How to buy travel insurance after volcanic ash?

DLRASD

We are due to go away in a month and hadn't got round to buying travel insurance...in light of the possibility of future eruptions, can anyone suggest a good policy as I'm concerned that a lot of companies won't cover as they might consider this a known event?

many thanks in anticipation.

sgjohn

Also interested in this myself as the Post Office insurance taken after April the 15th doesnt cover for any problems arising due to the volcano.

peterbaker

That's a very interesting question from the OP, and a very interesting observation from sgjohn. Fortis helpfully came out on 15th April saying that they would entertain Ash claims as far as their policy limits allowed. The general straw poll so far is that Fortis are some of the good guys.

The Post Office travel policy is of course underwritten by Fortis.

On the Post Office website, it says "Please note: Customers purchasing from the 15th April 2010 will not be covered for any claims arising as a result of this incident as this is now a known event."

Now that actually is not very clear going forward. I was afraid the insurers might start playing games with their definition of incident. There was a big hoo-ha on 9/11 about whether it was one incident or two depending on whether you were buying or selling.

So is the incident they say started on 14th April ongoing, or has it stopped? Is it the rumbling of the volcano they are talking about, or the closure of airspace?

If it helps the OP, I am in the same boat, I have travel booked but have not yet bought the insurance mainly because of the ash question. And I used to work in the insurance industry ... the rest of you have my sympathy.

I'd like to think that all the Post Office are trying to say is that you cannot buy insurance "after the event" so to speak to cover your losses over the past week. But actually I think they are saying more ...

bagand96

As usual its clear as mud for the consumer, to add to the debate, Columbus Direct say the following:

Policies purchases after the no fly restrictions were put in place do not have any cover for cancellation, as once the restriction was in place this event was no longer unforeseen, and therefore cannot be insured against. Once no fly restrictions have been lifted this cover will once again continue

Now, I am no expert, but to the layman that seems to say two things:

a) The "event" is the no fly restrictions and not the Volcano?
b) Now they are lifted, new customers are covered?

I question if its that simple though? I mean, if the eruption gets worse next week and more restrictions are in place then what? Surely then they could claim the Volcano is the event and it was known all along?

I already have my insurance with Columbus for a trip later in the year, so I'm not affected, just interested really.