Add-on End Supplier Failure Travel Insurance?

alcedo

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know of any add-on or standalone End Supplier Failure insurance that we could take out in addition to our annual travel insurance?

We have booked an independent trip to India via an Indian travel company, who have arranged a guide and driver and all the accommodation.  We had to pay the deposit by bank transfer, as they don't take credit cards, and we wouldn't be protected by ATOL as they aren't a UK company.  We have been recommended this particular company by friends and know several other people who've done the same trip, and the Indian travel company has been going for many years.  However, I'd like to make sure we are protected if something happens to the Indian travel company.  We are flying with BA, so I'm not too concerned about the airline going bust.

Our current annual travel insurance provider stopped doing End Supplier Failure cover a year ago, and from my research it seems that most travel insurance providers have done the same. 

Therefore I've been looking for an add-on insurance specifically to cover End Supplier Failure, but without much success.

I understand there are one or two providers that will cover End Supplier Failure as part of a comprehensive travel policy, but these are high-end policies and if I bought one I'd be paying twice for the other travel insurance features such as medical, cancellation & curtailment, baggage etc.  This could also cause complications if we had to claim, e.g. for cancellation, as we'd be covered by two insurers.

Thanks for any help.

alcedo

Update - I checked the fine print of our previous End Supplier Failure cover, and it has led me to the conclusion that it wouldn't have covered financial failure of the Indian tour operator.

"The cover includes: 

1. Irrecoverable sums paid prior to Financial Failure of the Scheduled Airline, hotel, train operator including Eurostar, car ferries; villas abroad & cottages in the UK; coach operator, car or camper hire company, caravan sites, campsites, mobile home, safaris; excursions; Eurotunnel; theme parks or attractions all known as the End Supplier of the travel arrangements not forming part of an  inclusive holiday prior to departure or

2. In the event of Financial Failure after departure:  [… pro rata costs, transportation costs back to UK]

Financial Failure means the End Supplier becoming Insolvent or has an administrator appointed and being unable to provide agreed services.

End Supplier means the company that owns and operates the services listed in point 1 above.

The Insurer will not pay for:

1. Travel or Accommodation not booked within the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Northern Ireland prior to departure.

2. Any End Supplier which is, or which any prospect of Financial Failure is known by the Insured or widely known publicly at the date of the Insured’s application under this policy.

3. Any loss or part of a loss which at the time of the happening of the loss is insured or guaranteed by any other existing Policy, Policies, bond, or is capable of recovery from under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act or from any bank or card issuer or any other legal means.

4. The Financial Failure of any travel agent, tour organiser, booking agent or consolidator with whom the Insured has booked travel or accommodation.

5. Any losses which are not directly associated with the incident that caused the Insured to claim. For example, loss due to being unable to reach your pre-booked hotel following the Financial Failure of an airline."

Hope this is helpful to others who may have similar concerns.