Bali through Kuala Lumpur - in 3 weeks

GarciaLorca

Hi,
Like many on this forum, we had planned to go on a holiday over the Easter holidays for 2 weeks, both 30 and healthy, departing 4 April. 
We are flying to Bali through Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Airlines, staying in KL for 1 night on the outbound leg.  We have travel insurance which we took out in December.  The current FCO advice does not currently advise against travel to either of these countries but we are aware that the situation with Coronavirus is rapidly escalating.  
The policy wording includes the following relevant provisions, summarised: 

• Payment up to amount in policy schedule for any non-refundable unused travel and accommodation costs and other pre-paid charges incurred if: (1) cancellation of the trip is necessary and unavoidable; or (2) the trip is curtailed before completion as a result of any of the following [death, illness etc]
• Payment up to £1,000 for any irrecoverable unused travel and accommodation costs and other pre-paid charges incurred if: (1) you were not able to travel and use your booked accommodation or; (2) the trip was curtailed before completion as a result of FCO advice prohibiting all travel or all but essential travel or recommending evacuation from the country or specific area to which you were travelling. 

Am I right in thinking, than in relation to cancellation rather than curtailment, this wording is quite broad and could potentially include things like being preventing from going because you are self-isolating, quarantined, because the FCO has told you not to travel there, because UK borders have closed or borders of the other country have closed?

Essentially, I am trying to figure out when we should cancel (i.e. should it be at the last minute just before the trip) and whether we are covered. I can't get through to the insurer at this time.  Would the process be:

- Wait and see if airline cancels before trip due date, if it doesn't call and see if they will accept a cancellation and offer a refund;

- Contact hotels and cancel (they've already told me they are non-refundable;

- claim accommodation costs on the insurance.

Also, is there any view as to whether we should still go if the travel advice doesn't change for these countries?  Partner and I are mainly worried about the situation escalating while we are away and getting quarantined there / being unable to return and also worried about relatives at home.  I'm erring on the side of cancelling the whole thing but I understand from reading Martin's advice that you should wait until the last minute to do so. 

Thanks 

GarciaLorca

UPDATE:  Just seen the Bali travel advice has been updated and FCO advising against all but essential travel.  I spoke to my travel insurance company and they said that I added the travel disruption policy within a 7 day moratorium and that I am NOT covered for coronavirus cancellations, unless I cannot go on the trip due to illness including self-isolation.  Which sounds counter-intuitive - why would I even be going if the FCO advice is not to go and I risk invalidating the rest of the policy? 

zagfles

You said you took out the insurance in December, so what do they mean you "added the travel disruption policy within a 7 day moratorium"? Did you amend/add this to the policy more recently?

GarciaLorca

zagfles said:

You said you took out the insurance in December, so what do they mean you "added the travel disruption policy within a 7 day moratorium"? Did you amend/add this to the policy more recently?

Hi - apparently the initial policy did not include travel disruption, and had to be purchased as an additional bolt on.  I noticed this a few days ago and added it, but it was caught by their 7 day moratorium.