Travel insurance

Didier2000

Hi all I am planning for travel on Christmas day I have booking with one of the budget airlines five of us me my wife and three children as it common Christmas time have travel disruption what is the best travel insurance will cover in this case to carry on my journey because I know insurance companies happy to take your money but when it comes to pay they will look for any excuse, also is ture I am not covered if my flight cancelled before I travel as I am still at home ? 
Many thanks 

DullGreyGuy

Didier2000 said:

 I know insurance companies happy to take your money but when it comes to pay they will look for any excuse 

Insurers sell you a contract of indemnity, like all contracts it's governed by terms and conditions. Customers are always asking for cheaper prices and one of the easiest ways of doing that is by making the T&Cs more restrictive.

Insurers do payout inline with the terms that you are free to read before buying. There is a reason why most complaints about insurers aren't upheld by the ombudsman, for Personal Accident as an example only 15% of complaints are upheld (payday loans by comparison is 68% upheld), and it's because insurers do generally apply the terms fairly. 

The real problem is that people want to buy lemonade priced insurance but expect to get champagne quality cover and service. 

Didier2000 said:
it common Christmas time have travel disruption what is the best travel insurance will cover in this case to carry on my journey 

An insurer will not help you carry on your journey, for that you need a good airline or a good travel agent. An insurer will help ensure you dont lose out financially after any compensation or refunds due from other parties. 

If an airline cancels your flight they are obliged to reroute or refund you, if it's their fault and it's within 2 weeks of the trip they are also obliged to pay you compensation. Cover for delay or abandonment doesn't require you to be at the airport but does require that you'd checked in to the flight before the delay (or cancellation with no suitable replacement offered)


There is no singular best policy as different customers have different needs, to get the best policy for you you need to do the legwork of reading the policy and dont just pick the cheapest one or the one with the free cuddly toy. 

sheramber

Whoever is responsivble will depend on who or what is responsible for the disruption.for the disruption - airline, airport, border force, weather?

You need to read the policy document- not the summary- to check exactly what you are covered for.

Phone the company and ask if whatever sceanario you want covered in covered by thier policy.

Chaep can be cheap for a reason.

SiliconChip

Is it a popular destination? While I've never travelled on Christmas Day I'd assume there are fewer flights, and if there are no alternatives to where you want to get to it may be impossible to continue the journey the same day whatever insurance you have or airline you book with.

DullGreyGuy

SiliconChip said:
While I've never travelled on Christmas Day I'd assume there are fewer flights

There are a lot less flights but it does vary by country/region, obviously in some countries the date doesn't have that much significance. 

According to a quick google it also turns out to be an exceptionally expensive day to fly, in principle you may say no wonder given the limited number of flights but I have to say personally when looking for flights over the Xmas period I thought it was typically a bit cheaper than the days immediately prior/after.