Swine Flu - covered for cancellation?

antiguagirl

Hello

I have already booked my hotel (the Hyatt Regency through Expedia) and flight (through eBookers via Mexicana/American Airlines) to go to Cancun in Mexico on the 21st of May 2009.
With the outbreak of swine flu I am worried I am going to have to cancel my trip and lose all my money (around £700 in total).
Can someone please advise me what is the best travel insurance to take out to cover me against this (if one exists)?
Also any other advice on this topic wouuld be more than welcome.

Quentin

If you simply cancel now yourself because you changed your mind, no insurer will cover you. Though if you go there and are taken ill, your insurance would cover you.

But if between now and your departure there is government advice against travelling there, then you will be covered under most travel insurance. In that case you could cancel, and would NOT be covered if you still went and were taken ill.

lisyloo

You need to get insurance cover ASAP.
You should get it at the point of booking.

Let's suppose a close relative falls ill now and then dies and it turns out the funeral is 21st May and you can't go.
As you don't have cover NOW you won't be covered for things that happen now (illness, accident and death are things that just spring to mind but there might be others.

If the foreign office tells you not to travel I believe you are entitled to compensation.
If you jsut decide not to go, then you will not be covered by insurance, even if the situation is not great. Travel insurance doesn't coevr you for changing your mind.

But get it sorted ASAP. At the moment you are exposed to various risks.

Pee

I hope I am wrong, but I would have thought no insurance would cover you unless there is a change in attitude and you are stopped from flying into mexico. I understand the problem is in Mexico City and so far no flights in or out are affected, although unsurprisingly bars and restaurants are closed and the atmosphere is not good. Have you tried contacting ebookers and expedia for their thoughts? Someone eolse will be along who knows much more. Do a search for Thailand as a short while ago there was a similiar problem (ok, completely different but people were being advised not to travel) and there was an interesting thread on here then.

dzug1

Policies may vary, but I don't thing they generally cover this sort of thing at all. Certainly mine doesn't

It's normally covered in the tour operator's T&C - if they decide to cancel or have to cancel a holiday because of the situation you are entitled to a full refund, but probably no additional compensation.

If they decide to operate anyway then it's disinclination to travel and you accept whatever costs that entails.

antiguagirl

Thanks for your responses so far.
Can anyone recommend a good insurer? And what particular clause I should look out for in the travel insurance policy?

Quentin

MSE Martin has an article on buying travel insurance:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cheap-travel-insurance

You need to check the cancellation section of any policy you are interested in.

soolin

Government person was just on the TV saying that at the moment they are not giving any 'official advice' not to travel as they are aware that once they do thisimpacts on insurance etc. However, they recommend that you continue to watch the department (my mind has gone completely blank and I can't remember which website now!) website for official updates.

Regardless of whether any official restrictions are in place travelling to Mexico without insurance is very risky. It is a lovely country but Cancun has some problems, as do most high touristy places, with pickpockets, that's even discounting medical reasons for insurance.

Enjoy Cancun though, is it great, I love it.

Quentin

soolin wrote: »

However, they recommend that you continue to watch the department (my mind has gone completely blank and I can't remember which website now!) website for official updates.

Foreign office site:

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/travel-advice-by-country/north-central-america/mexico;jsessionid=4D18D8127CF3C6B632F4E18FAC674250.tomcat2

Quentin

When buying single trip insurance there is no saving in waiting till near your departure before buying it - the price is determined by the length of the actual trip, not the length of the period covered for the cancellation section.

So unless you intend risking travelling without any insurance you should ensure you are covered from the moment you book - you could get run over by a bus that very day!

dacouch

The only problem you could have is if you do already have Travel Insurance and take it out now, the Insurers may refuse a claim under the cancellation section for Swine Fever as it is already a "known event". This in effect means when you took cover out you already knew that you might have to cancel due to Swine Fever.