cover the cost of
Hotel & Flights if not used due to now not have cover if the holiday was taken ?

paddyb

My trip has not happened yet and I won't be travelling (the event I was travelling for has been cancelled). I have a policy with VHI and they told me what is written below:

If the DFA are still advising against non-essential travel when you are scheduled to depart and the airline does not cancel the flight, we would consider the claim for non-refundable costs but we will require a cancellation letter from the airline and the accommodation provider confirming if any/no refund was issued and a copy of the hotel’s terms and conditions. We are advising our members to contact us 48 hours before travel for the most recent travel updates.

My trip is not until the start of August so I will wait until the time and see

scrips

You seem to be quite lucky with your insurance. Mine clearly states that this situation is excluded. Further, it states that (even if the travel advisory was lifted) 'any claims arising directly or indirectly from circumstances known to you prior to the date of purchasing the insurance or booking your trip which could reasonably have been expected to give rise to cancellation or curtailment' are not covered. It has been impossible to get any clarity from my insurance provider as to whether postponing my trip by 4.5 months (from start April to end August) means it is still not covered. Could postponing it until end Aug have reasonably been expected to give rise to cancellation? That was anyone's guess. Infuriatingly I am unable to get a response via phone calls, web chat, or email in any meaningful way. They advise using their text line and then say they do not recognise the Irish mobile number you supply!

It's a minefield and trying to tease it all out is a headache.

Sheep Shagger

Has anyone received a refund etc for a travel insurance policy that is essentially pointless given we are not supposed to travel abroad?

VHI are ignoring emails and phone calls I've made...

Beasty

Threads merged

Sheep Shagger

Beasty wrote: »

Threads merged

THanks, was going to post here but thought my question was different as I'm not looking to claim under my policy.

I wondered if renewal dates are being extended or refunds are being given as a travel insurance policy is useless at the moment given we are not supposed to be travelling.

Hopefully someone can advise....

micks_address

hi folks,

We have travel insurance with An Post. Was due to travel to mallorca in August, outgoing Ryanair flight has been cancelled and we have requested a refund from Ryanair. Return is with Aer Lingus and that looks to be still a valid flight. All was booked via lastminute.com.

Not sure whether to talk to An Post re insurance or Aer Lingus directly? Lastrminute.com don't seem to offering much advice re the aer lingus flight

Cheers,
Mick

Sheep Shagger

micks_address wrote: »

hi folks,

We have travel insurance with An Post. Was due to travel to mallorca in August, outgoing Ryanair flight has been cancelled and we have requested a refund from Ryanair. Return is with Aer Lingus and that looks to be still a valid flight. All was booked via lastminute.com.

Not sure whether to talk to An Post re insurance or Aer Lingus directly? Lastrminute.com don't seem to offering much advice re the aer lingus flight

Cheers,
Mick

Don't bother with the airline or insurance, just do a charge back via your bank, faster.

Muscles Schultz

micks_address wrote: »

hi folks,

We have travel insurance with An Post. Was due to travel to mallorca in August, outgoing Ryanair flight has been cancelled and we have requested a refund from Ryanair. Return is with Aer Lingus and that looks to be still a valid flight. All was booked via lastminute.com.

Not sure whether to talk to An Post re insurance or Aer Lingus directly? Lastrminute.com don't seem to offering much advice re the aer lingus flight

Cheers,
Mick

Check your emails. Aer Lingus have started offering vouchers for non cancelled flights going before end August

micks_address

Muscles Schultz wrote: »

Check your emails. Aer Lingus have started offering vouchers for non cancelled flights going before end August

It was booked via last-minute dot com so I don't know how that will work

scrips

Talk to the insurance underwriter, if you can get through to a human. You may be able to claim for travel disruption even if your return flights are not cancelled. And you probably won't want to hear this now but I would not book flights through a third party website, as it's more complicated if something goes wrong.