Direct Line Travel Insurance & Japan disaster

parallax_2

Hi,

Me and my girlfriend were due to go to Japan next week, thankfully we had taken out insurance to cover our holiday but alas it was with Direct Line (my gf works there and got it included in her work benefits)

Now this is the great part.....they say we are not covered to cancel! Even though the country is devastated and there is a threat of nuclear fallout heading over Tokyo.

They state that because the FCO website says:

"The overall level of the advice has not changed; we advise against all but essential travel to north eastern Japan and Tokyo"

that travel to the whole of Japan is not restricted and therefore if we cancel it's our choice. Direct Line state that unless the FCO say 'ALL travel to Japan should be avoided" then we are not entitled to a cancellation claim!

It get better, they have also said that we are still fully covered for the trip! When I asked for written confirmation of this (including health cover from radiation) they did try and put me off by saying that I didn't need it but I insisted. It should arrive later this week.

Now with the threat of a radioactive cloud headed for Tokyo they still will not let us cancel and lodge a claim. Does anyone have any advice?

Quentin

Wait and see if the FO advice changes (all insurers will follow that, not just DL), otherwise your insurance won't pay if you choose not to go.

gflat223

Where does your flight land in Japan? Is it Tokyo (Narita) or an airport somewhere else? I have a flight to Narita on Friday and had assumed that my Insurance would accept that the Foreign Office advice covered Narita which is North East of Tokyo.???? Can anyone advise about whether Tokyo Narita is likely to be covered by the FO advice?

parallax_2

gflat223 wrote: »

Where does your flight land in Japan? Is it Tokyo (Narita) or an airport somewhere else? I have a flight to Narita on Friday and had assumed that my Insurance would accept that the Foreign Office advice covered Narita which is North East of Tokyo.???? Can anyone advise about whether Tokyo Narita is likely to be covered by the FO advice?

Yes, I called the FCO today and spoke to a very helpful person about this, Tokyo and anywhere north of it is included. His exact words were:

"Our advice is designed to cover the situation, by that I mean it clearly states to avoid Tokyo. Travelling to Japan now would be foolish. I am really surprised your insurer is trying to pull this one. As I said all travel to Japan should be avoided, our advice clearly implies that"

So Direct Line are trying to use a loophole in the wording. I have reported them to the Financial Ombudsman who also agreed that the cancellation should be covered under the FCO's advice. However we have to spend 8 weeks negotiating with Direct Line before they can do anything.

karen24_2

what does your tour operator say? I thought that they were meant to help sort things out in this kind of situation?

parallax_2

karen24 wrote: »

what does your tour operator say? I thought that they were meant to help sort things out in this kind of situation?

We took out the insurance separately. They only wanted proof we had insurance before we made the booking so I don't know if they can help.

I will ask them in the morning though just to be sure.

karen24_2

I actually meant about rearranging the trip to somewhere else or changing the dates etc. Hope you get sorted, as somebody else has said I expect most insurers will use the official advice of the FCO when making decisions about offering cover for cancellation.

somepegs

Hi
I'm in the unenviable position to have bought flights to Tokyo a couple of days before the earthquake and other incidents, and had not purchased travel insurance by that time.

Does anyone have any advice on whether buying Worldwide cover now could give some protection if the FCO advice doesn't change?

Thanks for any help, really appreciated.

All the best,
Dave

Clive_Woody

somepegs wrote: »

Hi
I'm in the unenviable position to have bought flights to Tokyo a couple of days before the earthquake and other incidents, and had not purchased travel insurance by that time.

Does anyone have any advice on whether buying Worldwide cover now could give some protection if the FCO advice doesn't change?

Thanks for any help, really appreciated.

All the best,
Dave

It might be worth checking initially with the airline to see if they are still sending flights to Japan, if they have cancelled the flights then I assume you should get a refund (although I am no expert).

hwood

somepegs wrote: »

Hi
I'm in the unenviable position to have bought flights to Tokyo a couple of days before the earthquake and other incidents, and had not purchased travel insurance by that time.

Does anyone have any advice on whether buying Worldwide cover now could give some protection if the FCO advice doesn't change?

Thanks for any help, really appreciated.

All the best,
Dave

I have the same problem - was just about to purchase insurance before earthquake. We bought flights and nothing else. Flying with Emirates and they currently say can only rearrange dates by upto 14 days if fly out before 30 april. We fly out beginning of May- but even if they revise the dates included, we cannot do fit in our hol 2 weeks later and would need to cancel. Anybody know of an insurance co. or broker to gain advice on this matter? Reluctant to book anything else unless can get confirmation that cancellation will be fully refunded. Flight booked with Flight Centre - does that make any difference?